Our first stop was to the gift shop to purchase Braydon a new hat. There’s very little shade in the park and it can get very hot, even in February. We arrived early to try to avoid the afternoon sun and crowds, but we couldn’t hide from either. We visited on a Sunday, which, we learned, is the busiest time to visit. It has virtually every animal represented, including lions, tiger, cheetah, rhino and giraffes. On that note, the Africa Trail was our favourite section of the zoo. The hot, dry Arizona climate is the perfect environment for a zoo, especially for the African wildlife.

Even though the zoo is located within the city limits, we felt like we were deep in the secluded Arizona desert. The Phoenix Zoo is located a few miles north of Tempe in Papago Park. As we approached the zoo entrance, we couldn’t help but notice the ruggedly beautiful landscapes that surrounded us.

He didn’t quite grasp what we were saying, but he was excited about the thought of seeing real animals. He was referring to a character in one of his favourite cartoons. “Yea, I want to see Daniel Tiger”, said Braydon, with his choppy toddler speak. With no context or frame of reference, his little brain had trouble understanding the words he was hearing. It was a combination of excitement, confusion and fear. When we explained to Braydon that he was going to see a real tiger and lion that morning, the look on his face was priceless. In fact, this trip to the Phoenix Zoo was the first zoo experience we’ve had together, which says a lot about our changing travel style. It’s been a long time since we’ve visited a zoo.

Baby giraffe phoenix zoo