Best Animal parks in United States

Great place, well maintained, Happy animals.

The boat ride was fine. It was interesting and the guide Tina was friendly and informative. Unfortunately they also have to beg for Tipps what's kinda weird.

However after that it got horrible. The animals in the zoo are kept in horrible conditions and are mistreated at the show. I don't like zoos in general but this was another level of cruelty.

So you not spending money on your staff, neither on the conditions for the animals. Wouldn't suggest anyone going there. If you support it - you are part of the problem.

We did this as part of a cruise tour which was not the best way to do it as the boat ride was only 30 minutes. This is not enough time to go deeper in the Everglades, so we didn’t see any alligators. Overall the ride was great but the organization around pour boarding is a bit off a hit or miss and could be easily improved. If you go direct, try a longer ride off 45 minutes or 1 hour.

My experience at Everglades Holiday Park Airboat Tours and Rides was good, earning it a solid four stars. The airboat ride into the Everglades was enjoyable, though I was a bit disappointed by the limited wildlife sightings; it felt more like a quick trip into the area.

On the positive side, the boats were in great condition, and the staff was excellent, which added to the overall experience. If you're looking for a pleasant airboat ride and don't mind the potential for limited wildlife encounters, this could be a good choice.

I like zoos but seeing the lions was just sad , they look so unhappy . I'm not saying they are mistreated but they def don't have a big enough place , they do have another enclosure to walk around in, or as someone else put it they get tier time which made it even more sad cause it's true. but there is so much open desert behind them give them some more room . I don't know much about housing a big lion but the deer has a bigger enclosure. But staff is super nice .

We had a private excursion through our hotel & the experience was amazing. You get to see a gator show, have your pic taken twice and hold a baby gator. Try the gator bites. They are really good! Chewy but taste mild and delicious. If you're staying & Newport Beachside & Resort, definitely book the excursion through the hotel because you get the VIP experience which was REALLY nice. The price even included both photo ops & they provided bottle water and a shuttle service from the resort.

Had fun punkin picking n feeding the animals

It was in alley pond I thought it is private farm.they took a lot of efforts to create an ambience entry was $14for adult and kids under 2 free

This zoo is massive! The exhibits are large and the animals have a lot of space to explore. The variety of species is very diverse and the animals are well adapted to their environments. Definitely a good day trip for all, especially the kids.

This spot is a rip off! Candy hunt is extra $3 per child and it’s just 3 pieces of candy from a hula ring which takes 20 sec to complete. But that’s not the wild part, they charge $9 for lettuce to feed the animals. I can get that for 50 cents in the supermarket.

Absolute must-do in Miami! We had captain Jerry who was funny, knowledgeable, and full of great stories. We saw lots of wild alligators and got close to some wild birds too. Got some amazing photos, the whole experience was unforgettable.
The park itself is well kitted out with reasonably priced snacks, food and drinks and was clearly recently landscaped. Will surely go back one day!!

THIS WAS A TOTAL WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY!!! We paid for this years Halloween Candy hunt, Like the other reviews mentioned the candy hunt was a hula hoop with 3 pieces of candy and eggs.. that only took 5 mins to complete and you only get one turn, we came in at 11:30 and left in 30 mins that’s how bad it was… my son had more fun at the park near by. There’s only 4 types of animals which you have to pay to give them food and no tractor or haystack ride at all.. I was so mad that I didn’t even want the “free pumkin”.

I loved going to that place with my students. We had a nice day out ,but I was a bit disappointed. They only had like 4 different types of animals,and the hayride was short, nothing to see, we just went in a circle..... They need to add more activities and definately more animals for the kids to see... we were done with the tour in less than an hour...

This zoo is huge. The habitats are beautiful and the animals are amazing. This is similar to a theme park. Lots of benches and play areas for families. Pricey snacks and food, but it is good food. Highly recommend spending time here.

We arrived at 4pm and had a beer and snack on the patio while waiting for the 4:30pm show. The show was great, John made it very enjoyable, interesting and fun. We had the opportunity to learn more about alligators and other species. After the show we went for a ride on the airboat. We had the opportunity to see some alligators during the ride, we stopped, took pictures, videos and learned a little more about the wildlife of the Everglades. It was all super interactive and the experience is highly recommended.

