Guest Author - Jessica Hoffmann
As the spring temperatures begin to rise along the southeast, the region’s zoos and parks offer a fantastic opportunity to stretch your legs, see something unusual and learn fascinating tidbits about the region. Here are a few great family friendly parks and zoos worth visiting as you travel the southeast.
The Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina offers visitors everything from 5K running events to civil war tours. The Botanical Garden is a fabulous setting for a wine tasting or check out the Brew at the Zoo for beer lovers. Children will love Oliver, the zoo’s baby koala, who has become a big hit since arriving in spring of 2009.
Little River Canyon National Preserve in Fort Payne, Alabama offers visitors phenomenal views off of the canyon rims and bluffs. This wilderness area is frequented by hikers, campers and ATV riders, and is a wonderful place to picnic and swim in summer. 45 foot Little River Falls is the ideal spot to begin a tour of the park and the 23 miles of dirt roads makes for great trail riding for horse lovers. After taking in Little River Canyon, head to Russell Cave to explore a 10,000 year old cave and 2500 year old pottery relics.
The Everglades National Park at the southern tip of Florida is truly one of the most extraordinary American parks to visit. The park is home to hundreds of subtropical plants and animals, including the 27 species of snakes that roam the Everglades. Both alligators and crocodiles love the temperate weather and are best viewed in the dry season. Kayak the Nine Mile Pond Trail to see egrets, heron and flamingos or rent a bike at Shark Valley and pedal the 15 mile Tram Trail. With over 1.5 million acres, a visit to the Everglades will awe the entire family.
Zoo Atlanta is a unique place to host a child’s birthday party, with animal encounters, rides and a climbing wall to ensure kids have a blast. Check out the Panda Cam online to see what Lun Lun and the rest of the Atlanta panda crew are up to in real time. The Family Night Crawler program allows families to visit after hours, and witness the nighttime face of the zoo and its animals. Be sure not to miss the rare Bornean Orangutans.
