This is one of the places that can make you feel like a kid again - I definitely had that…read moreexperience! From the name of the place itself, yes, you can guess it is a zoo, but not of real animals. It's a zoo of 3D animal paintings - you can call it trick art or optical illusion, because the elephant and the whale shark look like they're leaping out from their respective picture frames, and the shark and the crocodile seem ready to gobble you up. Actually, the fun element here is also in the taking of pictures. On photos is where the 3D and optical illusion element is best seen. Sit or lie down at the open mouth of the shark and it will look like you're about to be eaten; hold a pail of water beside the elephant and you will look like you are giving it a bath. My friends and I really had fun here. There are also tarsiers (and yes, the Chocolate Hills!) and a pawikan, among others. And you know what's the best thing about this place? It's free! Yes, no need to pay anything to have the same fun experience my friends and I had.

I swung by Ayala Triangle Gardens after a long day at the office last week, and man, it was exactly…read morewhat I needed. Grabbed a spot on one of the benches under the big trees, cracked open a book, and just let the city noise fade into the background while kids ran around laughing and joggers zipped by. The air actually felt fresher in there compared to the rest of Makati--huge green escape right in the middle of all the concrete. Ended up staying longer than planned, got an iced latte from one of the cafes, and watched the sunset hit those colorful "Make it Happen, Make it Makati" letters. Felt so peaceful and alive at the same time. Five stars, no question--I'll be back whenever I need to recharge without leaving the CBD.

Just got back from a quick evening stroll through Ayala Triangle Gardens and honestly, it never…read moredisappoints. After being stuck in back-to-back meetings all day, I needed somewhere to clear my head without fighting traffic out of the CBD. Found a quiet corner near the fountain, plugged in my favorite playlist, and just watched the lights start twinkling as the sun went down. The place was alive but not chaotic--couples walking hand in hand, groups of friends laughing over takeout, a few serious runners circling the paths. Grabbed a cold calamansi drink from one of the stalls and sat there longer than I meant to, feeling the stress literally melt away. That big colorful "Make it Happen, Make it Makati" sign glowing against the skyline is such a vibe too. It's the perfect little pocket of calm in the middle of all the hustle. Easily five stars--can't wait to swing by again soon.

Last time I was surrounded by a huge volume of people was back in 2014 during the big game parade…read morein downtown Seattle for the Seahawks. Rizal Park wasn't as crowded as that event but it sure felt like it. We visited on a Sunday. We started at the Statue of the Sentinel of Freedom (Lapu-Lapu monument), stopped by the José Rizal monument, then walked to the Kilometer 0 Landmark. I liked seeing the Philippine National Flagpole. It was very powerful watching the flag waving in the light wind. This is a nice park with plenty of historical markers. It's definitely worth visiting if you want to know more about Filipino history. I'm glad it's free for the public as well. As a visitor, it was a mistake coming on a Sunday. We didn't know there was an event going on in the Burnham Green area. For an open space it was extremely crowded. It was difficult getting picked up by rideshare too because of the heavy traffic. We didn't get to experience the entirety of the park since we came in the afternoon and the heat was unbearable. If I were to return in the future, I'd plan it out better. I would go early in the morning on a weekday while kids are in school and people are at work. I'd definitely bring a portable fan, a full water bottle, and a UV umbrella too.

Very big and beautiful park. Enjoyed walking through it with very spacious road and plenty of…read moregreen and shade. This park is connected to a lot of places for tourist to visit (short cut) if decided to walk instead. At night time, it is well lit up, especially during the holidays.

Basically a mini indoor theme park inside of the City of Dreams complex, DreamWorks DreamPlay is a…read moregreat place to take kids. If you've ever been to DisneyQuest in Orlando, it's sort of a smaller version of that, geared toward a younger crowd. They have a "participant" ticket for 1500 pesos which includes access to all the attractions and a "non-participant" ticket for 350 pesos. Non-participants get to walk around the facility, as well as the Shrek House and Madagascar areas. Basically a cheaper chaperone ticket for the adults that are accompanying the children. You can also upgrade from your ticket at any time if you decide you want to take part in the fun. There's also a VIP pass for 2999 pesos which includes a meal (food, drink, and ice cream) and the ability to skip the line. Although when we went there weren't really many lines for anything so I'm not sure if it's worth it. We only got non-participant tickets just to take a look around but even that was pretty fun. The facility is well designed and well maintained it feels like a legitimate theme park. Even just walking around the themed areas was entertaining and there were various activities scattered around. We got lots of cute pictures and even got a pic with Alex the lion from Madagascar. Although we didn't try any of the attractions they also looked like a ton of fun for kids. It includes things like ropes course, cooking class, theater, and lots of games. DreamPlay is definitely a place to check out if you've got children, especially if they're a big Dreamworks fan!

