Zoo

vettymama

Would you do MN Zoo or Como Zoo with a 19 month old and 3 month old? Also are any days better than others to go? Thanks!

MesmrEwe

It's safe to say that the 3mo isn't going to get much of anything out of it, as for the 19mo, they'll have fun with the aquariums/penguins and indoor stuff more than the outdoor stuff.  We've been to the MN Zoo a couple times and the kids always enjoyed it!!! 

JackieB15

Yes to either zoo. I live near the MN zoo and had a membership by the time my daughter was 6 months. I used to push her stroller up to the aquarium and she would sit there without fussing for a long time.

I hate to tell this to too many people, Sunday morning at opening is the best time to go. I haven't been on a weekday, but my husband has and said there are a lot of groups there, but he's cranky so maybe it's not really that bad.

JackieB15

Oh! Como Zoo can be slightly hard to navigate with a stroller. You'll enter a building, walk all the way through it, and find a stairway at the other end. But it's free, so I don't complain.

ladygeek83

We took our son, at age 1.5, to the MN Zoo this last spring, and he got almost nothing out of it. The animals are in a more "natural" setting, but are also much further away, and can be hard to see. He was much more interested in the walk-in cave with the picture of a tiger inside than seeing the actual tiger!

At Como, you can see the animals up closer, and they have more of the "traditional" zoo animals that MN zoo does not have (lions, zebras, giraffes, etc). The MN zoo has a few different exhibits focusing on different parts of the world, with animals native to those regions, so more non-traditional zoo animals and more of an educational approach geared at older kids. I think getting rid of the monorail and the dolphin exhibit got rid of much of the advantage MN had over Como, and Como is much less expensive than MN. So my vote is for Como - but YMMV, and all kids are different.

AKB090609

MN, especially in summer. The both tend to be crowded, but because the MN zoo is larger I feel less claustrophobic. Parking is also easier and I can let DD get out of the stroller and walk around more. (I also think it's less stinky at MN).

MississippiCatfish

JackieB15 said:

Oh! Como Zoo can be slightly hard to navigate with a stroller. You'll enter a building, walk all the way through it, and find a stairway at the other end. But it's free, so I don't complain.

Gosh, this is so true.  I only do Como Zoo because I have the personality where I'm okay with getting a little less if I get a good deal.  But, man, the buildings can be really frustrating like that!! I hadn't thought about how I'm going to handle that if I take my toddler and the baby that's on the way by myself...

MsMacual

I took our son to the MN Zoo for the first time when he was 21 mo and he liked it.  The splash pad by far was the highlight that day- probably because it was hot and most of the animals were hiding due to the heat.  We have a membership so we go and stay as long as he is willing- sometimes it just is to play on the splash pad and in the play area!  It is not very busy on weekday afternoons.  We've arrived around 3:30 before and parked super close to the gate.  We were there yesterday and it wasn't too bad when we arrived (around 1) and was pretty empty by time we left around 4:30.  We have not been to Como so I can't speak to how they compare.  

tiredmomsclub

My 2yo really enjoyed MN zoo. Especially nice in the winter with the indoor exhibits.

vettymama

We went to the Como Zoo and had a blast!

CoachTay

I prefer Como vs. MN, but both are great. Como is usually not as busy and is more "compact" - meaning you don't have to walk forever to get from exhibit to exhibit.  Although, if it's a nice day and you want to strecth out your trip, the MN Zoo can be a nice alternative as it takes longer to see everything due to the distance between exhibits.

Lara0802

I honestly hate Como Zoo. The only time I'll consider going is a weekday, and even then, it's crazy. The parking is bad, the crowds are crazy, and it's very difficult to navigate with a stroller. 

We've been members of MN Zoo since my daughter was 6 months old. (Kids 2 and under are free). Yes, it can be expensive, but it's 100% worth it. I do live close to MN Zoo, so it was especially worth it in the winter/early spring too for us. 

Super easy to navigate with a stroller, plus, if you're a member, you can stay an hour and not feel like you wasted money. We would do that a lot when my daughter was about 18 months. We'd go and check out one section of the zoo, or the aquarium and then after an hour or so we'd leave. 

A zoo membership starts at $100 - which is worth it if you're going to go more than 2 times a year. We went 6 times the first year, 4 times the second year, and only twice this summer. But, we'll definitely be going in the winter and spring next year, so we'll get our money out of it.

priscillapena7

Como zoo parking is a nightmare. I've never been able to just go, park, and enjoy the zoo. It takes 30-90 minutes to find parking if you don't go at just the right time of day