My daughter & grandson had a wonderful time

This is one of the best zoos I’ve ever been to. I’ve been a member since 2000 and it’s worth it every year. If you go at least two times you’ve made your money back. They’re always doing something fun and they have cool events to go to. The boo at the zoo event and the Christmas lights are the absolute best. This is my favorite zoo of all time and I’ll always have a membership here

Great place for kids! We went on early Sunday without our granddaughter. She had so much fun with all the animals and amenities in this location. Feeding some animals and picking up pumpkins. They give you an apple cider with a cookie, and you can take an apple with you. Going early will make it easy to park, visit all the animals, and take pictures with no crowds.

Free admission for military!
What a great experience. It was WAY bigger than we expected!
They had a petting zoo with goats, sheep, mini donkey and micro cows!
There was a bird aviary that you can walk in and feed the birds!
Pay for the upgrade! You get gator chow to throw to gators, you get a picture holding a gator and free train rides!

Awesome time, one of the last things we have done as a group before travelling back to the UK.

There’s gators of all sizes to see and also the famous Gator Bites to each (comes highly recommended as long as you’re not vegetarian).

Additionally, there’s other animals You can see to add more variety to your experience.

We love the Brookfield Zoo. It's such a fun outing, and we learn something new every time we visit. Now, you can even feed a giraffe. We also love that you are welcome to being your own food. We pack a picnic lunch, and our membership covers parking and admission. It's an economical outing for our family all year.

Very nice walking trails. Nice faculty for educational meeting, great play ground. Not crowded during the week

We visited from Sacramento with our two girls about a month ago because we heard there were cows to see. I can tell you that they thought it was the coolest thing to be able to feed and pet so many eager cows and goats. We saw peacocks just roaming and were lucky to see a momma and her babies cruising along the path. While the big cats looked a little sad, I'm sure if it was cooler they would have been more active. Overall, it definitely made a lasting impression that they have yet to forget. We are making another trip soon with our nephew so he can feed some goats too. Definitely a wonderful little sanctuary who is doing the best they can with the resources they have. The Aloha Shack just down the street also helps cement this place as a must visit place.

One of the most beautiful zoos in the Midwest if not the country! A lot of things for the family to see and do. And in the future, there are going to be a couple of new attractions for the dolphins and gorillas! We can't wait for that!!

Beautiful zoo… well maintained. Animals looked healthy. If u could catch a glimpse of animals during their feeding time… it is beautiful. The staff is friendly and answer all your questions….
Look out for free admission tickets from your local library (Chicago).

Been here twice and it's great for how cheap it is, especially if you're a local.

Its corny, simple but enjoyable. Bring some quarters if you want to feed the flamingos and emus. You can also feed baby gators and adult ones for a cost.

There's a small zoo with goats that can be fed, including a quick and cheap turtle encounter and capybara encounter.

They have some free shows as well.

First time there. Not very long trails, so if you're looking for some nature but don't have hours, it's perfect. Which is what we were looking for today.

As the name suggest this place is full of gators. Great day out for all ages with plenty of things to see and do. Plenty of shade for when it's really hot. Feed the gators was a real hit with our party of 8. The gator shows were good, the kids enjoyed them.
Free parking 👍

This great place bring kids... they are setting up their fall / halloween moon bounce. Animals are friendly and you are allow to feed some of them. They have great indoor places for kids to play. Great for toddlers.

Very nice experience. There's a simple layout that makes it easy to flow around the park. Lots of different animals to experience including feeding giraffes and a paid personal experience with penguins which I recommend! The dolphin experience was closed due to renovations and I plan on returning when it's finished to see them.

I always love to visit gator land . Visiting Florida several times a year . I always visit here every time. The amount of haters they have is awesome. Plenty of things to see and different animals. Beautiful walk around . 100% would recommend. Wheelchair friendly . Reasonably priced not extortionate. You will not regret it

Bring plenty of water .

