The One-Of-A-Kind Zoo In Kansas With Surprises Around Every Corner
By Clarisa|Published April 21, 2019
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Clarisa
Author
Born and raised Kansan, Clarisa has lived in both tiny towns and cities during their time here in the Sunflower State. As a busy mother of one crazy kid, two cats, and two geckos, they write whenever there is spare time.
Are you ready for another Kansas adventure? Every zoo has its own perks and place in the state, and it’s always fun seeing exotic animals up close, especially in a place where you can have so much fun. There’s not a lot of zoos out there like this one, and we’re lucky to have it right here in Kansas. Make sure this attraction is on your travel list this year, because you won’t want to miss out on everything it has to offer.
Welcome to the Riverside Park and Ralph Mitchell Zoo located in Independence, Kansas.
This beautiful park was founded in 1914, and renowned landscaper George Kessler designed a park that works best with the landscape and would provide for future endeavors.
The zoo itself includes numerous animals of many different types and sizes, but nothing too crazy. It's a small zoo, but with all the things you can do at both the zoo and park in one day, you get the best of both worlds.
One of the most famous locations here at the zoo is Monkey Island, a manmade castle surrounded by water that houses adorable and smart primates, and was the home of America's first space monkey. It (and many others) were built in the 1930s by the WPA, but has been renovated in recent years to improve the structure and function of the building.
Though they started with rhesus monkeys, they moved to spider monkeys and today, this water castle houses capuchin monkeys that you can see peeking through windows, running amok, and playing together.
Next time you're looking for a day full of family fun, check out Riverside Park and Ralph Mitchell Zoo in Independence. They're open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
You’ll find Ralph Mitchell Zoo at Riverside Park, 1736 N 5th St, Independence, Kansas.
While you’re in the mood for animals, make sure you get your grub at an animal-named restaurant! This restaurant and brewery is all the wild you’ll need.
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