awesome! you can definitely tell these elephant ladies are well taken care of!…read more workers are very knowledgeable and their space is amazing.

What an education and experience, these incredible animals are simply amazing, I had 2 visits. Yes…read morethey are trained however they are spoiled and treated like royalty, their homes are cleaner than most humans homes, they get pedicures and full body washes and brush scrubs. They eat better than my own children. It's so obvious how much they are loved and cared for, I usually don't like to see wild animals locked up however, the wild or even a zoo would not give these elephants the glamour life they are living.I wish I was taken as cared of. I am still amazed how sensitive and tender they are. Truly an amazing adventure and educational experience, I wish everyone could have the opportunity that I did.

We just spent two days at the YO Ranch and it was spectacular! Jordan took us on a tour to see all…read morethe different animals they have and she was super fun and very knowledgeable! Highly recommend the animal tour. We got to feed some of the animals and learned a lot! Who knew Zebras and donkeys could mate and make a Zorkie?! So cool! She also introduced us to Patty and Thor the pigs in the petting zoo area. And all the other cuties in there! Lisa was so sweet also! She introduced us to "Sissy" the capybara. We got to feed her several times and it was so neat to call her name and have her come swim up to us! We were there for our anniversary and Lisa made us feel so special and even provided us all the fixin's to make s'mores on the fire they had lit the whole time. I'm a vegetarian and Luis really took care of me for each meal! Very much appreciated! The food was fantastic and he was great to chat with! Being able to take our dogs was just another bonus! We always love anywhere that's dog friendly! They loved all the new smells out there and they also had a blast! We will definitely be back!

We stayed at this Ranch last week last week while we were in Texas. My husband booked it on a whim…read moreoff Expeida - we were actually planning on going to Fredericksburg but ended up there. Lisa was amazing - super friendly and helpful. We were only one of two couples there. Room was great and the grounds were fun. Amazing animals everywhere!! The donkey's were so friendly and the Capybara was so cute and friendly. Lisa gave me some lettuce and an ear of corn to feed her! Funny she is a "rodent". What a sweet rodent! Its a real hunting lodge, so if you are not into that sort of thing, it may not be for you. The only negative was that it is really far away from anything. I mean far! 7.5 miles once you hit the main gate and there are no restaurants near by, no stores, nothing so we went with the $100 per person dinner that Lisa told us about (which was almost inedible). I guess in our minds we were thinking oh its a Ranch, they will have BBQ or good food!! Wrong.... I would just recommend bringing your own food or eating prior to getting there. It by far was not worth $200 for chicken fried steak, flavorless mashed potatoes and canned green beans! Breakfast was just scrambled eggs, bacon and toast. Save the $$$$ on the food for sure, 100% not worth it. Amazing spot though if you bring your own food and I would totally recommend going there if you want to see beautiful animals.

