1. Franklin Drive Thru Safari

0

Franklin, TX

Cancel

Open app

Search

Franklin Drive Thru Safari

4.1 (110 reviews)
Closed • 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Franklin Drive Thru Safari Photos

More like Franklin Drive Thru Safari

Recommended Reviews - Franklin Drive Thru Safari

Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
Yelp app icon
Browse more easily on the app
Review Feed Illustration

Reviews With Photos

Very nice drive thru safari- we travel a lot and have never seen a safari that has the zebra that you can interact with- LOVED that - Also has the lazy river you can hang out in and see some of the animals MAJOR win- note to self don't forget to roll the windows all the way down- I learned my lesson the hard way Friendly staff and great facilities just missing the swim up bar lol

Donald L.

Unbelievable!!! The whole place is great- but go to lemur island for the experience of a lifetime!!! Staff is super friendly and knowledgeable!!

Gift shop is pretty cool, just stinks like urine
Teresa W.

Was ok, we drove 2 hours to get here, and they did have a variety of animals. Loved the drive thru and the was it was setup. They told me this park is all family owned and operated. Bathrooms were clean ( huge) Because the inside of gift shop smelled of urine and I'm a farmer!! Around animals all the time. However, you didn't see a lot of poop, so that was a plus. We saw lots of animals, and it was in the heat of the Texas sun, around 3 pm and 102 degrees. it seemed as if they were in process of making so unique changes and would definitely be interested in going again. Because it was a drive through, some animals frankly you could see better from outside the park because some had been sectioned off. My favorites included the watusi cattle, highlands and giraffes. The tortoises were pretty amazing as well! Too many lamas and mini horses. While cute a few times there are too many sometimes to enjoy other things. If you have a choice, drive a truck, not a car, just makes the rough terrain easier to drive in it.

Cassandra S.

I had a blast at this drive thru Safari. My companion and I visited on a Saturday morning in October, and the weather felt perfect for the occasion. We spent about two hours driving around. It wasn't too busy, and there were plenty of animals to watch and feed.

Keshia R.

I have been obsessed with going to safaris since I moved to Texas. I just love seeing the animals, feeding them and petting them. I went to this Safari during the middle of the pandemic. Since everything with the pandemic was still fairly new they only allowed you to drive thru. I really enjoyed the animals. I can't remember what we paid but we got the feed and boy am I so glad we did. These animals were coming up to the car left and right and you better hope you have enough feed when they come. I ain't going to lie when that emu came up to the window I rolled up the window because I was scared. I was also a little worried when the animals with huge horns came up to my car. If you have not gone to a safari please do yourself a favor and go. Don't get a carwash until after because your car will need a wash after driving through the safari.

Andrea P.

Really enjoyed his place! We came here on a whim on the way back home from Waco and it was an awesome experience. Pros- we got to see a variety of animals up close such as ostrich, longhorns, camels, goats, peacock, zebras, llamas (to name a few). The course is pretty long so you get to see a good amount of animals. They have restrooms and a parking place that has a gift shop and giraffe feeding schedule. Cons- be prepared time wise, it takes a good 1hr and half to get through if there are a number of cars. Sometimes we had to stop and wait for animals to get off the path because they were eating what was thrown on the floor. Feeding is not included in price and costs extra. The animals will dirty up the side of your car and windows with their drool (haha).

My boyfriend brother loved it he does not get out a lot
Lauren E.

Kaitlyn was great helped us figure out the right amount of feed and super sweet always a must when in the area

Clarity & Clinton III with Giraffes
Tanya K.

Hands Down BEST Drive they Safari we've been to here in Texas ~ Our Grannies had so much fun we drove multiple times around the Safari

Our guide and a camel that followed us for a while
Connie H.

This place was awesome! We went on a Friday because it gets super busy on the weekends. There was hardly any cars and we could have driven through ourselves but chose to do a private tour (extra $60 flat for our group of 3) the private tour was worth every penny! We got to go off the normal path and our guide knew all the animals so we got to see and learn a lot more than we would on our own. Highly recommend!! Please note feeding these animals is messy. We fed them out of our hands and they have spit like any animal would, but the experience was worth it. If you go on a weekend you'll be waiting for a long time, weekdays recommended.

