That bad hey! And don't forget the other side of the car and road....
Zooman March 2015 USA Southern States tour
- Thread starter zooman
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That bad hey! And don't forget the other side of the car and road....
The Everglades are about 40 minutes from Miami if you have a couple days. True biological wonderland with wild manatees, alligators, water birds, etc.
Would love to meet up with you at the LA Zoo with you if it works out. Please keep me posted.
True!
Picking up the car and getting out of the airport was my only real negative experience of my Florida trip - if AD's right that that's one of the best then I either got it on a very bad day or the others in the States really are terrible! The number of open desks was nothing like adequate for the number of customers waiting to pick up cars. Once I left the airport environs it was pretty much all good! As I recall, I got some tolls were set up to be charged to my card automatically by the car people but a lot of them needed actual pieces of green paper to be handed over - particularly on the expressway between the Atlantic coast and Orlando - so hang onto a good supply of $1 bills (at one point on that road, there were two toll plazas within the same song on the radio!). Certainly adds cost, but with fuel cheaper than over here I didn't notice it badly at all.
It would definitely, as David says, be worth fitting some wildlifing in - there are some great places around Florida.
Meilimonkey
Well-Known Member
No problem zooman!
Thanks you Maguari! I didnt realize both had the Red Wolf.
Thanks you Maguari! I didnt realize both had the Red Wolf.
I just spent about an hour tinkering with your road trip plans and you can use or discard the information as you see fit. I usually spend months arranging and rearranging my own road trip plans but if you are looking for quality over quantity then you should just focus on the big zoos. Florida has at least 82 animal attractions and so you could tour 4-5 tiny places every day but it seems that you obviously want to stick to the more famous establishments.
It is a bit of a pity that you are not into aquariums as there are several notable ones throughout Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, etc., and you will be quite close to them judging by your itinerary. Also, St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (now that is a mouthful!) could be an option if you are into seeing loads of crocodilians. Anyway, you can check out the schedule below and let me know your thoughts. I switched Miami's Jungle Island for Monkey Jungle (it has lots of primates) and also added Riverbanks Zoo in South Carolina. It is the most popular attraction in the state with over 1 million annual visitors and there is an extremely lush gorilla exhibit for you to analyze. Also, the two big zoos of Alabama are only an hour and a half apart and so it makes sense for you to see both of them on your travels.
DAY 1: Zoo Miami
DAY 2: Monkey Jungle + drive 2 hours + Naples Zoo + drive 2.5 hours
DAY 3: Busch Gardens Tampa
DAY 4: Lowry Park Zoo + drive 6.5 hours
DAY 5: Georgia Aquarium + World of Coca-Cola (right next door) + drive 2 hours
DAY 6: Tennessee Aquarium + Chattanooga Zoo + drive 3.5 hours
DAY 7: Montgomery Zoo + drive 1.5 hours + Birmingham Zoo + drive 4 hours
DAY 8: Memphis Zoo + drive 3 hours
DAY 9: Nashville Zoo + drive 2.5 hours
DAY 10: Louisville Zoo + drive 3.5 hours
DAY 11: Knoxville Zoo + drive 4.5 hours
DAY 12: North Carolina Zoo + drive 3 hours
DAY 13: Riverbanks Zoo + drive 4 hours
DAY 14: Jacksonville Zoo + drive 2 hours
DAY 15: Disney’s Animal Kingdom + drive 1 hour
DAY 16: Brevard Zoo + drive 2 hours
DAY 17: Palm Beach Zoo + drive 1 hour + Miami International Airport
TOTAL: 18 zoos and 2 aquariums
Is your trip going to be 21 full days? In that case, you'll have to think about adding 4 more days of zoos! A side trip to New Orleans could be an option as the zoo is quite impressive and there is also a decent aquarium and an insectarium in the same city that all fall under the Audubon umbrella.
It is a bit of a pity that you are not into aquariums as there are several notable ones throughout Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, etc., and you will be quite close to them judging by your itinerary. Also, St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park (now that is a mouthful!) could be an option if you are into seeing loads of crocodilians. Anyway, you can check out the schedule below and let me know your thoughts. I switched Miami's Jungle Island for Monkey Jungle (it has lots of primates) and also added Riverbanks Zoo in South Carolina. It is the most popular attraction in the state with over 1 million annual visitors and there is an extremely lush gorilla exhibit for you to analyze. Also, the two big zoos of Alabama are only an hour and a half apart and so it makes sense for you to see both of them on your travels.
