Roos-n-More Zoo

Mommy Vegas Idea #12

Camels, and Monkeys, and Wallabies, OH MY!

Ever wish you could have a pet monkey, or maybe a few kangaroos in the backyard? I sure have, and then I think about the mess... and being that my child labor force is small, both in numbers, and stature, I realize it would be ME... or rather, some anonymous gnome who would get saddled with keep things inhabitable... and think better of it! 

But seriously, wouldn't it be great to have all sorts of awesome critters in the backyard? Well, if it doesn't have to be YOUR backyard, you could!

Roos...

...n-More... Roos!

This isn't your typical backyard, and these aren't your typical pet owners. The Holt Family of Moapa Valley has collected over 150 beautiful animals to share with us, the general public, at their non-profit Roos-N-More Zoo.  The best part, you can feed them, observe them, and even snuggle a few, for only around $10 a person (at the time of posting)!  Ok, maybe that's not the best part... you can do all those things, AND not have to clean up after them, for only around $10 a person! If you DO want to clean up after them, that's free; ask about volunteering! :)

The habitats are well kept, the people and animals are ever so pleasant (those that are allowed to mingle any way... this could apply to the people too, but we're of no authority on that! :), and the experience is unobtainable anywhere else in Southern Nevada.  In fact, on the heels of the Las Vegas Zoo's closure a few weeks ago, you'd have to travel about 300 miles just to smell another binturong, hold a lemur, follow an African spurred tortoise, stare down an eagle owl, hold hands with a capuchin monkey, chat with a cotton-top tamarind, see a cavy, feed a kangaroo or watch a sleeping fennec fox (just to name a few).

shhh.... don't wake him....

My what big ears you have!

The Details
For some time, this warm-hearted family of veterinarians has opened their home to critters of all sorts, but they also welcome private tours by reservation, special events and parties (also by appointment) and public visitations a few times a month.   As they are only open to the public 2 to 3 times a month, we highly recommend checking... and double checking... their website for "Open Zoo Days," and plan your trip accordingly.  Plan to arrive around 9:45 am, as the gates open at 10 am (at the time of posting, so check their website for current hours) and there is quite a line. Also keep in mind that some add-on activities are limited on space, so the earlier the better. 

"Why aren't we ever open on Hump Day?"

The zoo is not huge (which we like for the little guys), but fairly diverse and there are not many places you can get so close and "personal" with so many exotic creatures. There isn't quite as much posted information as I usually like, but it looks like more signage may be in the works. What they lack in printed materials, they make up for in quality manpower. They do a beautiful job keeping plenty of knowledgeable people roving the grounds with critters in hand, answering questions, disseminating knowledge, and guiding animal interactions. If given the choice, I would take the people over signs any day!  If you too like the written word, they have a fun little email newsletter you can signup for on their website!

Don't worry... they don't bite... ;) hard.

The next opportunity to visit on a public zoo day is Sunday, October 20th, but if you're looking for a fun Halloween activity, they will be open on October 27th, from 1 - 5 pm, for a special Halloween themed party of sorts, complete with candy, games (rumored to include the animals!), and even a creepy crawly booth featuring some choice arthropoda! In accordance with all the added festivities, the entrance fee will be $15/person for the afternoon. 

If you'd rather a more intimate experience with the animals and their handlers, you can reserve the zoo for private parties and educational tours for a very reasonable fee! Visit their website for more information!

Getting the Most Out of Your Visit

• Get there early - They recommend getting there prior to 11:30 am, you'd be hard pressed to see it all before closing time.
• Splurge on the food - There is no outside food, but you can buy some small food packages for the critters at the gates. The animals aren't slow, they know the difference between and empty hand and a full one. You'll get the most "love" and better pictures if you don't come empty handed!
• Bring the Camera :)
• Pack a lunch - While you can't bring food into the park, you'll likely be hungry either mid-visit, or when when you're done, and there isn't a whole lot near by. 
• Visit the little house in the center of the property, you'll not only meet a gorgeous little sloth, but you could hold a monkey or a wallaby joey, or who know what else! There is also a gift shop, and restrooms too!
• Have your money ready at the gate. They do a great job announcing pricing and available add-ons before opening. Figure out how much your admission will be while in line and have your money ready!  The line can be quite long, and while they are fairly efficient and keep the line moving, you can help by making your turn to pay a speedy one! The sooner you get in the sooner you can play!

