Night Howls
Third Thursdays, October through February from 5:30-7pm
October 18
November 15
December 20
January 17
February 21
Bundle up and bring your friends to the zoo to hear the wolves howl, the owls hoot and the big cats call!
Participants will begin the night indoors enjoying hot cider and cookies while learning about nocturnal animals and the noises they make. Guests will then proceed outdoors for a guided tour of the zoo in the dark to observe the creatures and enjoy spectacular views of the city at night.
Members: Children $9/Adults $12
Non-Members: Children $12/Adults$15
To pre-register, visit our Square store.
Breakfast with the Animals
Join us at the Mill Mountain Zoo every 3rd Saturday at 8:30am, May-October for a unique opportunity to have breakfast with the animals. Guests will be treated to a light breakfast buffet and the chance to meet one of the zoo’s education outreach animals. This will be immediately followed by a special chat with zookeepers as they amaze our guests with more fun and educational facts about our animal residents. This intimate experience will allow zoo visitors to learn more about various animals’ diets, behavior and personalities. Following the chat, there will be a child-focused and parent-assisted project and activity sheet that will be designed to further foster excitement and knowledge about the featured animals.
Cost per breakfast:
$15/non-member adult $12/member adult
$12/non-member child $9/member child
$45/non-member family of 4 $35/member family of 4
Click here for downloadable registration form.
Saturday, October 20-Ruminate with the Raptors
How would you like to have the keen eyesight of a bird of prey? Learn about this and a lot of other great information about raptors. Visit for breakfast, and then hear about some of the zoo’s resident birds of prey. After the keeper chat, children will design a collage of their favorite raptor and an activity sheet inspired by the zoo’s birds of prey.
Zoo Boo
Saturday, October 27 from 11-4pm
Are you looking for a great, safe place to bring your family for some howling Halloween fun? Spend your Halloween holiday at Mill Mountain Zoo’s annual Zoo Boo! From trick-or-treating, to costume contests, to performances and “spooktacular” art activities, Zoo Boo is a fun-filled day for the whole family! Plus, you get to enjoy it all in the beautiful outdoor setting of Mill Mountain Zoo. Even better, all of these activities are FREE with Zoo admission! So for a “terrorably” good time, come and celebrate Halloween 2018 with the animals and staff of Mill Mountain Zoo.
2nd Annual Fierce Films Festival
Thursday, March 14 from 6-8pm
Calling all budding filmmakers! Mill Mountain Zoo is looking for 3-15 minute short film entries about animals, nature or conservation. Film submissions from all ages are welcome! Mill Mountain Zoo Staff will select 7-15 films, depending on length, to show at The Spot on Kirk from 6-8pm on March 14. One winner will be selected at the end of the screening and will win a Mill Mountain Zoo Gift Basket and Family Membership.
All submissions must be on DVD, preferably in MP4 or AVI formats and mailed to or dropped off at the Zoo by February 8.
For the screening, all ages are welcome!
Tickets:
$15/non-member adult
$12/non-member child
Members get in for free!
Tickets can be purchased through our online store. https://squareup.com/market/mmzoo
Spring Fling
Saturday, March 23 from 11-4pm
Spring is in the air! Come up to Mill Mountain Zoo to celebrate the beginning of spring with activities related to gardening, birding and other fun things to get you thinking about springtime! Enjoy spring themed crafts, get your face painted and of course see our great collection of animal residents. All of the activities are included with regular zoo admission!
Spring Break Camp
Mill Mountain Zoo’s Spring Break Zoo Venture is back! As in years past, each day has a special theme and is chocked full of fun and educational activities. There will be hands-on interactions with animals, guided zoo tours, games, art activities, stories and more. To make it easy for any schedule, parents can pick and choose half days or full days and can enroll their children in one day or in all three!
Registration
Zoo Venture is designed for students ages 5-13. Half day camps run from 9am-12pm or 12:30-3:30pm. Campers can also be enrolled in the full day from 9am-3:30pm. All camps are outdoors and occur rain or shine, so students must dress appropriately. Tennis shoes are required. Full day campers should bring along a lunch that does not require refrigeration. The zoo will provide water and juice.
Registration deadline is April 8, 2019!
Reservations can only be made with full payment. No refunds are given unless the zoo cancels camp. Space in all camps is limited. To register, fill out the downloadable registration form and return to the zoo with full payment. Registration may be faxed, mailed, e-mailed or dropped off at the zoo. No phone reservations will be accepted. Please call or email Bambi Godkin with additional questions at (540) 343-3241 x23 or education@mmzoo.org.
Day Rates:
Member Non-Member
Morning Half Day (9am-12pm) $30 $40
Afternoon Half Day (12:30-3:30pm) $30 $40
Full Day (9am-3:30pm) $55 $65
3 Day Rate:
Member Non-Member
Morning Half Day (Tues-Thurs.) $85 $100
Afternoon Half Day (Tues.-Thurs.) $85 $100
Full Day (Tues.-Thurs.) $160 $180
Camp Schedule
Tuesday, April 16-Eew, That’s Gross!
Scent marking, regurgitation, eating your own skin and even eating your own…dare we say it? Poo! These are just a few of the behaviors animals can engage in that people may find pretty yucky. Campers will spend the day learning why these behaviors are so important and how they actually help animals survive.
Wednesday, April 17-Extreme Animals
Many animals have amazing abilities that allow them to do extreme things. How does a snow leopard stay warm in cold mountain temperatures? What helps certain animals feel so at home in the water? Campers will explore these adaptations and many others that allow animals to live and thrive in extreme conditions and do extreme things.
Thursday, April 18-Animal Detectives
What makes a bird a bird or a mammal a mammal? Do reptiles always have scales? Campers will learn about how animals are classified and use their detective skills to identify various animals at the zoo.