Last week I turned another year older, so naturally I needed to get away from the daily grind. My boyfriend graciously took me on a trip to our neighboring state Arizona.

Bear-y cool!

I knew we would hit up one of the Seven Wonders of the World, but everything else was going to be a surprise. Upon our arrival in Arizona, I happened to see a large sign at the side of the highway for Bearizona. Anything touting animals as its main attraction instantly makes my eyes light up. So, as we passed the sign, I filed it away in my mental notes as a possible place to go.

But my boyfriend was one step ahead of me. Literally seconds after passing the sign, I found myself at the entrance to Bearizona.

The first part is driving through the park. As we drove through, they give you a GPS to describe the animals that you will (or in our experience, some you *won’t*) see. They caution you to keep your windows up and to keep all your limbs inside the car (if you know what’s best for you). The whole time we were there, I wondered if we’d end up being contenders for the $10,000 prize on AFV (is that show still on, btw?).

Welcome to "Burrizona"(?)

Before we saw the bears, we saw a mule cross the road, bison in the distance, and rare white bison getting their munch on. It kind of felt like being in a reverse zoo where *we* were behind the glass.

The nice thing is you could take your time and not rush through. While it seemed like some sections were under construction, there was still plenty to see.

The bears were out in full force, though. It was lunchtime, and fortunately for us, we were not on the menu. It appears when the sound of pickup trucks are within earshot, the bears know what time it is.

If sitting in your car for another few hours starts to make you claustrophobic, then you will appreciate the other portion of the park. Once you exit the “drive through” area, be sure to stop by the other part of the park. This is where you can stretch out your legs and burn some calories — very slowly.

So much cuter than the stuffed versions.

The number one attraction right now (and I don’t think anyone else can deny this) are the 10-week old bear cubs. If you want to see these little cutie pies, then go right now! I think I literally spent a good half hour just repeating out loud “They are so cute!” If you can pull yourself away from them, there are other animals in the park. There is a raccoon, a pair of lynxes, wolves, pigs and more. There is even an opportunity to pet a few of them (it’s got to be obvious which ones, right?).

There is a 20-minute raptor show that gets you up close and personal (literally) with different feathered friends. While the reason the birds are at Bearizona are kind of sad, it’s good to know that they are being taken care of.

I highly recommend going to Bearizona. It’s family friendly and a unique experience. And it looks like it will only get better!

Bear there or bear square.

Bearizona Drive-Thru Wildlife Park
1500 E. Rt. 66
Williams Arizona, 86046