Add-On Experiences: There are several add-on experiences you can purchase at the gate and space is limited, so if you think you may want to try one, be sure to purchase them at the gate.  

Walking with the otters is going on right now. There is plenty to see and do without this add-on. But if you have some diehard otter fans, you may want to splurge, otherwise, you're not likely to see otters at all. 

The roo experience add-on is cute, but may not be worth it for most families (particularly bigger familes). You get rather close to the kangaroos, wallabies and cavies just by observing them through the fence, and there are even opportunities to feed and pet them. But if you really want the chance to sit next to a wallaby or really get close, you can pay a few more bucks to enter the enclosure with a guide. 

Want to see even more?! Schedule a party or tour! This is truly an unbeatable value!
 
Getting There

Address

746 Snowden Ranch Road
Moapa Town, NV 89025

See it on the Mommy Vegas Map

WHOOO wants to visit the Roos-N-More Zoo?

Estimated Drive Time: About 40 minutes from the edge of town.

Don't let the address spook you, the drive goes pretty fast, but it is a great idea to carpool!  We had a wonderful time with our friends the Midnight Gnome and her hubby the Photo Gnome (great place to snap some pics by they way! I can see the Christmas cards now...*Mom, Dad, the little ones and a Joey... *-Caption: Merry Christmas to Roo and a Hoppy New Year! Too corny? ;)

General Directions:

Follow me! We'll be there in no time!

To get there from Vegas:

• Take I-15 Northbound, head out of town towards Mesquite/St. George, Utah. 
• Take Exit 90, SR168/Moapa Valley
• Merge onto 168W you'll soon see "ZOO" signs marking the way. 
• Turn right on N Henrie Rd (just after the school). 
• Turn right on Isola Dr.
• Then your first left onto Sandy D., continue onto Snowden Ranch Rd. and you're in the parking area!

The parking lot fills up pretty quick, so don't dilly dally too long getting up there!

Have a great time and let us know about your visit!

Happy zooing!
-Candice

Can you believe they feed zonkey's live goat? Good, don't believe that... he just climbed in. I can't decide which is cooler, the fact that they have a zonkey, or that they have a goat cleaver enough to camp out in the feed trough!

Wetlands Park - Nearly 3,000 Acres of AMAZING!

Mommy Vegas Idea #11

Come and Play a World Away!

Can you identify this city? At first glance, this picture looks like it could have been taken somewhere around Seattle, maybe even the Midwest, but look close! That's not the Space Needle... wait a minute... WHERE IS THIS? Is that the Wynn... and the Stratosphere?!

So where were these photos taken? If you're struggling to answer, without reading the post heading ;), you need to get out more... to the Wetlands Park!  This beautiful little garden spot at the business end of the Las Vegas Wash has long been a gem in the Mojave Desert, but the recent additions of more trails and the truly breathtaking Nature Center have made this pretty little place to hike and jog a standalone destination.

I remember jogging around on dusty trails thinking it was fantastic.  A beautiful little nature sanctuary amid the hustle and bustle.  The tranquility is still front and center (of course we will always have to listen past the aircraft buzzing by, unfortunately it lies in the flight path of more than just a few dozen types of migratory birds!), but now the jogging stroller glides smoothly along hardscape (worry not, there are still oodles of dirt and gravel trails about), and the little visitors' center has blossomed from a porta-potty alongside a tiny modular, into a 45,000 sqft. multi-purpose LEED (Leader in Energy and Environmental  Design) Gold Standard (that's architect speak for uber, uber, uber "green" - there's only one more available "uber") complex. It's a whole lot more than you would expect from a completely free venue.

