We have been members of the Minnesota Zoo for several years so we usually visit several times a…read moreyear. Our latest visit was last Sunday and both of our boys had a lot of fun visiting the farm animals and playing in the playground in that area. The Minnesota Zoo is a very family friendly place and it's nice to see families with kids of all ages enjoying time visiting animals and taking in a little bit of nature.

I know people have mixed feelings about zoos. If you like serious, I think you will love this one…read more It's very spacious and has lots of room for the animals to roam. The new elevator trail where the monorail used to be is a perfect walk to see the entire park. I think the biggest challenge with the same family is that it is a bit pricey, especially when you consider the Como zoo is free. I have been a long time member, because I can afford it and I really support it. I think it's worth visiting. And if you find it pricey, they do occasionally offer their discounts, etc. I also really enjoy their adult nights. Which are very fun and a great way to see the animals without huge crowds of littles.

Cool place to check out of you or your kids are into snakes, lizards or gators! Kinda small and you…read morecan get through the place in about 30 minutes. The best parts of our visit were: 1. Watching staff feed the animals 2. For $5 you can hold and get a picture with a small gator or large snake Parking is free. The zoo is within an outdoor shopping mall so it took me a minute to find it. My GPS was leading me to the wrong building. It's in the front left corner of the shopping strip.

The first glimpse is a little deceiving. The front area is pretty good, but there are a substantial…read morenumber of displays in the back. They brought out a huge snake and a young alligator for us to see up close. You can also get pictures with some animals for an extra charge. Fun for everyone, but especially little kids.

A good activity for the family that is indoors! We went on a Saturday and it was a little busy but…read morenot so busy that you couldn't enjoy seeing the animals up close. When you arrive you purchase your tickets and decide if you want to any add ons. You can purchase various sizes of feeding cups, experiences with the animals or opportunities to hold some of them. Once inside you can feed or pet any of the animals that are behind a single fence. Those further away or in glass enclosures are for observation. There are kangaroos, goats, lizards, chickens and more. There is a fun pulley system to feed some of the goats. They have an informational show that happens a few times a day where they discuss some of the animals and reptiles they house. It's not a huge space but we spent about an hour there. If you have real animal lovers you could be there longer. It's an interesting experience.

While perhaps this place recycles their cups, "sustainability" does not equate with HUMANE. They…read morecame to the elementary school I work at and were parading animals around our gym for an entire day. I was horrified by what I saw and learned. PETA fact sheet linked here - https://www.peta.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/sustainable-safari.pdf Please do your research and think twice about utilizing this organization for educational purposes. Ask yourself whether there are other methods by which to engage the community and raise awareness around wildlife conservation.

It is no wonder that I love to visit the Conservatory in the dead of winter. There is no better…read morefeeling than going there when it's below zero, and your body does not even remember what humidity feels like. Sure, going to Hawaii is great, but if you want something closer and thousands of dollars less expensive (it's actually free, but they suggest you give them a small donation upon entry), I recommend a quick trip to the indoor conservatory. Save the zoo for a nice summer day. My two favorite areas are the topics, and the Sunken Garden. The tropics is the place to go for a hot, steamy reprieve from the Minnesota winter. It has lots of fun swimming animals, a sloth that is about as lively as a stuffed bear, but the biggest attraction, for me, is the incredible hot, moist area. But that's just one area of the Conservatory. Don't miss the larger part that includes jungle-type foliage, wonderful plants, and a display of orchids. We were there the weekend after the orchid show, but we were treated to the award winning and amazingly beautiful orchids. The highlight however, is the seasonal changes that take place in the Sunken Garden. This is an ever changing variety of seasonal flowers and can cheer up the crankiest of us who are just trying to make it through to Spring.

Visit here at least once a year Love that it is feee to the…read morepublic although it's nice to give a donation so it helps maintain the grounds Lots of good animal exhibits and the sunken garden is just beautiful every season! The conservatory dome is the perfect place to visit in the heart of winter , I'm talking negative temperatures because the dome is humid and hot (think Florida) because it helps the tropical plants Fun fact- Valentine's Day they do dinners in the gardens but sell out fast!

He Said: One word: llamas. What other reason does one need…read moreto visit this farm? Cute llamas, friendly staff, and fresh air. As part of the tour there is a llama info session, a llama meet and greet, a "walk your own llama", and, finally, a comb and feed llamas. FYI - May is when llamas usually give birth, so you will see some baby llamas if you come around May. Pros: - llamas! - llamas! Cons: - A little outside of the Twin Cities, but nothing far.

