Small and neat spot…read more We try to hit a local zoo wherever we travel and this one was such a good find. The staff here were all so kind and welcoming which made the whole experience even better. Of course the train was a must for me lol and it did not disappoint. We caught a glimpse of almost every animal which is rare for a smaller zoo. The birds had us laughing and there are some really gorgeous wild cats here. It even started raining on us and nobody cared. Somehow made it more fun. Fun fact: this is actually a rescue zoo, not a traditional one. Most of the animals here were saved from other facilities or private owners and given a second home.

We enjoyed this animal sanctuary, it wasn't a traditional zoo. It's a non profit that takes rescues…read moreand we were surprised by the large animals they had - several large cats. There were several awesome peacocks roaming around. We enjoyed the reptile area as well. It was very hot when we visited so we didn't stay long. I didn't notice any concessions here so bring water if it's hot! The drive to this zoo is through the hill country and was really beautiful. It is a little ways from Austin though so keep that in mind; I think it took us about 30 mins from downtown. We realized we were pretty close to Salt Lick bbq in Driftwood from here, so we went there for lunch.

Jayden gave the best tour you could possibly give very knowledgeable very very patient and made…read morethe tour a wonderful experience for me and my family. This establishment is very underrated.

Our guide, Will, was great. He did a great job of explaining and talking about the cave. He was…read morepatient with the kids. If we ever went back, we would ask for Will to be our guide. It was nice hearing the history of the cave. The kids linked the zoo and feeding the animals. The whole grounds area is run down and needs a refresh. The gift shop and bathrooms are old and need updated. As soon as I walked in the gift shop area, all I smelled was cleaning solution. I didn't see a baby changing station in the bathroom. Our group had a good time but I wouldn't go back until things are updated.

On our drive back to Austin from Houston, we saw this drive through Safari and my husband stopped…read moreon a whim so we could check it out. 1. Camels and emus are very intense upclose when you have food. 2. This drive thru was HUGE and a lot more animals than we anticipated. Ticketed entry allows for an indoor petting animal area, but we wanted to get home faster after driving for 45 mins in their grounds. If you're looking for having a fun family time, this is it. Our loved all the friends and they know the drill of free noms. Ps. We got 2 giant 64oz buckets of feed and we still ran out

Covid fun times FROM YOUR CAR!…read more My wife has been going stir crazy over the past six months of quarantine. With a new baby it was easy to become homebodies but six months will get to anyone. As part of a post birthday celebration we decided to do something special. Drive through safari was a quick search away and before we knew it, we were on the road! The only interaction was with the gate staff and off we went. It took about 30 minutes to go through the park and you can go through as many times as you want. We were first met by some pot bellied pigs and then immediately after a couple of donkeys slowly sauntered over knowing the score. "Walk up, get fed!" This was the story throughout the whole park. We met plenty of fun animals including a camel who stuck its head right into the car! Ostriches, emus, alpaca, donkey, deer, goats, cows. A number of Giselle looking animals. Long story short. It's great family funtime and our baby loved it. One bucket of food lasted us two trips around. Definitely would recommend. Worth the drive!

The only zoo here in Austin. has a cappaberra and easy for me (78) to get around. Family friendlyread more

TLDR: Small private zoo that's in obvious need of some repairs/upgrades (and has received safety…read morecitations in the past) but nonetheless has a rustic charm. I'd still remain vigilant and aware of surroundings as a result. No handwashing station at the petting zoo so make sure you either walk your kids to the nearby restroom or bring soap sheets (more below). Open daily including holidays (365 days a year) 9-5. They offer a variety of animal encounters for a fee. CONDITIONS: This small private zoo is definitely a bit run down and unkempt. The ramp from the office/reception area to the zoo had broken wooden boards that seemed like they were heading toward collapse. Felt a bit nervous pushing our stroller wagon over it. The owner should definitely address that. I got the vibe that the owner does really care about the animals but some of the cages did seem too small. The owner also told us he wanted to construct a train (which is always nice) but I think fixing up the zoo/improving the habitats should be a priority. Some of the exhibits seemed confusing -- there was a sign for a bear but the area seemed overgrown and inaccessible. I don't know if the exhibit was just removed or what. As far as the provenance for the animals -- I think some are rescues but not all. They are also a breeding facility for endangered animals. CITATION HISTORY: I did a little bit of digging and it turns out the zoo has received citations in the past. In 2022, the USDA issued an official warning to the zoo regarding inadequate enclosure fencing. I was able to track down the official document in APHIS. I also found a reference to an official warning in 2013 that noted inadequate veterinary care for underweight animals, inappropriate feed/diet, repeated problems maintaining facilities in good repair, sanitation/cleanliness problems, and inadequate pest control (resulting in a financial penalty). I was not able to track down the official document for this, only a senate filing (regarding an accreditation association) that referenced the warning. In theory, they could have pulled it from PETA, who has published a 10-page "fact sheet" online that details countless other USDA citations and claims that in 2022, a dog broke into an enclosure and killed 4 cavies and 1 muntjac (to simplify, rodents and deer). I have not been able to verify the dog attack claims and don't have the time to look into the other alleged citations. Ultimately, PETA is a special interest group with a dubious record. PETTING ZOO/SAFETY: It's not the sort where you can go inside but you can feed the animals through the fence. There is no handwashing station but the restroom isn't that far. Make sure you take your kids to wash their hands right after. Watch smaller kids carefully to ensure they're not putting their hands in their mouth while/after interacting with the animals. You can use hand sanitizer immediately after but you really should wash their hands ASAP. I believe hand sanitizer can kill e.coli but will not kill cryptosporidium (parasite that can be carried by farm animals). You can buy soap sheets that are good on the go (Fomin is the brand I have, available on Amazon). You just pour water and the sheet becomes soapy and then you rinse. There was some charm here -- for instance, the farm animal area was chaotic in an amusing way -- pigs and chickens and peacocks and little prairie dogs trying to steal food -- it was cute pandemonium. The talking macaws were fun and the hippo put on a show for us -- opening his huge maw. Zoo experiences are a bit subjective in that sense, depending on how the animals are feeling when you arrive. Mornings seem to be best as it's cooler. Keep your expectations low -- it's a place to see animals and entertain your kids for an hour or so. Just remain vigilant and keep an eye on surroundings for safety reasons. They also offer a variety of animal encounters which we did not partake in. Ultimately, I do hope that they take any USDA citations seriously and allocate sufficient capital to improve/fix their facility.

