Imagine a nighttime party featuring dinner with more than 70 courses from top-notch restaurants, unlimited beer, wine and liquor, five stages with different bands and a wildlife art auction.

Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo’s annual Zoofari party will be held this year on Nov. 7, after hours when the kids have gone home. The food, liquor and music at the annual fundraiser can be enjoyed for $70 when a ticket is purchased in advance through the zoo’s Web site.

Of course, there’s the added benefit of feeling like a VIP zookeeper. Animals may not be entirely visible at night but a cacophony of natural animal sounds makes it clear that you are in a zoological park. But you don’t have to worry about cleaning their cages!

But if you don’t live in Tampa, Fla., don’t despair. Most zoos, as well as some aquariums, hold annual fundraising events that allow you to eat ‘til your heart’s content, enjoy great music, and “even cut a rug”—all for a price that’s no more than the cost of a nice dinner and a movie.
(Looking for cheap ways to entertain the family, check this out.)

The trick is finding out about the party. Many zoos and aquariums don’t extensively advertise these events, tailoring publicity to members. But looking under the event section of your local zoological attraction’s Web site will usually turn it up.

So, if you can’t afford to go on vacation in this depressed economy, a zoo party could serve as the highlight of your staycation. Of course if you are on vacation, a zoo party can add some local color, particularly because you will have the ability to sample high-quality regional cruise from top restaurants.