Bearizona Wildlife Park

After a long drive across Arizona this was the perfect stop to stretch our legs and explore before heading to our hotel for the evening.  We weren't sure what to expect only that it had been recommended to us by a friend.  When we arrived at Bearizona Wildlife Park we were greeted at the drive through window by an amazing employee, with who we communicated that we would like to begin our adventure at the Wild Ride bus tour.  At this time she got on her walkie talkie and asked the bus to wait for us.  To find customer service of this level now days is unheard of so anytime I experience it I have to praise them.

The Wild Ride follows the same path as the drive-through area you can take with your own car.  So if you are uncomfortable driving your own vehicle through you can hop on the Wild Ride and sit back and relax.  There are a couple of advantages you get by taking the Wild Ride.  The entire ride includes an educational tour by one of the parks employees which gives you a great orientation to the entire park.  I found the best part of taking the Wild Ride is that I could take pictures of all of the animals through an open window.  When you drive your own car through your windows must be closed for a large amount of time.  The Wild Ride is also included in your admission to the park so it really all depends on how much time you have to spend in the park.

Our Wild Ride ended just in time for us to hurry over and catch the Raptor Free Flight Program.  As we have seem dozens of Raptor shows in the past I was not too excited about this part of our visit.  Jaxon chose the very last row in the back because he wanted to be able to see the raptors fly over our heads.  As we sat there and they repeatedly explained the safety rules for attending the show.  I was not prepared for our next experience as we listened and watched a Harrison Hawk take flight and head directly for our heads I actually ducked out of pure reaction.  It was an amazing show and my personal favorite moment of our entire visit.

We then walked the remainder of the park on paved paths that took us past a wide range of different animals from the area.  The animals were some of the most active I have ever seen even during my early morning visits to our local zoos.

As we strolled through the path we came to a large building that housed a gift shop and a well themed restaurant that I wish we had saved our appetite for.  The only picture I took is below, and it does not do the area justice.  We quickly passed through on our way to the outside patio that over looked the jaguar exhibit.  If I ever have the opportunity to return I will plan to spend a leisurely lunch or dinner here enjoying the atmosphere.

As we were exiting the restaurant area Jaxon caught an exciting opportunity out of the corner of his eye.  A women was walking around conducting a meet and greet with a resident Bearded Dragon.  For children to have the opportunities to meet animals up close, see all the details they would otherwise miss in the wild and ask questions about the animal is such an educational experience.  Not having to fight for a spot near a stage just to be lost in the crowd is so much more meaningful to a young child.  I truly wish more wildlife locations would incorporate this in their visits.

Once we returned to our car we decided to take the scenic route and drive the entire wildlife park in our own vehicle.  After taking the wild ride it just was not as exciting as I expected.  As you drive through the animals are separated by fences and gates.  Periodically throughout the drive they have stations set up for employees to be able to monitor the situation and make sure all the guests are following the rules.  The one advantage to driving your own vehicle is you are able to stop inside some of the enclosures to watch the wildlife.  As the bears are extremely active and mischievous you are not able to stop but must constantly be driving forward within their enclosures.

We have been to a couple drive through wildlife parks during road trips and by far this location had the most variety of activities offered.  It was a nice combination to be able to take a bus tour, catch a show and stretch our legs all in one location.  The animals were extremely active even in the afternoon sun which was wonderful.  So many times I find myself at a zoo in the afternoon wondering why I didn't come first thing in the morning so that I could actually see the animals and not another empty exhibit.  After a long drive this truly was our oasis waiting to entertain our tired minds.

Los Angeles Zoo Delving Deserts

We have been members of the Los Angeles Zoo for the past year.  This zoo is actually one of our favorites in all of California.  We had just began our study into the desert habitat, when the opportunity came that they were holding a children's class "Delving Deserts"  we signed up immediately.  This was the first class that we have taken through the Children's Discovery Center and it made us want to take more.   We have taken zoo education classes at a couple locations in northern california and were not impressed with the curriculum.  

When we dropped Jaxon off at the Children's Discovery Center the classrooms were set up for all different ages, just as if he was attending a school.  This alone topped anything I have seen in the past.  When we entered the classroom each child had a cubby to place all of their belongings and was given a backpack fully equipped for their day of adventure at the zoo.  

