During Harrison and my recent weekend getaway to Tyler, TX, we stopped at Caldwell Zoo.
Honestly, we weren’t expecting much since Tyler is such a small town compared to Dallas. But the Caldwell Zoo ended up blowing us away.
Though it is small, it has some awesome features:
1. Gorgeous landscaping
This probably isn’t surprising if you’ve been to Tyler. Most neighborhoods near downtown Tyler have manicured lawns and are filled with tall trees and East Texas pines. But the zoo is particularly beautiful. As you’re following the paths around the zoo, you’ll see lush greenery, bamboo, flowers, and gazebos.
2. It’s not too crowded
Unlike zoos in big cities, you don’t have to deal with the hoards of people that are usually present. There’s a simple pathway through the zoo, and it isn’t crowded with people.
That means you won’t have to wait as long to get a good view of your favorite zoo animals.
3. Plenty of space for their animals
Which is really important for me. I know that most animals in zoos are there because they wouldn’t make it in the wild, but they still deserve to roam. The Caldwell Zoo does a great job of providing large enclosures for their animals.
4. Great animal variety
Elephants, white tigers, Capuchin monkeys, penguins, lions, and my favorite of all: giraffes (scroll down to see why). These are just a few of the animals you’ll see.
The zoo is broken down into three main areas: South America (highlight: rhinos!), North America (highlight: mountain lions!), and East Africa.
I might be biased by my love for Africa, but it was by far my favorite part of the Caldwell Zoo. It has elephants, lions, zebras, and best of all… read on…
5. Best of all: YOU CAN FEED GIRAFFES!
‘Nuff said. Check out this happy camper trying to show me that he can touch his nose with his tongue. It is $5 to feed the giraffe three pieces of lettuce- pricey for produce, but it is so worth it!
At the Dallas Zoo, you’re lucky if the giraffe is hungry after hundreds of pieces of lettuce. There’s usually a hoard of people waiting their turn, so tough luck if you don’t make it in time.
Not the case at Caldwell! Our giraffe moved away for a bit, but quickly returned once we offered him some juicy lettuce.
Look how happy he is post-lettuce. I see that smile!
Long story short, the Caldwell Zoo is a must-visit place if you’re going to Tyler.
Xo,
Jasmine
3 Responses
This is one of my favorite zoos and I make a point to visit as many as I can in my travels. Thanks for the interesting post.
Hi Lauren! Thank you for your kind comment! I’m so glad you agree with me on this- Caldwell Zoo is such a gem!
I’d love to go to a zoo that isn’t always crowded. Maybe if I got a pass of some kind that would allow me to come back often. Then I could see parts of the zoo throughout the Summer.