I don't even know where to begin to describe this fantastic place, we should just stop here. GO, hop in your car, drive down there and check it out! Ok, you win, that's not terribly practical, who knows what you could be wearing! While I'm inclined to jump right into the core of the experience, THE TRAILS, I really think there is some great benefit to starting and ending your adventure (at least your first visit) with a trip to the NEW Nature Center.

The Nature Center
The new 45,000 sqft. visitors' complex is open from 9 am - 3 pm and includes a beautiful 8,333 sqft. exhibit hall, an auditorium that seats 85, state of the art restrooms (oooh, aaaah), and rumor has it there will also be a cafe AND a nature store in the not too distant future! Possibly the best part: at this point, it's all FREE!

This gorgeous new command center is simply amazing! You could spend hours just exploring the interactive exhibits... in fact we have, but most families could probably budget about 30 min to an hour to get their fill.

At first glance, the exhibit hall does not appear to be terribly large, in fact we observed several families, come in, look around the lobby for a moment, and turn to leave as if there was not enough to occupy them.  But don't be fooled, just around the bend there are so many flaps to flip, facts to read, animals to meet, videos to watch, demonstrations to explore, scents to smell, pelts to pet... well you get the idea... that you really should take a spin through the entire exhibition, at least once, if not again and again.

 

 

Don't forget to talk to the helpful staff, many of whom are volunteers. They are, in our experience, quite knowledgeable, exceedingly friendly, and eager to share in your experiences and their own (SO REFRESHING!).  So be sure to unload all your questions before, and after, you experience the trails.

*AMAZING IDEA ALERT* One of my favorite amenities at the park has absolutely nothing to do with the structures, except that it can be found in one! Before you leave the Visitor's Center, be sure to check out this fantastic little number! The "Family Backpack" is simply chuck FULL of fun little items to explore and aid in your exploration!

In exchange for some meager collateral, you can borrow this FANTASTIC(!) and AMAZING(!) exploration pack which includes binoculars, a thermometer, a magnifying glass, all sorts of reference materials, activities and scavenger hunts, and the list goes on!  You provide the sun-screen, water, hat and sturdy shoes, and you're set for your grand adventure on the trails!

Just be back in time to retrieve your driver's license and return the pack before the 3 PM closing time! :) I can only imagine the shear elation this explorer pack would elicit from a Dora the Explorer fanatic!

Once you've wet your palate in the Nature Center, make sure you have plenty of time budgeted for the main course! 
 
The Trails

Map of the trails in the Exhibit Hall of the Nature Center... conveniently located under Little Bear's Finger.

You could truly spend days exploring the extensive trails amid this nearly 3,000 acre wonderland, both in the preserve portion and adjacent, across the Las Vegas Wash (accessible via Weir Bridge), but you'll have to take a break, as the park is only open between dawn and dusk.

The Wetlands is one of the few places in our desert where you (and your kiddlets) can weave through tall reeds, mesquite groves, and broad-leaf plants. As you wander along the winding paths, be sure to really take it all in. You will see, hear, and smell many amazing organisms that tend to congregate near water. You're likely to see all sorts of critters.  Birds are especially prevalent, from water fowl to road runners; the park is particularly popular, among the migratory bunch, in Fall and Spring. There are also plenty of amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and invertebrates to keep the little ones busy "hunting."

On the other side of the bridge spanning the Las Vegas Wash (Weir Bridge), you'll find even more trails - great for jogging and biking, some are even open to horseback riding.

Be cognizant of the signage, you will see various indications of intended use and other important postings meant to keep the park at its best and your family safe. These fancy little numbers (below) are some of my favorites.  If you come across any, see if your little ones can guess what the symbols represent.

Activities and Programming
If the place wasn't wonderful enough, the amazing people that make it all happen have gone and made if even better with plenty of programs and classes, many of which are free to the public! Space is often limited though, so be sure to RSVP.  I already have a Nature Tykes post in the hopper, so stay tuned to learn more about this and other fun events scheduled at the park, but in the mean time, here are a few programs worth checking out:

Call or visit http://tykes.eventbrite.com to register!

