I've lived in the valley for my entire life and can't say that I went to the zoo all that often growing up, but after going there on my first date with my (now) husband, it has become a special spot for our family. We got our membership in 2013 right before zoo lights, and we've been visiting a couple times a month ever since. We skip all the extras- bring our own snacks and drinks, we walk instead of taking the "safari train" and it is a great source of entertainment for 2 hours on a weekend. We love when the staff is out and about near the exhibits, because they kindly share lots of information about the animals' names, habits, preferences, etc. If you are going to go twice in a year- get a membership, it pays off!!