As an alternative to the local park or nature area, one of our favorite places for some quality outdoor playtime is the Oakland Zoo. The weather today was much cooler than expected (in the 70s instead of the 100s, as it was a few days ago in the Bay Area). Perfect weather for a late afternoon visit to the zoo.
We like to park in the lower lot, as my son loves to play on the little playground there, outside the zoo. I remember playing on these very same structures as a child, many, many years ago!
We walked all over the zoo (up and down the hill) to visit the animals. Today my son was mostly interested in watching the alligators, which were really active, and in petting the goats. My favorites were the gibbon, grooming her pink stuffed animal, and the giraffe, which walked as close to us as he could to check us out. And, well, I always love the lemurs. So cute!
And my son played. A lot.
Interested in visiting? Check out the website for more information (location, hours, entry fees)… www.oaklandzoo.org
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hike.wander.wonder 
there is nothing quite like the zoo!
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True!
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I took my daughter there last summer…we really enjoyed it!
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I think it’s a great zoo. People ask me to compare it to compare it to the San Francisco Zoo, and it’s tough. They’re so different!
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We just went to the Saint Louis Zoo this weekend, always a favorite outdoor activity for the kids. (And me! 🙂 I love the adorable picture of the gibbon and her pink monkey! Thank you for the smile! 🙂
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The gibbon was especially adorable yesterday. They are my favorite animals in this zoo, but usually because I love to watch them swinging so gracefully through their trees.
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We have a large zoo in Colchester, but I have not been there since childhood.
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I know they are controversial, but I enjoy zoos. I visited them before we had our son, too.
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