Well, the sun and I don't get along. It hates me. My skin hates it even more, which is why the "pale as a ghost" look is a good one for me. In any case, the end of school year outing involved the Granby Zoo, and despite the awful wing-shaped sunburn I now sport on my shoulders, it is a very cool place to go that deserves to be mentioned.
It is now much bigger than it was when I was young, and has since become an actually awesome place to take kids, even too big to go through in one day. Sure, you are free to agree or not with the concept of zoos, but it's only once you've seen the awed eyes of an 8-year old who got a chance to pet a shark that you realise just what a great place they are.
The place is organised in "continent" sections, and although time (and the Amazoo, which I'll be discussing in a minute) did not allow us to go through all of them (especially not Africa, to my disappointment) the sight of all the kangaroos running around in "Oceania" was worth the detour and perhaps even the sunburn. We got to see ocelots and other felines, emus, plenty of llamas, exotics birds, snakes and monkeys, like in any regular zoos, I expect. But this zoos has rides... and water slides, and pools, and a "river" you can go down on tubes.
Hard to keep children interested in the animals when you have all those options, but you're sure to keep them entertained. Big thumbs up in particular for their thrilling (well, for kids, of course)Amazonian/Central American mythology inspired wave pool complete with a vapour spitting volcano, sound and light effects and fire. Not to mention the "river", which although it might be a little boring for thrill seeking adults and teens, is fantastic for kids, who all seemed to love it, especially the few waterfalls along the sides.
The recommendation a colleagues gave me was to take the kids to see the animals in the fall instead of the summer, this way they will actually want to go and see them.
I say, don't forget your sunblock.
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