Such a fun time and great learning experience. The zoo is beautiful, clean, and not overcrowded. Plenty of play areas for kids, several cute photo spots, and several dining options. The birds being allowed to wander (especially the peacocks) was a fun surprise

Very disappointing. Expensive yet "Out of service" and broken attractions. The animal encounters were just teens holding animals with little knowledge or guest service. Save your time, spend your $$ on Smithsonian Zoo or Great Country Farms. Perhaps at one time it was well loved but today's mismanagement really shows.

Cool experience we went on the fan boats with Captain Anna. She had the fastest boat which was pink for breast cancer. We were able to see alligators out in the wild swimming. She described the various plant life and the reasons the Everglades looks the way they did. After that we were able to catch the alligator show which was very entertaining and informative. You could even hold a baby alligator and look at all the other animals as well.

This is definitely a nice place for kids. They have animals like Sheep, Pig, Goat, Camel, Pony, Sloth, squirrel monkeys etc. They also offer the option to host birthday party which is definitely a hit for the kids. Finally, the animal interaction is very thoughtful.

If you buy the tickets online you save $3. Honestly this place was a lot of fun! I didn’t get to enjoy it to its fullest because there was a storm coming in like 15 minutes from when we got there but it was still pretty cool. They have lots of gator shows but I forgot to record those because I was so entertained. They also have a photo op (w/the gator from the video) for $10. Its a large park so you can spend 2+ hours there easy, just do better planning than I did.

This place is great for the whole family to visit, it has some fun slides and playground and pony rides for the kids while you relax renew yourself in such a beautiful farma environment.

Such a great place to take the kids and let them learn about all the animals native to Georgia. From the mountains to the cost they have everything. Poisons snake in cages . Sea turtle . Fish a live bee nest . Walking trails, Play ground . They do birthday parties. It's a great place for. learning. The staff is very informative.

Loved it. Was a great experience but you better wear your swim suite and walking shoes lol. My kids had a great time. There was a huge amount of different kind of gators and you can feed them and take close up pics with them. Highly recommend making this trip. 👌

A nice free zoo to visit with the kids. The park has beautiful trails for hiking, sand volleyball courts, and playgrounds. And last but not least, a great place to celebrate the 4th of July, as it turned out yesterday.

Amazing experience! I've been here twice already and loved it each time. Pack your swimsuits they have a splash park for the kids, and it is much needed in this Florida heat, and the kids love it.
I recommend seeing the shows they have throughout the day they are great.
Employees are all very, very nice and do incredible parts in their rolls.
Did the feeding of the gators right where you walk in? It was also an awesome experience.

A Breathtaking Experience of Nature's Grandeur at Everglades Holiday Park

A visit to Everglades Holiday Park is a must for every family seeking adventure and tranquility in the heart of nature. From the moment we arrived, we were captivated by the ethereal beauty and wilderness of the park.

The highlight of our visit was undoubtedly the enchanting sunset. The sky was painted with hues of vibrant oranges and pinks that cascaded beautifully over the scenic park. It was a sight so vivid that it will forever be etched in our memories.

Walking the trail allowed us to experience the park's unique ecosystem up close. The flora and fauna were abundant, and the wildlife was truly awe-inspiring. The peace and serenity we felt while hiking through the lush greenery was indescribable.

Every aspect of Everglades Holiday Park was well-maintained and reflected the park's commitment to preserving its natural surroundings. The staff were friendly, welcoming, and highly knowledgeable, adding to the overall experience.

In short, Everglades Holiday Park offers an unbeatable blend of scenic beauty, wildlife, and tranquility. Our family was mesmerized by the stunning sunset and rich natural biodiversity, making this visit an unforgettable experience. A five-star recommendation for nature lovers and families looking for an extraordinary day out!

We have been going here for years and it's always a fun time. We love walking the nature trails and playing in the new play area.

The zoo there looks like a scam. It’s just a big fenced wood with some ducks and deers in it. You can only walk along the fence and try to see animals deep in the woods. We visited the zoo in Woodbridge during the winter, and they said they’ve moved all their animals to Thompson Park Zoo, so we thought this must be a major zoo, but it turns out to be very disappointing.

