Keep Monkeyin' Around

When I was a child, it seemed like all I wanted to do was grow up and become a teenager.  I looked forward to being in high school and experiencing everything television showed me what it would be like.  Now that those moments are locked in my memory, I find myself longing to have my innocent childhood back.

I now look for activities that help me feel like a child again.  My favorite place to go is the zoo, but not just any zoo, the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.  Located in Omaha, Nebraska, the zoo is consistently ranked the top three best zoos in the United States.  Spread over 130 acres, the zoo is equipped with over 30 exhibits, 962 species, and 17,000 animals.

One of the most famous exhibits is the Scott Kingdom of the Seas Aquarium.  The indoor adventure opened on April 1^st 1995 at the cost of $16 million.  The aquarium features many displays of aquatic habitats, including the flooded Amazon Rainforest, coral reefs, polar regions, and temperate oceans.  Visitors love to go through the shark tank tunnel and watch the penguins dive into the water.  The entire exhibit is 71,000 square feet and contains a total of 1,200,000 gallons of water.

Right next to the aquarium explorers would find the Lied Jungle, which is one of the largest indoor rainforest exhibits in the world.  This $15 million display is 90 feet tall, spans over 1.5 acres, and has 123,000 square feet of floor space.  Visitors are able to walk along a dirt trail on the floor of the jungle as well as on a walkway around and above the animals.  There are approximately 90 species that can be found in the exhibit, including squirrel monkeys, porcupines, otters, crocodiles, and tapirs.

The length of the zoo makes it nearly impossible to conquer it all in one day.  To help cut travel time down, the zoo developed three ways to explore.  The Tram drives on the walkway paths around the zoo and offers four stops.  For a non-stop tour, the Railroad is available for a 2.5-mile loop around the zoo.  One of the zoos newest accomplishments, and the most popular way to explore, is the Skyfari.  The Skyfari is an aerial tram that runs from one end of the zoo to the other.  From above, everyone can see cheetahs, a koi lagoon, rhinos, and giraffes.

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo offers every visitor something unique to enjoy.  The zoo has specialized in making its territory fun for all ages.  The exhibits and fun ways of exploring helps every adult find their inner-child.

**This Sunday I'll use Pinterest to upload pictures of the top 10 best restaurants in Nebraska. 

**Every Monday I'll use Twitter to tweet any deals and coupons Nebraska restaurants and events have.