We had such a fun time here. Honestly, the donkeys were the stars of the entire experience…read more One particularly handsome gentleman stuck his whole face into the car, slobbered quite liberally in my lap, and then proceeded to eat about half of the paper feed bag. I loved him immediately. The drive-through setup is really fun because the animals come right up to the car, and you get much closer to them than I expected. It felt interactive without being overly complicated or rushed, and there were plenty of moments where we were just sitting there laughing at whichever animal had decided our car was the place to be. This is one of those attractions that could easily feel touristy or overpriced, but we genuinely enjoyed ourselves and I'd absolutely go back. Five stars, with an additional honorary star for the donkeys. Would recommend bringing wipes. Lots of wipes.

My 5 yr old grandson and I did the VIP private experience with tour guide Tucson along with the…read moreRhino experience , after which we drove through on our own.. This did make it more expensive, but for us it was worth it...We have been able to feed many giraffes, but never have met a rhino up close and my grandson loved being able to brush them and touch them.. I chose the private tour , so I could relax and enjoy it without having to drive...and all the info Tucson gave us on all the animals and all their programs made the drive back through on our own a lot more interesting. I was very impressed with their setup and how many babies they have.. I would recommend getting their early...The tour was a wednesday at 930 and we only had one other car on the road with us....when I drove back through , there was a lot of car stoppage , cause of course every car wants to stop for every group of animals and I will say the group at the entrance gate holds you for ranson so you better have food for them so you can get thru.. Didn't try the food , but the fudge at the restaurant was really good. The only thing I was disappointed in was the avairy...If you just want to see a lot of beautiful budgies and a few chickens, then go for it, but they had no interest in the food sticks and just flew away from it for the most part...We are used to the lorikeets that land on you, so my grandson was just bored with it...

Such a fun place and the person doing the tour was nice and passionate about reptiles. My kid…read moreloves snakes and this was a nice close place to check out all sorts of snakes and reptiles and it was a super Fun tour and was great to check out the town of Bastrop afterwards. Close to Austin and very interesting tour. Enjoyable and a must see and will be back! Highly recommended!

This place was so much fun! My bf took me here because he knows I love animals of all sorts. And I…read moregotta say it was such a pleasant surprise I'm drawing a blank on the owners name, I believe it was Tim, but he was so helpful! And clearly very knowledgeable about all the animals in his zoo. You could just tell how much he loves those animals and you can see all the work he puts into caring for them. Very awesome dude! There were lizards of all kinds, snakes, tortoises, and even some crocodiles which I did not expect! There are so many animals comfortably hidden away in this cute little zoo. You wouldn't think it bc the outside looks so small, but once you get inside you see that the place is filled with exotic looking creatures of all walks of life! We were the only ones there at the time, probably because we got there as soon as they opened lol But the owner made sure to show us all the animals and point out the ones we couldn't find ourselves. He took us on a sort of guided tour of the place while he fed the animals and cleaned the exhibits We later learned that most of the animals were either pets of his or were rescues which I thought was pretty amazing I recommend this place if you love animals like I do, have kids or are looking for a fun little place to spend an hour or two! And they even have a gift shop :)

We were getting ready to spend a weekend in Fredericksburg for my wife's birthday and I saw this…read moreplace online. Since my wife loves elephants I booked both the Elephant Experience and the Animal Expedition. First, we were impressed with how professional the property, staff and everything was! This place obviously cares about the animals and education and preservation of the species that they have. The staff were all very knowledgeable and very friendly as well. The Elephant Experience was great. Getting up close with these massive creatures was very cool. Although the 'bathing the elephants' is a very short experience, it was an awesome hand-on experience. I am not aware of anywhere else where you can get hands on with elephants, washing them, touching their feet, and standing with them, all the while learning about them so as to appreciate them even more. The experience was awesome! The Animal Expedition was also very good though admittedly not as great as the elephants. Seeing the kangaroos up close and touching them as well as the Emu was nice. The huge tortoises were cool, though not much different than some zoos. Getting to touch a porcupine was pretty sweet - not something we'd done before. Feeding and learning about the giraffes was also something we really enjoyed. The Preserve manages to do what no other place we've been to (and we've traveled the earth) does - appropriately blends education and appreciation of the animals with a hands-on experience, taking the animals' welfare and the welfare of the guests into account. Well done! We plan to bring our adult children, their spouses and our grandchildren to The Preserve!

