Fodor's Expert Review Parque Zoológico El Centenario

Mérida's top children's attraction features pleasant wooded paths, playgrounds, inexpensive amusement-park rides, an inline skating rink, a small lake you can row on, and a little train that circles the property. It also includes cages that house more than 300 native animals, including exotic ones like lions and tigers (a modern zoo this is not, and you might not approve of those cages). At the exit, you’ll find snack bars and vendors; there are on-site picnic areas, too. The French Renaissance–style arch commemorates the 100th anniversary (in 1910) of Mexican independence.