I think it’s safe to say that Mr. Handsome and I are officially “zoo people.” So far, I have written posts about our trips to the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere (including Little Buddy’s first visit), the New Orleans Audubon Zoo, and the Memphis Zoo. Recently, we took a St. Louis vacation with Mr. Handsome’s family (altogether, there are almost 20 of us!), where we visited the St. Louis Zoo and Grant’s Farm, which is basically a zoo.
Grant’s Farm is a family attraction that has free admission and is enjoyable for all ages. The tour starts with a tram safari ride through a prairie that is home to several unique species of deer, as well as zebra and long-horned cows. The farm also has a pond filled with koi fish. Did you know that koi can live a couple hundred years? Apparently, there was a koi fish called Hanako that died in 1977 at the age of 226.
Grant’s Farm is named after Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th president of the United States, because a portion of the land was a wedding gift from his wife’s parents in the mid-1800s. The farm was purchased by the Busch family about 50 years later, after Grant filed for bankruptcy.
While there is a Busch family mansion on the grounds, there is also a cabin (called “Hardscrabble”) that was built by Grant. According to the tour guide, the cabin is one of only a few remaining residences that were built and lived in by United States presidents. At Grant’s Farm, we also saw camels and watched a live show in which an employee showed off a baby hedgehog and a beautiful macaw.
Like Grant’s Farm, the St. Louis Zoo is also free. I expected it to be small and underwhelming, but it was surprisingly large and impressive and certainly feels like the type of zoo that would have an admission price. We were most enthralled by the polar bears, hippos, and elephants. (You can visit my Facebook page for an entertaining video of an elephant going for a swim.)
Love the St Louis zoo and Grants farm been to the St Louis zoo a few times when my family visits the family that lives there.
Good think you got back from St.Louis when you did because it’s raining down their.
Oh, i don’t live there, but I’ve heard it’s been pouring in the midwest.
I hope you were careful taking little buddy out at the zoo in St Louis because their is Hepatitis going around in St.Louis ,Iowa. My friends lives down their and her son gets got Hepatitis and so did her husband from being at the zoo.
We’ve had a series of E. coli outbreaks here at zoos, petting farms, and fairs. Unfortunately, some children died. The outbreaks led to changes in the animal-human interaction procedures and sanitation rules at those places.
My zoo has a hand washing station right outside of the petting zoo, I feel like all zoos should have them.
Absolutely, and the St. Louis Zoo has several in the children’s zoo area where animal touching is allowed.
Looks like little Buddy had a good time.
Joan,Marion and Marilyn
Wonderful that you both like zoo’s. I like zoo’s but my hubby doesn’t so I haven’t visit many,Lol. That’s why I appreciate when you post the zoo pictures. Love the pictures and the elephant swimming is priceless. Jane
That’s a hippo
Jane is referring to the video of the elephant swimming, which is on my Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/anashvillewife/
Glad you enjoyed the photos and video, Jane! 🙂
Ellie
The elephant swimming was awesome to see! I had no clue elephants liked water like that!! I guess I learned a new thing today 😅
Ohhh ok, I was very confused😂😂
I found out about the zoo being free years ago when I had family visit. I guess it has to do with some sort of tax subsidy. What a great thing for folks in St. Louis, and all visitors! I cringe when I pay to take my family to our local zoo, which isn’t that big–but luckily getting better! We did have a membership for a few years, which was really fun and made for a great excuse to walk outside on nice days! Highly recommend that as a gift for families! I never knew about Grant’s bankruptcy. I wonder if that was scandalous back then! I guess the encyclopedia I used for a 4th grade report on him missed that detail! Haha!
LOL! It probably was scandalous. I didn’t learn about the bankruptcy in school, either. I think it’s more common than we think for schools to conveniently leave certain facts out. Haha
Ellie
Next time you’re in St. Louis, check out City Museum!
I’m so glad you mentioned that, Pattie! I went to the City Museum several years ago. It was a blast! I wanted to go this time, but we didn’t have time. And Mr Handsome is traumatized because he almost got stuck in a cave when he went.
Ellie
This is close to as close a walk on the wild side I’d want. I had a chance to buy forty acres of wild land and after watching wild cam videos of all the wild animals that passed it, cougars, wolves, bears, (are mostly the ones I’d fear if I were out on my wild forty)
I let that idea go. I hope our wild lands are preserved and not all converted to create our urban paper convenience environment. I guess I am guilty of enjoying it too much.
Wow, that certainly sounds like some wild land! Where was it located?
That land was in Canada and it was adjacent to vast crown land forests, so there had to be some big predators on it. But there are also wild cams that are set out in Florida that pick up panthers, bears, etc. You can find those videos on YouTube. I’d talk more about wolf videos but I don’t want to give them a bad rap. All of the wild life out there needs to be preserved!
And their environments need preservation to save them! Plus stop the hunting by man!
Next time you’re in Georgia you should visit the Atlanta Zoo and Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary! Noah’s Ark is better then the zoo in my opinion and free! However it’s kind to donate so they can keep caring for these rescued animals.
I have wanted to go to the Atlanta Zoo for a while. I hear it’s very good! Have you been to the Georgia Aquarium? Apparently it’s great, as well. Haven’t heard of the animal sanctuary. Will have to check it out!
Ellie
Yep! The Georgia Aquarium is big. I have a friend that used to work there. The company lied about how one of the whales died. Since then I haven’t been back. Too business, not enough caring about animals.
Oh my! That’s too bad. How did it die?