Zoological - Botanical Park

If you or your kids are fans of Disney's "The Lion King" or "Madagascar," you're going to have a ball spending an hour or two at the Las Vegas Zoological - Botanical Park. 

Not a lot of people (tourists and locals alike) know that a zoo in Vegas even exists. For those who need a break from the Las Vegas Strip, why not hang out with the animals in a peaceful, quiet environment? Spanning more than three acres, you'll get a chance to get up close with a range of animals from across the globe.    

Kids will love the goat petting zoo. Not only are the goats good with the little ones, they love to eat from your hand. There are food dispensers just outside the exhibit. Make sure you bring a handful of quarters so all the goats get a treat! 

Once you exit the petting zoo and turn left, here is where you'll find the majority of the animals. Guide arrows make it easy to find the ones you want to see first. To your left, you'll find wildcats like a Eurasian Lynx and a mountain lion. These cats are playful and like to tear apart special piñatas. Piñata items include everything from chicken pieces and meatballs to feathers and boiled eggs. 

The cat show isn't over. Located a few steps way, you'll get to meet an African lioness named Maniac Girl, better known as MG. While her name sounds crazy, her demeanor is the opposite. She appears to enjoy human company. Behind her fenced area, MG has been known to walk the same direction as visitors once she sees them. For those who are standing in front of her resting spot, she often sits right in front of you and stays there for minutes. Make sure to bring your camera -- she doesn't seem to mind the attention one bit. 

When you follow the narrow walkway past MG, you'll come across more exotic animals. These include the endangered Barbary apes. While you're visiting them, you'll notice you're not alone: peacocks frequent this area and let their presence be known with their shrieking vocals. You'll get to see the beautiful feathers up close since these birds are far from skittish. Speaking of birds, if you walk further into the area, you'll find a range of birds from a vulture and raven to a parakeets and cockatiels. At the end of the bird exhibit is a koi fish pond. 

While we're on the subject of birds, how many of you have seen an ostrich in person? If you haven't, you're in luck. If you walk back toward the front entrance by the petting zoo and turn left, you'll meet Don and Donna. Ostriches can grow about nine feet tall. The feathered friends adventure continues with a parrot and cockatoo exhibit, located just behind the ostriches. Zookeepers tell us if you stick around long enough, you might hear one of the macaws say "hi," "what's up" or "hello." 

Not only will you forget you're in Vegas, but all the trees located in the zoo help you stay cool during the hot summer months. There are plenty of seating areas if you need to take a break. Snacks are available the zoo and all proceeds go to feeding and caring for animals. 

This zoo may be smaller than the ones you'll find in bigger cities, but it's still a great place to escape and relax. Other zoo animals include Chilean flamingos, emus, swamp wallabies, chimpanzees and fossas. And while you can't take any of the animals with you, the gift shop offers stuffed animals, purses, toys and more. 

-- Review by Jeannie Garcia