I'm not sure why we thought all these southern zoos would be warm and toasty in December. Actually it wasn't too cold in Birmingham, but it was rainy. And we were the only ones at the zoo! We loved the giraffes, especially baby girl Willow. And the ostriches, who followed behind the giraffes, eating their poo! The alligators were thinking about hibernating, but their heads were still sticking up out of their neon green, goopy swamp. We saw the orangutans—well, sort of. They were all wrapped up in blankets with their backs to us. The sea lions were cool. We didn't catch their show, but the trainer came out and had them do some fun tricks for us. The zoo is small but cute.

View photos of our trip to this zoo