Dreamplay, City of Dreams Manila some of your staff and crew need a better understanding of Autism,…read morewe had a reservation for 4 pm today under Jerome (3 participant and myself). When we came back at 3:50 pm I was not allowed in because I was not wearing a badge. I told her I was just there to really watch Jerome and when I did the reservation I was not wearing one either. The young girl was obviously not aware of Autism and so is her idiot of a Manager. Seriously? I really don't mind paying an upgrade if it was mentioned when I made a reservation for my son. All other staff at the center was pretty accomodating with my son. FYI my son was wearing a medical bracelet. Thank you for ruining an almost perfect day for my son. #autismsocietyphilippines #dreamplace #cityofdreamsmanila #cityofdreamsplace #autismfamily #autismawareness #autismacceptance #OnlyInThePhilippines

The park got a bit of an overhaul from the last time I went. The food was ok but I wouldn't…read morerecommend going for an establishment where it was roach-infested. The rides were epic although some got burned down from the fire disaster years ago, I was sad not to get to try those rides when I was little. Overall, the prices are fair, affordable for people (young & old) and a good place to swing by when you're around in Manila.

Great for young families. If you are from the Unites States…read more(Mainland) or you have been to the theme parks such as Six Flags, Universal Studios, Disneyland, etc., I would skip this park. I'm from Hawaii and the only thing that you could compare it to is 50th State Fair and it pails in comparison. My family of 5 would spend over $200 on rides and snacks. We spent less on admission to Star city for 16 people. Prices as of Oct 2016 Ride-All-You-Can or All You can ride: (such a deal) 450 pesos = $9 and some change and we added on Snow World: 100 pesos = $3 1. It is mandatory to wear covered shoes. They will rent out shoes to you. 2. You have to be 44 inches to ride the ice slide. If you are from somewhere that doesn't snow then purchase this. If not skip it. 3. Payment gives you unlimited access but if you don't have shoes they will make you repurchase it. We didn't do these activities that cost extra. If you purchase the Ride-All-You-Can it will cheaper to add it on to your package: Lazer Blaster Scream Avenue Unlimited Mini Golf at Adventure zone Star city offers indoor and outdoor rides. There are carnival type games offered for an extra cost. They have different food vendors and a whole floor that sells clothes, makeup, toys, electronics, and knick knacks. Our group of 16 ranged from 3-year-olds, elementary kids, intermediate kids, high schoolers, adults to senior citizens. There was something for everyone to enjoy.

Kids today are more indoors than ever before. Pollution, crime and the heat are making parents…read morerethink their child rearing ways. Tablets and other gadgets are being freely given to these kids and in turn, they become perfectly content with staying in their rooms all day. Our outdoor culture is already diminishing and what better way to bring it back than to take children to the farm? Holding baby pigs, fishing, riding carabaos, feeding rabbits- these are just some of the things that your kids can experience at the Sta. Elena Fun Farm. I see this place as a quick retreat from the city, a breather from the traffic, buildings and all the asphalt that has enveloped Manila. It doesn't take so long to get there and once you reach the place, you'll fall in love with it. Tips: 1. Take the kids here on a weekend complete with a picnic basket. 2. Entrance is P300 for kids and adults. Any kid below 2 years old is free. 3. Lolos and lolas get discounts too!