DAY 1: Zoo Miami
DAY 2: Monkey Jungle + drive 2 hours + Naples Zoo + drive 2.5 hours
DAY 3: Busch Gardens Tampa
DAY 4: Lowry Park Zoo + drive 6.5 hours
DAY 5: Georgia Aquarium + World of Coca-Cola (right next door) + drive 2 hours
DAY 6: Tennessee Aquarium + Chattanooga Zoo + drive 3.5 hours
DAY 7: Montgomery Zoo + drive 1.5 hours + Birmingham Zoo + drive 4 hours
DAY 8: Memphis Zoo + drive 3 hours
DAY 9: Nashville Zoo + drive 2.5 hours
DAY 10: Louisville Zoo + drive 3.5 hours
DAY 11: Knoxville Zoo + drive 4.5 hours
DAY 12: North Carolina Zoo + drive 3 hours
DAY 13: Riverbanks Zoo + drive 4 hours
DAY 14: Jacksonville Zoo + drive 2 hours
DAY 15: Disney’s Animal Kingdom + drive 1 hour
DAY 16: Brevard Zoo + drive 2 hours
DAY 17: Palm Beach Zoo + drive 1 hour + Miami International Airport
TOTAL: 18 zoos and 2 aquariums
Is your trip going to be 21 full days? In that case, you'll have to think about adding 4 more days of zoos! A side trip to New Orleans could be an option as the zoo is quite impressive and there is also a decent aquarium and an insectarium in the same city that all fall under the Audubon umbrella.
Car Rental (Car Hire)
There is one thing about USA car rentals (at least airport locations) that I find infuriating. They never hold the class of car you reserve. This happened recently in Miami but has happened to me many, many times in other cities. I always reserve a compact/economy car not only because it is cheaper but also for better gas mileage. Usually when I get there they do not have a compact and "upgrade" me to a bigger car or minivan. They do not charge extra for this (I still get the compact rate), but I end up paying twice as much in gas (which you may know as petrol).
Anyway since it happens everywhere with all of the rental agencies, there seems to be no way around it. However, if you book online in advance at least you still pay for a cheaper car. If you wait until you get to the airport and they are out of compacts they will charge you for the more expensive upgrade. I use Expedia for all my booking but any reputable internet site is good.
Of course the argument for waiting until you get to the airport is that you are not locked into one company and you can look at all the desks to see who has a compact available. Considering the amount of driving you are doing, this might be worthwhile because you could conceivably save a few hundred dollars in gas fees. I think most USA car rental companies allow free cancellation so a third option is to make a reservation and if they don't have the car you want then tell them to cancel and look for another company that has one.
There is one thing about USA car rentals (at least airport locations) that I find infuriating. They never hold the class of car you reserve. This happened recently in Miami but has happened to me many, many times in other cities. I always reserve a compact/economy car not only because it is cheaper but also for better gas mileage. Usually when I get there they do not have a compact and "upgrade" me to a bigger car or minivan. They do not charge extra for this (I still get the compact rate), but I end up paying twice as much in gas (which you may know as petrol).
Anyway since it happens everywhere with all of the rental agencies, there seems to be no way around it. However, if you book online in advance at least you still pay for a cheaper car. If you wait until you get to the airport and they are out of compacts they will charge you for the more expensive upgrade. I use Expedia for all my booking but any reputable internet site is good.
Of course the argument for waiting until you get to the airport is that you are not locked into one company and you can look at all the desks to see who has a compact available. Considering the amount of driving you are doing, this might be worthwhile because you could conceivably save a few hundred dollars in gas fees. I think most USA car rental companies allow free cancellation so a third option is to make a reservation and if they don't have the car you want then tell them to cancel and look for another company that has one.
I spent several days last summer in Everglades - Big Cypress area. If you decide to go and want tips, feel free to PM me or just post it on this thread.
Mine was pre-booked (through Expedia as well, I think) and exactly this happened - I booked the second-smallest category and got a massive lump of Chevvy for free - except that they tried to sell me the upgrade first at the counter! Luckily I declined (there only being me, a small rucksack and a big rucksack a big car was neither needed nor wanted), because I'd never have known that I was going to get that car anyway.
In truth, I really didn't want a car that was so much bigger than I was used to, but it was all they had - I think I could have coped with the roads, roadworks and lack of a gear stick much better in those first 30 minutes or so if I hadn't been so paranoid about misjudging the size of the car in the narrow lanes and traffic! I don't drive a tiny little car normally, but it's certainly not a huge one either (Ford Focus) and that Chevvy, while a decent enough car, was enormous and took a fair bit of getting used to.
