2015 Road Trip - Texas Style

[snowleopard]

Many of you are aware of several of my past road trips, but a very brief recap looks something like this:

Summer of 2008 = 30 zoos
Summer of 2010 = 39 zoos in 46 days
Summer of 2011 = 24 zoos in 32 days (California/Arizona)
Summer of 2012 = 50 zoos in 50 days
Summer of 2014 = 65 zoos in 20 days (lots of tiny ones) - solo trip
Summer of 2016 = 59 zoos in 20 days ( lots of tiny ones) - solo trip

It seems crazy to see so many small zoos in such a short period of time, but I can assure you all that I take a photo of every single species sign in all of the facilities, plus several shots of each exhibit from a variety of angles. With my wife and 4 kids a zoo visit becomes an all-day journey just to see a tiny portion of Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, but alone it is possible to take my time and still only spend an hour in many of America's smaller zoological establishments.

To quote Gerald Durrell: "I think that having spent five minutes in a place you have every right to criticize. Whether your criticisms are valid or not is for the reader to decide. But at any rate, I can say one thing with all honesty - that it was a glorious trip and I enjoyed every moment of it." That is how I feel at the end of all my road trips.

IZES (Independent Zoo Enthusiast Society) founder Tim Brown and I are still planning on publishing a comprehensive guide to American zoos and aquariums and at some point that will be released to zoo nerds everywhere (possibly 2016). For now I'm planning to spend 2015 with my wife and kids; adjust to having a complete family (4 kids is more than enough) but I'm already looking ahead to the summer of 2016! I cannot begin to tell you how many hours I've sunk into planning this tentative road trip, and I've done an enormous amount of research on each facility.

Summer 2016 Zoo Trip

DAY 1 (Tuesday) – 0 zoos: Drive 12 hours (to Butte, MT) + LOSE AN HOUR

DAY 2 (Wednesday) – 1 zoo: Drive 4 hours + Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary (Red Lodge, MT) 12-1 + drive 8 hours (to Scottsbluff, NE)

DAY 3 (Thursday) – 1 zoo: Riverside Discovery Center (Scottsbluff, NE) 9:30-11 + LOSE AN HOUR + drive 9 hours (to Amarillo, TX)

DAY 4 (Friday) – 2 zoos: Amarillo Zoo (Amarillo, TX) 9:30-11 + drive 5 hours + San Angelo Nature Center (San Angelo, TX) 4-5 + drive 4.5 hours

DAY 5 (Saturday) – 5 zoos: Frank Buck Zoo (Gainesville, TX) 9-10 + drive 1 hour + C.A.R.E. - Center for Animal Research & Education (Bridgeport, TX) 11-12:30 tour + drive 1 hour + Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch (Pilot Point, TX) 1:30-2:30 + drive 45 min. + Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary (McKinney, TX) 3:30-4:30 + drive 45 min. + Sea Life Grapevine (Grapevine, TX) 5:30-6:30 + drive 1 hour

DAY 6 (Sunday) – 2 zoos: Dallas World Aquarium (Dallas, TX) 10-1:30 + drive 30 min. + In Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue & Educational Center (Wylie, TX) 2-3:30 + drive 30 min.

DAY 7 (Monday) – 3 zoos: Dallas Zoo (Dallas, TX) 9-2:30 + drive 15 min. + Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park (Dallas, TX) 3-4 + Texas Discovery Gardens: Butterfly House & Insectarium (Dallas, TX) 4-5 + drive 4.5 hours

DAY 8 (Tuesday) – 5 zoos: Alexandria Zoo (Alexandria, LA) 9-10:30 + drive 15 min. + Gone Wild Safari (Pineville, LA) 11-12 + drive 1 hour + Natchitoches Alligator Park (Natchitoches, LA) 1-2 + drive 1.5 hours + Cypress Zoo & Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (Benton, LA) 3:30-4 + drive 30 min. + Gators & Friends: Alligator Park & Exotic Zoo (Greenwood, LA) 4:30-5:30 + drive 2 hours

DAY 9 (Wednesday) – 5 zoos: East Texas Gators & Wildlife Park (Grand Saline, TX) 9-10 + drive 45 min. + Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge (Tyler, TX) 11-12 + drive 45 min. + Cherokee Trace Drive-Thru Safari (Jacksonville, TX) 1-2 + drive 1 hour + Ellen Trout Zoo (Lufkin, TX) 3-4 + drive 2 hours + Franklin Drive-Thru Safari (Franklin, TX) 6-7 + drive 3 hours