When I arrived to pick Jaxon up I was able to observe the class through the floor-to-ceiling windows that lined their classroom.  Through-out  the entire 15 minutes that I observed all the students sat quietly and gave the teacher their full attention.  I was impressed how after half a day of class they were still totally engaged in the activities.  The teachers were well organized and kept the class in order but still managed to get down to their level.  Which we all know is not always an easy task.

Once we picked Jaxon up he could not stop talking about his behind the scenes adventures with the Rattlesnake.  He was able to see a wide range of Reptiles and learn about how they adapt in the desert.  He came out with a wealth of information on the desert and the animals that live there.  We eagerly await more classes to come available .

Roar and Snore

Roar and Snore Safari

We truly showed up with no excpectations just the excitement that we were finally able to do something we've been talking about doing for over a year now.  We were greeted by Jayme and an amazing animal meet and greet.  To be honest during our stay anytime we saw Jayme we knew our experience was going to be fantastic.  His enthusiasm was absolutely over the top fun!

After we were escorted in we were whisked away on our next adventure.  For seasoned safari park guests this was the African tram.   For everyone else the African tram is a guided tour that comes with your admission to the park.  The ride takes you on a paved path around parts of the African exhibit.  

We then headed to our tents with just enough time to change and head to dinner.  We had chosen the premium tent which was fully equipped with electricity, fans, heaters, a queen bed, and two cots.  We were located in Tent two.  Which had a stunning front row view of the African plains.   I could have sat on the porch all night just watching the animals roam.  Of course, that plan would not include an energetic six year old.  So we moved on quickly to dinner.  

After dinner we met up with Jayme again for another fantastic animal meet and greet. 

Our last stop before bed was a behind the scenes tour of the lions camp.  We have never done a behind the scenes tour through the safari park, so when I heard where we were headed it peeked my curiosity.  We went through the keepers area and learned how they fed and cared for the lions.  After, we were able to go to the back holding area to see the lions that had been in for the night.  There are two groups at the lions camp.  Each day the keepers rotate them giving them the ability to spend time in the open enclosure.  Tonight the Mother and Father were sleeping in the back quarters.  It was very dark and hard to make out any detail of the lions.  You were able to feel the presense of the lions size as you listened to them breathing deeply.

Soon our tour was over and we were led back to camp where we enjoyed s'mores around the fire pits and then off to bed!  By that time we were all very tired as we crawled into bed dreading our 6:15 wake up call. As I lay there at night the sounds of lions roaring was the most amazing experience that I could never have anticipated.  It had never crossed my mind that this would be one of my favorite moments during our safari adventure.  

The next morning came all to quickly our first wake up call was at 6:15 am with an announcement that we could venture down and visit both the Elephant and Lion exhibits.  Our first stop was for a cup of coffee then, we quickly changed and headed eagerly down to see the lions that had serenaded us through the night.  

They were still roaring when we arrived! It was such a awe-inspiring experience to see the lions and how the powerful roar from deep inside is delivered in such a magnificent, beautiful manner.

After we walked around a bit we headed back to camp to grab breakfast before we met our new guide who escorted us to to an animal encounter.  During this encounter we met a tawny frogmouth one of the oldest ambassadors of the Safari Park.  

Lastly we headed to the tigers exhibit to observe them.  I would like to express that the guide we had in the morning did not meet up to the standards of anyone we had interacted with the night prior and I believe our experience would have been completely different had we had him the night before.  He did not interact with the children at all and seemed to be standing behind us counting down the minutes until he would walk us to the entrance.  It was a sad moment as the high from the previous night quickly dropped into straight boredom, as we anxiously awaited for the tour to end.  

Our last activity of the day before heading home was not included in our roar and snore camping trip but was offered to us as an add on.  The Campers Caravan was the perfect ending to a phenomenal experience.  Jaxon had just turned six back in February so it was one of the tours we had yet to take.  We traveled in the back of a covered safari truck out into the Africa enclosure.  

This gave us the great opportunity to be able to feed a giraffe up close.  

This is a one-of-a-kind experience.  We had been at other safari camping trips in the past but none have equalled the excitement and organization we encountered at San Diego Safari Park.  It is the closest I have ever come to being on a true african safari.  Maybe one day I'll make it to Africa but,  I am not sure if the sounds of the lions at night would make me as comfortable.