Memberships- Choose Wisely, Then Have Fun

Do you or your family have a favorite place you like to go? Do you go, or want to go, again and again? One of the best ways to enjoy a venue like Hogle Zoo or Thanksgiving Point is to purchase a membership. Here are a few reasons why you might consider a membership, and a few things to consider before forking out the dough.

Memberships Might Save You Money

Buying a membership may be a wise choice if it will save you money. This depends on a couple of factors.

Will you go enough times to pay for the membership?

Do you live close enough to take advantage of the membership?

If you're a couple with no kids, going to Hogle Zoo once will cost you $16. You could buy a one year membership for $50, but you would need to go to the zoo four times for the membership to pay for itself.

If you're a family, two parents, a 14 year old and two kids ages 11 and 8, one trip to the zoo will cost you $36. You could purchase a yearly membership for $65. Two trips to the zoo will more than pay for the membership.

Distance is a factor as well. If you live in Logan, is the money spent on gas for the car and the two hours you will travel to the zoo worth the price of the membership? Can you make it to the zoo enough times for the membership to pay off? You might be better off going to the zoo once during the year and taking the extra money and using it for another activity.

Memberships May Have Other Benefits

Often, but not always, memberships to one attraction may also offer you entrance for free or for a reduced price at another attraction. Take this into account when purchasing a membership. What else might you be able to do with this membership?

Some examples:

Hogle Zoo's membership offers a reciprocal agreement with many other zoo's around the country and a few in other countries. How often are you going to be in another state that is part of this reciprocal agreement? What you may not realize is that one of the places that has a reciprocal agreement with Hogle Zoo is the Tracy Aviary. Membership at the Hogle Zoo will allow you to visit the Tracy Aviary for FREE, but only on the first Thursday of each month. If the zoo is the place you like to visit most, but a visit or two to the Tracy Aviary would be nice- get a membership at the zoo.

On the other hand, if you purchase a membership to Tracy Aviary, their reciprocal agreement allows you to visit Hogle Zoo for FREE on the first Thursday of the month as well. But, hold on. Take a closer look at the Tracy Aviary membership. With your membership at the Tracy Aviary you can enter the Ogden Nature Center, Thanksgiving Point Farm, Hogle Zoo, and the Utah Museum of Natural History for FREE on the first Thursday of every month. You also get HALF PRICE anytime at the Living Planet Aquarium, FREE entrance to the Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park on any weekday, and FREE entrance to the Willow Park Zoo in Logan. If you want to visit Tracy Aviary the most and make an occasional visit to these other 6 places, the Tracy Aviary membership is for you.

Reciprocal Membership Agreements may include FREE admission, reduced price admission, or have admission restrictions (Please check each membership agreement carefully):

Hogle Zoo Membership- Tracy Aviary

Tracy Aviary Membership- Hogle Zoo, Ogden Nature Reserve, Thanksgiving Point Farm, Utah Museum of Natural History, Willow Park Zoo, Living Planet Aquarium, and Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park.

Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park Membership- Tracy Aviary, Union Station Museums in Ogden (Utah State Railroad Museum, Eccles Rail Center, John M. Browning Firearms Museum, and Browning-Kimball Classic Car Museum).

Union Station Museums Membership (in Ogden)- Ogden Eccles Dinosaur Park and the Odgen Nature Center.

These are just a few of the reciprocity agreements that I've found. Other attractions may have additional agreements. When looking at purchasing memberships, ALWAYS ask about the benefits and if those benefits include reciprocity agreements with any other local attractions.

Now find your special place, get a membership, and have a whole lot of fun.