Do you love animals? Are you visiting Atlanta? Great news...we have LOTS of animals! But enough about our citizens. We actually have lions and tigers and bears...dolphins and horses and a Big Chicken! No, seriously...we have a Big Chicken!
So, let me share with you here quite a few fun animal encounters. It's by no means an exhaustive list, but it's a great start.
First of all, in the four years since I moved back to Atlanta, and perhaps throughout my entire life, one of my most remarkable experiences was Journey With Gentle Giants—swimming with Whale Sharks and Manta Ray—at Georgia Aquarium. We got the video, too!
Georgia Aquarium offers a number of animal encounters, some of them included with admission (petting rays and anemones, etc.), as well as optional animal encounters, including time with penguins and the Beluga Whales!
Of course Zoo Atlanta offers acres and acres of animal sightings, as well as animal encounters. There's a Petting Zoo and and their optional packages include feeding the giraffe or you can interact with the lemur, tortoise, or elephants...there are lots of options!
If you can't make it to Atlanta, you can always watch the Panda Cam!
When you're at the Zoo, be sure to seek out the bronze statue of Zoo Atlanta's most famous gorilla, Willie B., and make a photo with him.
The Atlanta Botanical Garden is considerably more than pretty plants and flowers. It's an "oasis in the city" and home to quite a few animals!
One of their better known projects is amphibian research and conservation. They're working to help save a number of South American frog species.
There are several on display in the Fuqua Conservatory (on the right just as you enter), and on Saturdays at 11:00 a.m., there's a frog feeding! There's an amphibian specialist there to answer questions and give the frogs their crickets, fruit flies and various other treats.
Keep an eye on the Garden's website/Social Media channels for an announcement about the annual Reindog Parade—the one day of the year when visitors may bring their canine companions. You'll see Dog Santas, Dog Elves, Dog Christmas Trees...it's great fun! And the doggies enjoy playing with each other and their many adoring fans.
2014 is the second year, as well as the final year, of "Imaginary Worlds", an exhibition of living plant sculptures. There are 28 this year, the greater majority of them being animals, including the orangutans pictured above. There are also some berries and an AMAZING pink unicorn!
There are lots of animals for kids to discover at Fernbank's "Nature Quest", animals to discover at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, and animals to discover at Stone Mountain Park. Like I said, we have LOTS of animals!
I've shared before that I worked on a horse ranch in Wyoming the summer after I finished high school, also in Wyoming. I'd loved horses since I was a little kid, so working on a horse ranch, with real cowboys, was an incredibly awesome experience.
So you can imagine how exciting it was to see the gallantry and pageantry of the horses at Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament. Spectacular show!
Speaking of larger animals, you can see a two-headed cow at the Georgia Capitol Building Museum, which is open to the public at no charge. No, that wasn't a typo...there's a real two-headed cow—born right here in Georgia—at the Capitol!
Not too far outside of Atlanta is Cheehaw Wild Animal Park, home to 84 species of animals including rhinos, zebras, cheetahs, and a camel! I've not been there in a number of years, but have fond memories. Especially of their goal to breed and release animals back into the wild.
There are many, many animal encounters in Atlanta...of every nature, including the celebrity sort. No, no, Atlanta is not home to Mr. Ed, but we do have the considerably more famous, even if testy, Miss Piggy! And Kermit, too! Thanks to the amazing—soon to expand—Center for Puppetry Arts.
If you're an animal lover, you'll LOVE the wide range of puppet animals you'll see at the Center!
Some of our super fun animals are not exactly sentient, but still rather well known by the locals.
For instance, The Big Chicken, which is regularly noted in traffic reports and was even once referred to on the sitcom Designing Women, a show set in Atlanta [mention of The Big Chicken].
There's also the GIANT fish at the Atlanta Fish Market, and of course the animated, weathered gorilla at the "Gorilla Car Wash" on Cheshire Bridge Road, another Atlanta landmark.
I could go on and on about all the animals in Atlanta! Okay, one more. There's a GIANT polar bear—the Coca-Cola Polar Bear, in fact—that you can see and make a photo with at the World of Coca-Cola.
The fact is, any animal lover can come to Atlanta and have a remarkable visit. Feel free to reach out to me with questions about these and other opportunities. I'd be happy to help bring to light the range of fun possibilities. Have a great, fun time!
