Troubadourable folk buddies Simon and Garfunkel once sang that "it's all happening at the zoo," before retiring from music to live out their days serenely basking in the reptile habitat. Get happening with today's deal: for $34, you get a family membership, good for two adults and all children in the immediate family to the Akron Zoo (a $68 value) located just west of downtown.

Founded in 1953, the Akron Zoo is an accredited world conservation zoo situated on 50 acres and home to more than 700 animals. Explore this multi-faceted menagerie by visiting the zoo’s six unique zones an unlimited number of times throughout the year. In Legends of the Wild, kids and adults alike can come face-to-snout with over 20 animal species, including snow leopards and jaguars, or opt for a staring contest with wide-eyed lemurs. The Akron Zoo houses Humboldt penguins as part of the Species Survival Plan in a cooperative effort with other zoos. African lions and red pandas roam through Tiger Valley, while thick-billed parrots and burrowing owls coexist in the Wild Prairie. The ten aquariums located in Komodo Kingdom's Rhythm in the Blue allow you to marvel at the subaqueous adventures of seven species of jellyfish, who spend their time mining gold jelly from a jelly mine and hanging out with a much taller, pale-skinned jelly princess.

Take a break from critter gazing at the Komodo Kingdom Café, which offers pizza, burgers, French fries, and desserts, or continue your oneness with nature by strolling through the Lehner Family Zoo Gardens, an acre filled with plants and flora native to Ohio. Bring a non-winning Ohio lottery ticket to receive free parking or bring a winning ticket to purchase the entire zoo for a friend.

Must activate family membership by March 30, 2011.

Reviews

TripAdvisors give the Akron Zoo an average of 4.5 owl eyes, while lilaguide reviewers award it an average of four stars:

• You can see the whole zoo in just a couple of hours and there are seldom big crowds. Lots of new exhibits and a great selection of animals. Quite a beautiful zoo! – tstmo3, TripAdvisor
• I love the zoo! It doesn't matter if you are five or fifty, you can have a great time there. I recommend that everyone makes sure their kids get to see the zoo at least once, if not multiple times through out their childhood. – snives, lilaguide