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    Bright's Zoo

    4.3 (41 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 3:30 pm
    Updated 2 months ago

    Bright's Zoo Photos

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    Terri M.

    I went here with a facebook friends group. The price was soso but a lil pricey per person. This place has the only spotless giraffe in the nation. We were kind of able to see it but it was halfway in the barn. Well maintained. But sadly they had one of the walkways blocked off so we didn't get to see the camels and a bunch of animals in the last enclosure. But lots of cute animals. Before you even walk in they have an area with tables and chairs if you wanna have lunch there.

    Spotless Giraffe !
    La'Shant'e G.

    This place is so amazing!! The animals are so well taken care of. They look so healthy!! The staff were very welcoming and helpful. The concession was reasonably priced. The bathrooms were very clean. At first, I was afraid that the price for entry would outweigh the experience but I was definitely wrong. Great inexpensive zoo to take the family without traveling very far out. We will definitely visit again!

    Get to feed and get even closer
    Kelley W.

    had a great time with family never been so close to the animals at a zoo beflore like the giraffes, and some animals I had heard of buyd of before but never seen in person and they were wild to see very clean facility 10/1 reccommend

    Chrissy F.

    What a gem! We were visiting family and I talked my husband into going to Brights. He didn't want to stating we already have a membership to our local zoo and I don't think he expected to see much, we were expecting perhaps a petting zoo. We were blown away. I saw animals I've never saw and learned so much! You have to take the train ride because you see some animals on it that you can't see otherwise. The staff were so knowledgeable and you can tell they take such good care of the animals. Mid way through the visit my husband went back to the front and got a membership so that we could visit again when we come back to the area. Things for all ages. My son passed out by the end of the day or he would have loved this huge covered shed area with tons of trucks near the goat feeding. Wish we lived closer!

    Monkeys
    Michele K.

    A beautiful family fun day at brights zoo. Since most animals are rescue, they are all very friendly, and seem to enjoy the visitors. Nice day activity. I'm

    The birds you can feed

    Came here to see Kipekee, the spotless reticulated giraffe, and enjoyed so many other animals! I've been to bigger zoos and AZA zoos so this was one of my first smaller non AZA zoo visits, but it was great! We got to feed birds, giraffes and goats. Each feeding is $3 per person, and so worth it! I saw a couple of animals I've never heard of before which was really cool. Overall it's kinda small (from what I'm used to) but still thought it was a fun worthwhile experience! My only suggestion is check their hours before visiting! We drove 1 hour and 30 minutes just to learn they are closed on Thursday's, but we drive back out the next day and it was worth it!

    Fabulous place to visit! So much better than the Knoxville Zoo! Wide variety of animals to see, well kept, informative, affordable, and enjoyable!

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    2 years ago

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    11 months ago

    I thought the price was pretty stiff. Most animals exhibited seemed to be some kind of monkey.

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    3 years ago

    Great for something to do for the kids. They have extras like riding electric scooters that are animals and do some gem mining.

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    7 years ago

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    3 years ago

    We went on Sept 1 2023 we had too stand in line for 30 mins but that's ok we had a great day .Thanks Brights zoo .

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    8 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Shady business practices and severe unprofessionalism shown by proprietor. Visited once but will never be back or recommend again.

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

    Just a fine experience. From 4 to 70 we all were so pleased. Truly a gem. Thanks to all of the folks who make it possible.

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    7 years ago

    We loved this little zoo! Got to feed a giraffe which is on my bucket list and my 1 year old loved the squirrel monkeys.

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    12 years ago

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Bright's Zoo

    Review Highlights - Bright's Zoo

    Maggie is the main caretaker for Alf (who is being hand raised) and she doesn't stop working and is so friendly!

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    The Wandering Llamas - Chocolate Moose and Giraffybear

    The Wandering Llamas

    4.7(14 reviews)
    15.6 mi

    My wife stumbled across Wandering Llamas while researching things to do during our annual spring…read morebreak adventure. We spent two nights in the fox den treehouse which is located in one of the llama pasture areas. The "treehouse" is a elevated wooden shed like structure that has been refurbished into a pleasant little hideaway in the Smoky's. The treehouse has a nice deck to sit and enjoy the mountain view. There's also a nice swing chair and firepit to enjoy as well. The treehouse has electricity with a small electric heater to take the chill out. The treehouse was very clean and the bed unbelievably comfortable. The treehouse is a one and only. If you are renting here you have the treehouse and llamas all to yourself. The property owner and host (Sandy) lives on the property and is available if you are in need of anything. Sandy is very personable and will spend time sharing of herself with her guests. On the llama walk each person usually gets there own llama to walk with. Sandy accompanies you and can answer any llama related question you may have. The walk is at a very leisurely pace and lasts about two hours. The llamas are easy to walk and well behaved. Contrary to popular opinion of some the llamas did not spit at one another. One thing to be aware of if staying in the treehouse is there is no running water and only a fancy bucket of a toilet in an outhouse under the treehouse. This didn't bother us, but for some that don't care for "roughing it" I could see it as a drawback. (There is a gas station about a mile away that we used the bathroom at. We are members of the YMCA at home. There's a Y a few miles away and with the Y reciprocity program we were able to go there to take a hot shower. The Wandering Llama was an awesome get away experience for us and Sandy is a great host. We appreciate her sharing her llamas.