Me and my family came here for a little getaway trip and let me just say, we had so much fun. This…read moreplace is such a vibe. Seeing the animals that close was honestly an experience I'll never forget. The rhinos were right outside our back patio area where we could watch them from a distance. Obviously there were safety barriers between our townhouse-style villa and another barrier around the animal enclosure itself, but it still felt amazing being able to see them so close. The place we stayed in was super spacious. It was more like a private little townhouse/villa setup rather than a regular hotel room. There are multiple villas throughout the property depending on the size of your group. Ours was a two-bedroom, three-bed villa with huge restrooms, amazing water pressure, and beautiful backyard views overlooking the rhino enclosure. My cousin mentioned that some of the other villas also overlook the giraffes, but ours mainly had views of the rhinos which was still such an amazing experience. One thing I really loved was how interactive and educational the experience was. The staff was very friendly, informative, and clearly cared a lot about the animals. They explained where many of the animals came from, safety precautions, and how to properly interact with them respectfully. For example, with the giraffes they explained not to stand too close to their neck or face while feeding them because if they turn suddenly you could fall over. With the rhinos, the staff explained that their eyesight is limited, so we had to approach them slowly and talk to them so they knew we were there. There's a barricade setup with small openings where the rhinos pop their heads through while eating. As guests, we slowly walked alongside the barricade while talking to them until we reached their forehead area where we were allowed to gently pet them. It was honestly such a cool and unique experience being able to interact with them that closely while still keeping everything safe for both the animals and guests. The animal activities were honestly one of the best parts. We got to feed the giraffes and even the sloth which was such a cool experience. The giraffes also got to "paint" on a canvas using this really interesting paintbrush contraption. One person would hold the canvas while another person held the paintbrush setup near the giraffe's face, and the giraffe would push and move the brush around the canvas creating its own little painting. It was definitely a two-person job and such a unique experience to watch. There was also another activity where the rhinos helped create paintings. They put non-toxic, animal-safe paint on the side of the rhino's leg and you press the canvas against it to create a little portrait to take home as a memory. Upon arrival they provided little breakfast/snack items for our stay like oatmeal, waffles, orange juice, and protein bars. They also let us choose between cider and bottled water which was a nice touch. The entire property feels peaceful, hidden, and perfect for a relaxing getaway. Just keep in mind that restaurants and stores are about 30 minutes away, and it gets VERY dark at night since the property is more secluded. We personally went out to eat and explore, but you could also order DoorDash if you wanted to stay in and relax at the property. Overall, my whole experience here was amazing. I love animals, so being able to enjoy something this unique with my mom, aunt, and cousin made it even more special. Definitely something different, relaxing, and memorable. I would absolutely recommend staying at Longneck Manor if you want a unique getaway experience in Texas.

Not a detail is missed here! The villas were beautiful and the property is beautiful. 10/10…read moreexperience!

My friends and I did the drive thru safari here and WOW, what a unique experience. I honestly…read moredidn't know something like this existed in the US but I'm so glad it does. I believe there's over 500 animals here, which is insane! For the drive thru safari specifically, the animals will come to your car and you have the opportunity to get up close and personal to them. If you have food, they are very assertive in getting some and may get food and spit in your car, so be prepared for that. The animals that came up to our car included deer, ostriches, alpacas, moose, and zebras. Outside of the drive thru safari, they also have a petting zoo. They have capybaras here (which I'm a big fan of) so we also paid to see and pet them! Overall, a super fun experience if you're an animal lover. The tickets are also pretty affordable which is another plus.

Great and affordable SAFARI right here in Texas!…read more Took our 13 year old granddaughter and we had a blast feeding over 700 animals from Buffaloes to giraffes! We rode through the 7 areas of this very large "free range" zoo, which took about an hour. The tour guide was excellent, and the interaction with the animals was great. You can even "kiss a camel" literally! It was so much fun that we look forward to visiting again,

Horrible service!! As I was walking around with my grandchildren I saw several workers on their…read morephones, so unprofessional. I've heard rumors they treat the animals poorly and when I saw the animals I'm starting to believe them. I've also heard about what they do to the animals dead bodies and I'm DISGUSTED. I saw serval cages empty, really makes you think why is that? What are they doing to these poor animals because from my own knowledge you're not supposed to put an animal that been held CAPTIVE back into the wild. Even with that one of the workers told me that evil place is their forever home more like forever prison or death sentence. I also saw rust in the water the animals were drinking and this is what they claim is an animal sanctuary?? On top of all of this I saw a worker with no bra on and nearly got flashed, MY GRANDKIDS were with me. On top of all of this I met a woman Kim and she was SO RUDE and made my grandkids uncomfortable. That woman immediately gave me predatory vibes and I felt like I needed to get them out of there as soon as possible. I will NEVER return.

