NC could have been a 1.5-2 day for me when they had the aviary and Africa Pavilion. Currently it is a long one day, but I could see how one could make it 2 days. Once the new areas open I can definitely see it being 2 days.
Days to see a Zoo (USA forum)
- Thread starter SwampDonkey
- Start date
I know I am in the minority thinking that Shedd Aquarium takes a full day to see, but it does.
Are there any other aquariums that people think take a full day to properly see?
Are there any other aquariums that people think take a full day to properly see?
I'm not a fish person at all, but the Shedd still took me a solid 5 hours.
Shedd would be a guaranteed full day for me. Georgia, Tennessee, and Florida aquariums were all full day open-to-close visits for me.
One thing to note is that I usually do the Zoofari during one of my days, and that takes up a good chunk of time (the tour itself lasts 45m-1hr, but you also need to factor in walking halfway across the zoo to buy a ticket, and the time taken from waiting and boarding). That, and I usually really take my time with exhibits.
My life list is about 1/2 zoos and 1/2 aquariums. The FL Aquarium takes me the better part of 1/2 day, and that is an aquarium without any rea live shows or mega animals (at least until the sea lions open). I could see it being over 1/2 day if you have not been before and close to a full day if you did their boat tour and 4D theater.
I have not been to Georgia Aquarium in a while, but it was the better part of a day and I can see it being a full day now with the areas added since I last went. Monterey is close to a full day for me. Outside of that places like Seattle, DWA, New England, etc. were all around 1/2 days. I have not been to Tennessee or National.
biggest_dreamer
Well-Known Member
My first visit to Brookfield last fall was a full day excursion, arriving shortly after open and staying until just before the closing rush. Even then, I think I could have easily spent another half day there taking everything at a bit less hurried of a pace.
As another point of reference for aquariums: Monterey Bay took me about 4 hours, which I thought was perfect. Haven't done all of Shedd in many years, but with the sheer number of tanks and exhibits it would probably take me longer than 4 hours. I could see spending a full day there, I wouldn't need 2.
As I said in the Omaha thread, I'm pretty certain SDZ would be a three day zoo for me.
Columbus took me 2 days. It was during their shorter hours, and I did one bts experience, which slowed me down a lot (I try to get to the meeting spot really so early in case I get lost or something). Before I had decided to stay a second day I was really rushing to fit stuff in, I would have preferred taking my time.
Omaha was definitely one day. The only thing I skipped was the insect building, but I did have a few hours left; I just didn't feel like going back to it. I had two sit down meals while there and took my time everywhere.
Bronx will always be a two day zoo for me. I only ever go for one day, so just don't see everything each visit. The amount of walking, with some required backtracking, is part of it, along with the major lack of bathrooms.
Smithsonian I can do in one day but I'm not happy by the end of it
Cincinnati was a very full day.
In Canada, Toronto and Zoo Sauvage are long days.
Columbus took me 2 days. It was during their shorter hours, and I did one bts experience, which slowed me down a lot (I try to get to the meeting spot really so early in case I get lost or something). Before I had decided to stay a second day I was really rushing to fit stuff in, I would have preferred taking my time.
Omaha was definitely one day. The only thing I skipped was the insect building, but I did have a few hours left; I just didn't feel like going back to it. I had two sit down meals while there and took my time everywhere.
Bronx will always be a two day zoo for me. I only ever go for one day, so just don't see everything each visit. The amount of walking, with some required backtracking, is part of it, along with the major lack of bathrooms.
Smithsonian I can do in one day but I'm not happy by the end of it
Cincinnati was a very full day.In Canada, Toronto and Zoo Sauvage are long days.
Omaha was a two-day zoo for me. The first day I managed to see everything except the aquarium and the insect building (and also the Wild Kingdom Pavilion because it was closed), on the second day I got to those two buildings and did another go through all most of the zoo with the rest of my day.
Monterey is easy to do in around four hours, but is also easy to spend all day if you catch a bunch of the feeding presentations and take some time wildlife watching off the back deck. Just depends on personal preference.
Far as other zoos, San Diego is certainly in the two day camp to best see everything. The Safari Park is a full day to see everything but not more so long as you're not including behind the scenes stuff.
Fresno, SF, and Woodland Park were 5-6 hours for me, but that's with taking a fair few photos. Could easily give or take an hour depending on interest and photos. Wildlife Safari also was close to that but I did the drive-through twice and visit the walking part twice.
Oregon and Point Defiance were about 3-4 hours.
ifesbob
Well-Known Member
I'm in the camp that I think any major institution like Shedd would take at least a full day to properly enjoy, which for me means not having to rush, seeing everything, and having time to watch/go back to things I want to see in more detail/again. It also means having time to do any extra stuff such as bts or rides if desired. And having time to eat and peruse the gift shop.