I have been here twice now and it is always a pleasure. The nature center is smaller than most paid attractions, but hey it is free! The trails are nice from what I have seen and the staff was also very courteous. It was a great location to practice photography and take in nature.

Beautiful place, nice and clean park,

May 5, 2023
I just found put they are closing the zoo. Almost of the a animals are gone already! Except for 5 birds.
This was because of budget cuts.
Nothing was stated anywhere, no papers, signs not dven on Google!
Great going Monmouth County, you never asked for donations or even tried to hold an event to raise funding.

‼️‼️I am NOT giving this park 5 stars but all you see are the 5 star reviews. I would give it 1 star because it is beautiful and a great place for walks and kids… But the zoo portion NEEDS to go. The birds are over packed in small cages all day with nothing but sand. Despite the “Do not feed” signs, people are tossing food into their habitats and no one is there to stop them. Feeding bread to birds such as ducks will hurt their stomachs!!!! Also, I’ve never seen such an emo looking emu. It looked so sad and bored and lonely, I felt sick to my stomach. I felt ashamed to even go there for my walk because it’s not fair. One look and you can see these animals are not taken care of. This park does not need these animals to thrive, it has enough attractions without them. Please provide these animals with a better living situation with more brain stimulation and space.

This is the only local option for a Zoo and it's small but they are caring for the animals. We went for an easter event.
Lots of goats, deer, cows and others to feed and pet. 12 dollars per adult is not bad.

Easter eggs hunt was so fun. Animals feed, games and the show. The cabbage for animals feed was $9. No so much food vendors. We arrived 10 AM at the entrance and there was no line. We was the first group to exposed everything. Don’t come to late cause the line so crazy.

Relatively small, but plenty big enough that they have a good variety of cool animals!
I was recommended to visit for the Liger but, even though the Lion-Tigers are rare and interesting, there are many very intriguing creatures to view. A big bonus is spending an extra dollar or few to feed the animals at the petting zoo. Especially great for kids, but fun for everyone!

Some of my favorite animals were the frogs, hissing cockroaches, monkeys, and the big cats! I definitely recommend visiting. They get different animals too, so even if you’ve gone before, you can visit again and still have tons of fun.

Really nice path. I’d been meaning to go for a while, and I wish I’d gone sooner! It’s got some easy trails and beautiful scenery.

Wonderful show with the right mix of education and entertainment. Be aware that you could get wet based on where you sit. Also, avoid sitting behind the pillars. There are some great seats in the shade - maybe 10-15 seats back from the front.

We were told when we laid that my daughter would get to swim with the dolphins. Well it was the opposite. The tour guide was very rude and it was so hard to even touch the dolphins. That was the onky reason we went to see world . The dolphins there selves were lovely , cute an felt nice to be around. Very well trained and behaved.

Amazing experience, we would love to visit sea world again❤️❤️❤️

Love , love, love our little Zoo. We take our grandchildren a few times a year. The cages are too small, the animals pace back and forth from boredom, and that's sad. But it's a nice little Zoo - they need money / help for improving. It's so much fun to feed the llama, goats,cow,and deer. Price is well worth a visit. Anymore, and we would stop going. They just really need money to help these animals ! To see some of the negative reviews on here really upset me. We go here quite often , the workers are always very friendly, very knowledgeable, very eager to tell my grandchildren about the animals and NEVER RUDE ! Read the negative reviews, but then read their other reviews- most are negative, unhappy people who enjoy complaining. I just wish people would donate !

Okay, here we go! Green Meadows Farms. Please check out each of my photos as they will show what I’m describing below.

1st of all - the address of “Alley Pond Park & 76th Ave” is woefully inaccurate. The pin that shows up in Google Maps is at least **a little** closer but once you get there, there is nothing that guides you to exactly where the site is. No signs, nothing. So let me help. Once you get to the parking lot on 76th, walk all the way to the East side (where the Environmental Center is) then follow the pathway up and to the right. You’ll find the Farm on your right.
It should be mentioned that the parking lot is a total mess and if you are coming at any point after 11am, good luck finding a spot. Most people end up parking illegally outside of the lines.

