Roaring Through Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo

“I wish I could live here.”

This was my 10-year-old’s statement as we walked through the final exhibit before heading to the buses. I think we can say this field trip was pretty high on his favorites list!

Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo is already an amazing place, from the gorgeous animals and fun rides to the yummy food and awesome gift shops, but then you add their Dinos Alive exhibit, and you have some VERY happy fifth graders!

My group of kiddos actually walked through Dinos Alive twice because they loved it so much. OK, I was really impressed too–and didn’t even mind getting spit on by one of the dinosaurs. Nice touch, Lowry Park Zoo.

Some of my favorite pictures from the day…

You can’t go wrong by wandering through every exhibit or grabbing a map and planning your day. Whichever style works for your family, go with it.

I just have a few tips to share that might make the day go smoother:

• There’s a small splash pad for a quick cool-down if you want to bring/wear a swimsuit. We didn’t play in the splash pad because we didn’t bring a change of clothes, and no one wants a wet tush on a 2-hour bus ride home.
• Take an Icee break! You can mix several fun flavors to make your own unique (and cold!) treat. The kids LOVED this, and it helped recharge them for the rest of our visit.
• Wash your hands after walking through the petting zoo. There are signs saying this all around, but the mama in me just wanted to give another reminder. 🙂
• Ride the safari train. It’s a nice break from walking in the heat, and you’ll see some incredible animals and some behind-the-scenes areas of the zoo.
• Give yourself all day at the zoo. We left around 3 p.m., but would have loved to stay another hour or so.

I hope you have a chance to visit this incredible zoo with your family. Not only is it a fun place to view some beautiful creatures, they have several green initiatives and conservation projects that help our earth and our animals …  and that makes my heart happy.

Love (and roar like a dino) more,

Dana