In case your kids want a little variety in the day, the Columbus Zoo also offers rides and a full waterpark! You can purchase wristbands for unlimited access to their rides on site. Other highlights of the day included their petting zoo complete with grooming equipment and their African pavilion where all their animals stay in one massive enclosure together (this reminded us of our time in Kenya and Uganda!) Their aquarium is also beautiful and includes a huge manatee rescue center and stingray petting/feeding area. However, during this visit, the gibbons were our highlight! Our kids thought it was so funny to see them chasing each other and somersaulting to get a head start. During our first visit nine years ago, we were delighted to see their Bonobo exhibit had a full-on playground inside and laughed as these primates played tag, whapping each other and then sprinting away on the monkey bars and down the slides. However, both times we have visited this zoo, we have found ourselves sitting and watching these hilarious animals for at least 30 minutes in one spot. In addition to all the important stuff, the animal interactions are also just plain entertaining! Normally our family moves fairly quickly from one exhibit to the next. It was also so much fun for our kids to feel like they knew the animals while touring the zoo! They were constantly asking, “Has the flamingo, Haleakala, had any babies yet?” “Has Emmett, the cheetah, stayed healthy?” “How is the mother manatee doing?” Watching the show before a visit to the zoo will engage kids and give them a unique, personal experience when visiting each exhibit. The care, concern, and commitment the veterinarians and keepers show are evident in each episode. Our family began watching in preparation for our visit and were immediately hooked. They address questions like why they breed some animals and not others, what unique challenges each species face, and how the team at the zoo work to handle births, surgeries, and more. This show features the Columbus Zoo continuously throughout the show’s multiple seasons, and it focuses on both the animals and workers that form amazing bonds through years of care. This comes as no surprise to families that have followed National Geographic’s Secrets of the Zoo. One can’t walk around the Columbus Zoo for long without noticing its commitment to conservation. The commitment to conservation, animal interactions, and scenery all set the Columbus Zoo apart… not to mention it has a fullfledged water park onsite! During our family’s trip around the world, we knew this zoo stop had to make the list! The Sea Dragon was the first one put into operation at the Zoo Amusement Park adjacent to the Columbus Zoo.The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is consistently ranked at the top of all zoos in the nation and for good reason! Our family went when our son was a baby and knew we had to return once the kids were older. Sea Dragon is notable as the oldest roller coaster remaining from famed designer John Allen, president of the Philadelphia Toboggan Company, who began designing his own coasters after taking control of the company in 1954. The designation Roller Coaster Landmark by the 6,500-member organization dedicated to the preservation, promotion, appreciation and safe enjoyment of roller coasters is reserved for rides of historic significance. It was manufactured by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company during the height of the postwar baby boom of the 1950s when amusement parks began adding junior-sized roller coasters designed for younger riders. Originally opened in 1956 as the Jet Flyer, and renamed Sea Dragon in 1984, the coaster is 37 feet tall and reached a top speed of 25 mph along 1,320 feet of track. We value sharing the roller coaster’s history with our returning guests and those who are experiencing the excitement and thrill for the first time,” said Anthony Sabo, the zoo’s vice president of Waterpark Operations and Guest Services. “We are incredibly proud that Sea Dragon is receiving this wonderful recognition from American Coaster Enthusiasts. The American Coaster Enthusiasts have unveiled a plaque designating the Sea Dragon at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium as the state’s oldest operating coaster and a Coaster Classic because it still relies on “traditional” operating methods, including hand-pulled manual brakes and no seat dividers, according to officials at the zoo. COLUMBUS – Next time you’re at the zoo, ride the oldest operating roller coaster in Ohio.
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