Name: Sun Country Tropics Days
Start: 2026-02-28T10:00:00-06:00
End: 2026-02-28T15:00:00-06:00
Location: 13000 Zoo Blvd, Apple Valley, MN, United States, Minnesota 55124

Take Flight: Sun Country Airlines and the Minnesota Zoo Foundation
Tropics Days are made possible thanks to the support of Sun Country Airlines for the Minnesota Zoo’s environmental education and wildlife conservation efforts. Sun Country is sponsoring the Tropics Trail, which gives Zoo guests immersive experiences with animals that inhabit biodiversity hotspots around the world. This partnership brings the organizations together to help Minnesota families make connections with and explore the natural world through travel and conservation. While winter is of course a great time to travel, it’s also a great time to visit the Minnesota Zoo for a taste of the Tropics!
Special Programs and Experiences
Bring Towels to our Animals – Get a Beachy One for You
When you visit the Zoo for Tropics Days, please bring a pre-loved beach or bath towel – in clean condition – to donate to our animals. In exchange, receive a brand-new Sun Country beach towel. Limit 1 towel per family, while daily supplies last.
Sun Country is sponsoring the Tropics Trail, which gives Zoo guests immersive experiences with animals that inhabit biodiversity hotspots around the world.
Zookeepers and Animal Health staff use towels every day to keep animals clean, dry, and cozy. Orphaned sea otter pups Nuka and Denali are good examples of the importance of towels!
In the wild, sea otter mothers groom their pups to keep them warm and waterproof in the cold ocean. But when Nuka and Denali were rescued in Alaska, they were too young to know how to groom themselves. To provide the essential care that an otter mother would, Zookeepers used stacks of towels (and brushes and hairdryers!) for hours every day to keep the girls fluffy, warm, and buoyant in the water.
Your towel donations support expert care for animals – thank you!

Responsible Traveling
Discover the hidden dangers of animal trafficking with our responsible traveling activity, available from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Upper Tropics. Step into the role of a TSA agent as you inspect a traveler’s suitcase and uncover items that shouldn't be there. This hands-on experience sheds light on the impact of wildlife trafficking, with a special focus on how to be a responsible traveler in tropical regions. Come learn how to protect endangered species and make informed choices while exploring the world.
Wings & Things! presented by Wings Credit Union. - Located Indoors at the Target Learning Center (between Tropics Trail + the Medtronic Minnesota Trail)
Join us at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Target Learning Center for our amazing animal show, Wings & Things! See owls, porcupines, and more strut their stuff while learning fascinating facts about our natural world. This educational and entertaining show is fun for all ages and included with your Zoo admission. Show run-time is roughly 20 minutes and seating is first-come, first-served. For those with sensory sensitivities, please note that music is played before the program and microphones are used throughout.