Once we found where it was, it’s quite pleasant and cute. Don’t expect a true “Farm” experience here though. It’s really just a fenced in area of the park with a few animal pens (younger cows, alpacas, goats, sheep) that you can feed. The feed is just some heads of lettuce that they have for purchase at three price points based off of the size of head you want. I think they were $6-8 for one head.
They also have a “Bunny Barn” with bunnies that you can get up close with and another area with some pigs, that apparently may have the tendency to bite, so you can’t get physically close to them.

They have a simple selection of corn, hot dogs and other food items that are of basic quality. Don’t expect something special if you plan on eating here. It’s an outdoor setup so, boiled dogs it is!

We went during the “Pumpkin Patch” event. The patch was another penned off area where they scattered some loose pumpkins around the floor and also placed some palette bins that were filled with pumpkins. They mostly were medium to small sized. Do not expect to get something larger.

The Candy Hunt is not really a hunt at all, more so a “there is the candy, go get it”. See my photos. For some reason they try to do it in groups so the line can sometimes get a little long.

Some other quick bullet points on what they have on site:
- Plenty of picnic tables scattered about to sit and relax.
- A few small inoperable tractors for the kids to climb up on to get cute photos.
- A number of “selfie stations” that are hay bales in front of a scenic background, also an oversized chair.
- A slide for the kids to play on (it’s pretty fast!)
- Again, for the kids, what I’ll call a “corn pit”, which is like a ball pit except instead of balls, there’s corn kernels. They have a bunch of toys in there also.
- A large bleacher seating area for live performances. When we went there was a ‘comedian’ telling kid-safe jokes. Cheesy, cute, dad-jokes. Audio quality was a little crummy.

We personally did not have any issues entering but I can see how it might take some time as it didn’t seem that they had any sort of streamlined process of selling and accepting tickets. Every party must check in at the booth to get your separate tear-style tickets for the various activities within the site, such as the pumpkin patch or candy hunt.

Bathrooms are just a row of porta-potties but they weren’t gross like you’re at a festival concert or a construction building site.

Last note, it is in a park, so the ground is either grass or in some areas, wood chips spread into pathways. The wood chips, I would suspect, are to combat muddy ground situations after rain, but are a bit challenging to navigate with a stroller or walker (we had an elderly family member with us), so keep that in mind when you’re planning what to bring and where people with disabilities would be able to handle comfortably.

Overall, I was not disappointed at all with the Farm, I just wasn’t blown away either. For what they’re charging for admission, it’s appropriate. If they were to go any more expensive, I would probably reconsider. It’s some good fun for the kids, I brought my 2 year old, and he had a great time. Check it out!

We got here just in time to watch the animals get fed. Super fun and the volunteers talked us through it, telling us the animals names and favorite foods and more about the park. Good selection of animals and the petting zoo was fun!

Great place to see the dolphins swimming around. If you go underneath you can watch them underwater and see them swimming, often in groups.

Had an absolutely blast at the Dolphin Encounter. You get to touch on the Dolphins and learn how they train them and how to do some of their tricks. Not to mention great pics

It was a wonderful experience. The trainer was so insightful and entertaining. The dolphins are amazing they are way bigger than they appear at first.

So cool to be able to interact with them and learn their personalities.

I suggest reserving the first of the day before the park gets busy, you are more likely to interact with more dolphins and in a smaller group.

That or with a mid-afternoon interaction as a lot the crowd leaves with the summer daily thunderstorm.

They don't last long and wait it out.

Tourist Tip: underwater viewing and the aquariums are great place to get out the rain. Don’t leave right away cause the rain doesn’t usually last very long. Just find a place like the dolphin viewing and just watch and wait it out.

This is a great way to see the dolphins. They come right up to the glass and will play with you. They are way bigger than they look from above the water.

So cool to hear them talk to each other.

This place is so calming and relaxing. Wonderful spot to wait out the daily thunderstorm.

