The wait is over for thousands of North Texas students who are starting their Spring Break vacation Friday afternoon.
For destinations in Fort Worth and Dallas, it means the busiest week of the year is upon them.
Every year during Spring Break we see long lines outside the Fort Worth Zoo for half-priced Wednesdays.
Over the nine-day period of Spring Break in 2013, the zoo saw nearly 117,000 people. It is by far the zoo's busiest week of the year.
"Wednesday, historically, is our most popular day of Spring Break," said Alexis Wilson, director of communications for the zoo. "That's why we're encouraging people to come a little bit earlier in the week, our crowds are just a little bit smaller, and we have great weather coming so it should be a fun time out at the zoo."
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The elephants, giraffes and flamingos are all ready. But the new mountain lion clubs, fresh from California Fish & Game after being abandoned in the wild, will be a popular pair to photograph.
"We're calling this week, 'It's Spring Break Baby!' for a reason," Wilson said.
But the zoo isn't the only place buzzing with Spring Break activity along University Drive.
At the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens, the Butterflies in the Garden exhibit opened last weekend and is expecting very large crowds for Spring Break.
"You kind of have to be a little weary of someone who doesn't like butterflies," said Dale Clark, the exhibit's lepidopterologist.
Event organizers said tickets are still available for the timed viewing of the butterflies in the conservatory, but they are a hot item. Cirro Energy is main sponsor helping bring the 2,000 butterflies to the gardens each week.
"They're not cheap," Clark said of the butterflies.
And for those looking for a more thought provoking experience, Cultural District museums, like The Modern, have many free activities planned for the kids as well.
"They get a chance to talk about the work, learn about the artist, and get their hands dirty, so who doesn't love to do that?" said Tiffany Wolf Smith, assistant curator of education.
It's not just The Modern offering free museum activities. Next door, The Kimbell Art Museum, will also hold free activities for the kids, as will the Amon G. Carter Museum of American Art.
Fort Worth police will be again helping out with traffic control around the zoo and on Interstate 30 at the University Drive exit.
Zoo officials urge visitors to avoid long traffic delays and to take advantage of The T's Safari Shuttle, which will drop you off at the zoo's front entrance.