First, I just wanted to address the recurring complaint in many reviews regarding the zoo not being…read morestroller-friendly. We left our wagon in the car due to those reviews and later regretted it. You can get by with a sturdy stroller here (with robust wheels). A flimsy one might struggle in some areas. Most of the walking areas are flat (not paved though) but there are a few gnarly areas that are pretty rocky and situated on an incline. I'm posting photos for reference although it might be a bit tough to see. The zoo could really smooth these areas out to make things easier and safer for visitors. Ultimately, the zoo is fairly small -- I had my youngest in a front-facing carrier while my 3YO walked. Second, I wanted to note that the Austin Zoo is not affiliated with the city of Austin. They are a private non-profit organization that does not receive city funding or have any management by the city. They are a rescue-based zoo wherein their animals come from seizures and surrenders, etc. They really should change their name -- I think many visitors expect this to be a city zoo (setting their standards high, only to be inevitably disappointed). I am having a hard time rating this zoo. It is a non-profit that seeks to help animals and it seems like they don't receive funding to do so. At the same time, this place generally seemed a bit run down/dirty. Some of the animals seemed sad/stressed (saw a monkey and an ostrich with missing fur/feathers). Now, I know these are rescues so I can't confidently attribute that stress to conditions at the zoo -- possible that it's related to their past experiences or just general adjustment to a new place. Last but certainly not least, many of the enclosures are way too small for the animals they're housing. This is alarming. I know they're being rescued but perhaps there's a better home for them. The tickets are not exactly cheap. Although children under 2 are free, 2+ tickets are 16.95. That's only $3 less than adult pricing. I get that they don't get city funding but at those prices, I'd at least expect the grounds to look less run down than they did. Also, they don't give you a map nor did I see one posted anywhere (you have to rely on an online map on their website). Once again, they really could invest some revenue toward enhancing the visitor experience. Don't miss the train ride since there are some animals (like the porcupine) that can only be viewed from the train. The conductor (also ticket salesman) was super nice. He also very politely asked my husband to switch spots with my toddler (so she wouldn't be on the open side of the train car). I appreciated that greatly. The gift shop was surprisingly cute and had a bunch of great souvenir options. Beautiful peacocks roaming the grounds is a nice touch. Ultimately, a bit of an uncomfortable visit given the sad animals, inadequate enclosure size, lack of general upkeep, and relatively expensive tickets.

Our first time visiting, and this was such an amazing experience. The animals were friendly and all…read morethe children seemed to be having a great time. This is a drive through safari and there is an admission fee per person. The drive from Round Rock was a little over an hour, but definitely worth it if you have small children. You will have an option to purchase food for the animals, or just drive through and soak in all the wonderful scenery.

Fun experience for the whole family…read more A FEW NOTES/TIPS FOR VISITING: --An early arrival is likely best because the animals will be hungrier. We came at 10am and had plenty of interaction. It seems to reason that a late arrival might offer tired/full animals that may not approach as easily. --Before you enter the safari, set up your kids. You will likely have to loosen safety standards for a bit but you're driving 5MPH so I felt comfortable doing it. I held my 1-year-old on my lap in the front passenger seat. He wouldn't have been able to see much otherwise. We also had to unbuckle my 3-year-old's seat belt so she could shift up otherwise she had trouble feeding the animals. --You're not supposed to hand feed the animals. I don't recall them telling us that but there's a sign saying it. It's hard to avoid because some of the animals will literally stick their head in your car (zebras and donkey, I'm looking at you). They're gentle and I had no issue hand feeding them. It felt necessary to get them to back off a bit (my kids got scared though, lol). The little deer were also gentle and easy to hand feed. Anything with big horns -- we definitely just threw the food on the ground. Same for the emus -- do not hand feed those -- they will chomp your fingers hard. Ultimately, they must know people hand feed some of the animals. I'm surprised they don't do liability waivers. --Watch for animals in front of your car or even swarming the side. Throwing a handful of feed away from the car helps move them away. --Get enough food, depending on how many feeders you have. We got a $10 bucket (3 people feeding) and it was plenty (with some left over for the petting zoo). We were conservative with it though. I'd say get more than you think you need since you don't want to run out. It's also helpful to have extra feed to throw when you want the animals to get away from your car. You can always use whatever is left for the petting zoo. They gave us an extra bucket (small one) for our daughter to use in the backseat. I'd ask if you want extra ones. --The goats at the petting zoo are pretty aggressive. If you walk in with a bucket, they will literally swarm you. Maybe it was because we came early in the day and there weren't too many other people there. My toddler got scared, lol. I'd recommend staying outside the gates and feeding through there or having one person stay outside to hand the feed over from the bucket. Ultimately, a great way to spend a couple of hours and entertain the kids. It's a little pricey since you pay per person (including 3 and up) but it's all good. The beautiful peacocks roaming around definitely enhanced the experience. The gift shop was a bit scarce -- could have been stocked with more items. I also wish they gave us a brochure about the animals upon entry (I saw reviews about people grabbing those at the gift shop; we had no idea they existed). Clean bathrooms and ample parking.