I also have to imagine that I would spend a whole day at Monterey Bay.
I am interested to know how long people think Brookfield and Lincoln Park take.
Brookfield is one full, exhausting day. Lincoln Park takes about 3 hours.
Lucas Lang
Well-Known Member
I think Bronx, San Diego, Brookfield would cost me more than one day, but not sure if I have been fracture several times would effect that (may easily get tired after long distance walking).
Joseph G
Well-Known Member
For zoos that I’ve been to that have absolutely taken all day, open to close, without a camera and left me feeling like I ran a marathon:
I’ve estimated that a visit to SDZ would take three days for me. Two to photograph and one to appreciate the exhibits I enjoyed without lugging around equipment.
I can vouch that Shedd is an all-day affair if you are trying to enjoy every single tank, which it’s very easy to start feeling obligated to do if you’re just going along the gallery walls. But I’ve also taken a day to get through Newport so take that as you may.
- Brookfield
- Columbus
- Smithsonian
I’ve estimated that a visit to SDZ would take three days for me. Two to photograph and one to appreciate the exhibits I enjoyed without lugging around equipment.
I can vouch that Shedd is an all-day affair if you are trying to enjoy every single tank, which it’s very easy to start feeling obligated to do if you’re just going along the gallery walls. But I’ve also taken a day to get through Newport so take that as you may.
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I think Lincoln Park can be done in roughly four hours if you skip the farm. I went from 11-3 in December and rushed the bird house past enjoying it, and fully missed a few of the hoofed animals, but had lunch earlier and watched the seal and gorilla demonstrations, which of course took some time. I had an additional two hours on my next visit (though I arrived a bit later) and was able to see everything (except the farm) with time to spare for a few choice exhibits.
The Shedd Aquarium is extremely easy to rush through, but I recommend taking your time there, intentionally. You can glance in each tank in Amazon Rising or Wild Reef and move on quickly, but I think the narrative is critical to what makes those exhibits special, especially when there are quite a few simplified Amazon and reef tanks in the country. I think the signage is worth giving special attention to there, but it will make your visit longer. I really recommend taking the full day.
Some will say you can fit Lincoln Park and the Shedd into a day, but I personally don't recommend it unless it is your only chance/opportunity to see both facilities. Better than nothing for sure.
Brookfield has always been a full day for me and as a child we almost never completed it. As a kid, we usually skipped Be a Bird (based on a a false impression it had no live animals) Perching Bird House and Reptile House, all of which I regret and especially wish I could visit today. We stopped visiting both children's zoos for a long time when I was a teenager, partly due to the upcharges at both.
I was almost a little shaken a few months ago to actually finish the entire zoo in a day (save Indian Lake) because it had always seemed unattainable, and that included both children's zoos, underwater dolphin viewing, extra time to try to see the pangolin (We just missed it, turns out) and a revisit to Australia House on the way out. So if you do open to close it's definitely possible to see everything, although if you plan to do a dolphin show that might mess things up, particularly since it's a bit isolated a spot.
Yeah, we did National last summer. I think we were there from opening to about 3PM. Again I mention that I have a 5 year old, so lingering time at some of the houses was limited...but I still think that it is a one day zoo currently.
I've actually never spent more than a whole day at a zoo before. Even when i visited Omaha a year and a half ago, I was still able to see everything except for the children's zoo in a single day (granted, the Wild Kingdom Pavilion, Orangutan Forest, & Lower Leval of the Lied Jungle were all closed at this time, it would probably have taken 2 whole days if I were to visit again).
For me, the only facility in the United States that I have visited and feel as though I would need a second day to fully see and appreciate is the San Diego Zoo. I have only ever visited once for business, where I spent several hours of the morning touring some areas behind-the-scenes and meeting with colleagues. I was there from opening to close, and even with being driven around service roads and dropped off in Northern Frontier, it was an absolute race to the finish and I had very little time to appreciate much of the Lost Forest and Reptile Mesa. I think that even without my meetings in the morning, to feel like I did the zoo justice, I would want a second day. There are several other zoos that I have visited that are definitely full day facilities but none that I have felt like I needed more than that one day **
**In the United States, that is! Globally, I feel as though the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa in Pretoria is also a two-day facility. It is absolutely massive in size and the collection is just as impressive. When I lived in South Africa, I always split the zoo across two days.
**In the United States, that is! Globally, I feel as though the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa in Pretoria is also a two-day facility. It is absolutely massive in size and the collection is just as impressive. When I lived in South Africa, I always split the zoo across two days.