***The Sweet Weekend was sponsored by Hershey, I received complementary items and admission for the subject matter contained in this post, all opinions are 100% my own***
Recently I have been sharing some of the fun things to do in Hershey PA from the amazing HersheyPark Christmas Candylane, to the Hershey Trolley Tours,
and The Chocolate Spa and so much more. I am looking forward to sharing these experiences
with my family in the future. I wanted to share my most favorite thing that I
have ever done in Hershey PA. What could my favorite be from all of those
amazing adventures?
Well my favorite of
this amazing trip was the visit to ZooAmerica to experience the After-Hours Tour. I know what you may be
thinking…A zoo? I know everyone here has been to a zoo at one time in their
lives, and I have been to plenty from big city zoos to small town zoos, but I
have never visited a zoo quite as cool as ZooAmerica. Visit ZooAmerica, a
year-round, 11-acre, walk-thru zoo adjacent to Hersheypark in Hershey, PA.
Stroll the tree-lined pathways as you learn about more than 200 animals from
five regions of North America. Group educational programs and tours are also
available.
What makes ZooAmerica
cooler in my eyes than other zoo’s I have been to in my life well the fact that
ZooAmerica has a commitment to help injured animals, and animals that
need their help, is admirable and wonderful. ZooAmerica also offers amazing
programs like the After-Hours Tour. Tours
are held Wednesday and Saturday nights year round. Starting times vary with the
zoo closing times. This 2 hour behind-the-scenes adventure is perfect for
families with children ages 3 and up!
During this tour you
will join ZooAmerica naturalists, (they are very enthusiastic, they love their
jobs and the animals they look after) as they bring you through the zoo for a
behind the scenes insider look at what happens when the zoo closes! You will get an inside look at the Animal
Health Center to see were the animals go when they are hurt..
There is a
flashlight tour through the animal buildings. It is an entirely different
experience seeing the zoo at night like this searching around with flashlights,
it was a lot of fun. Part of the behind the scenes is being able to interact
and see some animals up close! You will be able to feed the otters, touch a
reptile, or hold a bird of prey.
During our tour we
met Mumford, the screech owl. Mumford was adorable. He did not look real, he
was just that cute. Mumford has a bad wing, so he is taken care of at ZooAmerica.
Did you know that owls are not as smart as you think… the wise old owl is not
that true of a saying… Owls brains are smaller than their, eyes, that is fascinating.
We were introduced to a lizard and a baby alligator, he was so tiny. We headed
off to feed the otters fish, and of course we got the otters moving and
swimming around to get the fish.
We also were able to feed a 500+ pound black bear, named
Butch. Butch loved the treats we fed him, who knew that bears liked blueberries
and grapes? Well he was really enjoying them. I never thought in my life I
would be able to hold an owl, and feed a bear, and feed otters. This was an
amazing experience that I cannot wait to do this with my family.
The After-HoursTour costs $49 per person (ages
3+). ZooAmerica can accommodate up to 10 people per tour and up
to 2 tours per night. Participants must pre-register and pre-pay 72 hours
in advance. Call 717-534-3900 to register or for more information.
Zoo America is right next to
Hersheypark, and you can visit the zoo for free when you visit Hersheypark,
there is no additional charge. If you would like to visit the zoo, without
going to Hersheypark, that is not a problem, you can visit ZooAmerica
year-round except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Be sure to check
out the great programs available to purchase they are amazing.
Visit:
Be sure
to stay social with ZooAmerica and visit the website
Like ZooAmerica on Facebook
Follow
ZooAmerica on Instagram
Would you like to take the after hour tour of ZooAmerica?
***The Sweet Weekend was sponsored by Hershey, I received complementary items and admission for the subject matter contained in this post, all opinions are 100% my own***
Disclosure: The reviews and or opinions on this blog are my own opinions . No monitory compensation was received. I was not required to write a positive review. Your experience may differ. The opinions I have expressed are my own I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsement and Testimonials in Advertising .
5 comments:
I didn't know hershey park had a zoo, I would love to do that! Great pics
The tour sounds like a lot of fun. Having a chance to feed the bear sounds like a very cool experience!
This looks like a fun visit to the zoo.
I would love to see this zoo, so many cute critters and they look so well cared for!
We live close enough to Hershey to go often, and it's never a disappointment. Loved seeing your pictures and hearing what you did there!
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