Roar & Snore at Wild Animal Park

“Zzzzzzzzzz….ZZZZZZZ….Zzzzzzz”

 

The snoring grew louder and louder.

 

“Was that a lion snoring?” I asked my fellow campers.

 

“No,” my friend Lisa replied, “it’s the next door neighbor.”

 

It was, in fact, the grumpy father in the tent next to ours that was serenading us—as well as nearby lions—during our fun-filled, educational one night camp-out at San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park in the savannah of San Diego’s North County.

 

Lisa and her two children, Nico, age 8, and Isa, 6, joined me for a “Snore and Roar” sleepover (the program is 12 years old) staged within the confines of the park, followed by an afternoon at nearby La Costa Resort. It was a perfect pairing for a weekend getaway; a dusty camp-out viewing the animals, topped off with a dollop of luxury.

 

Let me start at the beginning: We arrived, dumped off our overnight bags, pillows and sleeping bags at a check-in kiosk, walked through the park, stopping to feed the colorful lorikeets (native to New Guniea), pausing for cotton candy and ice cream, before checking into camp. Or I could cut straight to the best parts of our less than 24-hour stay at Wild Animal Park.

 

There were plenty.

 

I loved our early morning walk with our fantastic guide Joyce, who is also a 4^th grade teacher, through the park BEFORE it opened to the public, allowing us an un-crowded visit during the last day of the amazing butterfly exhibit (this summer dinosaurs in the conifer forest is the special exhibit that replaces what we saw).

 

I liked viewing the “freeloaders”: wild egret, California mule deer and bunny rabbits that make their way to the park that is inhabited mostly by caged African game (although I;m not a great fan of caged beasts, thought perhaps better than lions running free with delicious humans in the mix).

 

The theme of our evening classes and games was pollination and a hilarious time was had by all, as the children pollinated volunteer parents wearing funny costumes. We also released ladybugs into one of the gardens on the 1,800 acre wildlife preserve, as part of our pollination lessons.

 

We all loved the “animal ambassadors” and got to get “up close and personal” with a Spring Hare and a cute little sharp-toothed Sugar Glider named Aruk, an Australian marsupial, described as a “flying staple gun”. Other keen observations we heard about  included Red River Hog babies described as “watermelons with legs”!

 

Viewing the lions, tigers and baby cubs after dinner and before s’mores was a thrill.

Meals and snacks were included. Dinner was a choice of bar-b-que chicken, beef, hot dogs and salad. The one rub: a beer or glass of wine will cost you $7 and you can’t B.Y.O.B., although we heard that someone did sneak in a flask of something or other

 

It was cold the April night during our visit. After Nico complained four times, I suggested he crawl in bed with his mother who apparently was elbowed all night. We semi-envied the fancier tents that have floors, real beds and electricity (we slept on pads on canvas tent floors) but were proud of roughing it.

 

I asked the kids what their favorite part was (excluding the cotton candy of course) and they both agreed they liked the Nursery Kraal and the baby animal care on view. We had to tear ourselves away from Amara, a South African baby cheetah playing with toys with one of the zoo keepers, when our guide urged us on.

 

I asked the cranky father, as our group made our way out of the park, what he thought of the “Snore and Roar” experience. He bragged about real camp outs and fishing trips in Colorado and was a bit dismissive about he and his darling son, Beckett’s, experience. But that wasn’t the point. Besides, I thought to myself, I bet he’d get eaten alive by the bears who’d hear his snoring for miles around in the wild. Go ahead and rough it, I thought to myself, but just be sure and give the animals ear plugs!

 

Tamer and much less expensive than a visit to Africa, without the jet lag or shot and with the animals in captivity as opposed to viewing in the wild, Wild Animal Park is a delightful and memorable outing that I recommend to most anyone, especially kids and kids at heart. Next time, I might even try the new zipline that was just being opened the day after our visit.