DAY 10 (Thursday) – 5 zoos: Gator Country (Beaumont, TX) 10-11 + drive 2 hours + Bayou Wildlife Park (Alvin, TX) 1-2 + drive 45 min. + Moody Gardens (Galveston, TX) 3-5:30 + drive 30 min. + Aquarium Restaurant (Kemah, TX) 6-6:15 + drive 45 min. + Downtown Aquarium Houston (Houston, TX) 7-8:30 + drive 30 min.

DAY 11 (Friday) – 3 zoos: Bear Creek Pioneers Park & Zoo (Houston, TX) 7:30-8:30 + drive 30 min. + Houston Zoo (Houston, TX) 9-3 + Houston Museum of Natural Science (Houston, TX) 3-5 + drive 3.5 hours

DAY 12 (Saturday) – 4 zoos: Texas State Aquarium (Corpus Christi, TX) 9-10:30 + drive 1.5 hours + The Texas Zoo (Victoria, TX) 12-1 + drive 2.5 hours + San Antonio Aquarium (San Antonio, TX) 3:30-4:30 + drive 30 min. + Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo (New Braunfels, TX) 5-6 + drive 1 hour

DAY 13 (Sunday) – 5 zoos: Exotic Resort Zoo (Johnson City, TX) 9-10 + drive 45 min. + Austin Zoo & Animal Sanctuary (Austin, TX) 11-12 + drive 45 min. + Capital of Texas Zoo (Cedar Creek, TX) 1-2 + drive 45 min. + Austin Nature & Science Center (Austin, TX) 2-3 + drive 30 min. + Austin Aquarium (Austin, TX) 3:30-4:30 + drive 2.5 hours

DAY 14 (Monday) – 2 zoos: Fossil Rim Wildlife Center (Glen Rose, TX) 8:30-11 + drive 1 hour + Fort Worth Zoo (Fort Worth, TX) 12-5 + drive 2.5 hours

DAY 15 (Tuesday) – 3 zoos: Abilene Zoo (Abilene, TX) 9-10:30 + drive 4.5 hours + GAIN AN HOUR + Hillcrest Park Zoo (Clovis, NM) 2-3:30 + drive 2 hours + Spring River Park & Zoo (Roswell, NM) 5:30-7 + drive 1.5 hours

DAY 16 (Wednesday) – 3 zoos: Living Desert Zoo (Carlsbad, NM) 8-9:30 + drive 2.5 hours + Alameda Park Zoo (Alamogordo, NM) 12-1:30 + drive 3 hours + American International Rattlesnake Museum (Albuquerque, NM) 4:30-5:30 + drive 30 min.

DAY 17 (Thursday) – 2 zoos: Wildlife West Nature Park (Edgewood, NM) 10-11:30 + drive 3 hours + LOSE AN HOUR + Navajo Nation Zoo (Window Rock, AZ) 3:30-4:30 + GAIN AN HOUR + drive 4.5 hours

DAY 18 (Friday) – 4 zoos: Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary (Prescott, AZ) 9-10 + drive 1 hour + Out of Africa Wildlife Park (Camp Verde, AZ) 11-2 + drive 1.5 hours + Bearizona (Williams, AZ) 3:30-4:30 + drive 15 min. + Grand Canyon Deer Farm (Williams, AZ) 5-6 + drive 2 hours + GAIN AN HOUR

DAY 19 (Saturday) – 4 zoos: Keepers of the Wild (Valentine, AZ) 9-10:30 + drive 2.5 hours + Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden & Dolphin Habitat (Las Vegas, NV) 1-2 + Shark Reef Aquarium (Las Vegas, NV) 2-3 + Flamingo Habitat at The Flamingo (Las Vegas, NV) 3:30-4 + drive 6 hours

DAY 20 (Sunday): Drive 14 hours home. Whew!

