Apple Valley, MINN – February 8, 2018 – Looking for a family winter getaway? Find a warm weather retreat at the Minnesota Zoo’s Tropical Beach Party, sponsored by MetroPCS. The celebration begins Presidents’ Day weekend and extends through March 11. This year, the Tropical Beach Party includes two giant sandboxes, so don’t forget to “bring your own pail” (BYOP) or favorite sand toy for maximum beach fun!

Indulge in humid tropical warmth along the Zoo’s Tropics Trail and Discovery Bay aquarium with Minnesota’s largest indoor sandboxes. Enjoy special animal encounters, shark feedings, daily Hawaiian monk seal demonstrations and Wings Financial World of Birds Shows, and more.


Additional Tropical Beach Party Weekend Activities:

• Sea Turtle Pledge Activity 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
• Incredible Creatures 11:00 am
• Sea Turtle Story Time 10:00 am

Along with fun family-friendly activities, the Zoo will also be highlighting wild sea turtles and the dangers they face in the wild. The Zoo will focus on single-use plastics and plastic bags and how they can harm wildlife, even when used in Minnesota. A limited number of reusable shopping bags will be given away to guests, while supplies last. Guests will also have the option to participate in a pledge to reduce their use of single-use plastics.



Fast Fun Facts:

Tropical Beach Party is home to Minnesota’s largest indoor sandboxes, using a total of 34 tons of sand to fill both sandboxes.
The Minnesota Zoo is home to 4,800+ animals, representing 541 species from around the world.
Minnesota Zoo staff and volunteers are working hard to educate guests on the importance of using reusable bags/containers, rather than single use plastics. Even when used in places like Minnesota, these harmful pollutants can have seriously negative effects on the environment and wildlife around the world.


The Minnesota Zoo is a year-round destination located in Apple Valley, just minutes south of Mall of America. The Zoo’s mission is to connect people, animals and the natural world to save wildlife. For more information, call 952.431.9500 or visit mnzoo.org. The Minnesota Zoo is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and an institutional member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).