And once again I'm asking for some opinions. We will have 3 hsing, and 2 not in school yet very shortly. I would like to invest in a few family passes - to our local zoo, and maybe some of the museums.... Here's my question: we live in a slightly rural area-do i invest in ones that are a bit of a drive, but places we love-which we may only get to 2 or 4 times in a year? Or keep it to super close areas which we would go to more often, but might not be the kids favs? (ie: local has a zoo but the aquarium is FAR....you get the idea.) I'm trying to be realistic what with new baby and only so much $$$$$...... I hate realistic......
I would go with the closer ones. Most passes take 2-3 visits to "break even", depending on your family size. Five kids might make it tight, but I'm guessing at least one if not two are in the "free" range. If you're going to go, perhaps you would do better to just spring for one "love" trip a year? Our passes make us visit more often, lol. I convinced my inlaws to get us a science museum pass for Christmas, and the kids loved it so much that they got a zoo pass for everyone's birthday (combined). We hit at least one of the two a month, sometimes two. Of course, our "close" ones are 45 mts; we're rural, too. edited to add: check for reciprocal programs. One way I convinced my inlaws was to point out that the passes they bought would get the kids into the children's museum in Atlanta, where they live, and the zoo passes would give a discount to the Atlanta zoo. If the grandparents or family friends or someone you visit frequently live near one, then you may use the "love" one more frequently than you think.
Depends on how tight money is. We're rural too, about 2-3 hours from the attractions in Atlanta (depending on the traffic and how many stops we make) I'd love to buy a pass or 2. But right now, it would be useless, as we couldn't afford the gas to go more than probably 2 times a year, which would be a waste of money. Plus, with young kids, it makes for a VERY VERY long day and usually whiny trip back home. Once hubby finds a job, hopefully he'll make enough that we can afford gas for about 6 trips a year or so, then it would be worth it. Right now, we're just using the free zoo in Athens (VERY small) and a nature center when has activities, nature walks, ect for a free sometimes, sometimes a small fee, some things are like $5, some are $20 But, it's like 20-30 minutes from the house.... Personally, I don't care for zoo Atlanta, but I'd love pass to the children's museum and fern bank and some aquarium (haven't been to the Atlanta one yet, so don't know if that's the one I'd chose or not, I might opt for one of the ones in TN and just make the aquarium trips weekend getaways with 1-2 nights in a hotel....) ETA-you got me to dreaming about it LOL so I was checking out prices for memberships, check and see if they offer an educator discount-fern bank has this and it's good for homeschoolers, just have to show your letter of intent! ETA again LOL: WOW SOOOOO gonna buy passes for fern bank and children's museum when hubby gets a job! Both are much cheaper than I thought they would be ($75 and $125 for the whole fam) AND BOTH are good in other states as well. So we could use the Atlanta ones AND the SC ones (we're right on the state line) And go on a weekend vacation to surrounding states like Tn and Alabama (I so just heard Forrest Gump in my head as I type out Alabama LOL)
We thought about a pass to the Philly Zoo this year.. because we planned on making a day trip and until we paid for our whole family to get in, to ride in the hot air balloon, to ride the carousel, and one other thing they had it would be cheaper to buy a family pass that gave each of us one of each of those things every time we went. Then we thought twice about it.. Philly is the closest zoo.. and it's 4 hours away, we can also go to DC to the National Zoo in a 5 hour drive, or the Baltimore Aquarium in a 4 hour drive. I also think there is an Aquarium in NJ near Philly.. so that one is a 4 hour drive as well. I did my math... 4 kids + 4 hours in my truck each way = $80 in gas + $10 in Tylonal each trip. I said forget it
whe we do the pass thing it is at places that havemore places attached so we can get into different ones with he same pass, check that out and see if you have one that does that! Because the local zoo may be boring after a bit but if you pic nic and do projects using them you can make it more fun... yet if it also is attached to one at a nother city drivable distance away, maybe fun to do a day trip away or even a camp out to see the other zoo etc with the pass for it? Kwim? We had one that was good here and in Seattle Wa, so when we went to visit people up there we got to zoo for free there!
How can you tell if there is an affiliation? Our Santa Barbara zoo is awesome....LA zoo is next closest - but LA has tons of fabulous museums too. I just am not sure how to tell if they're affiliated with each other (I think the museums are.....) Hmmm....asking relativew to help-thats a good idea!
I would call Santa Barbara and ask about reciprocity, and see what zoos they have agreements with. Ask LA, too! Sometimes the reciprocity allows for free admission, sometimes you pay a discounted admission. We bought a membership to a science museum a few summers back, and was able to attend two other museums while on vacation...one in New Hampshire and one in Maine. We were camping, and it was a great way to spend a VERY rainy day!
