Outdoor Activity for Kids: A TRIP TO AVILON ZOO
- Mommy Kitkat
- Feb 5, 2021
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 28, 2023
We finally found a nature attraction (in “The North” well technically East hehe) that allows families with young kids!
While MOST public places still do not allow young children (especially tourist spots like Tagaytay), I have been reading online about other places (parks & zoos) in the South area that have started allowing guests with babies and young children.
... And after months of waiting, calling and inquiring, Avilon Zoo finally reopened to the public, and we got to visit last week!
Here are some things I’d like to share with all my fellow parents after our recent adventure in Rizal.
1. GO ON A WEEKDAY AND GO EARLY.
We went on a Thursday and arrived when it opened at 8AM. We were the first ones there and probably the only guests for at least an hour. We saw a total of 4 families (all with at least 1 toddler) in passing throughout our 4-hour stay in the property.
By the time we left at 12:30PM, the parking lot was full of cars.
2. BUY YOUR TICKETS ONLINE
Online rate is Php600/head while walk-in tickets cost Php800. If you’re going with seniors, it’s still cheaper to get the online ticket versus applying the SC discount to your walk-in ticket rate. Kids 1 year old and below are free.
When you buy online, you have to create an account on their website. They email you the payment confirmation and instructions to print your ticket. In my case, there were no tickets attached to the email, so I just printed my invoice / proof of payment and showed it at the entrance.
3. GETTING THERE
Make sure you double-check the map/directions on the Avilon Zoo website. There are a lot of road closures in the area because of bridge constructions, and Waze did NOT take that into account when we drove there. Follow the road signs that guide you to ALTERNATE ROUTES.
4. THEY HAVE COVID-19 PREVENTION MEASURES, BUT I HAVE COMMENTS.
They did NOT take our temperature upon entry, and also did NOT ask us to sign any contact tracing forms (although, they did have my records because of my online account when purchasing the tickets); maybe they have a separate process for walk-in guests (?)
They require all guests to wear masks and face shields. There are also a lot of signs around the property reminding you about it*; however, I noticed that while all the staff wore masks, none of them wore face shields. (my guess would be because the entire property is open-air and has a lot of ventilation)
They do not have guided tours anymore, but they do have clearly placed signage/directions (numbered 1-70) to guide you through the property and direct the flow of people doing their respective walking tours.
Going through all 70 stations will require close to 3,000 steps! I’m probably just nitpicking, but I wish they had maps available as well to show us the routes we were taking and what animals / habitats to expect in each station. There were some stops that we would have wanted to skip so we could spend more time in other stations; although, I do understand the need to direct the foot traffic 😀
All bathrooms have soap for proper hand washing, and they also have alcohol stations.
I honestly do not know how many people they accommodate at a given time, but the property is also HUGE and outdoors, so it can definitely allow for safe and proper social distancing for its guests.
*One staff member did mention that if there are no other people around, you can remove your face shields from time to time; and they are not as strict with requiring YOUNG children to keep their masks on at all times.
5. THINGS TO BRING
You will be walking A LOT, and it gets warmer as the day progresses. Wear loose and comfy clothing and comfy shoes. For the kids, it would be better for them to wear pants / leggings then apply insect repellent and sunblock beforehand. (Oh, and don’t forget our fave mosquito patches!) Also, while most areas are shaded because of the trees, it would be nice to make the kiddos wear a hat.
I brought my usual big baby bag (you know, the one that weighs at least 10lbs), but I left it in the car. I chose to bring a smaller backpack inside the zoo with only the essentials – wipes, alcohol, snacks, water jug and money.
A lightweight stroller will also be your saviour. If you’re going with toddlers, they’re probably going to want to run around and explore the 8-hectare property; but because the space is SO big, they will get tired. If you want to avoid having to carry them, trust me, bring a stroller. Most of the zoo is PWD/stroller-friendly with ramp access. There are just some areas that have stairs.
NOT A SPONSORED POST but I do want to share that our Looping stroller has definitely been one of our best/favorite “big purchases.” It’s been the perfect travel stroller for our family for two years (and counting). It was nice to finally bring it out of storage after so many months. 😂
6. FOOD
Bring water and STAY HYDRATED. The kids may get hungry midway through the walking tour, so bring snacks as well!
They have an outdoor restaurant where you can buy snacks, packed food, and refreshments, but we chose not to dine-in anymore for safety reasons.
According to the website, you can bring your own food but it is subject to corkage fee.
(Speaking of food, make sure you and the kids have a good breakfast before going so you have the energy to walk and explore the whole place!)
7. FEEDING THE ANIMALS
There are some stations that allow you to feed the animals. They charge Php 50 per (small) container of food. It’s totally up to you if you would like to avail of the additional activity, but my little boy was over-the-moon with excitement. It was worth every peso.
8. HAVE FUN!!!!
For at least 4 hours, life felt “normal” again. It was a good adventure for us, but also a nice “sanity trip” for the momma.
Our children’s innocence is a beautiful thing, and seeing them explore and enjoy the little things (animals, branches on the ground, berries that fell from the tree), was such a wonderful experience.
I would also like to acknowledge the efforts of the Avilon Zoo management for maintaining their property and properly caring for all their animals, despite the challenges of the almost-one-year lockdown. It would be great if we could support them so they can also continue to serve the public.
If you have any inquiries about our adventure to the zoo, feel free to drop a question in the comments section!
Disclaimer:
As much as we can, parents keep their kids indoors for obvious reasons; but we are also looking for SAFE outdoor places during this time where we can still enjoy nature and allow our children to explore and develop.
It is vital that we ALL follow current COVID-19 prevention guidelines wherever we go, in order to keep everyone around us safe. 🙂
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