Virginia Safari Park
4.7(8.1K)google
4.6(307)yelp
Wildlife WatchingWildlifeFamilyKidsInteractiveOutdoor
Overview
A safari park, sometimes known as a wildlife park, is a zoo-like commercial drive-in tourist attraction where visitors can drive their own vehicles or ride in vehicles provided by the facility to observe freely roaming animals. A safari park is larger than a zoo and smaller than a game reserve. For example, African Lion Safari in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada is 750 acres (3.0 km2).
Practical Info
Mon9:00 AM 4:00 PM
Tue9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Wed9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Thu9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Fri9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sat9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Sun9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Suggested Duration3-4 hours
Best TimeThis premier 180-acre drive-through safari peaks beautifully on weekday mornings between 9:00 AM and 11:30 AM from April to October. Morning is the prime window when the free-roaming herds of llamas, bison, and zebras are highly active and hungry, eagerly approaching vehicle windows for grain feedings.
Getting ThereSituated right around the corner from Natural Bridge at 229 Safari Ln. No mass transit options exist; a personal vehicle is required for entry into the safari lanes. Take Exit 180 off Interstate 81, head north on US Highway 11 for half a mile, and follow the distinct billboards into the ticketing gates.
Travel Tips
- Outside food is strictly banned for feeding animals; you must buy the park's specialized feed buckets. Vehicle windows must not be rolled down more than one-third, and opening car doors or stepping out of the vehicle is strictly prohibited.
- Aggressive animals like llamas and elks will thrust their heads inside to grab food, often scratching paint or drooling on seats. Avoid driving premium rentals, brand-new cars, or soft-top convertibles; the park claims zero liability for vehicle damage.
- To prevent painful animal bites, never feed animals directly from your bare hands; use the provided long-handled scoops or plastic bowls. In the Safari Walk-Thru aviary, capturing or grabbing the free-flying birds is strictly illegal.
Reviews
Positive
- Driving your vehicle into the park and having ostriches, camels, and deer stick their heads straight into the window to feed is incredibly thrilling and fun, giving top scores for entertainment.
- Aside from the drive-thru zone, the walk-thru safari facilities are well-maintained, featuring clean restrooms, a giraffe feeding platform, and complete accessible boardwalks.
- Ticket checking and feed sales at the gate are highly efficient, staff maintain a warm attitude, and safety security protocols are clearly displayed with constantly looping alerts.
- Although admission is slightly high, considering the hours of ultra-close interaction with so many rare animals, the overall value for money is still very much worth it.
Heads up
- The animals are incredibly aggressive when grabbing food; their saliva and feed crumbs get all over the car, and car paint is easily scratched by horns or hooves, painful for car lovers.
- On weekends and holidays, driving lanes attract extremely long vehicle queues, forcing speeds into a crawl, sometimes stuck in traffic under hot sun for over an hour, causing frustration.
- The animal feed buckets for secondary purchase inside the park are overpriced, and animals eat so fast that you are often forced to spend money again halfway through.
- During summer peak season, due to animal waste all over the ground, the walk-thru area emits a very heavy natural odor, with flies and bees occasionally circling trash cans.