runintherain

I went here last month and it was one of the best days I’ve ever had. The animals were clearly VERY happy and well taken care of (100% sure the ones I saw were not drugged, see: http://www.youtube.com/user/linedspaces) but with enough safety precautions and assistance in place to make visiting convenient and relatively carefree. Everyone I talked to who was working, living or volunteering at the temple was very friendly.

I would certainly recommend going as early in the day as possible, especially as getting there can be difficult. It’s also worth it to do as many of the additional programs as possible (ex. bottle feeding the tiger cubs, staying behind after the general closing time to watch the biggest of the cats being exercised and playing together, etc.)

This is also a really great photographic opportunity for anyone so inclined.

Lastly, don’t forget to wander around the area for a bit, to see all the other animals! They have much more than just tigers. :)

After cruising from Seattle, through the Inside Passage and up to Kodiak, I definitely recommend going to Seward to see wildlife. I went on other formal excursions and the one organized by Kenai Fjords Tours, in Seward, was by far the best. We saw about 30 killer whales (some of which came up close to investigate the boat and many of whom were young and jumping out of the water), 4 or 5 humpbacks (generally mother and child) which also came close, a group of Dall’s Porpoise which were bow riding for about 10 minutes, both types of puffins, a colony of about 40 sea lions, a handful of seals, a LOT of common murre and of course several glaciers. Furthermore, they were very conscious of trying to minimize their impact on the wildlife. I highly recommend the company!

I live in Westminster and this is definitely my favorite park. It’s smaller but less crowded and has a nicer feel than places like Hyde Park. The small lake is exactly the right size to reflect the trees and famous buildings around it.