We visited the zoo during Spring Break. I had been here as a child and had fond memories of the vastness of the zoo. I was actually disappointed upon my return. The exhibits weren't all that special for what you would expect. The orangatan area was pretty cool with the large rock structure. However, we felt that the walkways weren't wide enough for the immense crowds and some of the viewing areas were too confined. The train was kind of ridiculous. It was a short ride that went behind buildings. The only animals you could really see were a longhorn, and some flamingos. Other than that you were looking at the event facility and back doors.

The Children's Museum is part of the museum of nature and science. On your way through that portion of the museum you can visit a few dinosaur structures and other science related displays. My 2 year old was not very interested in that. Except at the dinosaur exhibit there was a sandy area where the kids could dig for "fossils". That lasted for almost an hour of fun! The children's museum wasn't anything special in particular. A lot of the exhibits were for decoration only. Some of them were hard to know how to play with or were missing parts. Since we were there during spring break, it got so crowded with big kids that my son (and I) felt overwhelmed. We probably won't return to this children's museum.

My 2 year old son and I had a blast at this zoo over Spring Break. We got there right when it opened so there was a line but once we got in we didn't feel crowded at all...Until about an hour and a half later when the rest of the city arrived! There were a TON of monkeys! The hippo exhibit was very cool. The elephant exhibit was a bit barren. The zoo does have multiple feeding times for various animals which is fun to watch. There is a petting zoo, although it only had goats in it. There is a sandy "beach" area for the kids to take off their shoes and just play which was wonderful. All in all, a great trip!

Cico Park is the host to Wednesday Farmer's Markets, our County Fair, a swimming pool, stadium, baseball fields, fitness trails, playgrounds, and more. This park is covered with mature trees which is nice during the summer. We tend to visit City Park over Cico, but that is just our preference for the new playground at City. Cico is a great park that never gets too crowded. They have a wonderful 4th of July celebration as well as many events throughout the year including Garden Shows, Fall Festival, etc.

Although these gardens are not that large at this time, there are huge plans for expansion including a children's garden. Currently there is a large fountain, plenty of grass area, and lots of plants. Our son likes to run along the pathways. For a little guy it seems like a maze. Late spring things really start growing and the gardens are just beautiful. There are some benches where you can bring your own picnic. They do host weddings in the gardens as well. No dogs are allowed.