    A super fun, unique outing if you are spending time in the Smoky Mountains, about a 1.5 hour drive…read morefrom our cabin in Sevierville. We booked the 2-hour wine and cheese tour because it was the only tour that had open spots left (we booked about a week ahead). We skipped the wine and cheese part due to our concerns about COVID (the food is served in their open gazebo, so it's relatively safe - we just prefer taking extra precautions and had already eaten lunch just before we got there), but the llama hike alone was well worth it. The walk, about 1.5 hours total time, is along the gravel road, which is a little hilly, but manageable if you're fit (not so much if you have small kids that don't do a lot of walking). Most of the time was spent relaxing in an open field - very socially distant from the other eight people in our group - where we fed the llamas and took lots of pictures. The llamas are super friendly and so soft! Though Sandy (the owner) provides animal crackers and strawberries for the llamas to enjoy during the middle of the hike, definitely bring your own -- we brought graham crackers and sliced apples to feed them throughout the walk, and the llamas LOVE to eat! Sandy is very friendly and welcoming and took pictures of everyone during the hike, which she emailed to us later. A great highlight of our trip!

    Photos
    The Wandering Llamas - The tree fort at dusk

    The tree fort at dusk

    The Wandering Llamas - Me with Chester

    Me with Chester

    The Wandering Llamas

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    Briarwood Ranch Safari Park

    Briarwood Ranch Safari Park

    4.8(24 reviews)
    32.5 mi

    Well I do have to address the issue with the cost as I see someone left a 2 star review because of…read morethe pricing. I definitely think that $21 a person is extreme especially since minimum wage is $7.50. So this is kind of a tourist trap. But they should definitely do something about the pricing. I understand that they have to feed the animals but a lot of people would look ar the price and leave. Was 3 of us and Ive been to others like this in Montana with Bears and another wildlife one.... but prices were better. So you park and pay and can buy a pail of feed for $5 then drive the property. You can go more than once if you want. The first 1/3 had no animals, so not sure where they were hiding or if there were any in that area. You take your time because some animals want to walk right in front of your car and wont move. One donkey was a smart cookie, he kept walking beside our car as we were moving slowly, then he went and stood in front of the vehicle, we slowly started backing up thinking he would move if we moved... he ran to the back of the vehicle.... lil twerp. Cute animals.... cows, zebra, buffalo and donkies were all hanging out in the same area.

    I had sticker shock at $21 per person, not a per car price. I'm glad I went though. We got the 3…read morebuckets of food for $12. They were nice sized buckets so I didn't feel gouged. The animals were very "friendly" and would put their heads into the car window to get food if you let them and weren't quick enough to feed them. I was practically nose to nose with a bison, fed an ostrich, and my daughter loved the young zebra. Staff were pleasant. I had to get a car wash afterwards, but it was worth it.

    Photos
    Briarwood Ranch Safari Park
    Briarwood Ranch Safari Park
    Briarwood Ranch Safari Park - Have to feed the ostrich from the bucket

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    Have to feed the ostrich from the bucket

    Grandfather Mountain - Wilson Discovery Center

    Grandfather Mountain

    4.3(255 reviews)
    44.1 mi

    Despite the colder than expected weather and the wind, my wife and I had a great time exploring…read moreGrandfather Mountain. The park is so nicely maintained, well mark, and cleared hiking trails for all skill levels. The Wilson Center for Nature Discovery is an amazing add on with so much fun, and educational info for all ages. The Wilson center also has a cafe, offering reasonably priced "ball park" cuisine, well maintained bathrooms and a souvenir shop. Next to the Wilson Center is the Mildred The Bear Environmental Habitats where you can get up close and learn about some of the species that call this area home. Consider it a miniature zoo with habitats for some animals needing rehab. We were able to see some bears, bald eagles, river otters, and elk, OH MY! Each area had signs posted for ranger talks, which we caught for the river otters. They tell you about the animals, and and answer any questions people have. After exploring the Wilson Center and habitats, we continued our trek up on the mountain to the swing bridge, and that's when the wind really kicked in...with wind gusts, the temp dropped quickly, with a wind chill of -9degrees, but we trudged on, and made the most of it. In the end, we had a great time, and look forward to returning to explore more of the trails. Based on other reviews, some may feel that the $35 ticket price per person may be a bit much at the main entry, but it's a small cost of maintaining such an amazing resource. If you enjoy being outside, hiking, and exploring, this is a must visit NC destination