Zoo List:

Yellowstone Wildlife Sanctuary (Red Lodge, MT): 12-4 weekdays; 10-4 Sat + Sun; closed Mon
Riverside Discovery Center (Scottsbluff, NE): 9:30-4:30
Amarillo Zoo (Amarillo, TX): 9:30-5
San Angelo Nature Center (San Angelo, TX): 12-5 Tues-Sat
Frank Buck Zoo (Gainesville, TX): 9-5
C.A.R.E. - Center for Animal Research & Education (Bridgeport, TX): Tours on Sat + Sun 11, 1 + 3
Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch (Pilot Point, TX): 10-4 Sat + Sun
Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary (McKinney, TX): 9-4 daily, 1-5 Sun + closed Mon
Sea Life Grapevine (Grapevine, TX): 10-6 and 11-4 on Sun
Dallas World Aquarium (Dallas, TX): 10-5****
In Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue & Educational Center (Wylie, TX): 11-6 Th – Sun
Dallas Zoo (Dallas, TX): 9-5****
Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park (Dallas, TX): 9-4:30
Texas Discovery Gardens: Butterfly House & Insectarium (Dallas, TX): 10-5
Alexandria Zoo (Alexandria, LA): 9-5
Gone Wild Safari (Pineville, LA): 9-4
Natchitoches Alligator Park (Natchitoches, LA): 10-4:30 (only weekends after Aug. 16th)
Cypress Zoo & Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (Benton, LA): 8-4
Gators & Friends: Alligator Park & Exotic Zoo (Greenwood, LA): 10-6
East Texas Gators & Wildlife Park (Grand Saline, TX): 9-5 Sun-Th + 9-8 Fri-Sat
Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge (Tyler, TX): 10-5 Mon-Sat (closed Sun)
Cherokee Trace Drive-Thru Safari (Jacksonville, TX): 10-5:30 Mon-Sat + 1-5:30 Sun
Ellen Trout Zoo (Lufkin, TX): 9-5
Franklin Drive-Thru Safari (Franklin, TX): 9-7
Gator Country (Beaumont, TX): 10-5
Bayou Wildlife Park (Alvin, TX): 10-3 (closed Mon)
Moody Gardens (Galveston, TX): 10-6
Aquarium Restaurant (Kemah, TX): 11:30-9
Downtown Aquarium Houston (Houston, TX): 10-9 Sun-Th + 10-11 Fri-Sat
Bear Creek Pioneers Park & Zoo (Houston, TX): 7-10
Houston Zoo (Houston, TX): 9-6****
Houston Museum of Natural Science (Houston, TX): 9-5 (4 is last entry for Butterfly Center)
Texas State Aquarium (Corpus Christi, TX): 9-6
The Texas Zoo (Victoria, TX): 9-4:30
San Antonio Aquarium (San Antonio, TX): Sun-Th 10-7; Fri + Sat 10-8
Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo (New Braunfels, TX): 10-7
Exotic Resort Zoo (Johnson City, TX): 9-6
Austin Zoo & Animal Sanctuary (Austin, TX): 9:30-5
Capital of Texas Zoo (Cedar Creek, TX): 9-5
Austin Nature & Science Center (Austin, TX) – 9-5 Mon-Sat; 12-5 Sun
Austin Aquarium (Austin, TX): 10-7 Mon-Sun + 10-8 Fri-Sat
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center (Glen Rose, TX): 8:30-5:30
Fort Worth Zoo (Fort Worth, TX): 10-5****
Abilene Zoo (Abilene, TX): 9-4:30
Hillcrest Park Zoo (Clovis, NM): 9-3:30 (closed Mon)
Spring River Park & Zoo (Roswell, NM): 10-8
Living Desert Zoo (Carlsbad, NM): 8-3:30
Alameda Park Zoo (Alamogordo, NM): 9-5
American International Rattlesnake Museum (Albuquerque, NM): 11:30-5:30
Wildlife West Nature Park (Edgewood, NM): 10-6
Navajo Nation Zoo (Window Rock, AZ): 10-4:30
Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary (Prescott, AZ): 9-5
Out of Africa Wildlife Park (Camp Verde, AZ): 9:30-4 + 1:15 Tiger Splash Show
Bearizona (Williams, AZ): 8:30-5
Grand Canyon Deer Farm (Williams, AZ): 9-6;
Keepers of the Wild (Valentine, AZ): 9-5 (closed Tues)
Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden & Dolphin Habitat (Las Vegas, NV): 11-6:30 + 10-6:30 weekends
Shark Reef Aquarium (Las Vegas, NV): 10-10
Flamingo Habitat (Las Vegas, NV): 8-dusk

