My heart belongs to the St. Louis Zoo. It’s where I fell in love with an orangutan as a little girl, and it’s where my oldest daughter and I like to sleep under the sea lions. Still, we enjoy visiting other zoos as often as we can, and our four-year old’s obsession with pandas recently inspired a family road trip to visit the Memphis Zoo.
We drove down on a Thursday, stayed in a hotel, and made it to the zoo early Friday morning. I had hoped to avoid the crowds by coming on a week day. As luck would have it, the crowds were exceptionally low that particular day, because there was a torrential downpour.
Memphis Zoo Highlights
We put on our ponchos and avoided puddles as best we could, but we all ended up soaked long before lunch time. The upside of the situation was that we had the zoo to ourselves for most of the morning. We enjoyed rare, private viewings of some truly magnificent animals.
Pandas
We found Ya Ya and Le Le in their separate day rooms. I was relieved to when I saw the roof over their viewing area, because I got to dig out my real camera and get some good photos even in the pouring rain. The pandas weren’t doing much, of course, because pandas never do. They refuse to eat any food other than bamboo, which is low in nutrients and barely gives them enough energy to make it through the day. (Have you ever related more to an animal in your life? I haven’t.)
The whole China exhibit was beautiful. There was an outdoor area for the pandas in case they ever took a notion to venture out. A pond opposite their home was teeming with free-range ducks. Our two-year-old was delighted to spot some active monkeys (Sulawesi crested black macaques) around the corner, and there was a gift shop with a wide range of panda-themed merchandise. There were plenty of options for my six-year-old and two-year-old $20, from panda cookies to mugs, small stuffed animals, and personalized rhinestone necklaces. Of course, my four-year-old panda princess talked us into a $32 stuffed bear.
Giraffes
We were to excited to see baby giraffes, and to learn we could feed them if we came back at the right time. Giraffe feedings happen from 11-12 and 2-3, Wednesday through Sunday, March 5 through October 30. Unfortunately, the timing didn’t work out for us to do it on this trip, but it was fascinating just to watch them reaching for leaves from the nearby trees. I wish I’d planned our day out better so we could have fed them with our own hands.
The Grizzly Bear Feeding
We did happen to be in the right place at the right time to see the grizzly bear feeding. The bear’s home is huge. You can can see him from anywhere along the Teton Trek, but for the 1:00 feeding, we had the best spot by far. We stood under the bridge, and watched through the glass while Memphis Zoo employees threw frozen blocks of fruit down from the bridge above, into the water in front of us. The bear got in, swam over, and looked right at us as he ate. Wow!
Polar Bears and Sea Lions
I mention these animals together, because Memphis Zoo has a large, comfortably air conditioned room from which you can watch both of them in action. A row of bleachers on one side of the room faces the polar bear’s pool, and we watched him swim for quite awhile. The opposite side of the room has seating that faces the sea lion tank. Around one corner, there’s even a “bubble” kids can go into to be “inside” the sea lions’ exhibit. Talk about an immersive experience!
Hippos
We walked through a long, covered corridor beside the hippo enclosure, and while the animals weren’t very close to the glass, we could clearly see a mom and a baby standing together in the water. Every now and then, the baby would lift its nostrils above the surface to take a breath. I had never seen a baby hippo before. There were benches one could sit on while watching the animals, and I felt like the viewing area was set up to accommodate larger crowds more effectively than its counterpart in St. Louis.
Once Upon a Farm
This is an area that may not have been particularly exotic, but my kids were thrilled with it, and the enclosures were remarkable clean. We hopped on the train and took a short ride around the farm animal area, but he crowning jewel of the place, in my opinion, was the prairie dogs.
Maybe I’m in the minority on this, but prairie dogs have always been one of my favorite animals at any zoo. They’re so cute, and so busy, always popping up out of their little holes. The remind me of my kids, getting back up after bedtime, but I get to walk away from them when I’ve had enough. Memphis Zoo’s prairie dog exhibit is the best I’ve seen, because it allows children (and shameless adults like myself) to climb down under the exhibit and pop their heads up right beside the little guys. From that unique vantage point, you’re eye-to-eye with the prairie dogs.
The only downside was that it was a bit muddy underground on such a rainy day. The kids and I came out looking like we’d wrestled pigs.
Big Cats
Memphis Zoo is home to a snow leopard, one of the world’s most endangered species. They’re known for carefully avoiding people, but we caught a glimpse of this one from across its sprawling exhibit. It’s an animal most people go their whole lives without seeing.
The Bengal tigers were so gorgeous, I could barely take my eyes off them. One was orange and one was white. They were pacing a bit, likely anticipating their next feeding. We saw them in the late afternoon, which is when big cats are active (they’re crepuscular).
The LEGO Sculptures
I’m not usually one to notice and admire the inanimate elements that help make a zoo beautiful, but the LEGO sculptures we saw at the Memphis Zoo were exceptional. They were phenomenally detailed and absolutely breathtaking. Each one had a sign beside it, telling how many pieces it contained and how many hours were devoted to its construction.
The Gibbons at Cat House Cafe
We had lunch in the Cat House Cafe, because it was the only restaurant open in the whole that day. It was understaffed, and the registers were down. We waited in line quite awhile as one Memphis Zoo employee had to ring up everyone’s orders by hand. The food was decent. It was standard, expensive zoo fare, and we paid $5o to feed our family of two adults and three kids.
