If you're looking for a nice, short day trip, consider taking the kids to the impressive Peoria Zoo, which is about an 80 to 90 minute drive from Springfield. This summer, the zoo opened a new African wing, which looks like something you'd find at a much larger zoo.
The African area features giraffes, lions, gazelles, rhinos, zebras and antelope in a setting created to look like Zambezi's River area. This so-called "Zambezi River Village" is a large open area with rock croppings and plenty of space for the animals to roam. The day we were there, we saw the lion and lioness resting and walking beneath the recreated granite rock cliff, while the two giraffes ate from the treat boxes tacked to tall trees placed close to the gently sloped observation boardwalk encircling that River area.
If you're lucky, you might find yourself amazingly close to the lions, like we did. At the end of the boardwalk, there is a thick glass or plastic window that separates them from the visitors. When we were there, the lioness was at that window, peering directly at us, merely inches away. Talk about close!
Later in the African area, you'll see cute (yes, cute) Red River Hogs and curious Colobus monkeys, who investigate anybody or anything that grabs their attention. Don't miss the endangered Mandrills either. These extremely colorful monkeys' furry behinds look like they were spray painted by an inventive artist, but that doesn't match the brilliance of their vividly-designed faces. (Think Monkey by Dali.)
Different settings in the African area feature other animals, including mole rats, pancake tortoises (be sure to point these out to the kids, they really are flat like pancakes), huge hissing cockroaches, and more. There's also a nice, large fast food restaurant at the entrance to "Africa!," as it's called, where you can purchase a snack, cold drink, or meal.
The zoo's other main exhibition areas feature Asian and Australian animals, though it houses other species as well, such as the frolicking sea lions and the still-as-a-statue Chinese alligator. Inside the zoo's entrance is a fairly large gift shop, surrounded on two sides by more animal exhibits. Just outside the shop, do not miss the baby Tamarin – it was born at the beginning of the summer and its parents are still grooming it and teaching it a few skills. It's adorable.
The Peoria Zoo is located at 2218 N. Prospect Road in Peoria and is open 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily except for Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Years Eve and New Years Day. For more information, call the zoo at 309/686-3365 or visit its web site: www.peoriazoo.org.
Submitted by Springfield Moms reader Tara McClellan McAndrew. Tara is a Springfield writer and mom.
