The Exotic Feline Rescue Center is located about one hour southwest of downtown Indianapolis. It is situated in rural Centerpoint, Indiana and is approximately six miles off of I-70. Housing more than 200 exotic felines, EFRC is one of the largest rescue centers in the United States for large, exotic cats. The EFRC provides a home for exotic cats who have been abused, neglected, or abandoned. All tours are conducted by staff members who educate visitors about each breed as well as the individual cats and their stories. Tours are not at set times and simply begin as a visitor or group of visitors arrive. A typical tour will take about one hour.
Best and worst times to go to the Exotic Feline Rescue Center
The Rescue Center is an entirely outdoor facility-something to keep in mind when planning your visit. While rainy days could make for an unpleasant visit, the cats are more active in slightly cooler weather. A visit near dusk also provides an opportunity to see the cats when they are active and vocal.
Admission to the Exotic Feline Rescue Center
The Exotic Feline Rescue Center is open to the public Tuesday – Sunday, 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. ET. Admission is in the range of $10 and under for adults/children under 12. Mastercard, VISA and Discover are accepted.
Parking at the Exotic Feline Rescue Center
Free parking is available on-site.
Food at the Exotic Feline Rescue Center
There is a soda machine on-site, but no refreshments are sold. There is no picnic area on-site, but there are a few restaurant and fast food options within driving distance.
Insider tip for visitors to the Exotic Feline Rescue Center
Watch for special events, such as overnight stays, Camp Roar and Evening Roar that provide experiences beyond the standard tour.
Author's bio: Heather Hurley is a publishing professional and freelance writer living in Carmel, Indiana. She is a cat enthusiast who believes the employees at the Exotic Feline Rescue Center have the coolest job in the world.
What started in the early 1900s as a makeshift dumping ground for unwanted pets, the Fresno Chaffee Zoo has since evolved into nearly 20 acres of beautiful landscaping, modern animal care and interactive wildlife preservation awareness efforts. Every member of the family will find something they love at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo.
Parking and public transportation at Fresno Chaffee Zoo
The Fresno Chaffee Zoo is located in Roeding Regional Park so there is a $5 per car fee charged by the city of Fresno to enter. Once inside there is ample paved parking available. If you prefer public transportation, catching the bus is a great option. The Fresno Area Express Route 33 runs 7 days a week and has a stop at the front entrance to the zoo.
Best and worst time to go to Fresno Chaffee Zoo
Although open year round, the hours vary by season so it's always a good idea to call ahead. There are various seasonal special events offered too, from Zoo Summer Camp to Ice Cream Zoofari, making the experience exciting and new to visitors each time they come. A favorite among locals is the Zoo Lights event offered in the winter. Although it has a separate admission fee, Zoo Lights offers visitors a chance to enjoy the nocturnal habits of the animals after dark, when the grounds have been transformed into a winter wonderland between exhibits. Lit by the twinkling glow of thousands of holiday lights, Christmas trees and holiday displays, guests are treated to cookies and hot coco as well as a visit from Santa Claus himself.
Admission to Fresno Chaffee Zoo
The admission fees (like the prices of just about everything at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo) are very reasonable. Adult tickets are only $7 and children ages 2-11 are $3.50 (under 2 are free). Discounts are offered for seniors, as well as special group rates. Be sure to bring extra funds for snacks, souvenirs and some of the fun interactive animal experiences too.
Must see/do at Fresno Chaffee Zoo
Aside from the traditional zoo activities like scheduled zookeeper animal feedings and a petting zoo (be sure to say hi to Buttercup, the calf) Fresno Chaffee Zoo also gives visitors unique opportunities to interact with some of the animals. You can hand-feed and take pictures with the giraffes at their feeding station, pet a stingray in Stingray Bay and come face-to-face with a Sea Lion in Sea Lion Cove. Some activities are free but the ones that have an additional charge are very affordably priced (usually around $2), making Fresno Chaffee Zoo a great destination for families.
Other places to visit near Fresno Chaffee Zoo
Back in the 1920's a Sicilian immigrant by the name of Baldassare Forestiere took it upon himself to excavate the property of his Fresno home to replicate the ancient underground catacombs he had admired as a boy. When he passed away in 1946, he left what is now the Forestiere Underground Gardens: 10 acres of subterranean rooms, courtyards and passageways with their own unique micro-climates and filled with incredible architectural details and fruit-bearing plants. The site has been deemed a California State Landmark, a Fresno City and County Historical Site, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was deemed one of "10 of the world's coolest underground wonders" by CNN and is featured in Life Magazine's book Seeing is Believing: Amazing People and Places From Around The World. It's definitely worth the detour if you're in the Fresno area.
Insider tip for visitors to Fresno Chaffee Zoo
If visiting during the month of October, get the kids into costume and swing into Fresno Chaffee Zoo for Zoo Boo. A favorite event among local families and travelers alike, Zoo Boo offers children a safe and fun environment to show off their Halloween costumes (there's even a contest!), get in a little extra trick-or-treating and still enjoy the educational opportunities offered by an outing to the zoo. Kids get to meet some of their favorite film and cartoon characters, take part in fun activities, and enjoy carnival games, live music and delicious food.