 

 

 

Although showers were available in the basic loos at the Wild Animal Park “Snore and Roar” Camp, we checked out of the park on Sunday morning and headed 30 minutes towards the coast to La Costa Resort and Spa for “Part Two” of our weekend getaway: a bit o’ the good life that would include hot baths and swimming pools. Requesting an early check-in, we were greeting upon our mid-day arrival with small gift bags for the kids filled with a juice drink, healthy snack bar, coloring book and crayons.

 

Their grins reached from ear to ear.

Then we went to see the swimming pools.

If smiles could reach to the stars, theirs did.

 

We went to check out my room and I let the kids jump on the beds and splash in the huge bubble-filled bathtub before heading out for our swim afternoon. There are eight pools scattered about the 400-acre property, but we confined ourselves to the newest attraction: three large pools with a water playground clustered in one area. Where to begin? The double waterslide pool, reached via a two-story tower stairwell? Another larger pool? How about the one with a sandy beach? Even their mom and I were thrilled to chaise lounge while the kids romped, splashed and slide in the water. Nico went up and down the tower stairs and two slides like a soldier on a mission! I was commanded to follow: I walked the tower, but didn’t have the guts to take the plunge, and used the excuse of having to take pictures for this story as my alibi.

 

We were going to have lunch poolside, but when the sweet cabana girl told us that kids eat free in the resort’s casual restaurant, Legends Bistro, we decided to go that route. We were not disappointed.

 

The lunch portions were huge. Lisa and I split a tasty Chinese chicken salad, the water-logged siblings ordered freely off the kid’s menu. The delicious Chopra Center curry—with chutneys, raita and other condiments—ended up going back with me to my room for dinner to accompany my habitual “60 Minutes” Sunday night addiction. Lisa, et al, had to head home for the next day’s school, work and to their dad, Gus, who was missing La Costa’s famed golf greens, but not before the kids made a quick beeline to Kidtopia, a game room loaded with pinball machines and other swell free distractions.

 

I stayed on at the resort, indulging in the Spanish Herbal Body Rub, a fantastic treatment if ever there was one, thanks to the lovely spa, as well as complimentary yoga and meditation classes (for all hotel guests) at the Deepak Chopra Center located on La Costa’s property. I tested all the vita, pitta and kapha oils and teas in the Chopra Center gift shop, before “oming” my way into bliss.

 

It was the perfect ending to a super duper weekend. Yin and yang, lions, tigers and oms, oh my, with family and friends and even a bit of solitude, to boot.

 

 

 

 

 

The drive to Wild Animal Park is approx. 400 miles round-trip from Santa Barbara.

La Costa is approx. 30 minutes West from the park.

 

 

San Diego  Zoo’s Wild Animal Park Sleepovers – www.sandiegozoo.org. For info and reservations, call 619-718-3000 or 1-800-407-9534, Mon.–Fri., 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Rates start at $29 (0-2 years); $89 (child 6-11); $109 (Adult) for classic tent Nov-March and go up to $225 (Adult) $150 (child) for a premium tent, high season, April – October.

 

La Costa Resort and Spa - 2100 Costa Del Mar Road,? Carlsbad, 1-800-854- 5000. Summer rates begin at $225/double, plus $22 daily resort charge. Check the website for packages and kid specials. www.lacosta.com

 

Kitchen 1540, at L’Auberge del Mar – This seaside resort was completely redone recently in delightful, beachy style and the signature restaurant is worth a detour. A new friend and I shared a delicious Scottish Salmon entrée, with preserved lemon spaetzle, sweet and sour rhubarb and fennel salad ($21), as well as a divine lobster salad ($21) with my favorite hearts of palm thanks to super Chef Paul McCabe. Don’t skip dessert. The small, but cheerful and bright new spa recently opened with surfboard theme décor.

L'Auberge Del Mar, 1540 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, CA 1-800-245-9757, www.lauberge.com