As for fuel - the first time I filled up I was, unexpectedly, completely flummoxed for some time.
The pump at the station I stopped at required me to set a value of petrol/gas needed before filling - rather than just filling it up and then paying for what I'd put in - and I had no idea. I knew how much in pounds would be likely to fill my own car, and how far I would expect to drive on it - but here I had no idea how many dollars worth would even fit in the tank - I didn't know the tank size and being used to pence per litre I couldn't make the mental shift to dollars per gallon to even approximate a value (double conversion was just too much under the pressure!). By this time I had been hanging around looked bemused so long that I could no longer just drive off to another petrol station without looking suspicious, so I visited the kiosk. The manager of the station was equally bemused by me.
"Yeah, you need to pay first here. How many dollars' worth?"
"I don't really know, how much do you suggest?"
*blank expression*
As it was under a quarter of a tank full by now, I chanced $40 (knowing that £40 would definitely fit in mine at that level and petrol should be cheaper here, and probably the tank bigger) and it all ended well - and I then knew how far $40 moved the fuel indicator and could then apply that knowledge again later!
I probably did pay more in fuel for having the bigger car, but it was still noticeably less than the same amount of travel would set you back over here.
zooman - if it's any help, there are a few more details of my trip in 2013 here: http://www.zoochat.com/22/maguari-florida-georgia-338272/
snowleopard - I thought of doing World of Coca-Cola after the Aquarium - but the spare hour or two I would have used for it were swallowed by sitting transfixed by Ocean Voyager and needing to allow extra time to go back to my hotel for my bag as there is, inexplicably, no left luggage facility at all at Atlanta airport.
Wow! Thanks heaps SL, I would have totally missed riverbanks zoo and regretted it!
Montgomery Zoo also looks like a great suggestion from google images. I actually try not to see to much of a new zoo as l love the surprise of something new and exciting in a zoo.
I could be tempted by Audubon zoo is it a really good zoo for exhibits?
I do however like to have a couple of days up my sleeve to have time for unexpected adventures.
Thank you AZ and Maguari,
I don't want to leave my car options to luck so will look into your suggestions. I do expect to get a big car as that is what I am use to and given the hours I will spend driving I want to be comfortable.
I am really tempted to book the economy and hope for the Free upgrade
)
I don't want to leave my car options to luck so will look into your suggestions. I do expect to get a big car as that is what I am use to and given the hours I will spend driving I want to be comfortable.
I am really tempted to book the economy and hope for the Free upgrade
)
...I am really tempted to book the economy and hope for the Free upgrade
Even if they do by chance have small cars available and you do not get a free upgrade, you can always pay at the counter to upgrade. In fact they will still ask if you want to upgrade to the next class as that gets them more money.
There is also Bright's Zoo near Knoxville (great hoof stock) and Western North Coarlina Nature Center in Ashville (you will be going right through there). Greensboro Science Center is also a little jewel. And of you want to see anything at Knoxville Zoo, let me know. I work there I can at least leave you some tickets at the gate.
I can at least leave you some tickets at the gate.
I've scheduled 18 zoos and 2 aquariums on the itinerary but with 4 extra days you have lots of time for spontaneous adventures.
If you have any additional questions then feel free to ask as I love planning road trips and the one that you have set up looks to be quite exciting. - In Alabama I actually preferred Montgomery to Birmingham, although the Trails of Africa complex at Birmingham was not open at that time.
- Audubon Zoo is not filled with outstanding exhibits but it is a fairly solid zoo all-around and I would recommend a visit. Louisiana Swamp is a comprehensive collection of native critters; the big South American zone (Pampas & Jaguar Jungle) is impressive; the Reptile House has a great collection; the African and Asian sections are adequate while World of Primates has 13 species in average enclosures. It is a well-rounded zoo and the city of New Orleans is a major tourist hotspot.
There is also Bright's Zoo near Knoxville (great hoof stock) and Western North Coarlina Nature Center in Ashville (you will be going right through there). Greensboro Science Center is also a little jewel. And of you want to see anything at Knoxville Zoo, let me know. I work there
Hi ailurus,
Thank you for the suggestions and I will keep them in mind
Free tickets would be greatly appreciated.
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PM me as well in advance when you know the exact day you will be in Birmingham. We could meet up, always cool to meet a fellow Zoochatter especially an Australian.
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