So, let me share with you here quite a few fun animal encounters. It's by no means an exhaustive list, but it's a great start.
 |
| Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Whale Sharks, Georgia Aquarium |
First of all, in the four years since I moved back to Atlanta, and perhaps throughout my entire life, one of my most remarkable experiences was Journey With Gentle Giants—swimming with Whale Sharks and Manta Ray—at Georgia Aquarium. We got the video, too!
Georgia Aquarium offers a number of animal encounters, some of them included with admission (petting rays and anemones, etc.), as well as optional animal encounters, including time with penguins and the Beluga Whales!
 |
| Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Tiger, Zoo Atlanta |
Of course Zoo Atlanta offers acres and acres of animal sightings, as well as animal encounters. There's a Petting Zoo and and their optional packages include feeding the giraffe or you can interact with the lemur, tortoise, or elephants...there are lots of options!
If you can't make it to Atlanta, you can always watch the Panda Cam!
When you're at the Zoo, be sure to seek out the bronze statue of Zoo Atlanta's most famous gorilla, Willie B., and make a photo with him.
 |
| Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Frog, Atlanta Botanical Garden |
The Atlanta Botanical Garden is considerably more than pretty plants and flowers. It's an "oasis in the city" and home to quite a few animals!
One of their better known projects is amphibian research and conservation. They're working to help save a number of South American frog species.
There are several on display in the Fuqua Conservatory (on the right just as you enter), and on Saturdays at 11:00 a.m., there's a frog feeding! There's an amphibian specialist there to answer questions and give the frogs their crickets, fruit flies and various other treats.
Keep an eye on the Garden's website/Social Media channels for an announcement about the annual Reindog Parade—the one day of the year when visitors may bring their canine companions. You'll see Dog Santas, Dog Elves, Dog Christmas Trees...it's great fun! And the doggies enjoy playing with each other and their many adoring fans.
 |
| Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Orangutans, Atlanta Botanical Garden |
2014 is the second year, as well as the final year, of "Imaginary Worlds", an exhibition of living plant sculptures. There are 28 this year, the greater majority of them being animals, including the orangutans pictured above. There are also some berries and an AMAZING pink unicorn!
There are lots of animals for kids to discover at Fernbank's "Nature Quest", animals to discover at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, and animals to discover at Stone Mountain Park. Like I said, we have LOTS of animals!
 |
| Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament |
I've shared before that I worked on a horse ranch in Wyoming the summer after I finished high school, also in Wyoming. I'd loved horses since I was a little kid, so working on a horse ranch, with real cowboys, was an incredibly awesome experience.
So you can imagine how exciting it was to see the gallantry and pageantry of the horses at Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament. Spectacular show!
Speaking of larger animals, you can see a two-headed cow at the Georgia Capitol Building Museum, which is open to the public at no charge. No, that wasn't a typo...there's a real two-headed cow—born right here in Georgia—at the Capitol!
Not too far outside of Atlanta is Cheehaw Wild Animal Park, home to 84 species of animals including rhinos, zebras, cheetahs, and a camel! I've not been there in a number of years, but have fond memories. Especially of their goal to breed and release animals back into the wild.
 |
| Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Miss Piggy, Center for Puppetry Arts |
There are many, many animal encounters in Atlanta...of every nature, including the celebrity sort. No, no, Atlanta is not home to Mr. Ed, but we do have the considerably more famous, even if testy, Miss Piggy! And Kermit, too! Thanks to the amazing—soon to expand—Center for Puppetry Arts.
If you're an animal lover, you'll LOVE the wide range of puppet animals you'll see at the Center!
 |
| Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, The Big Chicken |
Some of our super fun animals are not exactly sentient, but still rather well known by the locals.
For instance, The Big Chicken, which is regularly noted in traffic reports and was even once referred to on the sitcom Designing Women, a show set in Atlanta [mention of The Big Chicken].
There's also the GIANT fish at the Atlanta Fish Market, and of course the animated, weathered gorilla at the "Gorilla Car Wash" on Cheshire Bridge Road, another Atlanta landmark.
 |
| Atlanta Animal Lovers Tour, Coca-Cola Polar Bear |
I could go on and on about all the animals in Atlanta! Okay, one more. There's a GIANT polar bear—the Coca-Cola Polar Bear, in fact—that you can see and make a photo with at the World of Coca-Cola.
The fact is, any animal lover can come to Atlanta and have a remarkable visit. Feel free to reach out to me with questions about these and other opportunities. I'd be happy to help bring to light the range of fun possibilities. Have a great, fun time!
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