By Andrew DeCredico
Just a short drive from Ocean City, nestled away in Cape May Court House, is one of the county’s most priceless features. The Cape May County Park & Zoo is home to some of the most fearsome animals in the county, as well as some of the most adorable and fun-loving ones. For anyone that would like to take a try at disk golf, the park is also home to 9 holes of the difficult sport. Adding to the list of fun things to do, the park is home to Tree to Tree Cape May, an aerial adventure course and zip line park meant for all ages and abilities.
The zoo is an amazing piece of the community, and always puts a smile on visitor’s faces. From the minute you drive through the front gate onto the park’s property, the employees make you feel welcome and genuinely seem to hope that you enjoy your time there. Getting into the zoo could not be simpler. There is no line to wait in to buy your ticket, and in fact, there is no ticket at all. The zoo does not charge admission. Instead, they ask family’s to donate whatever they are able to at the time.
With over 30 exhibits, and over 200 different species of animals, the Cape May County Zoo is sure to impress all patrons. Boasting an impressive 550 individual animals, the zoo has different sections separating different types of animals. In the reptile and amphibian room, all sorts of animals can be seen, from small geckos, to a large alligator, even a burmese python.
As for birds, many of them can be seen in the World or Birds Aviary, but some can even be seen without cages. Guinea hens, and peacocks can be seen wandering around the park’s property at all hours of the day. As you work your way around the zoo, you will walk by all sorts of mammals, including camels, lions, alpacas, cheetahs, and even buffalo! In the back of the zoo you’ll find the savannah, where they house the zebras as well as the giraffes.
Outside of the zoo, Tree to Tree aerial adventure course and zip line park is fun for the whole family. The adventure park is on the zoo’s property and just to the right of the entrance to the zoo itself. Starting with training and finishing with an awesome zip line course, families will have hours of fun climbing through the trees at Tree to Tree adventure park. Tree to Tree has two different groups of courses, and height is the determining factor in which course you’ll explore. Children 7 and over need to be able to reach 4’7” before they are able to explore the kids courses. Adults need to be able to reach 5’11” before they are able to explore the adults courses. After training, a family could spend hours climbing around in the trees. It is definitely a full day’s experience.
The disk golf course looks simple to most, but is more challenging than one might think. Folks will need to bring their own disks, but the park holds 9 holes of the tricky sport, wrapping around the zoo’s property from front to back. If disk golf isn’t your thing, the park has many pavilions that can be reserved for a party or picnic, as well as a playground for young children to play on.
If you find yourself looking for something to do around Ocean City, what better way to spend a day, than exploring one of the country’s best parks. Only miles away, your day can easily be filled with excitement and exploration of new worlds.