We started visiting Carlson's Llovable Llamas in 2022 with a group of friends and it has become an…read moreannual tradition that we look forward to. We usually have a group of 30+ people! The visit includes learning about llamas, playing with baby llamas, and taking llamas on a trial walk. My husband found out that there is a Domino's nearby that is able to deliver to the llama farm so we have a lunch in the picnic area after to close out our visit every year. Highly recommend visiting this amazing llama farm!

Parking, cleanliness, presentation was 5 stars. However, the condition of some of the animals had…read moreme a little concerned. The bear we saw was pacing and panting back and forth. I'm not a zookeeper by any means, but considering the heat and kids screaming, maybe stress and hot! The same was for the mountain lion. He actually was pawing at his enclosure door to get out of the sun, but seemed unable to do so. Other animals were even seen pawing at empty bowls, which again, assuming this to be for water. I grew up on a farm, not a zookeeper, but the animals looked very uncomfortable.

This was unexpected. Like, really unexpected. We drove here after camping at a state park nearby,…read moreand the roads made us think we were headed towards someone's backyard and we might be the only ones there. We could not have been more wrong! Buses full of field trip kids! So many granny nannies! Plenty of older kids, including a few groups of teenagers! This is a legit nature center, quality playground, and perfectly nice little zoo. I don't know what it's like to live down here, but apparently the locals love this place. That said, it wasn't too crowded at all, and the bathrooms were clean. Parking was easy. We stayed for about an hour, but plenty of people looked like they had packed lunches and intended to stay all day.

Who knew there was a hands on alpaca farm right in the Twins Cities. Owner has a farm with full…read moregrown and baby alpacas plus a small gift shop with alpaca wool merchandise for purchase. For $10 you can take Salomon and Talledega out for a leisurely stroll around the marked trail surrounding the farm. 80% of the trail is pretty shaded so nice during the summer time but still hot. Sometimes our alpacas just wanted to stop and stare at the lady alpacas from across the trail. It was a moment trying to get them focused on the exercise. Lastly, we purchased some alpaca wool mittens and socks which were so soft and comfy. Check their website for events or appointments to visit.

So much fun! Who doesn't like baby animals, cookies & cupcakes?! The alpacas were so cute! Cutest…read moredonkeys, baby goats, chickens, turkeys, rooster & kitties! Surprise gift shop & bakery! Beautiful selection of alpaca yarn!

Great place to visit for a family fun adventure. It's really easy to just walk in and start roaming…read morearound. There are wagons and some gravel road/trails that meander the property. If bringing a stroller, I'd suggest a jogging stroller or something with inflatable wheels. There are tons of pumpkins, all different sizes for carving. If you're looking for something more decorative, there are gourds galore! If you want something unique, they have all kinds of bumpy, lumpy textures pumpkins too. Of course there are apples, you can pick your own or grab a bag from the store. I've never had donuts but apparently they're good, I do know the caramel apples and caramel corn are delicious. For activities...take your pick between a small little zoo, I'd say more observation than petting. I saw pigs, bunnies, chickens and goats. There are a couple corn mazes but they aren't free, buy entry at the store cashier. They do have an area for a little bonfire some days and there are trails and a big pile of hay bales to climb around on. Pick your own apples is definitely an activity too! Nice little gem out there in Oronoco!

They do a great job!!! If you like apples, pumpkins, and a great atmosphere, this is the place to…read morego.

WOW. WOW. WOW. There's simply nothing like this!…read more The photos tell much more of a story than my words, and the photos don't even do it justice. This is one of the most magical things we did last year - I can't wait for this year (and can't believe it took me this long to finally go!) HOT TIP: It gets busier the later it gets into the night, but don't worry - the sun sets early so you'll still see plenty if you go in the earliest group! We felt like we hacked the system getting right in - as we walked out, we saw a huuuuge line forming. GO EARLY! Plus, going early means you get much better parking spots and have space to walk around and enjoy. So many pumpkins, expertly carved, with absolute masterpieces on each one! It's truly a spectacle and sight to behold. I will be recommending to anyone who will listen as Halloween season approaches this year!

I've always wanted to do this and finally got to this year due to getting free tickets from a…read moreprofessional event, I definitely would not dish out the big bucks for this but I loved it ($25ish per person, then $10 for parking and $6+ for drinks). We went on a Saturday so it was real busy with families, pretty crowded but folks respect the walk for the most part as they send you in timed groups.