The Toronto Zoo

Usually when I review attractions or hotels, it is my first or second time visiting them. Before completing this review, I can attest I may have visited the zoo more than some volunteers who work there. Frankly, I love the Toronto Zoo and whether visiting with or without children I am sure you will too.

Let's begin with whether or not you should visit alone with your children. The answer is yes. No matter which time of year that you go, the zoo is an easy solo trip. The zoo is huge and there are many indoor and outdoor pavilions. It is easy to be caught up in a crowd in some areas like the children's zoo or the panda exhibit but in general there is enough space that you and your kids will feel comfortable and you will be able to tackle it alone. Also, there is a large amount of zoo staff everywhere. The people in the restaurant are incredibly helpful and anyone in a Toronto Zoo shirt will help you with anything you need.

The zoo is 710 acres of land divided into seven geographic areas and over 10 km of walking trails. Be prepared that depending on the age of your children, you won't likely visit every region. The regions are: Indo-Malaya, Africa, the Americas, Australasia, Eurasia, the Canadian Domain and the Tundra Trek. The zoo also has a Giant Panda exhibit as well as one of the best splash pads in Toronto.

Due to the fact that we live in Toronto and are lucky enough to be members of the zoo, my general game plan is to allow the kids to pick one area of the zoo to visit that day. If its splash pad season, we always finish with a visit to make sure they are truly exhausted when we leave.

My favourite areas of the zoo are Africa and the Tundra Trek. Firstly, they are both incredibly accessible. Whether you bring a stroller or wagon or rent one, these areas are easy to get to and quite walkable. They also bring the most bang for your buck meaning you will see more animals in an easier to handle space than the rest of the zoo.  You will also see the bigger and more recognizable animals like elephants, giraffes, lions and polar bears by visiting these two sections. My best advice when visiting these two spots is to go left when you enter the zoo through Indo-Malaya which has an incredible orangutan exhibit. The reason I recommend going this way is that you need to walk up a hill but if you go to Africa first the kids won't notice because the hill is studded with exhibits like tigers and bats. If you visit the Tundra trek first, the hill up to Africa is much steeper and has no animals on it.  For easy reference check this zoo map.

The alternative to this is to take the Zoomobile. The Zoomobile is a tram ride that will get you around the zoo in a shaded vehicle. There are four stops on the way. The Main station which is at the zoo entrance, Domain Hill, Africa and the Americas. Whether or not you need to, you should ride the Zoomobile once. It is $8 a ride for the entire day or $28.00 for four all day ride passes. Kids under 3 are free as are members. The Zoomobile will get you quickly between some of the areas giving you a little more time to explore. The drivers tell bad jokes but are generally quite knowledgeable and it is the one place you will learn a lot about the zoo. The zoo also now travels through a few exhibits where the animals roam free. It is very exciting for the kids and often you need to wait a little while for a horse or something that resembles a bison to move out of the way of the vehicle.

There are a few important things to note about the Zoomobile. The first being that you cannot bring a wagon on it. I am pretty sure you can leave your wagon unattended at the stations but unless you are getting on and off at the same station, you will eventually need to go get it. When riding the Zoomobile alone with my two, I simply sit in the middle of them and have never had a problem. I was able to ride solo even with a toddler and infant. The zoo staff will wait for you and help you with anything you need.

An important warning about the Toronto Zoo is visiting the Canadian Domain. I know it sounds like fun to see all these Canadian animals but the domain is actually at the bottom of a very steep hill. It is very hard to climb the hill pushing anything or carrying your complaining children. Don't say I didn't warn you.

This blog wouldn't be complete without me telling you about the best kept zoo secret- Bush Camp. Bush Camp is an incredible chance to spend the night camping out at the zoo. We were able to participate in Bush Camp last summer and we all remember it fondly. The Bush Camp staff made it an incredible adventure even though it was raining heavily and we really get an inside look at the zoo. We also get to spend a night camping out as a family and if as light sleepers, we were able to hear some of the animals who are active at night like the lions. Also all food is provided so it is much easier than camping and there is a huge bonfire at night with stories and crafts to keep your kids entertained. This was a wonderful experience for us and one we will surely do again.

Here are some tips I have accumulated from visiting the zoo that hopefully will be helpful:

1. Parking: Zoo parking is $10. It is in the middle of nowhere so you essentially need to park. There are free parking lots that you can sometimes enter by turning right at the entrance. Look for overflow parking signs. 
2. Overflow parking: The zoo can get busy and sometimes you will be directed into overflow parking. If you can't walk that far and are alone with young children, I recommend talking to the parking guy. Also most traffic comes into the zoo from the same way (off the highway) and follows all the zoo signs up one hill to the entrance. If you are following signs to the main entrance and it is backed up, you can usually drive to the drop off area and turn around. Now head back to the entrance and most of the time, you will find this back way isn't blocked off and you will be welcomed into the closer parking. There simply is so little traffic coming from this way, that this tip usually works. 
3. Splash Pad: The splash pad is incredible. It is huge and to this day I can't find a single way anyone could drown in it. There are big change rooms and lots of lockers. The people at the gate only count numbers and unlike Chucky Cheese, they won't be able to stop your children from leaving without you. When we attend and I am outnumbered, I make a simple rule that both my kids must stay together and provide a meet-up spot. I generally follow them around but on most days its not busy and they can easily be seen. 
4. Food and drink: The food at the zoo is terrible. There is very little about it that it appetizing and if you must eat and don't want pizza, I would suggest the Peacock Cafe at the front entrance. That being said, the zoo will let you bring in any food you want to the zoo as well as beverages and coolers. This will save you a lot of money. We bring bottled water and sandwiches and then usually buy a treat like a Beavertail or ice cream. If you haven't had one, you must try a Beavertail. They are a Canadian delicacy. 
5. Zoo volunteers and zoo keepers: The zoo volunteers and zoo keepers are incredibly friendly and will answer any animal questions. The zoo has had an ongoing battle with sending away their elephants and the zoo staff will openly talk about it and discuss where the process is. The zoo seems to have a very open door policy and if you are uncomfortable about something or want to know more, they would love to hear from you. 
6. Rouge Valley: The zoo is in the middle of the Rouge Valley which is a beautiful stretch of parkland in Toronto. You will often see animals within the zoo that come from the valley. Keep an eye out for wild deer, raccoons, and groundhogs. 

I hope this blog post inspires some of my readers to visit this incredible zoo. It really is a wonderful place whether you visit in the crowds of summer or the complete dead of winter. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!