U.S. State Breakdown:
Montana = 1 zoo
Nebraska = 1 zoo
Louisiana = 5 zoos
Texas = 37 zoos (and 42 lifetime)
New Mexico = 6 zoos
Arizona = 6 zoos
Nevada = 3 zoos

Days = 20
Zoos = 59 (55 that I’ve never toured before)

**** There are 4 zoos that I’ve previously visited: Dallas World Aquarium (2010), Dallas Zoo (2010), Houston Zoo (2010) + Fort Worth Zoo (2008) and 10 aquariums included in the list of 59 zoos

 

[wally war eagle]

why are you skipping the Albuquerque Zoo since you will visit the Rattlesnake Museum and the Gladys Porter Zoo and Victoria Zoo since you are in TX.

 

[snowleopard]

why are you skipping the Albuquerque Zoo since you will visit the Rattlesnake Museum and the Gladys Porter Zoo and Victoria Zoo since you are in TX.

Texas Zoo (in the city of Victoria) is already on my itinerary.

Rio Grande Zoo in Albuquerque is an establishment that I've already been to (in 2010) and I'm concentrating on facilities that I've never toured before.

Gladys Porter Zoo I've also visited in the past (2010) and so I'll skip it this time around; plus most of the zoo has not changed since the 1970's and it is very far out of the way in terms of kilometers/miles.

I really enjoyed my visits to Cameron Park Zoo and Caldwell Zoo but I want to see new places. Also, San Antonio Zoo I've seen before and that facility has too many outdated exhibits to warrant a repeat visit any time soon.

 

[jbnbsn99]

San Antonio has updated many of its exhibits since your last visit, and added several new ones. Some parts feel like a completely different zoo now.

 

[Arizona Docent]

All I can say is you are a glutton for punishment. Even among Zoochatters (who we must admit are not normal), I don't know anyone else who would try to fit in five zoos in one day. And you are doing this many times.

As for Roswell (Spring River Park Zoo), I will tell you that an hour and a half there is about an hour too long. You will see everything and be ready to leave in half an hour.

Out of Africa you are timing perfectly (and I am sure you planned for this), because the main attraction is Tiger Splash at 1:15. It will end about 1:45pm and you plan to leave at 2pm so that is just right. Too bad you don't have time to stay in the area and enjoy a night at the Grand Canyon. Anyway, 2016 is a long way off but if I am still living in Arizona maybe I can meet up with you somewhere.

 

[snowleopard]

The big news in regards to my latest journey across America is that I have tentative plans to start driving on Tuesday, July 14th, 2015. After much consultation with my amazing wife, and at a strong urging from her, I've shifted the 20 day/59 zoo road trip to this summer.

I have received a few messages via Facebook or ZooChat in regards to what zoos and aquariums in Texas that I am not touring and so I've typed out a list below. I'm planning on seeing 37 zoos in that vast state this summer, but here are the remaining 14 that I will not be visiting. Interestingly enough, Natural Bridge Wildlife Park in San Antonio is currently under investigation for animal cruelty but I had no plans to go there anyway.

The 14 zoos in Texas that I’m NOT planning on touring in 2015:

SeaWorld San Antonio (San Antonio, TX) – theme park = $$$
Aquatica (San Antonio, TX) – theme park = $$$ + too few animals
Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (San Antonio, TX): 9-6 – cannot fit into schedule
TGR Exotics Wildlife Park (Spring, TX) – unpredictable appointment dates
Saint Francis Wolf Sanctuary (Montgomery, TX) – scheduled appointments
Crocodile Encounter (Angleton, TX) – unpredictable appointment dates
International Exotic Animal Sanctuary (Boyd, TX) – cannot fit into schedule (tours only)
Topsey Exotic Ranch & Drive-Thru Safari (Coryell County, TX) – cannot fit into schedule
National Butterfly Center (Mission, TX) – too far out of the way + too small
San Antonio Zoo (San Antonio, TX) – visited in 2010
Caldwell Zoo (Tyler, TX) – visited in 2010
Cameron Park Zoo (Waco, TX) – visited in 2010
Gladys Porter Zoo (Brownsville, TX) – visited in 2010
El Paso Zoo (El Paso, TX) – visited in 2010

 

[sooty mangabey]

After much consultation with my amazing wife, and at a strong urging from her, I've shifted the 20 day/59 zoo road trip to this summer.

