Celebrating the Holidays with the Animals

Winter Wildland at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

I recently had Allen Nyhuis, co-author of “America’s Best Zoos:  A Travel Guide for Fans and Families,” as a guest on Travel Fun.  That’s when I learned about the many glittering light displays that take place during the holidays at zoos around the country. I had heard about Boo at the Zoo (which takes place during Halloween) but didn’t realize that so many zoos also offer a festive setting for celebrating the dark evenings of winter—what a terrific idea! Many of you have perhaps already enjoyed the twinkling light show offered at your local zoo.  If not, know that at most major zoos, you have a few days left to take in this joyful winter fun.

Allen Nyhuis: Animal Lover Extraordinaire

Now about Allen.  This guy surely ranks as America’s top zoo aficionado.  Did you know that some 150 million people go to zoos every year?  That’s more than the number of people that attend professional baseball, basketball, football and hockey games combined.  And visiting a zoo is one of the most affordable means of entertainment in our country, yet surprisingly most people don’t go much on vacation; they mostly just patronize their local zoo.  Well, I think it’s a great thing to do on your travels and I’m more convinced about this than ever after having connected with the giraffes, elephants, hippos, tigers, apes, Rocky Mountain wildlife and much more on a recent visit to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs.  I was lucky enough to experience the fantastic natural setting of this mountain zoo (the only one of its kind in the country) after a fresh snowfall.  This not only enhanced the beauty of the zoo but it also drove the crowds away and kept many of the animals indoors where they were easier to view.  Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

I encourage you to tune in to listen to Allen’s excellent interview.  You’ll also hear how he responds to my question regarding the happiness of animals in a zoo.  Just hit the play button below.

Thank you to Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Allen Nyhuis for the above photos.