The Zoo and Aquarium at Columbus is a unit of education, fun, excitement, family gathering and many exciting events that kids love to be a part of. The facility is located about 10 miles from the city's central business area, making for a wonderful ride into natural habitat of animals for locals. An immense popularity of the zoo and aquarium facility is owing to the combination of the land and water life, all at one go.

With a great number of mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and fishes, the aura of this facility makes it a must visit. Children are provided with excellent facilities in programs like scout programs and camp-ins. Professional development with awareness about nature is a part of the programs undertaken at the facility. Family programs, 'schools and teachers' are amongst the other novelty programs at the zoo Columbus.

If you want to stay close to the zoo and the beautiful natural habitat, you can avail affordable accommodation in various hotels such as Chase Suite Hotel, Hampton Inn and Suites or Cambria Suites. They are located within convenient distances from the zoo premises and serve a major part of the tourists in the area. Popular for value for money services, all three are suitable for families.

The zoo is open between 10 am and 4 pm in the winters. In the early summer months gates close an hour later, and in the peak season of July and August, the facility stays open till 7pm. September and October are again 10 am to 5 pm.

One of the attractions that you will come across while on your travel Columbus Ohio is the Columbus Zoo. The directions you use on your travel Columbus Ohio will be determined by where you are driving from.

Some of the directions include:

1. Driving from the East

Take the I-70 West and head to I-270 North. Follow the I-270 till you get to Sawmill Road and take a right to Hard Road. Once you are on Hard Road, you should take a left which will lead you to Riverside Drive where you will take a right. The Columbus Zoo is about two miles from the right turn on Riverside Drive. The link below will provide more details.

http://www.arenamaps.com/arenas/355.htm

2. Driving from the North

Take the I-71 South and drive to I-270 West until you get to Sawmill Road where you will head north to Hard Road. Once you are on Hard Road you should take a left turn which will take you to Riverside drive.

Turn right on Riverside Drive which is where the zoo is located. The link below will give additional details.

http://www.serviceslisted.com/company/directions.php?from=Columbus%2COH+43201&to=9990+Riverside+Drive%2CColumbus%2COH+43201&locale=en&submit=Get+Directions!

Other tips

It is advisable to have a map while you are driving to the zoo.

Finding a cheap hotel near any tourist place is not so hard. The rule is very much the same if you looking for a place to stay near Columbus Zoo.

Which Hotels near Columbus Zoo are cheap? And what are the facilities provided by them?

These are few of the cheap but excellent hotels where you could easily book your reservations:

• Baymont Inn, Columbus North:
  This hotel is located 1.63 miles east from Columbus Zoo. Along with regular items, it provides some amazing facilities like Conference room, wake up service, free local calls, gym, free parking and free internet access to name a few. Special discounted rates are available on group stay. Isn't it quite reasonable?
• Best Western, Columbus North:
  Another hotel for a convenient stay for even cheaper rate is Best Western in North Columbus, just 1.29 miles east from Columbus Zoo. The stay can get even better if you are with your pets. Yes, it allows pets. Other facilities include courtesy car, free local telephone calls, banquet facilities, free parking, excellent bar, etc. This hotel offers the best of the prices which are very affordable to anyone. It's very close to Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. Indoor and outdoor swimming pool, sports club and a lounge make the stay memorable.
• Holiday Inn Express:If you want to enjoy the stay in the most stylist fashion without paying much, this is the best hotel to be in. With just 1.45 miles away from Columbus Zoo, it offers some outstanding facilities like air conditioned rooms with hair dryers, newspapers, alarm, radio, Television, internet, phone, safety box and laundry service. If you feel like playing golf or working out, just step out of your room.

Do you want cheaper hotel listings?

http://www.hotelrooms.com/Budget_Hotels_USA_Ohio_Columbus.htm

What are the night rates of these hotels?
Baymont Inn provides you all the facilities and one night stay at just $59. Special discounted rates are available on group stay. For other special offer you can visit:

http://www.baymontinns.com/Baymont/control/special_offers?variant

A night in Best Western will cost you $58. However, the night rate of Holiday Inn is quite higher due to the high end facilities they provide but it is very much affordable.

Are there any other hotels near Columbus Zoo with these facilities and cheaper rates?
Yes, these are my personal top three choices. There are other hotels too near Columbus Zoo with all these amenities but they can be expensive. You can check out the whole list at:

http://www.metrotravelguide.com/hotels_nearby/columbus/oh/usa/0/columbus_zoo/#trafficLogID=557441502&visited=true

Hope you have a nice and memorable stay.

Travelers coming to the Buckeye state should definitely have the Country's Number #1 Zoo on their list of must see local attractions. Located north of Columbus City, it is a zoo with a worldwide reputation and home to over 5000 animals with a diverse range of species numbering close to 700. With annual visits touching close to almost 1.8 million, this zoo has different animal species divided into different regions of the world.

The Columbus Zoo home site gives information on the zoo hours, planning a visit and even buying and printing tickets online.

http://www.columbuszoo.org/default.aspx

Hotels Closest to Columbus Zoo (within 2 miles):

- Hotel Inn Columbus 1 mile

- Econo Lodge Worthington 1 ½ miles

- Travelodge Columbus 1 ½ miles

Amenities to expect:

- Complimentary breakfast

- Hi speed internet access with wireless connectivity

- Business centers with copy and fax facility

- Fitness centers and outdoor swimming pools with sun decks

Travel sites with Hotel listings and customer ratings and reviews:

Undercover Tourist

http://www.undercovertourist.com/united-states/ohio/columbus/hotels/columbus-zoo-and-aquarium.html

Yahoo Travel

http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-2997829-columbus_zoo_aquarium_dublin-i

The above sites are very useful in understanding the standard of services available at any Columbus hotels near the City Zoo and Aquarium. Visitors should pay attention to the user comments and ratings left by previous travelers prior to booking their room.

Like all places' selling points to travelers, Columbus has an amusement park that is so universal that almost all vacationers who are on a travel Columbus OH dedicate a few days of their itinerary to Columbus Zoo and Aquarium visits. Aside from this, it hosts animals, both land and water, which will forever be interesting to majority of people. Lastly, it has its own conservation efforts and environmental campaigns, being a non-profit organization at the same time.

1. What is Columbus Zoo and Aquarium?

The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, located in Powell, Ohio, which is a north of Columbus is a non-profit zoo that has a reputation known worldwide. It is known for its efforts in preservation and animal rights, as well as its promotion as an outstanding park. It is home to over 700 different species that are represented by more than 5,000 animals visited by about 2 billion visitors each year.

The cages and animal exhibits are segregated into eight regions of the world, mirroring the natural dwellings of these animals. The aquarium likewise hosts different species of marine animals. As its public relations efforts, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has a conservation program that takes care of the animal's welfare. The program donates to other third party organizations while participating into their own conservation programs as well.

2. What to experience from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium?

• Insights in land and water animals and environmental issues concerning them
• Conservation education and insights
• Great fun and excitement for a one of a kind experience
• World-class facilities, cages, and man-made animal dwellings

3. Recommended Columbus Zoo and Aquarium sites for information?

Official Website of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

http://www.columbuszoo.org/

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Wikipedia Encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_Zoo