I highly recommend the Beardsley Zoo experience overall - it is an awesome local zoo for kids of all ages - but especially for a birthday party experience!

We booked the zoo for a December toddler birthday party. From the start of the process, the event coordinator was patient and helpful, explaining different options and included benefits. We booked two party spaces to have enough wiggle room, and I recommend that to have enough seating and such. It is an open area, so it is not prohibitive and reasonably priced too.

We chose the "critter craft" and "animal encounter" options, which was enough for our party group. The zoo does offer basics like tablecloths and plates, but I did purchase my own themed materials for decoration and supplies and that gave it a little boost. They also provide pizza and soda, and you can purchase extras if needed. I also bought snacks from Costco and that was more than enough.

From the second we arrived at the zoo, the staff was very kind and helpful. The young woman who was assigned as a party coordinator was totally delightful. She helped with every part of setup and cleanup, kept everything running on time, and had a lovely spirit and demeanor.

The party space was perfect - booking two worked out exactly right, and there was really no one else at the zoo that day so it felt like we had a fully private building! The carousel was the hit of the day - I think the kids could have just ridden that endlessly and been happy.

The animal encounter was awesome - the young women who led that were knowledgeable, engaging, and patient with young kids. It was interesting for all ages!

All-around, it was a perfect party experience. I got rave reviews from fellow parents and from older family members alike. I have already recommended the zoo experience to everyone we know!