Hippo Parking

I just discovered the best time to go to the zoo today.  Well, today I discovered the best time to go to the zoo - not just the best time for today.  Right now would be a really bad time since it has been closed for three hours.

I used to think the best time to go to the zoo was in the fall, winter and spring.  Anytime the sun wasn't shining, really.  The darker the skies the better.  If it was raining then you hit the jackpot.  Well, maybe not so much now that Gavin likes to walk around.   If you don't mind a little precipitation the zoo is absolutely deserted on drab days.  Ghost town. 

The worst time to visit the zoo?  Each scenario will be worse than the previous.

A dry spring day.

A sunny spring day.

A dry and sunny spring day.

A dry, sunny and warm spring day.

A dry, sunny, warm, weekend day in the spring.

A dry, sunny, warm day during Spring break.

A dry, sunny, warm weekend day during Spring break.

Then summer hits. 

All days are bad.  Warm, sunny days are just horrific in the summer.

Only go on the weekend in the summer on a nice day if you are nuts.  Certifiably so.

I found out today - which was gorgeous - warm, not hot, and sunny - that if you go an hour before closing the zoo is deserted.  Off street parking is plentiful and there are no lines.  You can see all exhibits and you can stay for an hour after closing.  That gives you one hour to see indoor exhibits (which we never do because I don't feel like unpacking the stroller and leaving it unattended) and an hour see everything else.

Of course, if you only go to the zoo once or twice a year two hours may not be enough for you.  If you live 20 minutes from the zoo and you go at least once a month then two hours is plenty of time. 

Today Gavin was very helpful at pointing out parking spots.  Not when we were looking for parking spots but while we were walking around the zoo.  At first I wasn't sure I heard him right so I asked him to repeat himself.  "Parking fot," he said while pointing to said spot. 

Here are the two spots he pointed out. The first is in front of the hippos watering hole, the second is where they display the birds of prey.

 
 

 

He cracks me up.  Maybe it's his daddy in him - you know, transportation engineer... parking spots are related to things transportation related.

It's a stretch, I know.