July is typically the hottest month of the year in Louisiana, which means families will be looking for a cool and shady spot to hang out, making the Audubon Zoo’s Cool Zoo the perfect place to go. The Cool Zoo features the alligator water slide, the spider monkey soaker, water-spitting snakes, shady spots for grownups, a 750-foot-long lazy river, 2 sand beaches, and plenty more. Gator Run is your hub for all things practical like restrooms and showers, lockers, seating, and the Gator Bites concession stand. audubonnatureinstitute.org

This article was originally published in July 2023.