Pictured Above: Dexter, 8 (left), and Charlie, 6, pose in front of a giraffe at ZooTampa at Lowry Park.
Catherine Hicks | The Crow’s Nest
By Catherine Hicks
After two weeks off for winter break, free to enjoy relaxing, family fun and holidays, it was time to return to reality. My kids went back to school, I returned to work and resumed online classes and the daily grind returned.
By the third week back, the entire family was ready for a much-needed break outside the house.
After months of planning fishing, camping or picnic trips for the family, I was ready to do something that felt normal, but also safe. After looking into the prices at the Florida Aquarium – outrageous for a family of five – I decided to look into Lowry Park Zoo.
The current promotion offered is a single day ticket admission pays for an entire year of admission. In a family of three boys aged 4 through 8, I thought it would be a useful investment.
We ended up settling on the Family Membership, which includes year-long admission for two adults, all children dependents and an open guest ticket for $200. It also includes benefits such as 50 percent off at other zoos and aquariums in the program and discounts on dining, animal encounters and merchandise in the zoo.
When planning a trip to Lowry Park Zoo, it’s important to remember there are new protocols in place for COVID-19.
In order to limit the number of attendees in the zoo in a single day, protocol requires that you obtain a reservation, disclosing your number of attendees and date of attendance.
Masks are required, but only in specific locations such as the entrance, all indoor areas and during security and ticketing. As most of the animal’s exhibits are outdoors, masks are optional in outdoor viewing locations.
In the indoor animal exhibits – the most crowded location in the zoo – the Lowry Park Zoo staff was attentive and polite about enforcing the mask requirement. Upon entrance, a sign reminded us and a staff member supervised compliance.
Inside, staff members milled about answering questions and politely reminding people to fix a mask. During the underground manatee exhibit, one of my kids’ masks fell down below his nose and a staff member politely pointed it out to me so I could fix it.
Though masks were optional outdoors, many people chose to wear them throughout the zoo. In areas where people were unable to socially distance due to crowding at an exhibit, most people who weren’t wearing a mask put one on.
The majority of the exhibits remained open for viewing, but some exhibits, animal encounters and events were cancelled, such as the ‘African Safari’ trip.
Overall, I would rate the experience a 9/10. It was refreshing to visit an entertainment establishment and be able to experience a semblance of pre-pandemic normalcy, while still feeling safe.
I went to the tampa zoo last month for the 1st time and i enjoyed it i got there to a lil too late but the lil time me and my kids was there we had fun we will be back soon we got the family members pass