Top 5 Best (and Most Unique!) Zoos in Florida: Embrace Your Wild Side
I love going to the zoo. It’s my favorite thing to do on my birthday or on a “date day” with my husband. However, I understand not everyone feels the same way. For example, my dad has always said:
“If you’ve been to one zoo, you’ve been to all of them.”
Well, today, I’m here to prove that’s just not true (sorry, dad!) with a selection of the best zoos in Florida. Not only are these five of the best, but each one offers something unique that you can’t find anywhere else. In other words, even if you’ve been to a zoo, you’ll still have amazing new experiences to look forward to at these five Florida zoos!
Best Zoos in Florida: So Many To Choose From!
There are so many amazing zoos in Florida—far more than are on this list! These are simply the most unique, “off the beaten path,” least typical zoos, which, in my opinion, also makes them the most fun! Honorable mentions definitely include Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, however, since they’re more like theme parks, I left them off of this list.
I hope this list of zoos in Florida gives you some good inspiration for a fun, animal-centric day trip. Disclaimer: you can’t go wrong with any of them!
Now, let’s get wild!
1. ZooTampa at Lowry Park
1101 W Sligh Ave, Tampa, FL
ZooTampa is an absolutely outstanding zoo. With over 1,000 animals and one million annual visitors, they have consistently been ranked as one of the most family-friendly zoos in Florida and in the nation. However, what really makes this zoo stand out is its formal recognition as a center for conservation and biodiversity by the State of Florida. Indeed, ZooTampa “exhibits the most comprehensive species of endangered Florida wildlife anywhere.”
In addition to providing homes for Florida-specific species like the endangered Florida panther, ZooTampa also has wild friends from around the world and offers an amazing number of up-close encounters and feeding encounters! My personal recommendation will always be the giant tortoise encounter. I was pretty small the first time I met a giant tortoise, but all these years later I still vividly, and fondly, remember my tortoise pal!
But if reptiles aren’t you’re thing, you can sign up for a back-stage giraffe, koala, manatee, rhino, elephant, or penguin encounter instead!
This combination of stellar conservation efforts and fantastic encounters is what puts ZooTampa in my list of top five Florida zoos. What natural connections will you make?
2. St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park
999 Anastasia Blvd, St. Augustine, FL
The St. Augustine you know and love is about to get even more awesome: they have an Alligator Farm!
There are so many things that make St. Augustine Alligator Farm stand out from the crowd. Where to start? Well, about a hundred years ago! Founded in 1893, one thing has never changed—this zoo’s love for reptiles!
While they have an awesome collection of other animals like lemurs, sloths, and exotic birds, the pride of the Alligator Farm is their crocodilians. In fact, they have living specimens of all 24 recognized crocodilian species! This is the holy grail of crocs and a must-visit if you, like me, still miss Steve Irwin.
But the crocs, gators, and one hundred-year history aren’t the only things that make the Alligator Farm unique from other Florida zoos. You see, they’ve got a special form of zip-lining called “Crocodile Crossing.” Reserve your spot and embark on one of two courses through the zoo: the easier Sepik River course or the more challenging Nile River course. No matter which one you choose, you’ll find yourself zipping over crocodiles, flying next to birds, and hanging out with the lemurs! Where will your adventure take you?
3. Brevard Zoo
8225 N Wickham Rd, Melbourne, FL
Brevard Zoo has over 900 animals from around the world for you to see and enjoy! Like ZooTampa, they have some pretty neat wildlife encounters (bird feeding, giraffe feeding, and getting up-close with rhinos), but something you can only find here is kayaking encounters.
The only zoo in the country to offer kayaking tours, you can hop aboard a colorful kayak and paddle your way through Expedition Africa with a guided tour or embark on a self-guided float through Wild Florida. If you choose the Expedition Africa route, you’re likely to see giraffes, zebras, ostriches, storks, ring-tailed lemurs (the best primates), and more!
The tours last about 30 to 45 minutes and are suitable for total kayaking amateurs like me! (You do have to be 5 years and older to participate, and kiddos under 12 need to be accompanied by an adult.) At only $9.95, this interactive experience is well worth the price, providing you with views of the animals you wouldn’t get any other way.
Brevard Zoo might be one of the smaller zoos in Florida, but that definitely doesn’t stop it from being one of the best zoos in Florida! (Not to mention one of the top 10 in the country.1 Just sayin’.)
4. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
370 Zoo Pkwy, Jacksonville, FL
Another zoo that goes above and beyond the usual showcase of wild animals (which is already fantastic!), is Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. Beyond the cheetahs, newts, and kookaburras, you’ll also find an amazing array of plants from around the world!
The botanical gardens offer a serene atmosphere and beautiful photo-ops as they recreate ecosystems from thousands of miles away. Meander through a South African oasis or relax in the Asian Bamboo Garden. The Rivers of Color Garden is changed seasonally to make sure your pathway is always phenomenally eye-catching. It’s so awesome to see plants finally get some of the limelight they deserve!
But it’s not just plants—Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens also displays artwork throughout their facility, making a trip here a truly well-rounded, cultural experience. There are several permanent pieces, like the giraffe sculpture and the “bee hotel” (a piece of art that also functions as a sanctuary for our buzzy friends!), but there are also travelling exhibits that come and go. Each one helps highlight a facet of the zoo’s conservation work.
With the seasonal plants and changing artwork, no two trips to Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens will be the same!
5. Lion Country Safari
2003 Lion Country Safari Rd, Loxahatchee, FL
The “big finale” of our list of zoos in Florida is the Lion Country Safari. Situated on over 600 acres of land, Lion Country provides open, naturalistic habitats for their 900-plus animal residents, and they provide you with an amazing 4-mile safari! (Forget Taco Bell—this is really taking “drive-thru” to the next level!)
Drive through the Bushveldt and the Serengeti from the air-conditioned comfort of your own car and encounter herds of wild animals romping and playing in the fields. Some particularly brave residents, like the ostriches, may come right up to your vehicle!
You’ll see impala (the mammal, but maybe also the car) and alpaca, water buffalo, and wildebeest, as well as chimpanzees, giraffes, zebras, gibbons, and the real stars of the show: African lions. Make sure to have your camera ready to capture plenty of candid shots of your wild friends!
In addition to the awesome drive-thru safari, Lion Country also has a handful of complimentary amusement rides for the kiddos, and even a 16-hole mini-golf course! For a small fee, you can feed a giraffe, and there’s even a petting zoo where you can hang out with your favorite farm critters.
A day at Lion Country is guaranteed to be a memorable experience!
What’s your favorite zoo in Florida? And what’s your favorite animal? Let us know in the comments below! (For me, it’s a toss-up between cats and turtles. And dragons.)
Note: Every zoo on our list is accredited by the AZA—Association of Zoos and Aquariums—so when you go, you know you’re supporting trustworthy animal keepers who truly help conservation efforts. There are several more AZA-accredited zoos in Florida that are also super amazing, from Zoo Miami (the largest zoo in Florida) to Naples Zoo, Palm Beach Zoo, and Central Florida Zoological Park! You’re in for a treat, no matter which one you pick for your day trip!
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Photo: Unsplash
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