Our most recent family road trip took us through Port Arthur and Beaumont, Texas and Pensacola, Tampa Bay, and Orlando, Florida. We have so many beautiful family memories from our trip. One of our favorite Tampa Bay attractions was Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park. It is unlike any other zoo we have been to. I was provided with some Tampa Bay City Passes by Visit Tampa Bay that included Zoo Tampa tickets. All opinions are my own.
Zoo Tampa is rich in history dating back to the 1930’s and has been in it’s present location at Lowry Park since 1957. The zoo began small with just a few animals, but has now grown to a whopping 56 acres! The Zoo offers educational programs, rides, and of course a slew of animal encounters.
Animal Encounters
We always look for wildlife that we’ve never seen before, and there were several new to us animals at Zoo Tampa. While we saw many alligators in Florida, crocodiles were more rare. I was amazed by these Indian Gharial crocodiles. They are critically endangered with only an estimated 250 surviving in 2014. Look at their long, thin jaws!
Zoo Tampa cares for over 1,300 animals specializing in endangered and threatened species from areas of the world where the climate is similar to that of Tampa Bay.
The closer my kids get to the animals, the happier they are! I grew up with goats, so it especially did my heart good to see my kids get to interact with them at the petting zoo. Touching sting rays was also great fun.
One of our favorite ways to see the animals was on Expedition Africa. After lots and lots of walking, we enjoyed the open air safari ride. Love the up-close animal encounters? There are plenty of backstage signature encounters to enjoy as well; just look for the daily schedule.
Rides
What surprised our family most about Zoo Tampa is the amount of rides that are included with admission. Other zoos we have visited always charge an extra fee for any ride. We absolutely loved this about Zoo Tampa!
On a hot day, go for a boat ride at Roaring Springs, and cool down with a splash! Other fun rides include Jungle Carousel, Boomers Flyin’ Bananas, Overland Express Train, Tasmanian Tiger Coaster and more.
From the tallest to the smallest, our family had a wonderful time and learned so much. Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park needs to be on your family must do list for Florida.
Planning a trip to Tampa Bay, Florida? For more trip inspiration or how to purchase Tampa Bay City Passes click here>>> Visit Tampa Bay
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