Now that my family and I had successfully arrived in Dallas, Texas, it was time to see what family friendly activities this great city has to offer!  Since both my daughter and I are die-hard nature lovers and Dallas just happens to offer the largest zoological experience in Texas, we decided to visit the Dallas Zoo.

The Dallas Zoo is the largest zoo in Texas and boasts one of the finest African wildlife displays in the nation, with the new Giants of the Savanna exhibit and the existing Wilds of Africa habitats. The Dallas Zoo is the only zoo in North America where you can see elephants mixed with other species, just as you would on the African grasslands. Visitors can journey through wildlife habitats from around the world, ride on the back of a camel, feed a giraffe or enjoy a spin on the Endangered Species Carousel.

This year is a special year for the Dallas Zoo because they turn 125 years old.  The birthday celebration will be in full swing all year long.  This summer is the perfect time to explore the 106-acre park and experience several special events.  Getting there is incredibly easy too because the DART Red Line drops you off right at the entrance.

And on every Saturday in June and July, Safari Nights offers a unique and intimate zoo experience.  Stay at the zoo past sundown to hear music from a different band each week while enjoying cooler evenings with the animals.  It's free with zoo admission, so you can come early and stay late for one great price.

We had a blast at the Dallas Zoo and were extremely thankful for the multiple misting stations located around the park which helped us keep cool.  The Giants of the Savanna exhibit was spectacular and didn't feel at all like you were still in the zoo.  The large expansive areas coupled with different species of animals being housed together gave this exhibit a much more natural feel.  We all enjoyed visiting our favorite zoo animal, the giraffe, up close and personal.  I could almost reach out and touch him!

Of course, Riley couldn't get enough of the Endangered Species Carousel and rode it three times.  One of my favorite stops on our Dallas Zoo excursion was the Monorail Safari.  This ride on the monorail allowed you to glide through six African habitats on this 20-minute narrated tour.  This specially designed Monorail Safari is the only one in the United States engineered to climb and turn, taking guests on a one-mile tour through bush, desert, forest, woodland, river, and mountain environments.  If you visit the Dallas Zoo, I would highly recommend taking the Monorail Safari for many of the animals in the Wilds of Africa section can only be seen this way.  The scenery is also breathtaking!

Stay tuned for my third post about our summer vacation in Dallas, Texas where I'll be telling you even more about the family fun we had here!