April 8th is fondly known as “National Zoo Lovers Day”.  I don’t know about you but I, even as an adult, love going to the zoo. The combination of the outdoors and the animals is a recipe for a perfect day in my eyes. During our military journey we’ve been extremely privileged to live near some exceptional zoos but I think it’s safe to say that the Omaha Zoo has become one of our favorite places! The Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is a short 15 minute drive from Offutt Air Force Base and boasts over 160 acres! The Zoo is currently #1 on the USA Today’s 10 Best rankings for zoos. I have also had the pleasure of exploring #4 which is Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs, CO. Although both are awesome zoos, I would give #1 to Omaha as well. There are 13 major exhibits and the Omaha Zoo could easily be explored for multiple days. I don’t want to give too much away but I will share my favorite parts of the Omaha Zoo! 

Upon entering you will see a giant Geodesic dome and inside this dome you will find not only an amazing desert exhibit, but also several bat cave exhibits and a swamp as well! This exhibit is perfect for cold winter days when it’s less than ideal to be exploring animals outside.

The zoo has over 7 acres of indoor exhibits which makes it perfect for year round exploration!

Our other family favorite is the Aquarium! There are penguins, puffins, and sharks oh my! We have come to the zoo just to explore the aquarium on cold dreary days and it doesn’t disappoint! There is also a jungle exhibit that not only gives you a tree top view but a ground view as well! There are so many fun things to explore! 

Recently the elephant herd welcomed another baby to the herd. This baby marks the fifth elephant calf at the zoo in just over two years. The elephant exhibit is another favorite of mine! There are both indoor and outdoor opportunities to view these majestic creatures. Near the elephants you will also find the giraffes! Once again you are able to see them both indoors and outdoors. There are feeding experiences during warmer months as well! Omaha Zoo welcomed a baby giraffe March 19, 2023. 

I know I have only given a tiny sample of the amazing things that this zoo has to offer, but whether you’re coming to Offutt for TDY, visiting Omaha, or PCSing this way I can’t recommend this zoo enough! Not only are there so many wonderful animal exhibits to explore there are also so many fun events! The zoo offers overnight safaris, summer camps, Zoo Lights, Trick or Treating, and even day classes for a wide variety of ages. This zoo should definitely be on the places of must sees when near Offutt Air Force Base! 

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