Anyone would think that she wanted you out of the house!

This is excellent news - although I'm sure that for the cost of this trip you'd be able to fly over to Europe and do some pretty serious zoo-ing over here. Maybe that can come in 2016....

 

[snowleopard]

Anyone would think that she wanted you out of the house!

This is excellent news - although I'm sure that for the cost of this trip you'd be able to fly over to Europe and do some pretty serious zoo-ing over here. Maybe that can come in 2016....

Last summer, when I toured 65 zoos in 20 days, the entire journey through the wilds of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Kansas only cost $3,000. That includes cheap accommodation in dubious motels, fast-food drive-thru lunches (I didn't have time for anything fancy!), very inexpensive entrance fees and every penny that I spent was tracked to approximately $3,000. I expect more of the same this summer, although I'm driving slightly farther and the Canadian dollar is now weaker than it was.

Europe would be ultra-expensive by comparison. Airfare, accommodation (unless some zoo nerds want to put me up for the night), meals are pricey and gas is more than double the cost. Entrance fees would be exponentially higher and I can only estimate that the trip would be much more of a hit on my already sagging bank account.

 

[jbnbsn99]

The big news in regards to my latest journey across America is that I have tentative plans to start driving on Tuesday, July 14th, 2015. After much consultation with my amazing wife, and at a strong urging from her, I've shifted the 20 day/59 zoo road trip to this summer.

I have received a few messages via Facebook or ZooChat in regards to what zoos and aquariums in Texas that I am not touring and so I've typed out a list below. I'm planning on seeing 37 zoos in that vast state this summer, but here are the remaining 14 that I will not be visiting. Interestingly enough, Natural Bridge Wildlife Park in San Antonio is currently under investigation for animal cruelty but I had no plans to go there anyway.

The 14 zoos in Texas that I’m NOT planning on touring in 2015:

SeaWorld San Antonio (San Antonio, TX) – theme park = $$$
Aquatica (San Antonio, TX) – theme park = $$$ + too few animals
Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (San Antonio, TX): 9-6 – cannot fit into schedule
TGR Exotics Wildlife Park (Spring, TX) – unpredictable appointment dates
Saint Francis Wolf Sanctuary (Montgomery, TX) – scheduled appointments
Crocodile Encounter (Angleton, TX) – unpredictable appointment dates
International Exotic Animal Sanctuary (Boyd, TX) – cannot fit into schedule (tours only)
Topsey Exotic Ranch & Drive-Thru Safari (Coryell County, TX) – cannot fit into schedule
National Butterfly Center (Mission, TX) – too far out of the way + too small
San Antonio Zoo (San Antonio, TX) – visited in 2010
Caldwell Zoo (Tyler, TX) – visited in 2010
Cameron Park Zoo (Waco, TX) – visited in 2010
Gladys Porter Zoo (Brownsville, TX) – visited in 2010
El Paso Zoo (El Paso, TX) – visited in 2010

Wrong Natural Bridge. I think the one under investigation is in Virginia. The one in Texas is a great collection. Perhaps the best hoofstock collection in the state.

 

[Arizona Docent]

Between day 18 and 19 I see you plan on driving two hours from Williams to spend the night near Keepers of the Wild, which you will visit the morning of day 19. As far as I can tell there is only one motel you could stay at (unless you are going on to Kingman for the night and backtracking a little on the morning of day 19). If you are not backtracking I assume you will be at Frontier Motel in Truxton. I am sure this is fine, but it is in the middle of nowhere with boring scenery. Considering all your driving on day 18, I would suggest spending the night in Williams, which is in a pine forest and quite scenic (and numerous hotels). I think you would find it quite refreshing. Since you are bumping up to this summer, perhaps I can join you for the day 18 portion?

 

[CGSwans]

Last summer, when I toured 65 zoos in 20 days, the entire journey through the wilds of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Kansas only cost $3,000. That includes cheap accommodation in dubious motels, fast-food drive-thru lunches (I didn't have time for anything fancy!), very inexpensive entrance fees and every penny that I spent was tracked to approximately $3,000. I expect more of the same this summer, although I'm driving slightly farther and the Canadian dollar is now weaker than it was.

