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Note from 10Best: Someday, we’ll all be ready to pack our suitcases again and head out on our next adventures. In the meantime, here’s some inspiration for the future.
As temperatures begin to warm up, we’re setting our sights on summer and the attractions that make this such a popular season for family travel.
Help us find the best zoos, zoo exhibits, safari parks, aquariums, botanical gardens and aerial adventure parks by voting daily for your favorites. Voting ends on Monday, April 13 at noon ET, and the winning attractions will be announced on Friday, April 24.
Click on each category below to vote:
Best Aerial Adventure Park
Get a bird’s-eye view at these adventure parks — Photo courtesy of iStock / Sinenkiy
While zip lines and canopy tours began as a tool for scientific field research, they’ve exploded in popularity as an attraction in their own right – a way to experience the forest canopy in a safe and thrilling environment.
Vote: Best Aerial Adventure Park »
Best Aquarium
Explore the world’s waterways at these top aquariums — Photo courtesy of iStock / nd3000
Aquariums put us face to fin with aquatic life from the world’s oceans, lakes and waterways in a fun and educational setting. The best aquariums also play a vital role in animal conservation by taking part in rescue efforts and advocating for the environmental health of our oceans.
These 20 aquariums, nearly all accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, represent the best in North America for their high-quality exhibits and visitor interactions.
Best Botanical Garden
These top gardens invite visitors to stop and smell the flowers — Photo courtesy of iStock / Martin Wahlborg
April showers might very well bring May flowers, but at the public and botanical gardens dotting North America, there’s always something in bloom. The best gardens and arboretums on the continent help to promote and conserve the plant diversity of our planet, all while showcasing their vast collections in stunning, visitor friendly ways.
Best Safari Park
These parks let you go on safari without leaving the country — Photo courtesy of iStock / stockstudioX
You don’t have to fly to Africa to go on safari! At these 20 safari and wildlife parks, nominated as the best in the U.S., visitors get up close and personal with exotic and endangered animals from around the country and the world.
Many of the facilities are accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and have a focus on conservation as well as education.
Best Zoo
Which zoo is your favorite? — Photo courtesy of iStock / CharlieBfl
North America is home to hundreds of zoological parks, including more than 200 facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Short of heading out into the world’s wild places, nothing beats a visit to the zoo to foster an appreciation for the striking animal diversity of our planet.
We asked a panel of travel experts to nominate their favorite North American AZA-accredited zoos – facilities that excel in the fields of animal care and enrichment, while also facilitating meaningful interactions between animals and human visitors.
Best Zoo Exhibit
These stellar exhibits are enriching for both visitors and animals — Photo courtesy of iStock / LiudmylaSupynska
A great zoo exhibit engages visitors with the animals they’re observing while keeping the welfare and enrichment of its animal residents front and center.
Remember, you can vote once per day in each category. The 10 nominees with the most votes in each category will be announced on 10Best.com on Friday, April 24.