    Nice park and mountain, but $37 PER PERSON? With NO…read moresignage/pricing posted anywhere ... yikes I could understand for something like Yosemite or Yellowstone, but just a state park ...tough pill to swallow especially when it's not posted anywhere. I was planning to hike with some friends and we were going to start at one of the other lots but the roads were closed leaving us no choice but to enter the park. I really just wish the pricing/fees were posted somewhere-anywhere- because they weren't online or on the park signs out front. Had to pull up to the gate/window and even then the park ranger seemed to want to withhold that information as long as possible. The actual park is beautiful and well maintained- and you do get an audio guide plus map upon entry. But the lack of transparency here is a hard no for me. @azfitfoodfun

    Photos
    Grandfather Mountain - Exploring the Wilson Center

    Exploring the Wilson Center

    Grandfather Mountain
    Grandfather Mountain - Mile high bridge

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    Mile high bridge

    Smoky Mountain Deer Farm And Exotic Petting Zoo - Hey! Hey you! Can you recommend an orthodontist who makes house calls? :)

    Smoky Mountain Deer Farm And Exotic Petting Zoo

    4.6(184 reviews)
    54.6 mi

    My two kids enjoyed the day (age 2 and 8). I recommend this place. There arA lot of games for young…read morekids plus animals for hours of fun.

    Today was raining lightly on and off. So we decoded to give this a shot for some animal feeding…read more Boy are we glad we did. This is as close as you can get to tame/wild animals that we have every found. Now with the rain you would think it would not be good to do. However not alot of people came so we had it almost to ourselves. Just were a water resistant jacket and good foot wear and your good to go. The paths inside are gravel and only on a few areas was the dirt exposed on the main trails. Inside the pens is a different story of course because the animals are in there. We were able to feed them by hand of either pellets and corn or slices of apples. Whole apples were like 50 cents a piece and a small cup of feed was 2.50. Very cheap in my opinion for how much feeding you can do with one cup. We started with one small cup (which you get to keep plastic cup as souvenir) and 5 apples. They gave us a bag for the apples so you don't have to hold in your hand loose. My wide was floored at how much fun she had feeding all the animals and so was I. We loved it and will be back. The have the following animals there: large bunnies, goats, ostriches, reindeer, fallow deer, elk, highland cows, small ponies, donkeys, pigs, pheasant, camels, and so much more. A must go for us.

    Photos
    Smoky Mountain Deer Farm And Exotic Petting Zoo - I'm so glad I live here! I can take naps, unlike my relatives on the wild African plains!

    I'm so glad I live here! I can take naps, unlike my relatives on the wild African plains!

    Smoky Mountain Deer Farm And Exotic Petting Zoo - I'll make ANY face to get food!

    I'll make ANY face to get food!

    Smoky Mountain Deer Farm And Exotic Petting Zoo - Sweet, sweet emu!

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    Sweet, sweet emu!

    Zoo Knoxville

    Zoo Knoxville

    3.9(169 reviews)
    74.1 mi

    I finally visited today for the first time with a girlfriend, and we easily spent four hours…read morewalking around and seeing the different animals. Some of my favorites included: the red pandas, gibbons, great apes, otters and tigers. The zoo was especially busy today because of Spring Break week, but the great thing was that we never felt crowded or claustrophobic. There were places to purchase food like Beastro's Cuisine and Safari Smoke House, but we brought snacks and beverages to hold us over for our visit. I highly recommend the Knoxville Zoo for anyone looking for something fun to do when visiting our scruffy little town. Know before you go: 1) Tickets are $26.95 per adult, $21.95 for kids ages 3-12, seniors, and college students. Free for active military/veterans and children (2 & under). 2) A $2 ticket fee is added to all in person ticket sales. Save time and money, by getting your ticket online. 3) Parking is available in upper and lower lots. Handicap parking is available as well. All parking is $5, or free for membership holders. 4) Everyday they have animal encounters at different times where you can personally meet the animal ambassador and caretakers and get to chat with them. My favorite was the red panda encounter which is at 3pm everyday. 5) They do have a greatly curated gift shop with something for everyone including magnets, hats, clothing merch, and stuffed animals.

    This is such a great zoo! The animals were incredibly active and we loved the red pandas. They have…read morea military discount as well as AAA. We ended up spending most of the day here and enjoyed the selection of animals.

    Photos
    Zoo Knoxville
    Zoo Knoxville
    Zoo Knoxville

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    Bright's Zoo - zoos - Updated May 2026

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