If you live in northern NJ here is a great place the visit with a young child – the Turtle Back Zoo! The zoo has been dramatically updated since I visited with my children 20 years ago and is well worth a visit. New features which will delight all ages include the prairie dog habitat and the brand new aquarium which just opened on September 15th.
This is such great weather for visiting the zoo – so don’t delay your visit. And even if you’ve been there not that long ago, you’ll want to see the new aquarium. It is small and intimate - sized perfectly for a pre-schooler. It is also sophisticated enough in its layout and “inhabitants” for adults to enjoy too. This picture was actually taken before the fish were installed.
In August I was invited to an event for bloggers to have a sneak preview and tour by the Zoo Director, Dr. Jeremy Goodman. The exotic sea species who will have a new home at the aquarium were still at the “Zoo hospital” where all new animals stay before they are placed in an exhibit. Dr. Goodman took us to the zoo hospital which was a very interesting tour in itself and so I can report that the tropical species in the new exhibit will definitely delight.
The exhibit is very nicely laid out so that an adult can sit and enjoy the exhibit while a young child stands right next to the window on this exotic world and both of you can let your imaginations wander to the deep blue sea.
The new aquarium exhibit is a gift from the Zoological Society of New Jersey in celebration of their 35th anniversary – the coral anniversary. It seems to be a well kept secret since it isn’t even on the website yet but I did verify that it opened as scheduled.
Oh, and don't forget to see the prairie dogs - it is sooo much fun to watch them from a bunch of angles scurry around.
Definitely worth a visit.
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