One of my best friends had her son celebrate his second birthday at The Fun farm at Sta. Elena for…read moreseveral reasons: 1. the little boy loves animals 2. the weather during that time of the year was suitable for an outdoor/al fresco party She had decided on a theme reminiscent of barns, the countryside, and good old fashioned country living. The Fun Farm was perfect with it's main hall made of wood exuding an earthy feel, wooden tables and benches perfect for picnic set-ups, and of course, the venue was surrounded by horseback riding trails, rabbit houses, a pond where kids and their daddies can take a swing at fishing, and other animals that kids and adults can enjoy seeing up close. She was also allowed to bring in her own caterer which was very convenient as they preferred all sorts of food and got a few suppliers for several kinds of items they wanted to serve, like grilled chicken, lechon, pansit, chicken drumsticks and other food everyone gets to enjoy at kiddie parties. It turned out to be a simple but very memorable afternoon, not just for the kids but for adults like me, too.

Marikina has many small parks featuring benches and some greenery. One of the many is the Marikina…read moreFreedom Park located across the city hall and the post office. Here, benches outnumber the trees and the ground has been covered with concrete. Yet these features allow the park to host activities people won't normally do on a soil-covered ground. In fact, this park is often always busy. Groups of students come here to practice dances and other kinds of presentations. It makes sense because in the Freedom Park they can sit on the benches when they get tired practicing. The solid ground allows them to jump and move around. The Freedom Park is also the venue for the yearly Sapatos Festival, a tiangge where various Marikina shoe brands are sold. Recently, it made the news for hosting a free viewing of the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight.

I always pass by the Marikina Freedom Park (almost everyday) pero lately ko lang napansin na may…read morepangalan pala siya. Kaloka! Hahaha! Kapag park kasi ang naiimagine ko medyo grassy tapos may playground kahit maliit lang siya at may mga naglalampungan sa gilid. SIGE, MABUNTIS KA NIYAN ATE. But the Marikina Freedom Park is different, it's a small "park" na aakalain mong daanan lang sa una pero may mga benches naman na pwede pa rin tambayan. (Marami pa rin naglalandian dito. Choz!) Very useful yung park na 'to lalo sa mga students kasi madalas siyang gawing venue for practices ng sayaw, etc. Para sa mga may kumikitang kabuhayan naman, alive na alive rin kayo dito kasi maya't maya nagkakaroon ng bazaar/ tiangge sa area! Although the park is small, I think malaking tulong siya kasi malapit sa palengke, Sports Center, schools at maraming tindahan kaya may place para makapahinga yung mga tao kapag pagod na sila kakaikot at pwede rin gawing venue for meet-ups, why not diyan tayo mag-date diba! The best part ng park? MAY Wi-Fi!!! ANSABE NG PHONE MONG WALANG LOAD PANG-NET GIRL.

To be an aquarium in Manila(one of the Asian big cities), I think I expected just a bit more. Don't…read moreget me wrong... I make anything I'm doing enjoyable. I can't say much about the price of admission... we were doing other things around Manila so we stayed in the connecting hotel H20. We planned to visit the aquarium anyway but we received two free tickets just by staying at the hotel. The exhibits consist of a bird show, sea lion show, oceanarium, trails of Antarctica, super toy collection, creepy crawlies, and jellyfish exhibit. There are some fish but I honestly felt like there were more bugs and other animals throughout the aquarium. I almost skipped over the Toy Collection exhibit... was I stupid for almost skipping it? I had a ton of fun in that section. lol. I do want to point out two things. The bird show and the sea lion show! When I visit places like this, I typically don't put much faith into these shows. My fiance had been there a long time ago, watched another show, and insisted. So we made sure that we made it to the back-to-back bird/sea lion show. It was so much more fun than it had any right to be. The main host/ringleader of those shows was this pregnant lady... I think she might be the best person to ever do that job! The highlight was without a doubt the animal shows.

The Oceanarium and moonjelly displays were very good but very dark and hard to navigate the…read morehallways. My friend lost his receipt which grants you access to the many displays. He was sent back to customer service at the other end of the park where he sat for 45 minutes while they explained how difficult it would be to replace it or allow him access. They claimed they would have to call a manager at home and would be unable to allow him access. Meanwhile, I saw patrons ushered around turnstiles and allowed access to the sea lion show. I found vendors at food court to be pushy. I would wait for them to finish the bird sanctuary rebuild before going here. Take the ferry to Cebu and see the Aquarium which was amazing and much cheaper.