Our break for lunch wouldn’t have made my highlights list if it hadn’t been for Ringo and Talula, a pair of highly interactive gibbons. A glass wall runs the length of the restaurant and separates it, on one side, from the gibbons’ enclosure. While we were there, they sat beside the glass, watching people and grooming one another.
I told my husband to pretend to groom our two-year-old while I snapped a picture. He imitated the gibbons, but must have shown his teeth while doing so. I don’t know if Ringo saw it as a display of dominance, or thought Mr. Mustard was about to eat our child. In either case, he wasn’t going to stand for it. Mr. Mustard apologized and quickly backed away from the glass. We never meant to provoke the animals.
Memphis Zoo Disappointments
It was a fun, memorable day overall, but there are a few things that could have gone a little more smoothly.
Unexpected closures
Several of the food stands and attractions we were interested in were closed without warning. Some were understandable, while others didn’t seem to make any sense.
The endangered species carousel
My kids were excited to ride this, but a Memphis Zoo employee explained that it was shut down due to thunder. We hadn’t heard any thunder, but it was raining and we could appreciate that the closure was a logical one.
Every Food Stand and Restaurant Aside from the Cat House Cafe
This slowed us down quite a bit, because while we were willing to eat just about anything to stay on our touring path, we had to return to the front of the zoo and wait in a long line to order lunch. I realize the snack shacks and smaller restaurants don’t bring in as much money when the weather is bad, but it would have been nice if the lights inside them and their signs had been switched off, so we could have seen they were closed from a distance and saved some time.
The Rides
The map mentions that the rides run from 9:30-5:30, while the Memphis Zoo itself is open from 9-6. So we were prepared for that early closure, but we found all the rides were already shut down by the time we reached them at 4:30. The rain had stopped hours earlier, so I can only guess that this was due to lower-than-average crowds. Unfortunately, the machine selling tickets for the rides was still open, and we had come across that first. We were stuck with a handful of worthless tickets.
The Budgie House
We arrived at this attraction with tickets in hand, only to find the “Closed. Budgie House hours 10 am-4:45 pm” sign blocking the doorway. An employee was still inside, and we asked her about the sign since it wasn’t yet 4:45. She told us that she’d been instructed to close early, and she had no idea why. This was my biggest disappointment of the day, because I’d looked forward to seeing my little ones feed the budgies, and it’s a seasonal activity that the St. Louis Zoo doesn’t offer. I didn’t appreciate the Memphis Zoo allowing us pay for activities we never got a chance to take part in.
Lies, all lies!
Mutually Exclusive Animal Feedings and Keeper Chats
Each time you choose to attend a chat or watch a feeding, you’re choosing to miss out on something else that sounds just as interesting. Maybe Memphis Zoo set it up that way to break up the crows. I can see it being a plus for members and locals, because they can structure their day differently each time they go. As a tourist though, it was frustrating to know we were missing so much.
Notable Differences between the St. Louis and Memphis Zoos
The Penguins
The Memphis Zoo is home to African penguins, who prefer a warm climate and are housed outdoors. We watched as employees threw fish to them and answered questions from the crowd. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable, and the penguins were active and adorable.
We’re spoiled by the St. Louis Zoo’s Penguin and Puffin Coast, though, where you can get closer to the animals. You can watch some of them swimming under the surface while others waddle around on land. There are four species of penguins and two types of puffins to see, but the endangered African penguin is not among them. Its relative, the Humboldt penguin, is native to South America and can be seen in St. Louis.
The Elephants
In Memphis, you can see African elephants, which are larger in stature, with larger ears and dome-shaped heads. They have room to roam and water to play in. Based on the Memphis Zoo’s animal cam footage, they’re probably best viewed while riding the zoo train, but it wasn’t running the day we visited. There’s also a restaurant beside their enclosure which I would love to have reviewed for you, but it was closed.
Saint Louis is home to Asian elephants, which are slightly smaller, with more rounded ears and two humps at the top of their heads. Their exhibit features a waterfall, and they’re frequently active near it. I’ve heard two of them trumpeting at each other before, and I’ve seen a mom bathing her baby.
Tips for Visiting the Memphis Zoo
- Have your kids wear swimsuits under their clothes, or clothing that’s lightweight and dries quickly. There’s a kiddie pool they can swim in near the main entrance, and a fountain they can run through near the Teton Trek. Even in the rain, my kids couldn’t resist the chance to play in the water.
- Make sure your kids’ shoes have tread, and aren’t slick on the bottom (avoid Crocs). There’s a playground outside the Cat House Cafe, but its steps can get very slippery after a rain.
- Pack cooling towels and mini fans if you go in the summer. Once the rain stopped, we were sure happy to have ours.
- Save time and money by bringing your lunch in a cooler. That way you can sit on a bench and eat beside your favorite animal.
- Don’t buy tickets for any attraction until you’ve seen that the attraction is open, and verified with a staff member that it’ll stay open long enough for you to purchase the tickets and return. Barring that, steer clear of the ticketed attractions altogether.
If you don’t have a family member whose life revolves around giant pandas like my daughter’s does, you be may wondering if driving past the fabulous (FREE) St. Louis Zoo, all the way down to Memphis, is worth it. I’d say it is. Fans of giraffes, grizzly bears, prairie dogs, and gibbons will have a terrific time, rain or shine. The two zoos complement one another nicely, and both are members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) which means a St. Louis Zoo membership can get you half price admission to the Memphis Zoo.
Frankly, I’d like to see the Memphis Zoo offer a ‘rainy day’ discount as well, since so many attractions were closed both during and after the inclement weather. That said, my family had a great time at the zoo, and I hope to make it back some day.