Review: Oschner Park and Zoo

The Ochsner Zoo is open daily from sun up to sun down. With a free admission daily all year round. Granted this zoo is far smaller than most you have seen, it still is more than worthy of a trip out. There are no donations sought here, however if you so choose, you can buy some beverages, snacks or some stuffed animal and t-shirt souvenirs at the Snack Shack. All monies earned there go directly to the zoo.

This zoo is one of my favorite places to go. The animals there are very friendly and if you go there often enough they actually begin to remember you. In here you'll find some of the staple zoo animals as well as some not so common animals.

The Animals

The animals you'll find in here include:

Two Dairy Goats (The brown one is very friendly and loves to jump up on the fence when you feed him)
A Bobcat
Two Owls
A Golden Pheasant
Two Brown Capuchin Monkeys (Lana and Ewing)
Two Black Bears (Bug-a-boo and Berry boo)
Two Llamas (Yoda and Lolita)
One Eastern Timber Wolf (Sue)
Several Deer
A Swan
Some Geese
Free - flying Mallards that are able to fly between here and the creek below
And Black Tailed Prairie Dogs

I think it's sweet that the zoo takes the time to post signs telling the visitors the animal's names. It just makes it more fun and interesting, and perhaps the animals even enjoy the familiarity of hearing their names mentioned.

If you enjoy feeding animals, you'll be delighted to know that the deer, the goats and the prairie dogs all are more than happy for the occasional pellet feed that we've thrown to them.

The Playground and Picnic Area

Below the zoo is a playground and picnic area in the park. This also includes a large shelter and a smaller one as well as a gazebo, picnic tables, bathroom facilities and public grills. Everything needed for a wonderful family outing. If you'd like to have a gathering or party of sorts here, the large shelter can be rented for an entire day for $50. It's a first come first serve basis to rent it, so it's suggested that you reserve well in advance if you are set on having your function hosted here.

The playground area has several toys for children of all ages to play on including a large jungle gym for older aged kids and a smaller, red one for the preschool aged child.

Lower Ochsner Park

Down a rather steep hill by the large shelter is lower Ochsner Park. This lower half of the park offers a large field usually used to host soccer and softball events, a nice walk and a bike path lined that is available to dogs. There are benches along the way to stop and rest, or to just admire the creek that also runs along the path. You will almost always find mallards swimming here, and they will come up to you a bit if you have some food incentives for them. They, however are pretty wild and won't let you get terribly close to them.

If you happen to make your way here during the warm, summer months and you are fan of raspberries, I'd suggest taking along a small container. There's plenty of wild raspberries growing here, and they are literally free for the picking. They are incredibly tasty, too!

There's also a old fashioned foot bridge here and basketball courts on the other side of the bridge.

For a free park and zoo, you and your family will leave delighted, satisfied, and ready to plan your next trip out here.