For the third year in a row, The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens has received USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Travel Award as one of the top 10 zoos in North America.
According to the 10Best website, “North America is home to hundreds of zoological parks, including more than 200 facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Short of heading out into the world's wild places, nothing beats a visit to the zoo to foster an appreciation for the striking animal diversity of our planet. We asked our readers to vote for their favorite North American AZA-accredited zoos – facilities that excel in the fields of animal care and enrichment, while also facilitating meaningful interactions between animals and human visitors.”
A panel of experts partnered with 10Best editors to pick the initial nominees, and the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.
The top 10 winners in the Best Zoo in North America category include the following:
1. Fort Worth Zoo
2. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
3. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
4. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
5. Brevard Zoo
6. Audubon Zoo
7. San Diego Zoo
8. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
9. Dallas Zoo
10. The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
“We are excited to once again be named one of the nation’s top 10 zoos by USA TODAY and the general public, for the third year in a row,” said Allen Monroe, president/CEO of The Living Desert. “As a conservation-first organization it’s an honor to be recognized for our animal care and enrichment, as well as for providing our guests a meaningful place to visit, learn, and make memories, especially during these unprecedented times.”
10Best.com provides users with original, unbiased, and experiential travel content of top attractions, things to see and do, and restaurants for top destinations in the U.S. and around the world. The core of the site's uniqueness is its team of local travel experts, who live in the city they write about so the content is constantly updated, and 10Best.com averages 5 million visitors per month.
The Living Desert is open daily from 7 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For more information about The Living Desert, visit livingdesert.org, or call 760-346-5694.