For more information and to register for these fun themed, family friendly hikes, go to http://hikes.eventbrite.com

Cafe Coming Soon
Threats of a Cafe are clearly posted on the premises! I can assure you there will be a post the moment I hear of its opening!  I've never fancied myself a food critic, but I will jubilantly rise to the occasion for this one, assuming the food is good.  My parents always taught me to keep my negative comments to myself, but with the standard set at the rest of the park, I have no reason to doubt you will have a glowing report to read!

Play Area
The children's play area on the edge of the park is great, but not what I would consider a standalone draw. This is a cute little park, particularly if you live close enough to walk.

The traversing climbing wall is fun, and there are some fun photo opportunities with the larger than life critters and gargantuan Apache/Moqui Marble and other faux formations.

Getting There and Other Details

Address and Contact

7050 Wetlands Park Ln, Las Vegas, NV

www.clarkcountynv.gov

(702) 455-7522

HOURS: Trails - Dawn until Dusk
Nature Center - 9 am - 3 pm
 

Visit the MOMMY VEGAS MAP

The Wetlands Park is located on Wetlands Park Ln., just off Tropicana, approximately 1 mile East of Boulder Highway.  Simply follow Trop until you see a fairly severe bend in the road a few blocks past the Boulder Highway Intersection.  Turn on the left turn signal, and hop on to this little side street (Wetlands Park Ln.). It can be a bit easy to miss, but thankfully there's a pretty good size sign.

There are two parking options: you can either park near the play area on the left (the old parking lot for the park, near the original visitor's center), or you can continue on down the road to the gorgeous new visitor's center which has oodles of parking comparatively.

 

Happy Exploring!

-Candice

For more information and to reference the source of the park specs discussed herein, please refer to the following Park Dedication :

http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/news/Pages/CommissionerGiunchiglianitoHostDedicationofWetlandsParkNatureCenter.aspx

Children's Museum, Beautiful NEW Location

Mommy Vegas Idea #3

Discover the Discovery Museum All Over Again! 

Every time I suggest we visit the Children's Museum my son matter-of-factly objects, but suggests we visit the "NEW" Children's Museum instead, as if the old one is still an option.  There was nothing wrong with the old location, it's just that the new one is JUST SO RIGHT.  In fact, he would argue, as many others seem to - if you've only visited the Museum back when it was located on North Las Vegas Boulevard, you simply haven't been to the Children's Discovery Museum! 

With its slightly new name, fancy new address in the Smith Center complex, fantastic cast of employees and volunteers, new lower entrance fee, and beautiful new building packed with charming, exciting, informative, and fun new exhibits, we're struggling to find anything wrong with the new digs!  Oh, maybe one thing - with so much to see and do, it's no easy task squeezing it all into one visit, but there's even a great solution to that dilemma:  the annual pass options are TOTALLY worth it!

I wish I could show you in pictures, but the place is always so packed we can't get any pictures without a few munchkins slipping in, and I'm not in the business of posting other people's kids on the internet! :) So here we go:

• The new imaginative play area has a beautiful zero-rise stage (so not even the littles will fall from stardom), complete with a kid-operated lighting and sound booth, oodles of props, costumes and plenty of seating for the audience (read: "benches so Mom and Dad can catch a breather"). The grand stage is flanked by two less-traditional stages. With just a little imagination, a spacious ship can go from HMS Discovery, to a vessel of scallywags under the Jolly Roger, to the USS Discovery all in a matter of moments. Once the ship returns to port, cue the costume change in the dressing area located on the other side of the zero-rise stage, and on to the adjacent two story Castle for the next Act. 
• Haven't had enough imaginative play? Head up to "Eco-City" and try those little hands at veterinary medicine, construction, aviation, auto mechanics, retail or commerce. 
• The toddler area for kids five and under, and their siblings, is a nice place to escape when it's crowded (we'll have to keep this in mind when school starts and the field trips start flooding in!).  
• The water works has several stations with something for everyone, including tiny rain coats! Little Bug is a HUGE fan of the scaling. She couldn't reach the water tables at the previous location (which always spurred much frustration from her and a sore back for Mommy), but now she can happily approach much of the exhibit and interact just like the big kids - HUGE PLUS!  
• You'll also find an expanded new physics/engineering center, to build and test inventions.
• A spacious traveling gallery space. 
• Extensive art center with plenty of ways to explore texture, color, light, space and more!
• A health and diet exhibit very similar to the one in the previous location with some fun new twists.
• And don't leave without solving the mystery in "Mystery Town!" Where your kiddos can try their hand at archaeology and forensic science techniques.