Animals
April L.

We were very happy with our experience. Everyone was wearing masks and 98% of it is in your own car. A great treat while still social distancing

KC T.

The drive thru safari has a huge variety of animals, it was really fun. They also have a walk around part with monkeys, reptiles, giraffes and more all included in the price. Definitely worth the money will come again!

Fun feeding animals!

See all

3 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

10 months ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Rain W.
165
1366
1460

1 year ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

5 months ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 2

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 3
Oh no 1

4 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Ivy L.
4999
1373
11072

3 years ago

Helpful 5
Thanks 1
Love this 6
Oh no 1
Photo of Ash M.
0
27
0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Keshia R.
241
226
1294

4 years ago

Helpful 4
Thanks 1
Love this 3
Oh no 0

9 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of M B.
0
212
272

5 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 2
Oh no 0
Photo of Lauren E.
493
12
1

5 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of StR I.
2
192
37

6 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

2 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 2
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 3
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of KC T.
0
39
17

5 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

5 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Michelle C.
165
71
115

6 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0
Photo of Audra O.
132
17
13

6 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 1
Oh no 0

3 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

6 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Lindsie A.
536
233
75

6 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 1
Thanks 1
Love this 1
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

6 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

7 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0

8 years ago

Helpful 8
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 0
Photo of Justice M.
404
24
14

4 years ago

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

3 years ago

Animals don't seem to be well taken care of and everything it's pretty rushed. Good variety.

Helpful 0
Thanks 0
Love this 0
Oh no 1

Page 1 of 3

Ask the Community - Franklin Drive Thru Safari

Can I buy tickets online?

Who knows. But you still have to wait in line to get in and get your bucket of food. Might as well, just roll up and deal with the line...

When would be the best time of the day to visit? When are the animals active?

Animals are always active...you are feeding them. They are soooo active. I am a rule follower, throw… 

Would smaller cars be ok through the safari?

Yes, doesn't matter the size.

How long is the drive thru?

It's 45 minutes long

Is the $15.00 fee for he baby room in addition to the $15.00 to drive through? Never been. Any advice?

Yes it is in addition. We just went Sunday and we were not impressed with the baby room. Most of the animals hid or laid out of reach. We only got to interact with a baby otter and coatimundi.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

Review Highlights - Franklin Drive Thru Safari

“They also have a walk around part with monkeys, reptiles, giraffes and more all included in the price.”

Mentioned in 25 reviews

Read more highlights

Verify this business for free

Get access to customer & competitor insights.

Verify this business

Aggieland Safari - Giraffes

Aggieland Safari

3.9(75 reviews)
19.5 mi

In summary, I think this is absolutely an amazing place that everyone should try to go to at least…read moreonce. Location: this is near bryan, texas and is taken care of by Aggies. I think that this also has something to do with their veterinary program as well. Service: the only people that you really interact with are the people that are going to take your ticket or that you buy food from. I will tell you. It's a okay experience, not overly crazy welcoming, but there's nothing I can complain about. Views: so this is why it's so amazing. Is every time I thought we were gonna have no animals come to us alot of animals came to us or some animals would I ignore other cars but totally came to us. Sometimes we had to work to draw them in other times they chased it down. There were very few cars in the park at that time.I 'm not sure if sunday is just a low day to go, but I thought it was great for us. My favorite thing was feeding the giraffes.I will tell you, it is incredibly expensive and you should just buy one cup and continue to get a refilled. They make you spend nine dollars on a super crappy cup. The refills are six bucks. I think that's kind of crazy for the price, but other than that, that is my only complaint.

Such a fun and exciting adventure!!! Staff were super knowledgeable, friendly, and eager to help…read more The grounds are super clean and you can tell the animals are well taken care of.