Such a cool experience. It was neat and organized and the staff was very patient, informative,…read moreenergetic and kind. I'm glad I got to experience washing the elephants!!! I'll remember this experience for the rest of my life!

From Chicago, just moved to Austin. First time at the Meadows Center at Texas State. Here are some…read morethoughts: -Run entirely by students, done very well, very enjoyable. -We wanted to check out the glass bottom boats, and we were not disappointed! -We went on the 45-minute tour. Our guide was knowledgeable, funny, and passionate--great combo! Cost was about $15 a person. -Saw a lot of wildlife, including deer, many birds, including a hawk, turtles, and many fish. Don't forget to check out the aquarium! -About a dozen people on our tour boat, from toddlers to 60's. Everyone enjoyed the experience. -Boat was covered, so it felt cool enough on the water even on a warm spring day. Highly recommended!

A San Marcos landmark and a unique experience that everyone should visit…read more The tour can offer a nice respite on even the hottest Texas days, however, be prepared for the disappointment that you cannot partake in the cool and gorgeous springs. My only detractor for this facility is the glaring lack of history of the world famous Aquarena Springs. It is mentioned briefly in the tour, and there are of course remnants of the former attractions. However, in their "museum" there is only a small glass case with a plate smattering of memorabilia. This included some dry-rotted goggles, an old program, and poorly displayed photo slide you can squint at inside the glass box. I understand that the history of Aquarena is one of ecological exploitation. Perhaps they want to avoid celebrating this past. However, you can't deny the effect it had on the area and how it still resonates to this day through SM's mermaid culture, among other things. Maybe one day the roof top of the old hotel could house a better collection or display. Or maybe the old trails could be opened for exploration. Until then, I will ensure that every visitor that comes to see us is taken on the glass bottom boat tour and they get so see our San Marcos salamanders.

Had my daughters bday party here. Everything went great we…read morekind just went at our own pace and was not rushed. But finding out party attendant was always hard to track down. Everything else went smooth though.

Drove by this place and decided to stop because my daughter has recently expressed an interest in…read moresnakes. The parking lot was small, which wasn't a huge issue since the farm/zoo itself is also very small. However, the pricing was absolutely outrageous!! around $55 for just 1 adult, 1 child, and a small cup of food to feed the farm animals. There were plenty of snakes to look at, and that part was genuinely fascinating. Unfortunately, everything else left us feeling uncomfortable and honestly pretty upset. There were far too many farm animals packed into tiny enclosures. Most of the habitats looked extremely small, bare, and lacking any kind of enrichment or stimulation for the animals. It was hard not to feel concerned for their wellbeing. Instead of enjoying the experience, we left feeling sad and disappointed. I would not recommend this place, and we will not be returning.

Such a Vibe!!!!!! I…read morecan't believe that it took me so long to visit here. So far hands down this a been the best Zoo on my Zoo tour. I mean it's breath taking when you walk up to it. I love the details!!! They had a physical map!!! I'm old school so the digital is not for me. It was such an amazing opener when I saw the dinosaurs, I felt like I was at Jurassic park. This zoo is so organized They have several cooling stations or options to go indoors to cool off They have artists who did face painting or drawings of you. I loved the lounge, where adults could get an adult beverage. It feels so peaceful here!! The animals look happy and healthy. They have an Airbnb where you can stay with the giraffes. Overall this place exceeded my expectations. You can bring the fam or simply go on a date. Well done HEB and the Zoo!!!

One of my goals is to make it to all the Texas Metropolitan Zoo's. Dallas-Done, Forth Worth-Done,…read moreHouston-Done, Austin-TBD, San Antonio-Now Done! This will actually be the 3rd time to the SA zoo, but now it deserves a review specially for consistency. Parking is pretty easy to navigate and I'd say it's fairly close to the zoo. I would say they need to provide more disable parking options. Gorilla, Giraffes, Hippos, Crocodiles/Alligators, Rhinos, Black Bear, were the main attractions, especially with it being scorching hot! (I don't blame the other animals for not being out directly in the sun honestly) a plethora of exotic birds too! The gorilla was my favorite, the ones SA zoo has are super majestic looking and you get really great views of them too. It's easy to get around the zoo because there are a lot of signs that clearly tell you where to go, plus maps, and employees to assist. They have plenty of air conditioned areas and also water mist areas to get rehydrated and to take a break from the heat. They have a good number of eating stations to get something good to drink or eat. SA zoo gets a B+ for consistency and good number of animals!