Omaha / Council Bluffs

[DTO]

I think the zoo cost like $8. I know it's no more than $10. If I were you I wouldn't eat in the zoo unless you really want to. It is expensive but they will let you leave and come back in. Once you get up hear get gas in Council Bluffs, it's cheaper. I know when I've gone to KC it takes me about btwn half and a third tank of gas. If you want to make it back in KC you'd have to get here really early and leave early as well. Honestly you'd be better off maybe coming the night before and going in the morning. Thats seems way to early to come up from KC to turn right back around. Also what you're mom doesn't know won't hurt her. I took of and stayed in KC for a week when I was 17 and didn't tell anyone where I went.

[trailerkid]

ok hey guys...i have a quick qestion...im thinkin about takin my girl to tha omaha zoo sometime in tha near future...im 18 but i kno my mom wouldnt let us get a hotel an spend tha night...would it be easy for me to make that juss a day trip to tha zoo an come back tha same day...and i have a job so payin for it shouldnt be an issue but around what do yall think tha total cost would include...ie zoo tix, gas, food...etc...thanx 4 tha advice...

Yeah...it's a real easy trip up there and the Zoo is only a few miles off 1-29. I'd hit up the Old Market for lunch, the Zoo and go home on the same day.

BTW, we don't have a biodome with crazy animals in it, but KC's Zoo isn't that bad.

[chrizow]

i think the KC zoo is an absolute embarrassment. 

* it's way too big.
* there is a TON of abandoned/closed stuff. 
*there are lots of key animals missing (when i was there, there weren't any BEARS!?!?!).
* there are more Dippin Dots vendors than animals.

and all that AFTER what, 40-50M in "upgrades?"  wtf? 

i've never been to the Omaha Zoo, but the St. Louis Zoo kicks serious ass AND it is free AND it is in Forest Park AND in a much cooler city in general.  ). 

[nota]

i think the KC zoo is an absolute embarrassment. 

* it's way too big.
* there is a TON of abandoned/closed stuff. 
*there are lots of key animals missing (when i was there, there weren't any BEARS!?!?!).
* there are more Dippin Dots vendors than animals.

and all that AFTER what, 40-50M in "upgrades?"  wtf? 

i've never been to the Omaha Zoo, but the St. Louis Zoo kicks serious ass AND it is free AND it is in Forest Park AND in a much cooler city in general.  ). 

OH CRAP!!! I promised my 12 year old grandson a trip to the zoo to see Silver the white tiger that is on loan. Please don't tell me it is a crappy zoo. I agree-STL zoo is awesome.

[staubio]

i think the KC zoo is an absolute embarrassment. 

* it's way too big.
* there is a TON of abandoned/closed stuff. 
*there are lots of key animals missing (when i was there, there weren't any BEARS!?!?!).
* there are more Dippin Dots vendors than animals.

and all that AFTER what, 40-50M in "upgrades?"  wtf? 

i've never been to the Omaha Zoo, but the St. Louis Zoo kicks serious ass AND it is free AND it is in Forest Park AND in a much cooler city in general.  ). 

If it is too big, you are too lazy.  I love the large, natural setting of the zoo.  I think it is beautiful.  That combined with the "natural settings" really makes it feel like an excursion into the wilderness.  Personally, I prefer that to a sidewalk with one cage after another of displays.

I don't remember seeing much that was closed when I went.

The Omaha zoo is top notch -- best I've ever been to, but I love ours for its own reasons.  It isn't an embarassment, it just sorta forces one to shift the zoo paradigm a little.  I know most probably don't want to do that and find it boring.

[chrizow]

^

let me rephrase:  way too much walking for the tiny reward.  the zoo could cover 40 square miles and i'd walk all over it if it were awesome....but it isn't.

[trailerkid]

OH CRAP!!! I promised my 12 year old grandson a trip to the zoo to see Silver the white tiger that is on loan. Please don't tell me it is a crappy zoo. I agree-STL zoo is awesome.

My niece and aunt went to the KC Zoo and enjoyed it...I heard no complaints.

[Thrillcekr]

If it is too big, you are too lazy.  I love the large, natural setting of the zoo.  I think it is beautiful.  That combined with the "natural settings" really makes it feel like an excursion into the wilderness.  Personally, I prefer that to a sidewalk with one cage after another of displays.

