Disclaimer: The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere gifted me three tickets in exchange for my coverage of their accessibility.
It was a chilly, windy day when my family and I went to The Nashville Zoo last week. However, we threw on a jacket, grabbed a blanket, and were off to sightsee! We had been to the zoo several times before since it’s local to us, but we hadn’t been since before the pandemic. In this blog post, I will be detailing the accessibility of the property so that other wheelchair users know what to except before visiting!
Note: There’s one thing you must know before we begin: everyone must schedule the time they wish to visit the zoo due to COVID precautions, and masks are also required for 13 years old and over. Now, let’s begin our adventure!
Outdoor Exhibits
After we got our tickets scanned from the individual in the front, we were led to the beginning of the exhibits. The ground was concreted, and we went over a little “bridge” type terrain while looking at the various bird exhibits. Not only were these areas incredibly accessible for manual or power wheelchairs, but they were also incredibly wide and spacious! We were able to safely social distance, and I did not have to worry about fitting within tight spaces, which was such a relief.
After the bird habitats, which were very informative by the way, we were then brought to more bridge like ground as we neared the one way path that The Nashville Zoo implemented as part of their COVID-19 pre-cautions. The right side of the walkway was blocked off, and so the only side we could walk on was the left, which was perfectly fine with us! The bridge terrain was a lot more bumpier than the smooth concreted ground, but I did not have any issues and was able to navigate the area fine. Even though I use a manual wheelchair, those in power chairs should not have any issues either!
After the bridge terrain, we were finally upon the one way path! This path was made of cobblestone so in some parts, it was very bumpy and I sometimes had to stop myself and readjust. However, it lasted only a short time before I was back on solid ground again. The concreted pathways and bridge terrain were such a godsend, especially since I wrapped a blanket around myself. My family and I saw a monkey with a baby, and everyone knows I love baby animals so seeing that made my day.
After seeing a monkey with her baby (the cutest thing ever), we came across an animal show that was happening under covered shelter, so we stopped and watched as a zookeeper talked to those in attendance about an animal called a Black Vulture and its wing spand of 6ft. Before we got to the show, we kept on a flat, completely concreted pathway that was very wide, and definitely spacious enough for any mobility aid to navigate smoothly.
After we watched the presentation, we came across snack areas that were closed. The ground in this particular area was concreted in some parts, but it was mainly cobblestone. However, this time, the “bumpiness” was a minimum so I didn’t have to stop as much and readjust. If you are in a manual wheelchair, be prepared for some bumpiness throughout your visit!
We then came across another food / snack area with tables that was open with limited options. Again, this area was mostly cobblestone, so quite bumpy. But, not terrible! It was plenty big enough for multiple power chairs, manual chairs, or scooters!
We stopped for Dip-n-Dots, then we went to more exhibits. My favorite one besides the gorilla with her baby was the Flamingos! They were so bright and colorful. The path to the Flamingos exhibit was the same as most of the pathways before it; concreted, smooth, and spacious! Although, I completely forgot to take a picture for you guys, so here’s a picture of the Flamingos!
The Flamingos played for awhile, and then we were surrounded by bamboo on both the right and left side! I was getting excited. We had to go over a little bridge in order to get there, but it was so worth it. It actually warmed up a little during that time too, so it wasn’t as cold. The walkway leading to the exhibit very smooth, including the bridge we went over. Individuals in wheelchairs should be able to navigate the area with ease!
Indoor Exhibits
We then went over a covered bridge, and were met with more “bumpy” ground per day, but it was definitely bearable and I didn’t have any problem maneuvering around. This path officially led to the Bear exhibit, which was the only “indoor” exhibit we went in during our visit since the other indoor exhibit house where the reptiles are, was closed due to a flood the day before. The exhibit ground itself was all brick, but it was spacious and wide enough for multiple mobility aids, which I loved and appreciated so much. It also had a long bench.
More Accessibility
After the one and only indoor exhibit we visited, we started to make our way back to the front of the zoo. The pathway back consisted of smooth ground, bridge terrain, cobblestone or, all of the above.. Which, in all honestly, was completely fine because the cobblestone was actually flat. We tried to see more animals but they were hiding due to the cold!
Conclusion
My grandmother, cousin, and I had a lovely time, even though it was a little different due to COVID. Being a manual wheelchair user, I knew there was cobblestone in some areas and I was a little worried. Not because of the accessibility, but because I had undergone minor surgery the day before, so I was worried about the ‘bumpiness’ of the uneven ground. However, the accessibility was lovely! It was bumpy in some parts, so be prepared for areas of cobblestone. But, I loved how wide and spacious all the exhibits were, including the one indoor exhibit that we visited.
I was able to navigate the property without much issue, and I also did not have to worry about my wheelchair fitting into narrow walkways or paths, especially since 99% of the exhibits were outdoors. If you are looking for a day of fun and are wondering what activities are accessible around Nashville, The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere awaits!
Visit their website for all the information on how to reserve your spot, COVID-19 precautions, and more!
Visit their Instagram and Twitter account for all the latest information on new exhibits, special events and pictures of the animals who call The Nashville Zoo their home!