8 Incredible Animal Experiences
From adorable zoo babies to a national aviary to a historic hotel with VIP ducks, these attractions offer a way to interact with and learn about all kinds of creatures.
In 1923, the state of West Virginia founded the French Creek Game Farm about 12 miles south of Buckhannon. The facility, which started as a place to raise and reintroduce decreasing populations of wild game, today serves as a 330-acre zoological park that educates visitors about the state’s native wildlife. From there, continue your animal encounters with visits to great zoos, an aquarium in the mountains and a legendary hotel where ducks swim in the lobby all day long.
Rosamond Gifford Zoo
There is something for every family to enjoy at this zoo in Syracuse, New York, from summer festivals to the recent addition of twin baby elephants.
The Elephant Discovery Center
This destination in Hohenwald, Tennessee, provides an engaging, hands-on learning experience for kids and grownups.
Bird Kingdom
Home to more than 100 species of birds as well as nonflying animals, this Niagara Falls, Ontario, destination is open daily for self-guided tours.
Potawatomi Zoo
See the more than 400 animals that reside at this 23-acre nonprofit zoo in South Bend, Indiana, that offers opportunities for incredible up-close experiences.
Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies
This Gatlinburg, Tennessee, favorite is home to more than 100,000 exotic sea creatures representing 350 different species.
National Aviary
Over 500 birds, many unique and endangered, live in this expansive aviary in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is the only independent, indoor zoo dedicated to birds in the nation.
The Peabody
This legendary hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, rolls out the red carpet each morning for a marching parade of ducks.
West Virginia Wildlife Center
Lean about the native fauna of the mountain state at this 330-acre French Creek, West Virginia, destination that is home to over 30 species of animal.
Story:
Kelly Powell
Issue:
Weekend Guides