  So after our first few handfuls of visits, we've come up with a few survival tips, particularly if you have wee ones:

• Get there when they open. Some Fridays, weekends and holidays, the line can provide over an hour wait, once the museum meets capacity. So get there early, just in case. 
• Plus, even when it's not packed, the activity tower, with it's 12 or so floors of fun exhibits and habitrail like tunnels and slides, gets so crazy it's nearly impossible to stick together. So hit this up the second you get there, at least on your first visit.
• Check out the listing of demonstrations and activities on the digital kiosk (see below), located near the center of each floor, then plan your attack around where each session you may want to attend is located. It can be a challenge to wrangle the crew from a fun activity on the 1st floor, all the way to the third floor without much notice. 
  
• Be prepared to get wet, messy, or both!  With the great new water works and interactive art area, squeaky wet shoes and paint dipped sleeves may be unintentional souvenirs, but well worth it!
• Bring snacks or pack a lunch. Like the previous location there aren't many places nearby to grab a bite. But don't let that cut your trip short. If you're desperate, your hand stamp will get you back in even after a trip down to the Premium Outlet Mall for a quick lunch. 
• Consider the annual pass. Keep your receipt. After your visit, if you think you'd like to come back a few more times, stop by the front desk on your way out.  If you opt to become a member, they will deduct your entry fees if you buy a membership on the day of your visit! If you have a big family, or like to bring guests, be sure to ask about the Discovery Pass. Both the Family and Discovery Memberships become cost effective after two to four visits for most families.  
• HAVE FUN!

Happy exploring!

-Candice

   

*FREE* Aquarium and Scavenger Hunt with MVP (Mommy Vegas Printable!)

Mommy Vegas Idea #1

Get Wild in the Great Indoors!

In the mood for a picnic, but worried the kids may melt? How about moving the party indoors, with some not-so-wild, wildlife?

If you haven't yet checked out "The Best Free Attraction in Las Vegas," it's time!  The aquarium at the Silverton is beautifully maintained and offers some fun educational perks. If the kids get into The Little Mermaid, this is a must. The mermaid shows are fun for the little ones and if you time it right, you can catch the feeding show on the same visit.  Check their website for up to date show schedules, as they do change seasonally.

The shows both feature divers that interact with the crowd from inside the tank. The feeding shows also feature a knowledgeable docent that helps field questions from the audience.

Get there a bit early to get the kids up close and personal. We like to pack a low-mess lunch to enjoy tank-side while playing "I spy." My 14-month-old Little Bug even gets in on it, pointing at every pretty critter that happens by.

If you go in the evening, you may want to round out the evening with dinner at one of their restaurants. We had great luck at the Seasons Buffet (checkout what yelp has to say).

Want an extra dose of educational fun, but lacking in the Marine Biology department? Camp-out near the scrolling informational kiosk (see first pic). Read the posts and then go "fishing" for the finned feature!

When you've had your fishy fill, head over to Bass Pro Shops to check out the other tanks and their extensive collection of "stuffed animals."

Need to spice it up a bit, or keep the kids busy a little longer? Try out our Mommy Vegas Printable (MVP) Scavenger Hunt!


Happy fishing... and hunting too!

-Candice