Photos
Aggieland Safari - Some sort of cow

Some sort of cow

Aggieland Safari - Feeding the giraffes no fear

Feeding the giraffes no fear

Aggieland Safari - Feeding the giraffes

See all

Feeding the giraffes

Blue Hills Ranch - Kangaroo baby

Blue Hills Ranch

4.8(97 reviews)
55.3 mi

Absolutely incredible weekend at Blue Hills Ranch. We were fortunate to stay in the stunning…read moreGiraffe Villa... a hefty price, but worth it if you can afford it. The Giraffe barn is attached to one side of the house, and their pasture is on the other side. It is the most fabulous "Barndominium" with incredible finishes and clearly thoughtfully designed. That experience alone was mind-blowing.... however we also had the Gold Packages and were able to experience everything the ranch had to offer! Zebras, Capybaras, Kangaroos, Otters, Deer, Homer the Dromedary!!! Everywhere you turned there were more animals and more experiences offered. My children and I were in absolute animal heaven and will be thrilled to return. I will say, our vacation was expensive and it did not disappoint. However, I do believe you can absolutely visit this ranch on a budget.... Probably one of the best experiences was their ranch safari and that is a nominal price and totally worth it! You can see the entire property and all of the animals on the safari trip. Additionally they have fantastic cabins that are themed, and if you have children under the age of 10, the pirate themed cabins are beyond your wildest imagination.... as far as I am aware all of the sleeping accommodations include kitchens so you can absolutely cook for your family instead of paying for the delicious ranch food. That said... Chef Alan is phenomenal and out of this world excellent chef. Each meal was made with love and artistry. The staff at Blue Hills Ranch all go above and beyond to create lasting memories for you. I absolutely recommend this experience as a NOT TO BE MISSED event! We are already planning a return in October/November depending on availability . Cannot wait. Looking forward to being among these amazing staff members (shout-out to Jen, Anne, Shelby, Emily, Chesney, Alan...) the guard dogs, and all of the incredible exotic animals. Thank you, Matt!

All I can say is WOW! This ranch was an unbelievable experience from the moment we booked our stay…read moreuntil the moment we left. The entire staff was absolutely amazing--so accommodating, personable, welcoming, and attentive to every detail. The chef was incredible! Not only was the food delicious, but he was also so personable. He would come out and sit with us, talk with us, and make sure we were happy with everything. That personal touch made the experience even more special. The staff truly went above and beyond to make sure my husband and I had one of the most memorable weekends of our lives. We felt genuinely cared for throughout our entire stay. I cannot recommend this ranch enough. If you're looking for a special getaway with wonderful people, amazing food, and exceptional hospitality, this is the place. We had such an incredible experience and will definitely be back!

Photos
Blue Hills Ranch - Superhero and Giraffe

Superhero and Giraffe

Blue Hills Ranch - My new boyfriend, Blue

My new boyfriend, Blue

Blue Hills Ranch - Giraffe

See all

Giraffe

East Texas Elephant Experience

East Texas Elephant Experience

4.8(18 reviews)
83.4 mi
Locally owned & operated
40 years in business

This was the experience of a lifetime! The owners and staff are awesome and the animals are…read moreobviously loved and cared for perfectly. Of course the elephants are the main attraction and the whole experience met and exceeded every expectation.

I can't say how much I enjoyed being with real elephants at such close quarters and being able to…read moretouch them too... As a child, I have seen real elephants in old temples, they don't have them anymore. Other than that its been zoo and safari. But this was different.... Kennedy introduced himself as the guy who was taking care of animals since 5 generations and he is studying to be a vet. The main mahout was a small guy and he was hilarious. He did most of the talking about all the animals. These elephants are rescue elephants which have been handed over by the zoo for various reasons, or, so I understand. There are 3 elephants Paige with longest teeth, Jeanie with a little short ones , and Krissy with none. With poaching increasing, the number of Krissy's are increasing. That will keep them safe I guess. Not sure why the previous reviews are so brief. We got to learn about them, feed them carrots, even phones if u r willing to give away ( ha ha- Paige really seemed to want them), how to keep their foot and nails in shape, bathing them so on and so forth. This was the first time I had heard a live trumpet and it was adorable. In the end we posed for pics. They are tamed and trained no doubt, but seemed to be enjoying our company and well treated by their owners. They have plenty of parking. Tickets are purchased online, most often they are open only one weekend a month. Restrooms are available. Food not allowed, but a bottle of water is ok. Got to meet Abu the camel, his partner, a zebra and a billy goat and his family too. I wanted to hold one and did not know how to- one of the helper guys I approached said just pick them up and hold - really ! Then some other fellow visitor helped.

