Recognized as the #1 Zoo in the U.S. by Parents magazine (2009) and Child magazine (2004), Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo features 2,000 animals from Africa, Asia, Australia, South America, and Florida, on nearly 60 acres of natural outdoor habitats year- round. Guests will find many interactive exhibits and opportunities to get closer to wildlife -- feed a giraffe, ride a dromedary camel, hold a lorikeet, touch a stingray, and more. The Zoo's Manatee and Aquatic Center and David A. Straz, Jr., Manatee Hospital expand the traditional boundaries of a zoo, focusing efforts on critical care for injured, sick, and orphaned wild manatees. The Zoo also offers splash ground/water play areas, wild rides, educational shows, and a variety of eateries. Guests can enhance their Zoo experience by going on the River Odyssey EcoTour, a relaxing 1-hour journey up the Hillsborough River aboard the Zoo's own vessel, the Sirenia, to view animals and plant life that abound along the river's path. EcoTour tickets are $14 for adults, $13 for seniors, and $10 for children 3 to 11. Combo tickets (Zoo/EcoTour) and group tickets are available.