Europe would be ultra-expensive by comparison. Airfare, accommodation (unless some zoo nerds want to put me up for the night), meals are pricey and gas is more than double the cost. Entrance fees would be exponentially higher and I can only estimate that the trip would be much more of a hit on my already sagging bank account.

Certainly more expensive but perhaps not quite as bad as you think. It depends on what changes you'd be willing to make to your strategy. I've been doing my own research for a trip that would be only partly about zoos so can adapt what I've been working on for a rough starting point for you. I'm assuming a 20 day itinerary for you would be 20 zoos. Obviously you might decide to do 10 zoos and ten cultural attractions instead. Or 15 and 5. It doesn't change the underlying assumptions anyway.

For the sake of the discussion I'm going to assume you're looking to visit the following: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Burgers, Berlin Zoo, Berlin Tierpark, Leipzig, Munich, Nuremberg, Cologne, Wuppertal, Duisburg, Frankfurt, Hanover, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Prague, Plzen, Vienna, Zurich and Basel. 20 zoos that all have excellent reputations, and they are all across six countries that, combined, have a smaller area than Texas.

Your per day cost as it stands is $150 (I assume this is Canadian dollars?). I'll set air fares aside for the moment, as they would be an extra cost.

First of all. Set aside hiring a car. It's expensive, you have to worry about parking everywhere and European cities aren't very easy to get around by driving anyway. Get a Eurail pass instead. You can get 21 days of unlimited city-to-city travel for $1074. Global Pass | Eurail.com. This leaves $1926 out of your $3000 for a per diem of $96.3. Oh, and it gives you plenty of time where you can either sit and look out the window on the train, or write nice long reviews for the rest of us back at home.

Next thing is accommodation. If you're willing to stay in hostels rather than hotels you'll save an enormous amount of money. Use this page - Cheapest cities in Europe in 2015 - 56 major European cities by price - to investigate hostel costs (they are in US dollars or whatever the local currency is in the country in question) and add 30% to be safe or to reduce the number of people in your dorm. Always do your research for each city and find a hostel that's a) cheap but with decent reviews and b) within walking distance from the train station, the zoo or ideally both.

For the itinerary above we have Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Berlin, Munich, Vienna, Prague and Zurich available, and for the rest just use the closest available comparison - I'd suggest Hamburg for each of Hanover, Cologne, Duisburg and Wuppertal, Prague for Plznen, Munich for Frankfurt and Nuremberg, Berlin for Leipzig, Amsterdam for Rotterdam and Arnhem, and Zurich for Basel. In some cases you would be able to save money by staying in a cheaper location, and taking a train that morning into the more expensive city (for instance, you might find staying an extra night in Rotterdam and getting the train that morning to Amsterdam would be a saving).

So using that site with the suggested placeholders above and adding 30% to everything, this is what you end up with (all in US dollars):
Prague - $16.60 a night for two nights.
Berlin - $18.57 a night for three nights.
Munich - $22.44 a night for three nights.
Vienna - $17.02 for one night.
Hamburg - $23.21 a night for five nights.
Copenhagen - $29.51 a night for one night.
Amsterdam - $33.88 a night for three nights.
Zurich - $54.30 a night for two nights.

Total: $US529.05, or $665 in Canadian. You've still got $1261 left over after you've paid for transport between cities and accommodation.

After that, you've got food and local transportation to work in. It's up to you whether you buy meals everywhere but you can do the former very cheaply if you pop into a bakery and deli every second or third day and make lunches. Many of these cities also have thriving street food scenes for a bit of variety. For convenience's sake you can try to book hostels that offer a continental breakfast. As a general guide, use the estimates for food and transportation that you see on that Backpacker Index Page. I don't have time to break it down by city for this as well, but I'm going to give you $25 a day for these two expenses and take $500 off your budget. That leaves you with $761.

I guesstimated your age as mid 30s for your travel insurance and this site gave me a cost of $201. It seems high to me so shop around, but it'll do for now. We have $560 left. https://www.worldprotect.com/cgi-bin/weblinkca/en/travel-insurance.cgi

Without breaking it down by zoo, the cumulative cost of entry for those 20 zoos the last time I checked (within the past couple of months) was 272 euros (I did the conversion for countries with different currencies, as I was using euros as a standard). That's $362 in Canadian right now. Taking it off the $560 we had left and... you have $198 left to buy souvenirs for your kids.