I don't remember seeing much that was closed when I went.

The Omaha zoo is top notch -- best I've ever been to, but I love ours for its own reasons.  It isn't an embarassment, it just sorta forces one to shift the zoo paradigm a little.  I know most probably don't want to do that and find it boring.

I agree with Chriz and I have also been there when it seemed like half the place was closed and many cages unoccupied.  I've been to quite a few zoos all over the US and ours is the worst I've ever seen.  It hurts to admit that but it's definitely true.

[chrizow]

the St. Louis Zoo makes the KC Zoo look like my parents' backyard.

[midwest2dasouth]

man it would be impossible for me to spend tha night and my parents not kno...im to 18 to say im gonna spend tha night over my friends house

[DTO]

I have been to the KC Zoo and I agree with the comments about walking to far to see to little. We went to this big monkey tower thing and their was and orangutang and 2 monkeys. Plus I about got knocked the fuck out in some dark room thing by walking into a low hanging part. (Life's hard when you're 6'7") The Africa Section really blew. The signs said lions and Cheetahs but we didn't see any. I wanted to see the elephants but they weren't very visible. I don't remember much else about the place though. There wasn't anything real stand out about it. I do remember when I was in DTKC last year and seeing signs for some snake exhibit.

[KCPowercat]

i actually like the hunting for animals and large area of the kc zoo....feels natural.  but I totally see people not liking it...when they go to a zoo they want to see animals quick and fast....that doesn't happen in any of the new kc zoo areas.  I just don't like things like the cat house where you walk by a sleeping tiger and point and say "ohhhh, tiger".  I like them in their natural settings.....but so is America.....want it now and fast.

[nota]

Here's a tiger in his natural state. Indy zoo. Tigers are my favorites for some reason. It has rubbed off on my grandson. I've never seen a white tiger and neither has Adam. So that is on our list for this year. I like it that the zoo has "visitors" every year on loan from elsewhere. Except not the snakes. I have such a phobia for snakes that my children (all guys) have told me that when I die they are going to sprinkle my ashes in the herpetarium.

I'm willing to risk a trip to the zoo for Silver. I'll report back from my grandson's POV.

[chrizow]

no need to worry about snakes nota.  last time i was at the KC Zoo the reptile house was closed.

[chrizow]

I just don't like things like the cat house where you walk by a sleeping tiger and point and say "ohhhh, tiger".  I like them in their natural settings.....but so is America.....want it now and fast.

i am fine with a huge, "natural" zoo if it is worth it.  i can even understand not being able to spot animals sometimes because they are chilling somewhere that renders them invisible from observation points. 

my problem is all the closed/abandoned stuff and lack of really key animals.  we saw enough rare birds to last a lifetime, but no bears?!?!?!  there were other ones missing too, but it has been a while and i've tried to block that day from my memory. 

and i dont think many good zoos still keep their animals in tiny "cages." 

[scooterj]

i actually like the hunting for animals and large area of the kc zoo....feels natural.  but I totally see people not liking it...when they go to a zoo they want to see animals quick and fast....that doesn't happen in any of the new kc zoo areas.  I just don't like things like the cat house where you walk by a sleeping tiger and point and say "ohhhh, tiger".  I like them in their natural settings.....but so is America.....want it now and fast.

Isn't there a plan in the works to build a new pedestrian bridge that bisects Africa so that visitors can get closer to the animals yet the natural setting still remain?  Sounds to me like a good compromise.

[scooterj]

my problem is all the closed/abandoned stuff and lack of really key animals.  we saw enough rare birds to last a lifetime, but no bears?!?!?!  there were other ones missing too, but it has been a while and i've tried to block that day from my memory.   :)

They sent the bears to other zoos because the old bear exhibits were an intolerable place to keep them.  The bears will be back, I believe after they finish renovating the valley section.

The orangutans are in a new display now and the old Ape House is finally closed.  I hope they can find some sort of new use for that building since it is an icon... but it was a terrible place to make apes have to live.

[DTO]

If you want to see white tigers, we've got alot of them in Omaha. We can fit a few in the Largest Cat House in North America.  ( Shameless Omaha plug.)

[KCPowercat]

bears are needed at the zoo, no doubt.  It's a work in progress.