ZooTampa at Lowry Park: Making Heartfelt Connections with Wondrous Wildlife
Whether you’re looking for a fun date idea or an outing for the entire family, ZooTampa is the perfect way to spend your day. (After all, you can’t go wrong when cute animals are involved!)
Voted #1 best zoo for kids by Parents Magazine and one of the most romantic things to do in Tampa by Trips to Discover, this Traveler’s Choice award-winning zoo is truly the best of the best.
Showcasing animals from Florida and abroad, ZooTampa is a champion of conservation, education, and inspiration. A day at ZooTampa isn’t just a day spent looking at animals—it’s hundreds of opportunities to connect with wildlife like never before! With amazing “animal chats” throughout the day and opportunities to add on up-close encounters, you’ll end your zoo day with heartfelt memories—and maybe even a forever furry, scaly, or feathery friend back in Tampa!
Let’s get wild!
Bringing the Wild to You!
ZooTampa at Lowry Park has been getting people in touch with their wild side since 1930. They started off at Plant Park on the University of Tampa grounds, primarily exhibiting Florida natives like alligators, raccoons, and various birds. Years later, the zoo expanded and moved to its current location at Lowry Park, where it continues to thrive today.
Operated by the Lowry Park Zoological Society, ZooTampa’s nonprofit mission is to advance conservation efforts through research and education. With over 1,000 animals, ZooTampa’s wild population spans many exotic species, and they participate in almost 100 AZA networks for managing endangered and threatened species! The AZA (Association of Zoos & Aquariums) is a standard of excellence in animal care, and ZooTampa is proud to have this accreditation.
With over one million visitors annually, ZooTampa works to engage each visitor, facilitating fun and inspiring encounters that encourage people to care for the world around them.
With “Secrets of the Zoo,” a NatGeo ZooTampa TV show, this wildlife facility has even helped spark wildlife connections in homes across the country! Tune in for a sneak peek of what you’ll see on your visit!
Expedition ZooTampa
There’s so much to explore at this premiere Florida zoo! Amazing animals, fun tours, rip-roaring rides, and exclusive encounters all make up an ideal day at this tropical Tampa getaway.
The zoo is divided into six distinct regions: Manatee Circle, Florida, Africa, Primates, Wallaroo, and Asia. Each one has species (and corresponding encounters) native to the region as well as themed rides, dining, and shopping.
Manatee Circle
Manatee Circle is the entrance to your adventure and boasts beautiful, bubbling manatee fountains. This is also where you can experience the famous Macaw Flyover—a sensational spectacle of brightly colored parrots soaring above your head and even stopping for photo ops. You won’t want to miss this breathtaking moment!
The main free-flight aviary is located within Manatee Circle, too, so if you’re looking for feathered friends, this is the place to be. (This aviary is also home to the resident sloth—see if you can spot him hanging around!)
Florida
As you wander through Florida, you’ll get the amazing opportunity to see the elusive (and endangered) Florida panther. There are currently three big cats in the zoo’s care. Unable to return to the wild because of injuries, these fine felines have a second lease on life here and are now important ambassadors for their species.
Additionally, you’ll also be treated to views of red wolves, bald eagles, skunks, black bears, exotic reptiles, and of course, alligators!
The Roaring Springs Family Water Adventure ride is also located in the Florida region, so you can board a boat and float along beautiful sparkling spring waters…before plummeting over a thrilling three-story splashdown! (This ride is great for hot days!)
Africa
Journey to the wilds of Africa to meet elephants, tortoises, giraffes, storks, rhinos, hippos, and more! If you want to embark on an extra special expedition, try the open-air Expedition Wild Africa Safari Ride—a guided tour about conservation efforts in the wildest reaches of a remarkably beautiful continent. There’s also a behind-the-scenes Partners in Preservation Tour—first come, first serve, this limited capacity 20-minute tour meets at the African Penguin habitat at 3:30 p.m. on weekdays. The best part is an up-close look at the cloud leopards!
One of the most popular regions of the park, Africa is an absolute delight. This region is where signature encounters with African Penguins, and Giant Tortoises take place. (Yay, tortoises!)
Primates
Monkey see, monkey do!
Most of the primates in this great habitat are endangered, but luckily, ZooTampa has plenty of info on what we can do to help. Enjoy the amusing antics of lemurs, orangutans, monkeys, and baboons while learning about their struggle for survival and how they can thrive once again. (The ring-tailed lemurs are just the cutest!)
Wallaroo
G’day, and welcome to the Outback! Fans of Steve Irwin will adore the Wallaroo region as it showcases some of Australia’s best-known wildlife. From koalas to wallabies to emus, you’ll find yourself say “crikey!” in no time!
Wallaroo is also home to two rides—Boomer’s Flyin’ Bananas and the Tasmanian Tiger Coaster. The Flyin’ Bananas are for kids only (sorry, grown-ups!), and the Tasmanian Tiger is 100% family-friendly (no crazy quadruple inversions or anything like that!).
Asia
The beautiful Asian Gardens are home to some of the earth’s coolest critters. Sun bears, Malayan tigers, Indian rhinos, and Komodo dragons roam here! These species are the VIPs of awe-inspiring.
The Asian Gardens also host two aviaries (Sulawesi and Lorikeet), as well as the Lorikeet Feeding Experience and signature Indian rhino encounter.
Make the Most of Your Zoo Day
ZooTampa single-day tickets are $44.95 for adults and $34.95 for children 11 and younger. (Protip: you can save $3.00 by purchasing tickets online through the zoo’s website!) While these aren’t cheap tickets, they offer an amazing bonus—admission to the zoo for the rest of 2022!
Even if you can only visit once, you still get a lot of bang for your buck. In addition to all of the animals and rides, every “animal chat” and “wildlife connection” is included with admission. You can check the schedule on the zoo’s website to see which ones you want to attend—these special experiences happen all day! And the Lorikeet Aviary experience is free with admission, too!
However, you can also upgrade your zoo experience to include a signature encounter (usually priced at $19.95). You can hang out with an Aldabra Tortoise, feed an Indian Rhino, or go backstage with an African Penguin, Giraffe, Southern White Rhino, or Manatees! There’s a Giraffe training encounter or Koala photo-op encounter, too! (As of writing, the koala encounter is currently unavailable, so be sure to check ZooTampa’s website for updates on its return.)
As the encounter times are scattered throughout the day, you might even want to opt for more than one. Although dependent on the animal and its mood that day, most encounters do allow you to pet the critter in question. Yay! (I’ll personally never forget my childhood wildlife encounter—shoutout to Methuselah, a very quality tortoise.)
Whether or not you choose to add on a special encounter, exploring ZooTampa is an amazing chance to connect with wildlife. We highly recommend this awesome Florida zoo!
Have you been to ZooTampa? Who was your favorite animal? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
See you on the next adventure!
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Photo: Unsplash
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