1. Get a specialized brick with your personal message that will be paved right into the entrance path at the Zoo! Talk about lasting — and it’s 100% deductible. The one pictured here is a limited-edition, flamingo heart brick, but there are many sizes and designs to choose from.

2. Surprise him or her with tickets to our next cool lecture series on this coming Thursday night, 2/17. You can clink your wine, beer or soft drinks glass and sample light bites before the lecture starts, then settle in and hold hands in our comfy Brown Auditorium chairs to listen to the esteemed Dr. Jill Pruetz. Read all about her on our CALL OF THE WILD page. This is one of the most affordable date nights in town and all proceeds go to conservation!

3. Did you know you can adopt an animal? If you go to the walk-up Membership window at the Zoo you can get the certificate the same day. If not, no worries! You can still get it through our website and print some pictures or make up a nice card to let your Sweetheart know!

4. How about arranging a kiss from a sea lion? Or getting up close to a magnificent lion or tiger for training? You will see the sparkle in their eyes when they do a Behind the Scenes Tour or animal experience. There are so so many to choose from! These need to be scheduled but are so WORTH it! Just put the news of it in a box with a bow! Better yet, come together to the zoo and hand the box over in front of the habitat of the animal you’ve chosen. NICE!

5. For a totally different time, go behind the scenes at our Vet clinic and make the morning rounds being Vet for a Day. Read about the experience from a Zoo blog post about it. Uh-mazing!

6. Does your Love love art? Is there a spot in their office or in the home that just cries out for something to remind them of you? How about an animal painting? We have several animal artists that make true conversation pieces, like the one below:

… Or if you’d like to go really wild, you can give the actual experience of seeing the animal create their 16 x 20 piece.  Your Boo can pick the paint colors and watch as their masterpiece is made I mean, that may just be unmatched in the world of cool!

7. How about something humorous? Surprise your special someone(s) with a yard full of bright pink plastic flamingos planted in stealth by Houston Zoo staff. Complete with your personalized message, it’s a delight and a hoot — and a gift that helps save an endangered species! This one needs to be scheduled but who says you can’t make every day Valentines Day?

8. Lastly, candy never disappoints! If you want a list of Valentines Candy that does not contain Palm-oil, here is an extensive one, which you’ll find at the end of this short Conservation blog post. Why do this? Because it helps to save the lives of Orangutans and many other species.

So, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??!!

Thanks to heatherpringle.wordpress.com for the candy photo

It was a tough decision, but here are our three winning photos:

Steve Brown’s – “For The Birds” wins 2 tickets to our Princess Party!

Lucrece Borrego’s – “Giraffes Are Romantic” wins 2 tickets to our Valentine’s Day Brunch!

Megan Welch’s – “One Word: Tucker” wins 2 tickets to either our Princess Party or Valentine’s Day Brunch (our Wild for Love Lecture has been canceled)

Check out all the 52 of the great photo submissions!

If you are a winner please email your contact information to interactivemarketing@houstonzoo.org to be put on the guest list.

For those of you who participated but did not win, we encourage you to attend either or Valentine’s Day Brunch or our Princess Party – both will be a lot of Valentine’s Day fun!

Thanks for reading our blogs!

Show us why you love the Houston Zoo & be entered to win a free pair of tickets to one of our Valentine’s Weekend events at the Houston Zoo.

Here’s the idea: In 3 words, show us why you love the Houston Zoo. Snap a photo of it, and upload it to us on the Houston Zoo’s Facebook page, tweet it to us at twitter.com/houstonzoo,  or even e-mail it to interactivemarketing@houstonzoo.org.

We’ll announce the 3 big winners on February 9 to win a pair of tickets to our Wild for Love lecture, our Valentine’s Day Brunch, or our Princess Party.

It’s as easy as that. Just 3 words.

Here are a few examples to get your creative juices flowing:

Meet The Keeper

Living The Dream... errr I mean Exploring The Unknown

Lounging Lace Monitor

Touch and Feel

Have fun!

*Note – You can take your photos at home, the Zoo, or anywhere – as long as it shows your 3 words of Houston Zoo love.