See? The only meaningful cost difference between seeing what's left to see in Texas, versus seeing 20 of the world's great zoos in Europe, is the air fares to and from home.

 

[CleZooMan]

What about Caldwell or Cameron Park in TX?

 

[snowleopard]

I've been informed that Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch is well worth visiting and someone even figured out a new itinerary for DAY 13 that now makes it 6 zoos on July 26th. Hmmm...insanity? I might just tour Natural Bridge first thing in the morning and then if I'm running behind I can always skip Austin Nature & Science Center instead. On this trip I'm well aware that there are 5 days with 5 zoos on them but if I end up spending more time than I imagined in one place then I have no problem skipping a really puny zoo. C'est la vie.

@Arizona Docent: I'm definitely excited to meet up with you again (just like in 2011) as long as you are okay driving hours out of your way. We can plan out events via email but DAY 18 works great for me. In regards to booking motels, I'm not sure that I've ever booked ahead in my life. Even with my wife and kids on our 50-day trip in 2012 we never booked a motel beforehand and instead just pulled up and asked for a room whenever we felt like stopping for the night.

@CGSwans: your response has given me a lot to think about and I've been pondering your comments all day long. I think that if I were to be willing to spend a LOT of down-time due to public transportation then a Eurail pass is actually rather enticing. I'd avoid parking issues, driving and becoming lost in foreign cities, and $1,100 would cover me for an entire trip. The downside is that I love to drive, I'd have a tremendous amount of wasted time waiting in stations, and figuring out the logistics of getting around would be daunting. However, it intrigues me and I wouldn't completely rule it out.

Accommodation is a tricky one as I've briefly stayed in hostels in the past and found it painfully annoying. Zero privacy, possible nightmare roommates (smoking, arriving at odd hours, being noisy) and walking around zoos all day is exhausting and so sleep is a major priority. The prices are appealing for hostels, but cheap motels would be my preference and I'd be worried about having my laptop, camera and belongings stolen as being in a hostel is obviously not as safe due to the constant movement of other individuals in all directions. I have friends and relatives who have traveled across Europe with their laptops shoved in their pillows and providing a hard platform to lay their heads on at night.

I really do appreciate you typing out your response as I find it interesting and hopefully we can carry on the conversation. One thing that could be a huge issue is what to do with my belongings. On my road trips I have a fairly inexpensive camera, my laptop, a couple of books, a suitcase full of clothes for the 20 days, etc. If I were to venture forth to Europe then would I have to get a large backpack and haul all of my possessions around with me 24/7? Could I fit all of my clothes in a single backpack? Would I just bring cheap t-shirts and toss them in the garbage as they became useless to me? Or could I drop my suitcase/backpack off at the entrance of a zoo for temporary storage? At least with a car then all of my belongings would not have to be hauled around by my tired shoulders.

Food is not an issue, whether it be fast-food drive-thrus, street vendors, cheap supermarkets or zoo cafes. Your guess on travel insurance was quite accurate as I am 39 years old; souvenirs for the wife and 4 kiddies is a must so congratulations for adding that into my budget.

Overall, I must say that you have me intrigued because at some point in the future I will surely head across the pond to visit some great European zoos. I would be tempted to fly somewhere like Berlin and perhaps spend 20 days ticking off 15 German zoos and 5 Dutch zoos...all the powerhouses in the region. Who needs other cultural attractions when there are zoos to be seen! With the big guns it is usually one zoo a day and I wouldn't be clocking up 60 zoos in three weeks because I'd be touring the elite of Europe. It is likely that at least one or more British zoo nerd would put me up for a few days accommodation and so England is appealing in that regard, although zoo-wise I would place (at the very least) Germany, The Netherlands, Czech. Republic and France ahead of my ancestral homeland.

Enough for now, but my last statement of the night is that I adore plotting my grand adventures and I think half the fun is spending an inordinate amount of time tinkering with road trip plans. Visiting zoo websites, making lists of various zoological attractions, figuring out driving distances and how many places I can squeeze into a single summer...all music to my ears. Europe will have to wait a few years as $3,000 Canadian to see 60 zoos seems like a great deal to me. Perhaps I could spend a bit more money and visit Europe but the airfare would be at least $1,500 on top of everything else and that can wait for the future.