My go to trail! We park here and walk into the trail. Very clean and safe. There's also an awesome kids playground with beautiful flowers. My husband and I have parked here and gone for a bike ride from here.

Fairly small zoo, but lots to do! It felt a lot more interactive than most zoos I've been to, and I loved that they had several tiny houses and play structures for the kids. Young kids can get bored walking around just looking at animals for an hour or two, so it's nice to have a way for them to burn off some energy.

They have short animal talks where they bring out a couple animals and let everyone touch them and learn about them. They have a petting zoo with a bunch of goats and sheep. They also offer pony rides, which are fairly short, but most of the kids there absolutely loved it.

There's a spot where you can feed the fish and geese, and the fish come right up to the surface, which was fun to watch.

Overall, it was probably the best zoo experience I've had, especially with kids. It's perfect for preschool-elementary school age, but really for all ages.

10/10 would recommend.

Fabulously fun and plenty of unexpected! #LetsGuide Orlando

Fabulous and exciting. Anyone can enjoy the dolphins underwater.

Lovely views walking around the Lower lagoon.

This Park is so much bigger than when I took my kids there oh a good 30 years ago or so. Lots of fun for kids to do. A lot of animals that can be interacted with. Plenty of playground equipment that's different and challenging. Exhibits, lectures, and a theater.

A true gem for Clarke County! The visitor's center offers educational content for all ages, but is tailored towards children. It also houses numerous animals, from a Loggerhead turtle to various local frogs and snakes.

There are plenty of maps of all the facilities and trails inside and the restrooms are clean.

The trails are fantastic and well maintained. The main trail right off of the visitor's center has lots of information for both children and adults about what you can find along the way.

Sandy Creek is truly a wonderful place to learn about local conservation efforts and a nice place to spend the day.

It is located beside the Mombasa Pavilion and Nairobi Village. A peaceful walk can be experienced on the Lagoon Loop. There's a plethora of aquatic rare birds in the Lagoon as well as many beautiful species throughout the park!

My 2 year old had a blast. We went on a nice weekend in February so a lot of the animals were inside but there was so much to do. He loved the playgrounds, the huge tube slide, and the pony ride. We will definitely be back!

Priceless experience.

I honestly don't recollect what the price was, but, I am certain that I wouldn't hesitate to pay it in the future.

The encounters are timed events, you'll meet in your group spot at whichever time your encounter is designed to be at. After a short stand within the group, you'll be introduced to the trainer you'll be with, and taken to your spot.

Our initial group had six of us, which seemed to be the standard for two dolphins. Wife and I lucked out, as another staff member volunteered to do another and we offered to jump with her - so, it was just us two, with a dolphin each.

The encounter was incredible. To be able to touch, and directly interact by giving commands, as well as have incredible photos taken professionally for you, with these gentle giants is an indescribable feeling.

This was by far my favorite experience in the park, and though, the cost comes separately from admission, if one has the funds to splurge, do not pass this one up!

Nice timepass for kids . It’s a free walk around zoo with some good animals . We saw a white peacock dancing that day :) also had emu, wild boar and few other animals. Was good for kids less than 6 years :) lots of parking available and many more things to do in that park .. thumbs up…

My kids adored this spot. They got the feel that they were in with the dolphins without getting wet. There are a couple great viewing areas that are more/less in the water in a little culvert.

The girl working the front desk was so sweet and she gave us so much info on the animals there. She also let us hold a hissing cockroach and showed us how playful Noah the cockatoo is❤️ Visiting this zoo was the best Mother's Day gift. The entire family enjoyed our time at the safari zoo❤️

Ok

Very nice park to go with family . Right from the parking lot you can see some of your favorite animals like pot belly pigs, roosters, deer, Billy goats and excetera. there is a playground and bathroom facilities are very accessible and clean. The park offers paved paths and dirt and gravel hiking trails. My hiking group went Sunday morning and we hiked for 2 hours. Very nice park we will be returning.

Great little park, plenty of space to walk around and enjoy nature. The zoo is a wonderful addition, it was so cool to see deer up that close (but not in front of your car!). Hidden gem!