Start of the Woodland Park Zoo Holiday Season!

 

This time of year is my favorite at the Woodland Park Zoo.  Halloween starts the holiday season with the Pumpkin Bash.  The zoo keepers train the animals to eat their favorite treats, out of pumpkins, at scheduled times for the crowds to watch.  I am almost guaranteed to see all the animals.

It doesn't matter if you see the animals eating out of the pumpkins.  The animals usually linger before and after eating their treats.  The event is always the weekend before Halloween and it runs from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., both days. 

When you enter the park, you get an itinerary so you can plan on which animals you want to see being given their pumpkins.  Since this event occurs during the rainy season; the park is busy, but not crowded.  It is easy for the small children to see the animals without competing with larger people to be next to the fences.  If the kids dress in costumes, at least one child, gets in free.

For the last two years, the event has been sponsored by Washington Dental.  Washington Dental hands-out kids size tooth brushes.  My toddler loves her new tooth brush.  Vendors such as Cliff bars and Whole Foods offer treats that are either a healthy alternative to candy, or only include natural ingredients.  My favorite is the Unreal bar.

This year, the zoo's baby population is booming.  In August 2013, a baby giraffe was born.  We enjoyed watching him with his mother. 







The lion cubs were lounging, and enjoying the day.  They turn one year old on 11/8/13.  If you get a chance to go to the Zoo, the cubs are going to be offered treats on their birthday, and you are invited to come and watch.

Even the human children are fun to watch!

I noticed that the zoo already has started setting-up lights and back-drops for WildLights.  This is one of several Holiday light shows in Seattle during the month of December.  The Woodland Park Zoo turns on the lights starting 11/29/13 and the event runs through 1/4/14.  The lights are on nightly from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. The Woodland Park Zoo website reports that "WildLights features wild animals and wild places recreated in thousands of sparkling LED lights inspired by exotic destinations from across the globe, including “Northern Lights,” “The Water Hole” and “Jungle Lights"."

Marie

Remlinger Farms

Being an abnormally dry weekend in October for Western Washington, I decided to take advantage of it and go to Remlinger Farms and Harvest Festival in Carnation, http://www.remlingerfarms.com/.  It felt like going to a small county fair.  The farm was clean and well organized.  It might have been because it was the first weekend of October and late in the day, but the parking lot was easy to maneuver and the line to buy tickets moved quickly.  The park was busy, but not crowded.  I believe the lines for rides kept moving because people paid one flat rate upon entering the park, cash or credit card, and everyone was given a wrist band that allowed them access to any ride they wanted. 

We got there at around 2:00 pm and paid full price, $17.00 a person, for tickets.  The park closes at 6:00 p.m. and is only open on weekends.  I was handed a map, but it was difficult to follow.  There are signs, but they are placed in the general vicinity of the attraction.  The entrances are behind shrubs or not clearly marked.  It was an effort figuring out where I was going and keeping track of a 2.5 year old at the same time.  You will enjoy the experience if you allow yourself to go with the flow.  So, you started for the ponies, but found the tiny train; go ahead, take the tiny train.  You will eventually work your way back to the ponies. 

We found the barn yard immediately.  For 25 cents you can get a handful of pellets and corn to feed the goats, ponies, and a donkey.  There are chickens and rabbits.  The animals enjoy the attention from the crowd.  There are 5-6 wash sinks with soap to wash your hands after petting the animals.  The sinks are right at the entrance and easy for children to use.  After the barn yard, we got in line for the big train that travelled around the entire property.  The ride was smooth.  There are scarecrows, animatronic figures, and antique farm machinery along the way.  The train winds around a lake, woods, and two palomino ponies who playfully follow the train.  The end of the ride is through a tunnel where the guests feel like hamming it up with some spooky oohs and aahs. 

After we got off the train, we wandered in the direction of the giant inflated slide, but I convinced my 2.5 year old that it would be more fun to ride the antique cars.  It looked a little safer for her age group.  We got to sit in the car together, she steered, and we road around on a rail.  I enjoyed it.  After that, we got something to eat and drink.  The food stand sells a bottle of water for $1.50.  I bought a bag of kettle corn for $5.00.  You need cash for food purchases inside the park.  After our food purchase, we wandered through the wildlife exhibit, my daughter road on the canoes, and I bought a baker's dozen of fresh donuts for $5.00.  The donuts tasted like churros. 

By 4:30 p.m., I was exhausted from carrying and chasing a 2.5 year old child around the park.  I did not bring a stroller; many families did and left them along the entrances to the rides.  We decided to make one last stop to get on the hay ride, and then got in our car to go home.  We missed an entire section of the park, the restaurant, and the pumpkin patch.  You have two choices for bringing home a pumpkin, you can pick-up a pumpkin inside the park at the "mountain of pumpkins", or you can catch a hay ride to the pumpkin patch and pick your own.  If you get the pumpkin in the park you can pay by cash or credit card at the grocery store.  If you go to the pumpkin patch you need to use cash.  The sign said 19 cents a pound for the pumpkins.  The grocery store had many fresh fruits and vegetables, and canned goods.

As I said, overall, we had an enjoyable experience.  I recommend getting out there while the weather is nice.  It is a dirt walkway and in the rain it could get muddy.  There are many more attractions and animals that I did not mention, but you can enjoy exploring the park, as we did.  I plan on taking my daughter there again next year. 

Marie

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Western-Washington-Families/586829111363447Remlinger Farms