Photos
East Texas Elephant Experience
East Texas Elephant Experience
East Texas Elephant Experience

See all

The Learning Zoo

The Learning Zoo

5.0(9 reviews)
79.8 mi

Why 5 stars? Because it's super convenient and *almost* free…read more --- --- --- We've known about this place for a while but we finally had the opportunity to take our son. Tickets are only $10, and that alone, is worth the 5-star review. For less than the price of a couple coffee's or cartons of eggs, you are able to have some really cool interactions with animals. If you want to experience anything else like this, you'll have to drive an hour to the Houston Zoo, pay a lot more money for tickets, deal with crowds/parking/etc. The Learning Zoo is obviously not trying to compare itself to the Houston Zoo, but where else are you going to get to play with goats, pigs, birds, a pony, tortoises and snakes? The location is really hidden behind 1488. You drive through a residential street, and then all the way at the back, you make a couple of turns, and suddenly you're at The Learning Zoo. When you walk in, you are offered some lettuce and carrots for the animals for an additional $10, which is definitely worth it. Plus, they have some animals inside the lobby area - snakes, hedgehogs, other reptiles, etc. Then you head outside to the main part of the experience. You can walk amongst the tortoises, get "attacked" by all of the birds in their sanctuary, join the goats and pigs in their pen, and they even brought out a 14 foot snake for people to hold and take pictures with. Everyone here was incredibly nice, too. We were only there for about 45 minutes, but for $40, it was worth every penny.

We enjoyed the zoo it's a must for a little something to do with your little ones they'll enjoy it…read moretheirs just enough for them they can feed the animals sit with the parakeets nice place to visit. Thanks we loved it

Photos
The Learning Zoo - Mini cow

Mini cow

The Learning Zoo
The Learning Zoo - Feeding the birds

See all

Feeding the birds

El Rancho Pony Rides and Petting Zoo

El Rancho Pony Rides and Petting Zoo

3.7(3 reviews)
72.0 mi

Wow! Amazing petting zoo! My son's first birthday party was incredible because of this petting zoo…read more The animals were super cute and they had a variety of animals; goats, baby chicks, chickens, bunnies, a small pig, and ducks. The kids absolutely loved all of the animals and especially the pony rides! The people are friendly and very informative of the animals while the kids were petting them. They were able to set up wherever we wanted which was convenient and so exciting to have right in our backyard. They were quick to set up and to even put the animals away. This petting zoo is affordable and easy to contact and book. I highly recommend them if you are interested in booking a petting zoo. Thank you for making our son's first birthday a memorable one!

The point of contact was very unprofessional and never confirmed my booking two weeks in advance…read moreeven after deposit was made. Was told the date I wanted to book was open only to be told it was double booked after they took my deposit. Afterwards the staff never returned any of my many emails, voicemails or calls. While I wanted to love this company, I unfortunately was extremely disappointed and out my deposit although I never breached contract and should have received a refund or at the very least a call back or email back. Terrible experience that almost ruined the event, gratefully I was able to find a replacement since I could never get El Rancho representatives to email or call me back after many attempts.

Photos
El Rancho Pony Rides and Petting Zoo
El Rancho Pony Rides and Petting Zoo
El Rancho Pony Rides and Petting Zoo

See all

Franklin Drive Thru Safari - pettingzoos - Updated October 2026

Loading...
Loading...
Loading...