Modeled after a Kenyan nature preserve, the Denver Zoo is home to more than 4,000 animals, including tigers, black rhinos, kangaroos and orangutans. Sprawling across 80 acres of City Park, this impressive facility boasts a number of ways to view our furry, feathered and reptilian friends. Head to Predator Ridge, the recreated African savanna, to see hyenas, lions and African dogs roam, watch monkeys swing from tree branches at Primate Panorama or catch a glimpse of colorful critters like Panamanian golden frogs and green tree pythons at the Tropical Discovery center. You can also overload on cute during a visit to the nursery and take on a ride on the zoo's train and carousel.

While you're here, many travelers highly recommend timing your visit around feeding times, during which staff offers educational lectures about the zoo's residents. Keep in mind that this is a large facility; you'll want to budget plenty of time to see all the animals.

The Denver Zoo is open every day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from March through October and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from November through February. Prices vary depending on the season: In the spring, adult admission is $17 and kids (3 to 11) can enter for $12; in the summer and fall, adults pay $20 and kids pay $14; in the winter, adults will pay $15 to get in while kids will be charged $10. The zoo also offers several free admission days, which are listed on the Denver Zoo website. The walk to the zoo from downtown is about 3 miles; consider hopping on the No. 32 bus, which runs through downtown and LoDo into City Park.