Author's bio: Ann Milligan is a wife, mom, author, artist and California native. She can often be found painting the local wildflowers, dancing with her kids, and nom-nom-noming.
The main goal of the wildlife research center and the geological survey is to provide the public and researchers information to help better manage our biological resources. This is the headquarters facility and the public is not permitted. The research center was established by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1936. Today the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service continue to work together.
The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum has two miles of walking trails meandering over the property where visitors can see living animals from reptiles to bears and mountain lions -- including an aquarium and a cave. Docents give free demonstrations of plants and small animals.
Best and worst times to go to Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Saturdays offer extended hours to 10:00 PM. This is special fun for those who like to find shiny scorpions with black lights. It also gives a chance to see the nocturnal animals. The worst time is after 4:00 PM, when no discounts are available. Afternoons in the summer are very hot. Bring your own bottled water; fountains provide free refills.
Must see at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Many events are scheduled throughout the year. Don't miss the hummingbirds, who are so accustomed to people that the nests are easily seen. Children love the snakes and frogs just within the gates. You may be fortunate enough to catch a docent showing them and letting kids touch them.
Admission to Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Admission varies for those 4 and above from about $6:00 to $25.00. Buying a membership gets you in and gives a chance to come back often. Military and student discounts are available; ask at the desk.
Parking at Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Unpaved parking wanders among the cactus and mesquite. Handicapped parking is near the entrance. Bus and RV parking is available. If there is an advertised event, nearby parking may fill up early.
Food at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Near the entrance a selection of foods from snacks to fancy dinners is available. Some snacks are available along the trail. Snack prices are a little above in-town prices. The dinners are relatively equal to a good dinner in town.
Insider tip for visitors at Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Try the Native American dishes made from cactus and desert plants, a special late-spring event. If you can drive mountain roads, go over Gates Pass, you can see for miles and miles across the desert. Do not touch the soft looking jumping cactus, or the fuzzy looking prickly pear; you'll get a handful of thorns. No pets are allowed, even in the parking area.
Author's bio: Joanne Birch is a freelance writer from the southern mountains of Arizona. She writes tips for parents and about the history of Arizona.
The Kansas City Zoo features both exotic and familiar animals. America's Best Zoos 2008 ranked it the best zoo in the nation for chimpanzees and kangaroos and the best place to see African animals. The zoo also made the Top Ten for Australian animals and elephants, rhinos and hippos. It also has a special Kid Zone.
Best and worst times to go to Kansas City Zoo
The zoo is open in inclement weather, but some rides may not operate. The best times to visit are September and October as the temperature cools and fewer field trips are scheduled and colder weather hasn't yet hit the area.
Must see/do at Kansas City Zoo
The chimpanzee exhibit in the Africa section is the farthest from the entrance, but worth the journey. According to Jane Goodall, well-known authority on apes, the Kansas City Zoo has "one of the finest chimpanzee exhibits in North America." Don't miss the new Bornean orangutan in the Tiger Trail section of the zoo, between the red panda and the rhinoceros hornbill. The Helzberg Penguin Plaza near the Kid Zone Pavilion is another popular exhibit.
Admission to Kansas City Zoo
General admission to the zoo is around $14 for adults ages 12 and up, with a senior discount for visitors ages 55 and up. Tickets for children ages 3 to 11 are around $12. Children ages 2 and under are free. Packages are available that also include train, tram, endangered species carousel, boat and Sky Safari rides. Individual rides are in the $2 to $3 range. You can rent strollers, wagons and wheelchairs in the $8 to $10, on a first-come, first served basis. Electric convenience vehicles (ECVs) are in the $22 to $25 range. You can reserve an ECV at (816) 595-1137, but no same-day reservations are accepted.
Parking at Kansas City Zoo
Park free in the Mane, Zebra and Cheetah parking lots. All lots include handicap spaces. A designated drop-off zone is located at the entrance to the zoo, between the Zebra and Cheetah lots.
Public Transportation to Kansas City Zoo
Take the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCTA) bus #108 Indiana to the front zoo entrance throughout the day when the zoo is open. For more information call (816) 285-3689.
Food at Kansas City Zoo
Restaurants, snack shops and vending machines are available throughout the zoo. Snacks are around $4 and meals are around $10. The newest restaurant is the Tuxedo Grill near the penguin exhibit. It offers flat bread pizzas, steak burgers, black bean burgers, grilled chicken club sandwiches and salads. Other venues feature such choices as hamburgers, hot dogs, ice cream and other favorites. Visitors are allowed to bring in their own food and nonalcoholic beverages to picnic areas scattered throughout the zoo. (No glass containers.)
Insider tip for visitors to Kansas City Zoo
Touring the Australia/Tiger Trail section of the zoo takes about one and one-half hours. Plan on about two hours for the Africa section.
Author's bio: Mary-Lane Kamberg is a lifelong Kansas City resident. As a child she rode the streetcar with her mother to visit the zoo. She spend her second date with her husband visiting the giraffes. She took her own children and ater her grandchildren to see the animals.
The Butterfly Place is large-scale aviary, housing more than 40 varieties of the brightly colored fluttering specimen. In an open-space greenhouse, visitors can observe these creatures in their element, with caterpillars walking about the flora and chrysalises adorning branches and stems.
