This small zoo allows you to get up close and personal with lots of cool animals and reptiles. The…read morebaby animal room was the best part and well worth the extra $5. Definitely a hit with the kiddo! We took our 6yo daughter on a Sunday afternoon and she loved it. We saw alligators, capybaras, all sorts of weird fowl, goats, monkeys, a pig, an emu, some zebras (they were far off in an area that wasn't accessible), bears, baboons, roosters, a donkey, a miniature pony, peacocks, and tortoises. Probably the coolest thing outside the baby animal room was the alligator feeding. One of the handlers came out with a bucket of raw chicken and some gator knowledge, and we stood just feet away as these massive gators hissed and jumped and came up out of the water to eat. It was so awesome! In addition to the animals, there was also a small playground with ropes to swing on and climb. On our way out we stopped in the baby animal area and got to hold ferrets, a bearded dragon, two snakes, a baby coati, and a baby alligator. There was also a sweet baby muntjac deer you could pet (but not hold). We took a lot of really fun pictures. It was a great way to end the visit. The only drawback is that the grounds don't seem well-maintained and need mowing and other work. The barns were really dirty and covered in cobwebs. There were giant tortoise turds on the walkway. One of the feeding tubes for the bears was broken. You can tell the place is in need of some repairs. I'm sure it's because all their profits go to the animals and not the facilities. It didn't prevent us from having a great time and we would definitely visit again!

Do Not Go. They have been reported twice since December 2025…read more According to the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the incident happened Dec. 20, 2025, at Mystic Misfits (aka Canton Grand Safari) in Grand Saline. Inspectors say the adult female hyena was being handled in a manner similar to a pet dog, walking in a public area with direct access to guests. The USDA report states the facility allowed members of the public near the animal and directed one guest to stand beside the hyena for a photograph. Federal officials say the hyena then bit through the leash, escaped the handler's control and attacked the guest, causing a severe calf injury that required hospitalization. The violation was labeled "Critical" under federal animal handling regulations. USDA inspectors noted hyenas are powerful wild predators capable of causing serious injury and said public exhibitions must include proper barriers, distancing and handling procedures to protect both the public and the animals. The focused inspection was conducted Dec. 31, 2025, and the report says corrective action was required immediately moving forward. Article Below: https://www.txan24.com/post/usda-report-hyena-was-being-walked-like-a-dog-before-attack-at-east-texas-facility They only provide proper notification of liability for injury concerns after payment (as you can see in the photos attached). Canton Grand Safari was found to be in violation of their 21 day suspension which was put in place January 2, 2026. Please see attached Official Notice of suspension paperwork attached. Article Below: https://www.peta.org/news/canton-grand-safari/ Another known alias for the company is Mystic Acres https://www.facebook.com/mysticacrestx/ https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1B2FNHGery/

Gators & Friends is not just for children because it was just my wife & I and we had a really nice…read moretime for a few hours. There was a wide array of animals to see such as Scottish Highland cows, Kangaroos, Fallow Deer, Alpacas & our personal favorite was the Ring Tailed Lemurs & of course plenty of Alligators. Although we must've missed it but they have Gator feeding times daily & if you're into Ziplining that's available as well. The staff is friendly & helpful as well as a fair admission price of $15. Nice place to spend a few hours with or without children.

I brought my 89-year-old patient here to push around in a wheelchair to see all the animals…read morethinking that she would have the best time . We were charged $35 for myself and her and one cup of food . When we went outside we realized we could only go around the Gators because it was wood but to see the rest of the animals you have to go through the rocks . I could not push her through those rocks we got so far and it was so tough we had to turn around and go back . So it is not wheelchair friendly and we did not get to see all of the animals and when I reported to the staff that the place was not wheelchair friendly they said oh sorry about that have a good day . We thought they should have at least offered a refund on our admission but oh well lesson learned we won't go back and it's not wheelchair friendly for those who are handicapped

Horrible, horrible place. On the surface everything looks okay, but behind the scenes it is…read moreterrible. Dark room where marmosets are in deplorable conditions used as a monkey mill. Went there and it was after 1:00 pm and they hadn't yet been fed their morning meal and the lights weren't even on yet. Research news stories on animals getting out or being killed. Inspectors have to be complicit, because this place should never pass even the most basic inspection. The owner should be charged!

Beautiful location hiding horror's behind the scenes. Owner does not seem mentally well. The rat…read moreinfestation was worst I've ever seen. Animals attacked owner and staff repeatedly. Owner has forgotten to lock cages several times. Staff has been attacked a number of times due to coming in and finding out owner neglected to lock a cage. An ape has gotten out while visitors were there resulting in a child being bit. Owner has been bit several times in front of visitors

We chose this certain place because of the train ride and got there and it wasn't running. Not many…read moredifferent animals in the safari. Disappointed

We stopped by when we were staying in Jefferson. The kids had a great time feeding some baby goats,…read moreenjoying the petting zoo and then going through the drive-through park. Take it slow and easy to not startle all the animals. We had no problems. We even had a large group of cattle come up to feed from the kid's hands.

Great experience ! We took our 7, 8 and 12 yr olds and they loved it!! Animals were engaging and…read morethe staff were very informative and nice. Definitely recommend

We visited today as a party of two cars (3 adults 4 kids)…read more We were able to park a car and jump in one together. Every single staff member we encountered was so friendly and ready to explain every animal. They were very knowledgeable and engaged the kids. Bathroom by gift shop was very clean, as was gift shop. We enjoyed the variety of animals, we took our time and were there about 2 hours. The sloth experience was very cool getting to see such beautiful animals up close. We will def be telling family and friends about this gem about an hour from frisco.

