January 2025: Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium!

For a city that many folks fly over but never visit, Omaha, Nebraska has a lot of really great attractions. One of our favorites is the Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. I'm not exaggerating at all when I say that this is one of the best zoos in the country. In fact, USA Today ranked it number one in the country in 2024! During our month-long stay in Omaha, we picked the warmest day in the forecast and devoted it to visiting the zoo.

(Aerial view of the zoo and desert dome)

Going to the zoo in the winter can be a bit of a gamble with its own list of pros and cons. For example, very few people want to walk around when it's cold outside, meaning there are very few lines or crowds to contend with. On the other hand, some animals are more sensitive to the cold weather and their exhibits may not be open to the public. The day that we visited there were very few people walking around and most of the exhibits were still open, although two of my favorites, the gorillas and orangutans, were closed until spring. With so few people milling about, the animals seemed far more energized and were engaging in their normal behaviors which made viewing them far more exciting!

(Walking through the glass tunnel beneath the large aquarium tank)

The animals in the desert dome were fully awake and moving about their enclosures. The elephants were invested in giving themselves mud-baths while the adolescents poked and prodded the adults mischievously. In the indoor jungle, bats flew about while various species of monkeys chased each other through the branches. It was the most alive I had seen the zoo animals before. Bringing along my camera, I decided to treat this as an opportunity to practice for our upcoming safari trip in Kenya and I snapped as many photos of the animals as I could.

 

This was a memorable daytrip and one I'm happy to have added to our gap year adventures! The next time you're looking for something fun to do in winter, you should consider bundling up and visiting your local zoo; you might get to witness some interesting animal behaviors!