A car trip to the T ROPICS

Minnesota, Como Park zoos offer inviting ways to get out of the cold

STORY AND PHOTOS BY KATHLEEN MURPHY

If there is one thing all Minnesotans can agree upon, it’s that our winters can be rough. We may be technically acclimated to living in an icebox, but by March, it’s safe to say that everyone in the house — especially our youngest family members, who don’t always know what to do with their pent-up energy — are eager for at least one day of warmth and sunlight. And perhaps a touch of humidity.

All three of these elusive things can be found just a few hours south of us. The Twin Cities is home to not just one tropical oasis, but two: both the Minnesota Zoo and the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory boast lush tropical houses that will warm a cold Minnesotan to the core while entertaining the entire family.

The Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley remains active throughout the winter season, with daily activities such as shark feedings and bird shows. The real mid-winter treat at this zoo is the Tropics Trail. The trail covers about one-third of a mile, but it is chock-full of colorful birds, playful primates and strange-looking plants. Several exhibits feature fun ways for kids to peek in on the animals from a unique angle, such as a kid-sized cave that allows a close-up view of the resident dwarf crocodile. A recent visit saw several parents simply basking in the warmth as their children stretched their legs and marvelled at the animals around them.

There are plenty of other indoor exhibits to enjoy here as well, such as Discovery Bay, a huge water-life exhibit featuring sharks, jellyfish and

If You Go

Minnesota Zoo

13000 Zoo Blvd.

Apple Valley, MN (952) 431-9200 mnzoo.org

Como Park Zoo & Conservatory

1225 Estabrook Dr. St. Paul, MN (651) 487-8200 comozooconservatory.org

It might not have a tropical paradise inside, but the zoo in Duluth also has some respites from the cold. They’re open year-round.

Lake Superior Zoo

7210 Fremont St. Duluth, MN (218) 730-4500 lszooduluth.org several touch tanks. A small play area called the Bee Hive can be found right outside the Penguins of the African Coast exhibit. Younger children can climb on the rock-viewing platform to get a close look at the penguins, then slide down and run directly into the play area.

The parental goal might be to stay inside and warm, but the Minnesota Trail exhibit might be worth a quick jaunt outside. The exhibit, featuring lynx, coyotes and several other hardy creatures, begins and ends in a building that feels like a Minnesota lodge, where bundling up feels like the natural thing to do, and the warmth feels just that much cozier upon re-entering the building.

The zoo has its own cafeteria with several child-friendly options, so have a bite to eat and take a much deserved rest before heading into St. Paul to reach our next tropical destination, the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory. The drive between the two takes about 30 minutes.

As with the Minnesota Zoo, there is a surprising amount to do at Como zoo in the winter. Though Como zoo has the added benefit of free admission, consider giving a donation. Look for donation boxes right inside the main entrance.

Also found near the main entrance is Como’s version of eternal summer, the Tropical Encounters exhibit. This is smaller than the exhibit at the Minnesota Zoo, but unique in that it is a single, large walk-through enclosure that encourages visitors to take their time, sit on a park bench and enjoy the lushness and warmth of a Latin American tropical rainforest.

Birds fly loose through the treetops, some so accustomed to their human visitors they hang tight and pose for pictures. A pond with a toddler-level viewing area hosts several fish as well as giant river turtles that always seem to be clamoring for the attention of whoever is on the other side of the glass.

About halfway through are the few caged tropical animals in this exhibit, such as the resident anaconda and the always busy and ready-to-entertain leaf-cutter ants. Sometimes they even have a few animals out to view, such as a tarantula — monitored by the always helpful and knowledgeable zoo docents.

Connected by an indoor walkway, the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory is right next door, hosting two acres of welcoming indoor galleries. All provide the opportunity for kids to explore while basking in T-shirt weather. Enjoy the trickling planted waterfall wall in the Fern Room, as well as the mini trees in the Bonsai Gallery. There are even some play areas in the Children’s Gallery.

The giant-domed Palm Room and North Gallery provide opportunities for enterprising parents to present their more inquisitive children with an impromptu scavenger hunt. Tropical trees and plants that provide several common food items are housed here, such as cocoa beans (chocolate), cinnamon and pepper plants.

The Sunken Gardens, a St. Paul landmark for more than 100 years, changes with the season but always features the iconic lily and koi pond down the center. If you have a picture of yourself in the Sunken Gardens as a child, consider digging it up to see whether it can be recreated with your own children.

The rest of Como zoo is open during the winter, but the outdoor distances between the Conservatory and other indoor exhibits is not small. Nevertheless, if one is willing to bundle up the kids, several more indoor exhibits become available, such as the Big Cat house and African Hoofed Stock House. If the weather is really brutal, the Primate House is nearest the Conservatory.

We might be a stoic people, but taking care of ourselves is important. A day of summer near the end of a dark, dreary winter might be just what the family needs. —

MDT