Took our 4 and 6 year old grandsons to Yesterland today (as we have done for the past three years…read more)and I can honestly say it was our best experience yet ! They were finally tall enough to ride everything and they didn't leave anything out . Literally every staff member we encountered seemed genuinely pleased to be there and made our boys feel special . We booked our tickets online and felt like the value far exceeded anything we've experienced in DFW. Lines were short, restrooms were clean and plenty of handwashing stations. I would highly recommend driving the hour it takes from DFW to experience this nostalgic place .

This is a fun amusement park good for the kids and family . I recommend coming during the fall…read moreseason when it's not so hot. There are not too many shaded areas and be prepared to walk. We had a blast amidst the heat and took advantage of all the fun things they had to do. Priced very well and adorable . We did not check out the food or drinks here but they have them available onsite . Looking at reviews from others, it did not seem to be worth it anyway. They have hayrides, fun rides for toddles and adult rides as well. I like the facts that we didn't have to wait super long for the rides and staff was very courted and welcoming. You get a lot of selection for just an admission ticket . They have paintball and apple cannons as well. Very fun experience located in Canton .

I saw so many animals all living a peaceful existence . Black Beauty Ranch is worth a special visit.read more

Very educational. Is great to hear the story behind it and see the rescued animals. The guides were…read moreknowledgeable and attentive. Wish they had more tours besides Saturdays.

Must visit! Fun for all family ages! We stayed at one of their cabins and then went to the park. It…read morewas very peaceful and a must stop

From the owner: Encounter Exotic Wildlife Without Leaving Jefferson, TX Plan…read morea trip to our drive-thru zoo There's no need to search far and wide for a place to see exotic animals. Busy B Ranch Wildlife Park, LLC offers residents and visitors of the Jefferson, TX area the chance to have up-close encounters with a wide variety of wildlife. Our drive-thru zoo allows you to remain in the comfort of your vehicle while viewing our animal enclosures. With more than 20 years of experience caring for wildlife, we have the skills needed to keep our animals comfortable and happy. Call 903-665-4093 now to plan your visit to our wildlife park.

This was such an amazing experience! I was honestly was doing this more for my niece and nephew, as…read morethey were in town for the holidays. I think the adults had just as much or even more fun than the kids. Courtney, the owner was a sweetheart. She was personable,, detailed, and you can tell she love what she did. The Safari starts off with the deers and it moves up to llamas and moves up to some of the bigger animals. It was such a great experience. Lots of screams and laughter. There are enough animals for the young ones to enjoy and feed. We are definitely going back. It is a great activity for family and friends with a wide age range that would enjoy it! I am located in Plano so it is a drive but it would be a great event to do for the day and find some cute little restaurants out there to end the day.

Rocky Ridge Drive Through Safari is a great place for up-close sightings of friendly, placid, some…read morefairly large animals. You'll meet lots of deer, burros, some huge bison, wildebeest, antelope, and spectacularly gigantic bovine specimens. You'll see a wide range of antlers, wide and thick, mature and juvenile. Entry fee includes several generous bags of food. Maybe the number of bags is based on number of occupants in the car. That's also how they determine fees. Animals come up to car windows to collect the treats. My 5-year old great niece enjoyed it all immensely, as did the adults in our group. She kept saying "Adorable." The self-guided tour provides scenic local views. Animals and kids provide lots of laughs. Highly recommend, especially to entertain your youngsters. There's a small walk-through area just before the exit. Good place to stop and let the littles shake their legs and shake off some energy before your drive back.

This was our first visit to Cathy's Critters and it was nothing short of amazing!!! My brother in…read morelaw told us about their trip for a birthday party and he thought it was cool. The guest services entrance was a wonderful start to the visit, Tess gave us the best start off, Tess gave us maps, tips and a few laughs, she was awesome!! We came in a pretty big group and it wasn't crazy getting in and out of anywhere. A very sweet young lady gave us a detailed tour in the reptile room and my oldest son is now in love with holding exotics animals thanks to her patience. There was another young lady who felt like she was out personal tour guide , she would pop up with a smile and give us details and stories about the animals, you can really tell the animals are loved and well taken care of at Cathy's we will for sure be back!!

We visited Cathy's Critters on Friday, 4/17 for my two-year-old's birthday because she has a…read moreserious obsession with cows. We thought this would be such a fun place for her and her siblings to visit, and it absolutely exceeded our expectations. Annie and Tess were our guides, and I truly cannot say enough great things about them. They took the time to teach us about every single animal we had the pleasure of meeting, allowing us to move at our own pace and really enjoy every moment. I found myself feeling so relaxed and fully present during the experience, and that wouldn't have been possible without their patience and care. They were amazing. Honestly, all of the staff we encountered were so kind and welcoming. The animals were clearly happy and very well taken care of. My kids loved every encounter and even learned a little about how to care for the animals themselves. I actually saw a review complaining about animal poop around the property... but it's a farm. The animals are free-roaming instead of being kept in cages, which honestly made the experience even more special. If someone expects a hospital-grade environment, this probably isn't the place for them. This is a farm with well-loved and well-cared-for farm and exotic animals. I highly recommend bringing yourself, your family, and your kids here. You won't regret it. We already can't wait to come back -- I might even have to celebrate my own birthday here as an adult! Annie and Tess, we loved meeting you both and can't wait until we see you again.