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...

We had a great time at Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch! Took our 3yo daughter and 1 yo son last…read moreweekend. I thought the safari drive was just okay. First, I was a tad disappointed in the quantity of the animals out there. There were long stretches of the drive where I caught myself thinking, " there's nothing out here". Second, don't bother buying feed. A lot of the animals were more interested in food provided in their troughs than the passing vehicles. And, I have a feeling they're fed well enough ...they don't care if you're throwing food. Third, cars tend to bottleneck to look at NOTHING. I think the staff should do a better job explaining you can pass. At least I hope you can, because I did. I wasn't waiting for some of these people. Other than that, I thought the facilities themselves were clean, well lit, and impressive. They've got a great restaurant where you can have lunch (although I felt the prices were exorbitant as they often are with these "tourist traps"). They've got some great exhibits with monkeys and you can get pretty darn close to some giraffes. My little girl had a particularly good time in the aviary. Seeing her face as that bird landed on her stick was just the best. Solid gift shop. Overall, felt the cost was higher than necessary, but solid family outing. It's worth going.

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.

Animal World and Snake Farm was a surreal experience. The most impressive part was how close and…read morepersonal you can get to the animals. Seeing the lions and tigers up close was absolutely beautiful and unforgettable. We also watched the big cats interacting and playing with each other it was incredible to witness. The park itself is on the smaller side, but it is definitely small and mighty. What makes it special is the proximity and visibility of the animals. You really feel connected to the experience rather than far away from it. The monkeys were especially cute and fun to watch. If you enjoy close-up animal encounters and unique photo opportunities, this place is well worth the visit. We would definitely go again. 4 stars only because I thought the facility was quite small, despite having such mighty animal presence and you run through all the site seeing so quickly.

Great store! The owner is always happy to answer any questions you may have about the hobby! They…read moredo water tests and will recommend how to fix any problems your tank may have!

Tried to contact them over Facebook to get some info before I go and they are literally no help…read more They didn't answer my questions, could recommend products, and would flat out not respond for a crazy amount of time. I tried to give them a chance and tried going during posted business hours and they were closed. Absolute disgrace of a business. They need to learn how to treat their customers better and how to over all run a business properly.

Great FREE option in Austin for kids!…read more One of the best parts is you can see an axolotl (two, actually) in their visitor center building. Then you can head over to the birds of prey, the reptile/fish building, and the animal enclosures. There's also a little lake and a large sand pit (dino dig). There's a cool room in the visitor center that has all sorts of nature items (bones, dead bugs, shells, rocks, etc.). You can bring in your own stuff to trade! Is it a huge amount of things to do/see? No but for a free attraction, it's pretty great. Parking is across the street -- lot is shared with Zilker Park and all the nearby attractions so it can get busy.

I didn't know what to expect from this place. Some science centers are kids-only affairs (despite…read morenot being billed as such) while others have more to offer visitors of all ages. Fortunately, the Austin Nature & Science Center ended up falling in the latter category. The main building houses an assortment of bones, shells, and rocks (as well as an axolotl tank) and another building is home to various reptiles. Outside areas include a dino pit (where kids can dig for fossils) and several animal enclosures. What makes the latter unique is that the animals are rehab/rescue cases. They include everything from a bobcat to a porcupine to a 34-year-old one-eyed owl (!!) and more. Granted, Austin Nature & Science Center does offer more for a younger crowd, and it isn't particularly easy to get to by bus, but it's hard to argue with a chance to take in flora and fauna for free.