I am planning a zoo road trip with my 9 and 11 year old this summer. The plan is to start in Chicago and end in New York via Columbus, OH, Washingto DC, and Philly. They are particularly interested in GIRAFFES and SLOTHS. I will hit the "biggies" in all those places but also looking for smaller more hands-on zoos along the way. Any suggestions would be great!!
I know in West Virginia at Ooglebay's Good Zoo (that is basically the name of the Zoo ) they have a program where if you pay a fee of less than a hundred dollars you can go in the exhibit and feed, interact, or train the ring tailed lemurs, red kangaroos, or red pandas. They have have different packages that you can preorder. Hope it Helps!!
Day 1 Toledo Zoo Day 2 Cleveland Zoo Day 3 Columbus Zoo Day 4 National Aviary( Pittsburgh) Pittsburgh Zoo Day 5 National Zoo Day 6 Philadelphia Zoo Day 7 Bronx Zoo Here is a itinerary we would select hope it helps Team Tapir
Fort Wayne has a giraffe feeding platform. We currently have 8 giraffes, though they don't all go out together. One youngster is leaving in the spring. The zoo takes about 3 hours to see. Toledo is about 2 hours from Fort Wayne.
It doesn't sound like you are heading up into the heart of NY but if you are there are a number of smaller zoos that are worth the drive. If you head up I90 you hit Erie Zoo in PA, then Niagara Aquarium, Buffalo Zoo, Seneca Park Zoo (Rochester), Rosamond Gifford Zoo (Syracuse), Utica Zoo and Trevor Zoo, all right off the major highway on your way down to NYC.
From Columbus, if you head up toward Cleveland you can hit Akron Zoo, Cleveland Zoo, then the ones I mentioned above. Then if you get to NYC there are five wildlife conservation society zoos/aquaria. Then head down to Philly, see Baltimore Zoo, National Aquarium and end in DC. Its quite a trip!