Where to vacation in Montana?

[Rickers]

There is very little similarity between a fine zoo such as the San Diego Zoo and that gawdawful drive thru bear tourist trap near Glacier Park. The Zoo At Tacoma Washington used be have a horrible bear exhibit. There were a couple of real old iron bar cages about 15' X 15' and the bears just sat in there own wastes with glazed over eyes.
I say thumbs up to a few excellent zoos and a major thumbs down to these private commercial tourist traps that exploit and mistreat wild animals.

[bigtrees]

Originally Posted by rickers

There is very little similarity between a fine zoo such as the San Diego Zoo and that gawdawful drive thru bear tourist trap near Glacier Park. The Zoo At Tacoma Washington used be have a horrible bear exhibit. There were a couple of real old iron bar cages about 15' X 15' and the bears just sat in there own wastes with glazed over eyes.
I say thumbs up to a few excellent zoos and a major thumbs down to these private commercial tourist traps that exploit and mistreat wild animals.

I was at the Denver zoo years ago and didn't like it one bit - the cages were all concrete and not natural looking at all.

The Seattle Zoo (Woodland Park) is nice, and they have done some nice rennovations to the Point Defiance Zoo (Tacoma, WA) so it's much nicer today, but it still is smaller than the Seattle or San Diego Zoo.

[Timberwolf232]

I think the last time I was at a zoo it was Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado. All I remember was the purple tongues of the giraffes as we fed them Rye-Crisps... (that the zoo sold for the purpose of feeding them.) I'll probably go to one again when my son is old enough to enjoy it.

I did go to Sea World in San Diego a year or so ago and thought it was pretty neat. Seems like they have a really good staff.

I can't really comment on Zoo's because I haven't been in so long. Isn't there a zoo in Billings?

I agree with rickers on the tourist trap outfits for certain. I wouldn't give them my money.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by Timberwolf232

I think the last time I was at a zoo it was Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado. All I remember was the purple tongues of the giraffes as we fed them Rye-Crisps... (that the zoo sold for the purpose of feeding them.) I'll probably go to one again when my son is old enough to enjoy it.

I did go to Sea World in San Diego a year or so ago and thought it was pretty neat. Seems like they have a really good staff.

I can't really comment on Zoo's because I haven't been in so long. Isn't there a zoo in Billings?

I agree with rickers on the tourist trap outfits for certain. I wouldn't give them my money.

Yeah, I hate the tourist trap overpriced what-do-you-mean-is-that-all-there-is?? outfits too. Always felt ripped off afterward... which is why I don't even look at 'em today. And the fact is, they'd make more money by having free exhibits, but selling related merchandise for happy visitors to take with them as a keepsake.

If there's a zoo in Billings it's news to me. I remember the zoo in Minot, tho -- my dad took me when I was a little kid. Wonder how much it's changed today?? [goes off, finds website] Roosevelt Park Zoo :. Minot North Dakota .: Home If admission to a whole freakin' zoo run on a local parks commission budget is just $6 (and was FREE until 1981), where does someone get off charging $8 to see a couple bears??

And according to their website, Noah's Flood was in 1969

[mtboy]

There is a zoo in Billings. It is called Zoo Montana.... has pretty much everything that you see in Montana plus silka deer, red panda, and siberian tigers, plus snakes/lizards etc. Only been there once school feild trip. Not too exciting. Been there for at least 10-15 years.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by mtboy

There is a zoo in Billings. It is called Zoo Montana.... has pretty much everything that you see in Montana plus silka deer, red panda, and siberian tigers, plus snakes/lizards etc. Only been there once school feild trip. Not too exciting. Been there for at least 10-15 years.

Ah, so it IS news to me, since I was last in Billings in 1984!!

I guess that sort of thing is a lot more exciting when you're a kid, or if you've been city folk all your life. Doesn't seem all that interesting if you grew up around livestock and had coyotes and bears and elk wandering through your back forty.

(Tho there are actually more bears that wander thru folks' back yards in the north fringes of Los Angeles than I ever heard of anyone seeing in Montana! finding a black bear in your pool on a hot morning is a regular excitement around Pasadena.)

[countess1166]

Red Lodge, Yellowstone Park, West Yellowstone, Ennis, Virginia City, Butte.
Billings to 212 throught the Park to W Yellowstone (IMAX) 287 to Ennis to
Virginia City (ghost town) to Butte. If you have time Glacier Park. Have fun!