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Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo

Right this way to Omaha, Nebraska. A special place there we're looking at while we visit is the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo. It is rated one of the best zoos in the country and situated in the heart of United States. The animals there is organized in unique biomes or by specific animals, or in general. There is the Desert Dome, Aquarium, Jungle, Cat House, Aviary, and more. These places will be covered in a little bit more detail as we venture into the zoo. Won't be covered but there are restaurants and cafes as you wander around the zoo looking at the animals. The food and drink is delicious. Perfect size for the size of the zoo. Will be covered is the gift shop. At the end of the journey we can stop by the gift shop and pick up a souvenir. It will be one trip we won't forget.

Let's begin with the Desert Dome. The Desert Dome is remarkable and huge. Once inside, it feels like you are walking in a desert. There are animals that belong in the desert at home in this habitat. Ranging cats to snakes, they got it all. There is a sandy path to venture through and tunnels as well. The dome is visible almost right away when you enter and you can see the space inside is spacious all around, containing various plants along the way. It is bright and warm inside, no need for a jacket. The journey takes approximately an hour to walk through and visit with all the animals available. There is also a bonus cave walk through attached to the Desert Dome where they have bats as well. All their animals are kept healthy and safely in exhibits.

Next is the Aquarium. This aquarium is unlike any around the world. It is a walk through and the fish and sharks and manta rays can swim over your head. This walk through must be the coolest part of the aquarium. To your left is fish and to your right is fish. But up above too could be fish as well. There is coral growing bright and colorful to help feel like home for the fish. The decorations at the bottom is just as entertaining. This is the biggest part of the aquarium. I love it and is a favorite of mine. There is also jellyfish, starfish, and clown fish too. This is the best view to get a taste of what lives in the ocean. Walk, sit down, and enjoy the view. Eventually you'll reach the end. There's fun facts along the way.

Third is the Jungle biome. There are Macaws and Toucans here as well as monkeys. There are also other animals here which walks on four feet. They also give fun facts about the animals they display here. Even go through a waterfall. There's a spot where you could end up cold and wet from the waterfall. I've been there. It's so addicting to walk through that spot though. The water keeps going, but some of it ends up in the path. Then we go downward to the bottom. More animals awaits. It's exciting to go through the jungle. Go up and go down, there's animals all around. There are also some magnificent plants as well.

And more there are elephants. They show different kinds of elephants there. There are giraffes as well. Wallabies too. There's a ride to take to see these other animals that don't fit into a certain category. I've been on this ride myself. Walking would take a long time and all day at the zoo wouldn't cut it. I think there are wolves as well. There may still be a Rhino or two out there. They have new buildings for the new elephants being introduced into the zoo and more additional features here.

Next is the Aviary, where the birds are kept. There are different kinds of birds in there and well worth a visit on a sunny or cloudy day. Walking through the trees is amazing and here and there are the birds. Some might even fly close by. Speaking of close encounter, I've gotten pretty close to one one time. Still at a safe distance, but sure was close.

Lastly, there is the Cat House. This is where they keep the lions and tigers as well as several other different types of cats. One of my favorite places as well, besides the aquarium. The cats are huge and some are striped, some are dotted, and others are plain. It is an interesting variety. If it starts raining this is a go to place to shelter from the rain. Usually one of the last stops before the gift shop.

The gift shop is a neat must go to stop as we end our day. There is a variety of stuffed toy animals to choose from as well as some other related things. I generally look at all the toys. I had gotten a fruit bat and a snake one time from the shop. That lasted me years. Until I gave it away to my niece and nephew. Don't have it anymore. But it served as a memory and a reminder of my trip over to the zoo with my family. There is no question about it I had fun. We all did.

The Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo is a must go trip, whether planning on being in Omaha, Nebraska for a day or for a week. There is many exciting animals to see and it's divided into biomes and types of animals for the most part. Desert Dome, Aquarium, and Jungle are all biomes while Cat House, Aviary, and more is more about specific animals. Kids and adults alike will love it there and will want to come back next year for more. I've listed in order of the places I go to while I visit the zoo. I believe I didn't cover Butterfly Pavilion but that's another option to enjoy as well. And there are restaurants and cafes along the way.

Prompt: Travel piece
Word Count: 1010
Contest: "Marketing Muse is Closed for Judging"