Families will have a field day at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, a combination zoo and botanical garden that offers a great menu of attractions and activities. Among the zoo's three thousand animals are those housed in the Primate, Cat & Aquatics Building, where visitors will find thirty-four primate species including gorillas, chimpanzees, and lemurs, cheetahs and snow leopards, and sharks, piranhas, octopus, and gigantic Aldabra tortoises.
The botanical gardens are equally spectacular, and include the Rainforest, a two-acre, two-level exhibit that is home to six thousand plants and hundreds of jungle animals, and features a waterfall and special-effects tropical rainstorm experience. Kids will like the Insectarium with its variety of creepy-crawlies, while those bent on more beautiful pastures will want to stroll through the other stunning gardens, such as the Hummingbird and Butterfly Garden and the Sensory Garden, where guests can touch, smell, and even hear a variety of unique plants. The Zoo also offers plenty of special activities, including wild animal shows, a roving theatre, puppet shows, and African cultural activities.
