Should You Go to the Central Florida Zoo? YES!

If you’re staying at a hotel near Universal or Disney, you’ve probably considered making the long trek down I4 to the Central Florida Zoo but perhaps chose a closer attraction instead. Coming from someone who has visited this zoo at least a dozen times (I have an annual pass), I can tell you that you might want to reconsider.

I’ll be the first to admit that the Central Florida Zoo is small and doesn’t have some of the major stars of the animal world such as lions or polar bears. But what it lacks in size and star power, it makes up for in a ton of other areas.

First off, you can’t beat the price – $11.95 for adults and $7.95 for kids. For less than $50, a family of four can easily spend a fun afternoon wandering along the zoo’s wooden boardwalk passing monkeys, leopards, kangaroos, and cheetahs along the way. You won’t get a deal like that on I-Drive (I still can’t believe Ripley’s Believe or Not charges $18.95 for adults and $11.95 for kids!!!!).

Second, you get to double your pleasure thanks to the zoo’s new splash park. Access to the Wharton-Smith Tropical Splash Ground is FREE with your zoo admission and it’s the perfect way to cool off at the end of  a long day.

I also love that being small, you get lots of close encounters with the wildlife, including opportunities to feed sheep, goats, zebus, and a llama.

The Central Florida Zoo also features the ZOOm Air Adventure Park . Yes, there is an added charge for the ZOOm aerial course (between $14.35-$22.95)  but it’s actually a pretty cool experience and many consider it worth the added expense. You literally zoom from tree to tree using rope bridges and zip lines high above the ground. For added excitement, you can check out their Moon ZOOms  which allow you to traverse the course at night.

A couple more things to keep in mind :

• Keeper Chats and Elephant Encounters only happen on the weekends
• There is a Animal Carousel & Little Florida Coastline Train Ride located at the entrance and fees are $2 and $3

Check out the zoo’s event calendar before planning your visit because you might be able to attend one of their stellar events such as Brews Around the  Zoo, a tasting of food, beer & wine coming up on April 10th, 2010.

It’s a solid 30 to 40-mile hike from Orlando’s  theme park district to the Central Florida Zoo in Sanford, but I can testify first-hand that it’s a truly pleasurable way to spend a morning or afternoon, especially if you have little kids, and it’s such good value for your money.  If you’re looking for an inexpensive and easy activity that will allow you to  escape the crowds, the Central Florida Zoo is it.