How to Visit the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg, Canada
- 1). Park in front of the zoo for quick access to the entrance.You don't have to walk far. There is public transportation that stops outside of Assiniboine Park on Corydon Ave. on the south side of the park if you prefer to come by bus. The parking lot on the south side is only open in the summer. The east side parking lot is open all year. You'll have to drive into Assiniboine Park to get to that one and follow the signs to the zoo.
- 2). Buy your ticket at the front entrance and head into the zoo. There are quite a few animal exhibits to see. All parts of the zoo are accessible by wheelchair if that is your mode of transportation on outings.
- 3). Pick a direction and start following the path. There is a zoo map available to guide you and show you what area you are in. There are animals in both indoor and outdoor exhibits, so don’t pass by any buildings, or you will miss some wonderful animals. There are large roaming areas for some of the bigger animals on the west and south sides of the zoo, such as the tiger, camels, bison, deer, musk ox and leopard. In fact, directly outside of the zoo gates, wild deer also wander through the big park grounds and can sometimes be seen right next to the zoo. Enjoy seeing the smaller animals in some of the enclosures and buildings.
- 4). Eat at the small café if you get hungry, or bring your own food to one of the picnic areas to eat. The fare is simple, so don’t expect a fancy meal if you are planning to buy.
- 5). Walk over to the famous bronze statue of Lieutenant Harry Colebourn of the Canadian Fort Garry Horse Militia and his adopted bear, Winnipeg. The bear later became known as Winnie the Pooh in the famous children’s stories by A.A. Milne. Winnie was named after the city of Winnipeg.
- 6). Stop at the small gift shop on your way out and get yourself or your kids a souvenir of the zoo excursion. You can get back into the shop without paying admission to the zoo if you want to go back in at a later date.
- 7). Plan a morning trip to the zoo if you want to attend a 3-hour feeding tour and join a member of the zoo staff while they make their rounds. You may get to see some of the animals up close.