Oregon Zoo has many award-winning education programs. The Zoo's education efforts reach more than a half-million people.

My first visit to the Portland Oregon Zoo was extremely hot, but exciting! I had heard about the butterfly exhibit going on, and was looking forward to the experience. First things first, even when the lines are long, they sure know how to get you through pretty quickly.

First stop I made with my son was to the butterfly exhibit. It’s a huge tent that you walk through to find butterflies of all shapes sizes and colors landing on your shoulders, hands and shoes. I must have spent a good hour in there taking pictures, and learning from the exhibit that was set up about all the different species of butterflies alive. We even got to see a butterfly hatch!

It was pretty amazing, but it was time to get out of there as the humidity was almost unbearable. Next stop was to see the Tigers and Bears, but there wasn’t much to see there. All of them were hiding in their caves and behind bushes, and wouldn’t come out. We did take a ride on the Zoo train, which leads you all around the zoo, and takes you to Oregon’s Rose Garden and back. On the train, we managed to catch a glimpse of the sleeping tigers.

The most relaxing part of the visit was the lawn show where we got to see the bald eagle and some other birds perform tricks and fly all around us over our heads. The park boasts awesome walkways that make you feel like you are walking through the jungle. The Zoo is huge and I suggest you start at the bottom and work your way up. If you don’t, you sure will wish you had once you’re at the other end of the entrance and you’re ready to go home.