We all know that this year has been insane. We’ve all made changes and sacrifices for our own and others’ safety. However, a lot of those changes were incredibly difficult to make or accept. One of the hardest things for me to cope with is that we haven’t gotten to go out and do so many of the things I anticipated doing with our son. When I had him, I had been envisioning different firsts that we would get to experience with him as a family, such as going to the park, taking him to the pool, etc. A lot of those memories, we still haven’t gotten to make. I’m so happy though that even if it’s later than we wanted and wasn’t the experience that we originally had in mind, we were able to take him to the zoo for the first time.
Now, normally going to the zoo, you pack your stuff and get there whenever. The nice thing about the zoo now is that you have timed entry. This meant though that we needed to leave early to make it in time for our 9:30 check in. We chose the earliest time spot for a few different reasons. First, because less people were scheduled to arrive at that time. So, it would be easier to social distance with less people. Secondly, it was after breakfast, but before lunch. We planned it that way so we wouldn’t spend as much money on food or eat near other people. Lastly, it was also well before our son’s nap time, so we knew we could plan to have a fun day, and then he would sleep on the way home.
Navigating to the Zoo:
Before we could really get going, we had to make a quick pit stop. We stopped and got coffees on the drive from Bigfoot Java. And when I say coffees, I mean that my husband got a coffee, and I got a Redbull Italian soda. Have you ever tried a strawberry lemon Redbull Italian soda? It tastes like strawberry lemonade. So. Good.
On the way there, I spent time looking up new zoo policies and directions. Again, if you’ve read my other posts, like this one, you’ll know that I’m a planner. I’m glad I checked because only one of the entrances is open! This is nice because it ensures all of the people visiting the zoo are going through on a one-way loop to maximize social distancing. Check out the new map below!
Zoo Entrance
Right when we came in, we had our masks ready to go and we had our timed tickets scanned. Everyone in the zoo was wearing masks too, which was awesome! We only encountered one person not wearing one while taking a selfie. But other than that, it was great!
But also when we came in, we immediately had our family picture taken. I know that the pictures are often over priced for these things, but it was our kiddo’s first time there, so I really wanted a picture where all of us were in it and none of us were the ones holding the camera. It’s not often that I get to be in front of the camera instead of behind it!
Animal Fun
Here are some of the fun pictures we took:
As you can see, we took a ton of pictures of all of the animals! There were some exhibits closed though. This was a bit of a bummer because some of them are my favorites, but I understand why. It was awesome that the Zoo Store was still open though! I really wanted to get our son a souvenir from his first time at the zoo, so I got him a penguin stuffed animal, some realistic zoo animal toys, and I bought myself a cookbook (go figure!)
Overall, though it was slightly uncomfortable to wear masks in the heat, and some exhibits were closed, we still had a great time. We got to explore a bunch before kiddo’s nap and he wouldn’t have lasted much longer anyhow. I did have to take off my mask for a quick second, away from others, for a fresh air break. Many of you know that I have asthma, so I just needed a second to breathe normally. That being said, it’s nothing compared to what all of the doctors and nurses are going through. I applaud all of them for all they do to help those who have covid and to help stop the spread. I also want to applaud and thank Woodland Park Zoo for all they are doing to keep visitors feeling safe as well. If you want to plan a trip with to Woodland Park Zoo, visit their website here.
Goodnight everyone!