Los Angeles Zoo

One can easily spend a whole day roaming the beautifully landscaped, well-kept, 113-acre Los Angeles Zoo. Most of the 1,200 animals are out and about (so you don't have that, "Well, it SAYS there's a pipering guan in there, but I don't see anything" syndrome). If your feet get tired, a shuttle bus is available to take you around for a nominal fee.

Marvel at the giraffes' long, black tongues and the regal and solemn gorillas perched atop rocky cliffs. Other highlights include the "World of Birds," river otters, black bears, "Animals and You" and the wide variety of colorful, noisy monkeys and the hard-to-spot koalas. The only "bad animals" seem to be the pesky zoo visitors who throw coins at the alligators to see if they're really alive and toss pieces of soft pretzel to the monkeys. The "Chimpanzees of the Mahale Mountains" exhibit houses 13 chimpanzees. New additions include two snow leopards, a baby anoa, a baby pudu and a refurbished black bear exhibit.