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L.A. way The zoo draws in children at Griffith Park The Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens is not the San Diego Zoo, the latter of which is one of the great zoos of the world. But in Los Angeles, the zoo is more approachable, easier to navigate and done in 3 hours, or even more quickly if time and young children come into play. It is the favored of the two zoos by my twin 9-year-old boys, who seem more connected to the more intimate setting in Los Angeles. “I’m going to show you the Asian black bear, and how big it is,” says my future wildlife anthropologist, Christopher. “It’s the fourth-largest.” He actually was referring to the American black bear, of which there are two here. For my twins, the big cats are the thing, and as we headed to see the snow leopard and I made a mistake in a discussion en route about the big cats, Christopher corrected me: “Dad, tigers have stripes.” The snow leopard we did not see; on hot days, the poor guy hides among the rocks, waiting for snow. But we did see the jaguar, close up in his too-small environment, and the tigers and the lion. The lion spent a good part of our visit taking a mid-morning nap. As you walk from the entrance deep into the zoo, you may want to make specific stops, in order, at the meerkats, the black-necked swans, the flamingos, the tortoises. And, make certain you watch the gibbons swing. There is a nice gift shop near the entrance and lots of shaded areas in the leafy zoo in which to rest, nurse, or simply take in the surroundings. Coming soon is the Campo Gorilla Reserve. Perhaps because of the recent death of the Asian elephant Gita, there are a good number of park employees walking the premises, looking in on the wildlife, and available for questions. The zoo has an easy map to follow, as well as manageable signs to get you to where you want to go. It does not have the hilly terrain of the San Diego Zoo, so walking is much easier. However, a tram is available. Be mindful that some animals don’t want to be seen, whether it is the noise of the visitors or the time of day, or the hot weather. We were saddened at not seeing the snow leopard, or the foxes. But we got close to the coyote, an animal familiar to many of us in Orange County. There are daily shows, so ask for a schedule of events at the entrance. Craig Reem is executive editor of OC Family Magazine. IF YOU GO: Information line: 323.644.4200 or lazoo.org. Location: Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens is located in Griffith Park where the I-5 and 134 freeways meet; exit at Zoo Drive. ADMISSION: $10 adults; $5 children. HOURS: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, except for Christmas. • A facts box about questions such as whether you can bring in food from the outside is at: lazoo.org/faq.html • What else to do: You can make a day out of it by visiting the Autry National Center, a museum of the American West, which is next door to the zoo, and also Travel Town, a collection of hands-on, real-life trains that is about 2 miles from the zoo along Zoo Drive. • To make a day of it: After going to the zoo when it opened at 10 a.m., we drove along Zoo Drive toward Travel Town for a short distance, pulled over and had a picnic lunch at one of the many shaded tables. We then continued to Travel Town, where the twins spent 90 minutes climbing aboard and “fighting the bad guys” among a huge collection of locomotives, freight cars and a caboose. A small-scale train is in service around the perimeter. This, too, is a good place for a picnic, as long as you bring a blanket to sit upon. • For the bulk of the day, we drove back to the Autry National Center, conceived from the collection of former western star and Angels’ owner Gene Autry. There are several hands-on exhibits, such as “riding a horse,” and if the children like western stuff – from short screenings of old TV shows and movies to a huge collection of western wear and guns and compelling history – this is the place. • If you go: Travel Town Museum, 5200 Zoo Drive, donations only for admission, 323.662.5874 or lacity.org/RAP/grifmet/tt. • Autry National Center also has rotating exhibits, such as “Yosemite: Art of the American Icon,” through April 22. Located across the parking lot from the Los Angeles Zoo, admission for one adult and two children using the AAA card was about $12, 323.667.2000 or museumoftheamericanwest.org |
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