Cheap holiday fun

Submitted by lmcshane on Wed, 12/19/2007 - 15:52.
12/20/2007 - 21:00
12/24/2007 - 17:00
Etc/GMT-4

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Events Home > December Days

 

 

December Days
December 15-24, 26-30, 2007
11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

 

Some Like it Hot, Some Like it Cold

Whether you prefer the warmth of the tropics or an invigorating chill, you're sure to enjoy Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's December Days at the Zoo, December 15-24, 26-30, 2007. December Days offers seasonal activities for the whole family to enjoy including animal programs, seasonal music, eco-friendly crafts, holiday cookie decorating and more (view activity schedule). And, Santa Claus will greet visitors daily through December 24. Stroll Zoo grounds on foot or ride aboard a complimentary heated shuttle. Take an invigorating walk through Northern Trek to see many of the Zoo's winter-loving animals including reindeer, bears, tigers and wolves.

Even on the coldest of December Days, the Zoo offers many warm indoor exhibits. Explore the warmth and beauty of The RainForest, home to 600 animals and 6,000 plants. Discover one of the largest collections of primate species in North America and some really cool cats inside the Primate, Cat & Aquatics Building. Enjoy an encounter with koalas inside GumLeaf Hideout, or visit elephants, tortoises and a hippo in the Pachyderm Building. Experience the seasonal splendor of the Zoo's Public Greenhouse, and warm up with the wolves inside the comfort of Wolf Lodge. See for yourself Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's commitment to the best in animal care in the Reinberger Learning Lab located inside the Center for Zoological Medicine. The displays feature hands-on interactive exhibits, tools-of-the-trade, and views of surgical suites where visitors might sneak a peak at an animal health check in progress.

Zoo admission will be reduced to half-price during December Days, making it $3.50 for adults and $2.50 for juniors (ages 2 - 11). Children under two and Zoo members are always free. December Days activities are free with Zoo admission.

Location

3900 Wildlife Way
Cleveland, OH
United States
See map: Google Maps
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True life confession

Submitted by lmcshane on Wed, 12/19/2007 - 20:34.

When I worked at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, from my hormonally-charged teenage years to my neurotic twenties, I had a crush on the elephant keeper.

He's not there any more,  I wonder what happened to him?  Did I imagine this or did this really happen?  I could swear that I once saw him "jogging" with one of the elephants through the zoo in the morning?  Was this a fantasy or a real memory of mine?

I DON'T KNOW ABOUT ELEPHANT MAN

Submitted by Jeff Buster on Wed, 12/19/2007 - 20:52.

But your chlorine quaffed hair (as I told you at the time) looked marv under the kerosene smoke of the Public Square menorah! 

 

Don’t lose your groove!

Thanks Jeff

Submitted by lmcshane on Wed, 12/19/2007 - 20:55.

I tell the teens all the time--the angst will pass...they don't listen to me. 
I am the uncool one :)

Thanks for the great idea

Submitted by Evelyn Kiefer on Fri, 12/21/2007 - 16:52.

Just today I was pondering what there is to do in Cleveland during the week my son is off from school. I hope I can show him the polar bear. I have always been ambivalent about zoos. Are they animal cruelty or do the educational benefits out weigh the suffering they inevitably cause the animals? This time education wins me over.

As zoos go...

Submitted by lmcshane on Fri, 12/21/2007 - 18:29.

As zoos go--Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is better than most.  I love animals and hate seeing them confined.  But, education is more of the focus and the animal medicine center is really cool and, overall, the layout of the zoo has a European feel to it.  It is a great place to practice drawing skills, to have a lunch at the "lake" (when it is warmer), go for a reflective walk, visit butterflies and tropical plants. 

Nonetheless, my all-time cheap thrill in Cleveland is the Rockefeller Park Greenhouse (FREE!), and not far from your new abode :)

Great Wolf Lodge

Submitted by lmcshane on Wed, 06/04/2008 - 07:06.

With gas prices on the rise, families are looking for a close getaway.  How long does it take for the City of Cleveland, Metrohealth, Metroparks Zoo, Steelyard Commons and the Cuyahoga Valley National Park to figure out a centralized lodge makes sense/cents for everyone????