FX Excursions

FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.

Now’s Your Last Chance to See Pandas in the United States

by Barbara Radcliffe Rogers

Dec 1, 2023

© Chicco7 | Dreamstime.com

Destinations / North America

When the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., sent its three pandas to China in November, it left only one other U.S. zoo with these fascinating animals. Families now must travel to Atlanta to see pandas, but even those will soon return to China.

 

Ya Lun and Xi Lun, the two cubs born in Zoo Atlanta, will leave for China in January, and the two parents will leave later in the year. The zoos do not own the pandas, leased from China on long-term scientific loans. The zoos pay the Chinese government between $500,000 and $1 million per year for each panda, plus more for every cub born while the parents are on loan.

 

The cubs, although born in the United States, also belong to China. The fees for panda loans are used for wildlife conservation, largely to create reserves for wild pandas. Although 50 of these reserves have been established, and the wild population has risen by about 17 percent, only a little more than half of the wild pandas live in reserves.

 

Most of the remaining pandas live in isolated areas with populations too small and scattered to maintain a viable population.

 

Zoo Atlanta offers several special panda experiences (at extra cost) where visitors can meet with the keepers and even go “backstage” in the pandas’ care area. Once the parent pandas leave in 2024, the closest zoos with pandas will be Toronto Zoo in Canada and Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City, Mexico.

#WhereverFamily

Insta Feed
Hotels
Feb 4, 2025

Celebrate Love and Romance This Year at Regent Santa Monica Beach

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, skip family travel and trade the craziness for a romantic getaway with your special someone. Regent Santa Monica Beach curated a set of romantic experiences just for Valentine’s Day.

Discover the Magic of East Crete: A Perfect Family Getaway

East Crete is a blend of stunning landscapes, history and charming towns, making it an ideal family destination. Far from the crowds of the west, the region offers pristine beaches, ancient sites and authentic Cretan villages.

Hotels
Feb 3, 2025

The Gant Aspen Debuts Winter Offerings

Plan family travel to Aspen, Colorado, this winter with The Gant Aspen. This luxury resort has something for everyone this winter season, with thrilling experiences and new offerings.

Travel Tips
Feb 3, 2025

Tips for a Stress-Free RV Road Trip with Kids

Family travel on the road can be stressful for many reasons, from restlessness to boredom to spending too much time on screens in the backseat. But RV road trips foster curiosity in kids and enhance family bonding, so don’t miss out on the opportunity for an RV vacation because of these avoidable stressors and fears.

Madrid: A Destination for All Ages

However one is traveling, what matters is having fun and creating unforgettable memories. Among many ways to travel, multigenerational trips — on which grandparents, parents and children get to spend quality time together — are gaining popularity. Setting out on this sort of adventure? Madrid has something to offer everyone!

Hotels
Jan 30, 2025

This Lisbon Hotel Loves Kids and Babies

Family resorts often provide special accommodations for children, but beyond the availability of a crib, these are rarely found in city hotels. This is what makes Martinhal Lisbon Chiado Luxury Hotel & Apartments so extraordinary. For traveling families, this hotel is a revelation.