Zoo Trip: SkyLark Ridge

Back in May, when we signed up for the Zoo Membership, we saw the ropes course, but we were there to see the animals, so we told the kids that the next time Billy came, they could do the course.  Well, each time we went this summer, William kept remarking about how he really wanted to go do it, and each time, I told him we needed to wait for Daddy.  Well, the day finally came on Labor Day weekend.

The weather was absolutely beautiful, and despite an intentionally late start, there was still a lengthy line to get in!  As members, our line was way shorter, and it was the only visit that we actually got to use that perk!

Alice didn't want to join us, since we'd just gone a week or two before, so we took those who wanted to come!

Our membership also got us a discount at the skylark course, which was an unexpected surprise.

Billy and I found a spot half in the shade and half in the sun, to wait while the kids explored the enormous course.

They lasted around an hour, which seemed short, but they all said they had their fill!

Since Daddy was there, they also got to do the Merry-go-round and got ice cream.

We headed to the tram to go see the giraffes and lions, but they were shorthanded and had a reduced number of trams running, which meant, obviously, a long line!  We decided to go check out the wolves instead.

I swear, these prairie dogs don't like me.  I think I have better pictures (or at least negatives) of the prairie dogs taken from the car outside of the Walmart in Lubbock. 

Once one person takes a picture on the butterfly, everyone wants one!

Grace made a rainbow, using three colors!

The snow leopard saw something to capture his attention!

The wolves were really close this time, but still pretty far from the fence.

Our last hurrah was going to see the dinosaur area.  They had changed and added some things!

The T-Rex was roaring.

The twins had to share an egg.

This installation, a Dilophosaurus, was moving and spitting and roaring at passersby!

No opportunity to take a picture with the blue-tonged skink, so they had to settle for the placard. 

But this snake also had a blueish tongue, and did say hi!  Since we were there late, I think we must have been close to feeding time again, since the animals all seemed really interested in us too!

None of us felt like Chinese food, since we'd just had it, so we opted to go to Pizza Hut in Charlotte instead.  Our kids are old enough that it wasn't an awful wait, and I helped Emily, William, and Grace color their pages while we waited for our pizzas.  Juliet didn't want my help. = (

It was a fun way to spend the final weekend of 'summer.'  Alice has the date of a Christmas event marked down, but weather dependent, this might have been our final trip for this membership!  I do feel like we got our money's worth though, even if we only used it for three months.

later days

edit 9-23-25: backdated for continuity.