Reciprocal Agreements Can Save You Money...

There are a number of Utah attractions where you can buy season/yearly passes- Lagoon, Hogle Zoo, Tracy Aviary, etc.

But, what many fail to realize is that when you purchase these season/yearly passes, is that there are often other benefits to these purchases known as reciprocal agreements. These agreements get you into other attractions for free, for free on certain days, or give you a discount off the regular admission price.

But, not all reciprocal agreements are crafted equally, or, one yearly pass may offer you access to attractions that you would use more than those offered with another pass' agreements. When buying season/yearly passes, take these different factors into account:

1) What season/yearly pass will you use the most? For example: if you buy a yearly pass to Hogle Zoo, will you use it enough to make it pay for itself PLUS save you money on additional visits? Are you more likely to visit Hogle Zoo, Tracy Aviary, or Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park, etc.?

2) What reciprocal agreements does that yearly pass have? Does it offer enough value to make it worth buying that particular pass or should you consider a different season/yearly pass that gives you access to other attractions that might be of more interest to your family?

3) Do the reciprocal agreements offer free admissions to other attractions, discount admissions, or a combination of both, and which of these would you use most often?

4) Some reciprocal agreements offer free admission on certain days of the month (usually weekdays). Can you make the time to take advantage of these reciprocal agreements?

5) If you live in Logan, for example, would buying a yearly pass to Thanksgiving Point in Lehi be worth the time you would need to make to travel? In this case, buying a pass to the Willow Park Zoo may be a better value and still give you opportunities to visit other attractions for free or discounted rates. Consider the distance that you would need to travel in order to take advantage of passes and reciprocal agreements.

Here is a list of some of the attractions in the state that offer season/yearly passes that also come with reciprocal agreements. While I try to list as many as I can, this is not intended to be a comprehensive list, nor does this list guarantee that all the reciprocal agreements will be honored, as they can be changed by participating parties at any time.

Hogle Zoo- Tracy Aviary (50% off admission every Thursday); Willow Park Zoo (50% off admission Nov. 1 thru Feb. 28); there are also reciprocity agreements with other zoos and attractions in many other states, usually a 50% off admission.

Tracy Aviary- Hogle Zoo (50% off admission every Thursday); Willow Park Zoo (free admission); Thanksgiving Point Farm (free admission on 1st Thursday of every month); Red Butte Garden (free admission); Ogden Nature Center (free admission 1st Thursday of every month); Living Planet Aquarium (50% off admission); Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park (free admission on weekdays only, excluding holidays and special events); there are also reciprocity agreements with other zoos and attractions in many other states, either free or discounted admission.

Willow Park Zoo- Hogle Z00 (free or discounted admission. Willow Park Zoo's website is not clear on the reciprocity policy); Tracy Aviary (free or discounted admission. Willow Park Zoo's website is not clear on the reciprocity policy); there are also reciprocity agreements with other zoos and attractions in many other states, either free or discounted admission. Call Willow Park Zoo to inquire about reciprocity agreements.

Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park- Tracy Aviary (free admission on weekdays); Ogden Nature Center (free admission on weekdays); Ogden Union Station (50% discount on daily admission).

Red Butte Garden- Tracy Aviary (free admission); there are also reciprocity agreements with other gardens and attractions in many other states, either free or discounted admission.

Odgen Union Station (three museums included in pass- Utah State Railroad Museum, John M. Browning Firearm Museum, and the Browning-Kimball Classic Car Museum)- Ogden Nature Center (free admission); Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park (free weekday admission, excluding holidays and special events).

Getting season/yearly passes is both a great way to explore and save money.