The Virginia Zoo is celebrating Mother’s Day with discounts in the Zoo gift shop and free train rides for moms on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11, 2014.
“The future depends on mothers, because they bring the next generation into the world, both in the animal kingdom and in the human world,” said Greg Bockheim, the Virginia Zoo’s executive director. “These discounts are our way of saying thanks for everything mothers do.”
Mothers who bring proof of motherhood — a child of any age — can enjoy discounts at the Zoo gift shop of 20 percent for Zoo members and 10 percent for nonmembers, and a free train ride, too! Regular Zoo admission applies.
The Zoo gift shop features gifts for every animal lover, including animal-themed apparel, animal art, ornaments, jewelry, flip-flop animals and more.
The Zoo train, formally known as the Norfolk Southern Express, is a one-third scale model of a C.P. Huntington steam engine. It runs daily during the summer season, and can accommodate more than 80 passengers and wheelchairs. Tokens can be purchased at the Zoo ticket booth, or at the Beazley Foundation Train Station located near the Zoo’s fountain plaza. The three-quarter mile-long journey includes live narration from the train engineer about the Zoo and its collection of plants and animals.
A mother points out a giraffe to her son at the Virginia Zoo’s Okavango Delta exhibit Oct. 20, 2013. Moms get a discount at the Zoo gift shop and a free train ride on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11, 2014 (Virginia Zoo photo by Winfield Danielson).
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As an accredited Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) facility, the Virginia Zoo exhibits more than 400 animals on 53 beautifully landscaped acres. For more than a century, the Virginia Zoo has demonstrated a commitment to education and conservation, and offered a fun-filled day for visitors of any age. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and located at 3500 Granby Street in Norfolk. Daily admission prices are $11 for adults, $10 for seniors (age 62 and over) and $9 for children ages 2-11. Children under 2 receive FREE admission! Visit www.virginiazoo.org or call (757) 441-2374 for more information.
