Lions, Tigers and Bears! Oh my!
Trick or Treating at the Lake Superior Zoo. Photo from Lake Superior Zoo
It’s Spooky Season at the Lake Superior Zoo, and people of all ages are invited to explore the zoo grounds each Saturday in October to celebrate Halloween's finest tradition of trick or treating during their annual event, “Boo at the Zoo.”
With the Lake Superior Zoo maintaining normal operations throughout the week, the property opens on Saturday morning at 10 a.m., ready to welcome guests dressed in their finest Halloween costumes and outfits. Friends and families of all ages are allowed to park their vehicles, time-traveling DeLoreans included, in the zoo parking lot or on the adjacent neighborhood streets if the parking lot reaches its capacity. It is recommended that guests arrive early in the day to secure closer parking. However, if you enjoy a nice frolic before your zoo adventure begins, then you should have no problem parking a few blocks away.
Guests can either purchase their tickets online or at the window at the zoo entrance. Once you’ve received your entry ticket, you may continue your quest into the zoo grounds. Inside the outer fence, food trucks wait patiently for hungry Monsters Inc. characters and dinosaurs alike. Food options include burgers, gourmet marshmallows, kettle corn, shave ice and more.
Further down the path, going in all directions, vendors line the paths ready to hand out treats to the mini Jack Skellington. They are followed by their parents, who converse with the vendor about their business, all the while the child sneaks a couple of extra pieces of candy. It is an engaging experience for both the children and their adults, while also establishing community visibility and business opportunities for vendors.
On the opposite side of the zoo, a little girl dressed as a fairy princess stands with her brother, who appears to be a Minecraft Creeper, and together they press their faces impossibly closer to the glass as an Alaskan Peninsula Brown Bear tilts his ears curiously towards their happy shrieks. Following the scent of sweet candy, smoky barbecue and porta-potties in the air, the bear walks proudly around his exhibit before climbing a boulder and standing on his hind legs. As he raised his paws in a stinky, fish-smelling hello, everyone at the glass applauded with only a few guests taking a couple of steps backward. It’s a fair guess that they probably won’t be dressing up as a Grizzly Bear this Halloween season.
Overall, spending a couple of hours on a Saturday at the Lake Superior Zoo will result in new friendships, memories of fascinating animals, sleepy children (or children on a sugar-fueled tirade), and a bag heavy with brochures and sweet treats. The next, and last, opportunity to attend “Boo at the Zoo” is this coming Saturday, October 25th. Stay spooky, and Happy Halloween!