Choose the Earth to be your Valentine

By Katie Murray, Green Team

In January, you made the normal resolutions for yourself, but have you thought about resolutions that show some love to the Earth? What better time to do so than during the season of love?

Below are those same resolutions we know and love, but this time with an environmental twist!

“Eat Healthier” AND Smarter

  • Cook from scratch: Think about how many pre-packaged meals come wrapped in plastic, and the amount of energy used to mass-produce these meals. When you’re at the store, buy enough food to cook at once and feed yourself for the week!
  • Grow your own veggies: This is another energy saver as your produce won’t need to be shipped, lessening your carbon footprint. Not to mention, you’ll be very proud when you pluck your first ripe tomato!
  • Eat less meat: The amount of water needed to produce a hamburger can be up to 30x more than that of a veggie-filled salad, 660 gallons of water per burger to be exact! Cutting down meat consumption is another way to help conserve water.

“Get More Exercise”

  • Try walking or biking: Walking or biking as a form of transportation to work or school will not only have you feeling great, but will lessen your carbon footprint. If walking or biking isn’t an option for you, consider using public transportation or carpooling instead of driving your individual car.
  • Get outside: It costs nothing to get out there and walk around your neighborhood or favorite park. By going on walks you are improving your health and gaining an apperception for nature. Bring your kids on your walk and help inspire the next generation of nature-lovers. This time of year in Florida is particularly exciting as the White pelicans have migrated here for the winter. See if you can spot them on your next walk!

 “Save Money”

  • Watch your energy consumption: Luckily for us, many times energy savings = money savings. While the price of energy efficient technologies (such as refrigerators, dishwashers, etc.) may be larger up-front, the savings long-term makes them a no-brainer. You might also consider getting an energy assessment done on your house to see if there are things you can do to lessen your energy consumption (new weather stripping, insulate your roof or ceiling, shade your windows, etc.)
  • Do laundry/dishes before 4 p.m. or after 7 p.m.: This won’t cut down the amount of energy used, but may cut down on the amount of money you spend. Many energy companies charge more during “peak hours” between 4-7 p.m.
  • Use a dishwasher: You are likely saving money by washing your dishes in a dishwasher rather than washing them by hand. This seems counterintuitive, as they require energy to run, but the benefits of using less water (which requires less energy to heat) outweigh those of washing by hand.

We hope these tips inspire you to live a healthy lifestyle that will not only benefit you, but also our planet.

Job Fair

Commemorations

Commemorations

Please review our booking tips before continuing

1. Please make one field trip per reservation order. Complete one and start a new one if you have multiple days you are booking.

2. Headcount can be approximate. Please include children and adults in your headcount. Please do not include pass holders in your headcount for a ticket.

3. On the ticket page, choose the correct grade level (to the left of your screen) to receive the correct chaperone ratio.

4. On the ticket page, when on the calendar section, the number of tickets available will appear in the top right corner for each particular day. Tickets available include children and adults. If you have more people than tickets available, please choose another day.

5. Anyone that is ordering lunch, even pass holders and adults that receive free chaperone tickets, do need to pay for a lunch IF they are ordering one. Free chaperone tickets and pass holders are for admission only.

Boxed lunch orders must be received 5 business days prior to your field trip arrival. Groups will be responsible for all boxed lunches that were confirmed at that time.

6. Payment does not need to be paid at the time of registration. Choose the pay upon arrival option if you would like one person to pay for your entire trip on the day of your visit.

7. The prices of adult and children’s tickets are different.

8. You will receive a confirmation number and confirmation letter via email when your trip is confirmed. If you do not, please contact Jamie.Elkington@Zootampa.org right away.

Outside Food & Drinks Policy

ZooTampa at Lowry Park offers a variety of delicious food for guests at several restaurants and concession stands throughout, but we understand that guests may need to bring outside food for special dietary needs. Acceptable and prohibited food items are listed below. For the convenience of our guests, there is a picnic area located outside the park near the main parking lot.

 Acceptable Items
  • Bottled water (max 20oz bottle, sealed) one per guest
  • Small snacks for young children
  • Baby food/baby formula
  • Soft-sided insulated bags no larger than 8.5” wide x 6” high x 6” deep (limit one per child)
  • Pre-purchased empty ZooTampa souvenir cups
  • Any food required for medical purposes and medically-indicated nutritional supplements
 Prohibited Items
  • Prepared or packaged food or meals
  • Alcohol
  • Glass or any open containers or water bottles filled with beverages
  • Hard-sided coolers of any size
  • Soft-sided coolers larger than 8.5” wide x 6” high x 6” deep
  • Suitcases and soft-sided bags with wheels larger than 24” long x 15” wide x 18” high

Prohibited Items

For the safety of our animals, guests and employees, the following items are not permitted to be brought into ZooTampa:

  • Any type of explosive or weapon 
  • Knives or other sharp objects
  • Pepper spray
  • Alcoholic beverages
  • Marijuana
  • Illegal drugs
  • Straws
  • Clothing likely to create a danger or disturbance
  • Any hazardous items or materials

The following items are also prohibited to avoid blocking of walkways and/or trip hazards:

  • Segways
  • Hover boards
  • Two-wheeled scooters
  • Self-balancing electric vehicles
  • Shoes with wheels
  • Drones
  • Hard-sided coolers of any size
  • Soft-sided coolers larger than 8.5” wide x 6” high x 6” deep
  • Suitcases and soft-sided bags with wheels larger than 24” long x 15” wide x 18” high

Please leave any unnecessary articles secured within your vehicle to expedite your entry into the park.

We reserve the right to deny entry to anyone not observing Zoo Rules.

Pay For A Day Tickets

With a new Pay For A Day, Rest of Year Free ticket – for a limited time – you get unlimited admission through December 31, 2024 including access to our seasonal event series. Some blockout dates apply — see below for details. Not valid with any other discounts.

When does my Pay For A Day ticket expire?

Pay for a Day Get the Rest of the Year Free tickets purchased in October, November, or December of 2023, are valid from the day of purchase until 12/31/2024. Any Pay For a Day Get the Rest of the Year Free tickets purchased prior to October 1, 2023 expire on 12/31/2023.

What are the blockout dates?

11/24/23 – 11/26/23
12/26/23 – 12/31/23
3/9/24 – 3/17/24
11/24/24 – 11/26/24
12/26/24 – 12/31/24

Blockout dates apply to admission before 4:00 PM on the above dates.

Can I purchase a Pay For A Day ticket on a blockout date?

Yes! You can purchase a Pay for a Day, Rest of Year Free ticket for first-time use on a listed blockout date and have full access to the park on that day. Blockout dates apply to repeat visitation.

Can I use my Pay For A Day ticket on blockout dates? If you already have your Pay for a Day, Rest of Year Free ticket and wish to visit during a listed blockout date, please stop by the Zoo’s ticketing windows for alternate options:
  1. During blockout periods, Pay For A Day ticket holders have access to significantly discounted single-day tickets.*
  2. For a limited time from the date of purchase, Pay For A Day tickets can be upgraded to a Zoo Membership (with no blockout dates).
I purchased a Pay For A Day ticket online. How do I get my actual ticket?

Bring a copy of your confirmation (or show the confirmation email on your mobile device) to expedite entry into the Zoo. At your convenience during your visit you can stop by the Tours & Guest Services kiosk located just inside the Zoo to print your physical pass. No need to stand in line at the ticket windows. Walk right in!
Still have questions? Email us or call (813) 935-8552 ext. 0.