Our Kindness Safari Experience at the Maryland Zoo

Our Kindness Safari Experience at the Maryland Zoo

When I was in college I worked at the Baltimore Zoo, the name has since been changed to the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore.  I really enjoyed my time working at the zoo but surprisingly I had never taken my kids to the zoo before.  Living in this area most schools have field trips to the zoo regularly so we hadn’t gotten around to visiting as a family.  KIND Snacks invited my family and I out to the Maryland Zoo for their Kindness Safari event recently.  We received tickets to attend the event as guests of KIND.  Any opinions expressed are my own.

The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is about twenty to thirty minutes from where we live.  That Saturday the weather seemed perfect for a trip to the zoo.  We arrived and searched for a parking space in the makeshift parking lots near the entrance.  Thankfully parking is free but if you’ve never been I should note that it’s not traditional parking and it can be bumpy.

We entered the zoo in no time at all.  There were a few gates open so we didn’t have a long wait.  I was trying to take a photo of the family and a stranger offered to take a shot of the whole family.

We snapped the photo and headed into the zoo.  Our first stop was the KIND booth to get started on our #KindnessSafari.  All the kids received a booklet to fill out while in the zoo.

My daughter Kennedi couldn’t wait to get started.  She jumped right on the crossword puzzle while we were checking out the Prairie Dogs.

Our next stop was to the trolley to take a ride to the other side of the zoo.  The ride was very short to the other side.

On the other side we could explore exhibits and see all the animals we wanted to see.  First up was the Penguins.

My son JB had the most fun visiting with the penguins.  He loved waiting for them to drive down so we could see them underwater.  He wasn’t thrilled when I said it was time to head out to another section.

Our next stop was Africa, the kids wanted to see the lions, elephants, and monkeys.  The first thing we saw were the Sitatunga that looks similar to deer.  There were also a few birds in that habitat as well.

Next up were the Flamingos and a stroller break for Mase.  Flamingos are my favorite and they are so interesting to me.

When we went to see the chimpanzees they were inside but we did find a money hanging out.

The giraffes were a favorite for the kids, and unlike the lion and lioness who were hiding out these guys were out in the open.  They even stuck their tongues out at us a few times.

The elephants were enjoying the hot weather.  We were on the lookout, which had some shade and it gave us a great view of the elephants.  You could also view them from the lower lookout and get a closer look.

My son wouldn’t let us leave without him seeing a turtle.  We had to explain to him that this was a tortoise and the difference between the two.

The White Rhino made the kids happy.  It was fun for them to see and learn about these animals.

I didn’t want to go into the Aviary but I did get photos of some birds during our visit.

On our way out we stopped by to see the Polar Bear and we also saw an Arctic Fox.  It was very hot that day so we didn’t stay as long as we wanted but we had lots of fun.

When visiting the Maryland Zoo be sure to check out the Keeper Chats happening around the zoo.  It’s a great way to learn about the animals and ask questions.

When it was time to cool down the kids enjoyed frosty drinks in their Maryland Zoo cups.

The highlight of the day for the older kids was riding the camel.  You can ride the camel for $7.00 per person, and they even stop for you to take photos of the occasion.  There’s a water washing station after you exit the ride.  When visiting be sure to look for other paid activities around the zoo.

Thanks to KIND Snacks for sponsoring our trip to the zoo and hosting the Kindness Safaris all around the country.  We had a blast visiting the zoo and we can’t wait to go back again.  Our next visit will be for Run Wild for Autism and I’ll be sharing about that adventure soon on the blog.