Day 2

After catching another breakfast at the hotel before starting the day of fun it’s time to head over to Forrest Park located off of I-40 to visit the St. Louis Zoo. The zoo provides 2 parking lots each costing $8 for a full day of parking. There is a $2 admission fee into the zoo. It’s hard to know where to explore first once inside the zoo. A popular attraction is the Emerson Children’s Zoo that is complete with the Hip Hop Swamp a home to 17 species of frogs, toads, salamanders, and caecilians. Another popular attraction at the zoo is the Penguin & Puffin Coast an outdoor sanctuary for over 20 Humboldt Penguins. It features a 22 foot cascading waterfall as well as penguin nests. The zoo also features a miniature railroad car that takes visitors to popular exhibits throughout the zoo. Tickets for the train cost $4, riders can get off the train to look at animals and then re-board later.

 

 

The zoo offers 4 restaurants to choose from and the Painted Giraffe is one of the choices. A great thing about all the restaurants located inside the zoo is that they are all very affordable in price. Located in the Discovery Corner part of the zoo near the children’s zoo the Painted Giraffe has something for everyone. A few of the menu items include: sandwiches, wraps, hotdogs, chicken strips, french fries, baked potatoes, nachos, and a salad bar. Prices start at $2 and go up to $7. When you’re finished with lunch be sure to get an ice cream cone, snow cone, fresh squeezed lemonade available from one of the many vendors through out the zoo. Then it’s back to exploring the remainder of the zoo.

 

 

After a long day at the zoo you’ll probably want to stay close to the hotel for dinner and call it an early night to rest up for the next day which will be full of activities. The Downtown Cantina is a great place to have a casual dinner and it’s just around the corner from the Radisson. Their menu offers traditional Mexican dishes that start in price at $5.95 and go up to $11.95.