 

[blospz]

@Arizona Docent: I'm definitely excited to meet up with you again (just like in 2011) as long as you are okay driving hours out of your way. We can plan out events via email but DAY 18 works great for me. In regards to booking motels, I'm not sure that I've ever booked ahead in my life. Even with my wife and kids on our 50-day trip in 2012 we never booked a motel beforehand and instead just pulled up and asked for a room whenever we felt like stopping for the night.

As someone who works at a hotel, this makes me cringe as I know the city I work in can have all their hotels booked on a busy summer night. But I am glad you have always had luck finding a room! It may also be because you select motels and aren't selective to popular hotel chains that may book up quicker.

Have fun on your trip!

 

[DDcorvus]

I really do appreciate you typing out your response as I find it interesting and hopefully we can carry on the conversation. One thing that could be a huge issue is what to do with my belongings. On my road trips I have a fairly inexpensive camera, my laptop, a couple of books, a suitcase full of clothes for the 20 days, etc. If I were to venture forth to Europe then would I have to get a large backpack and haul all of my possessions around with me 24/7? Could I fit all of my clothes in a single backpack? Would I just bring cheap t-shirts and toss them in the garbage as they became useless to me? Or could I drop my suitcase/backpack off at the entrance of a zoo for temporary storage? At least with a car then all of my belongings would not have to be hauled around by my tired shoulders.

You can leave your luggage at lockers in most stations and most zoos are more than willing to put your backpack behind the counter, so that wouldn't be an issue.

And even if you love driving European roads are not North-American roads. Even if distances are smaller it will take you more time as the roads are a lot more crowded and they are "less straight". And in hostels you can usually book single rooms, so you will have privacy but still a fair price. European motels are less used as with the limited distances between urban areas there aren't any motels in my parts of Europe. Especially in Netherlands and Germany you will have to focus on hotels or hostels (or got for alternative options like B&Bs).

Also with trains I would not worry too much, the area you are looking at has good train connections with international trains usually going every hour. So it will give you flexibility and you won't need to spend hours at stations.

 

[wally war eagle]

during your usa tour be aware of free school and public days when major facilities are totally packed and there is no parking. We had this experience the last time we visited the Jax zoo, florida, and the ft. worth zoo, texas.

 

[Thaumatibis]

Wow! Enjoy your trip! And post reviews!

~ Thaumatibis

 

[Arizona Docent]

I returned today from a very short trip to central Texas with my cousin. We made a last minute decision to visit an area which you may want to add to your itinerary. (You could probably add it to your day at Fort Worth Zoo). The place we went is Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge: Welcome

Although it is primarily a natural area, it has a visitor center with captive wildlife (I did not take my camera into the visitor center, so no photos). There are a couple of larger habitats with glass interior and mesh connected to the exterior for animals such as possum. The other animal area is a small room with a handful of reptile cases. Out in the main refuge is a very large fenced in field and forest for captive prairie dogs and bison. Well I suppose the prairie dogs could easily escape if they wanted to, but they seem to stay inside the fence line.

 

[snowleopard]

I am tentatively due to leave on July 14th, exactly one month from today. The excitement is palpable in my mind but anyone that I talk to about my trip just rolls their eyes in disbelief. Thank goodness that some zoo nerds understand my obsession. I've tinkered with the trip a little more, squeezing in Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch and Caldwell Zoo to make it 61 zoos in 20 days. It seems to be a jam-packed journey and it certainly is, but I'm aware that last year I visited 65 zoos in 20 days and was only genuinely rushed on two occasions. This year if I find myself short on time then I'm willing to skip a few of the less notable facilities as I want to truly enjoy my time in the dust, heat and sweat of Texas.

Here is a link to an updated list of AZA-accredited zoos:

http://www.zoochat.com/22/aza-accredited-u-s-zoos-413188/

 

[snowleopard]

I leave on Monday morning, July 13th, on my latest road trip. More details will follow on a separate thread but if everything works out according to plan this journey will be 26 days in length and see me tour almost 80 zoos. Lots of really small places where I can take a hundred photos and yet see everything within an hour or so. Excitement is in the air and about half of the zoos (40) will be in the state of Texas.