There is no shortage of things to do in Florida and no shortage of animal encounters either. In fact, there are entire theme parks dedicated to animals and ocean life. But if you are looking for something special to make your vacation unforgettable for the animal lover in your family, here are seven unique animal experiences in Florida where you can get up close and personal to some exotic animals.
I was recently invited to Florida by Visit Florida and spent eight days exploring many family-friendly attractions. During that trip my fellow bloggers and I met a lot of animals and had some very special moments — from having a lemur lick from my hand to touching the fluff of a penguin chick. Here is how you can add those special “Florida First” moments to your next trip.
7 Unique Animal Experiences in Florida
Feed lemurs at the Safari Wilderness Ranch
The Safari Wilderness Ranch is set on 260 acres amidst pristine watershed in Lakeland, Florida, about 45 minutes outside of Orlando. Neither a ranch or zoo, the Safari Wilderness Ranch has hundreds of animals, primarily hoof stock, including scimitar-horned oryx, Defassa waterbuck, eland, Red Lechwe, zebras, fainting goats, ostriches, llamas, camels and more.
There are many ways to view the animals, including on horse or camel back, but the standard safari uses a covered open-air vehicle that seats up to 20 people. Throughout the safari the ranch’s educated guides reel off innumerable facts about the animals you encounter.
While it is fun to watch the animals roaming and frolicking in their expansive, natural habitat, the special moments come when the bus stops and you are able to get close up with the animals. All visitors are given a cup of pellets to feed certain animals. And the animals know you are coming and the llamas, water buffalo and deer walk right up to get their share.
Those close encounters are so fun, and a little slimy, but the truly special moments come with the add-on experiences like a lemur feeding. Small groups are brought into the lemur enclosure and given grapes to break apart and feed to the lemurs.
We were instructed not to touch the lemurs, but they had no hesitation in touching us. They greedily grabbed our hands and pulled them close, quickly snatching whatever grapes were resting there. The babies, not quite up on their table manners, were eager to lick up every sticky drop. You just can’t beat it.
Safari Wilderness Ranch is located at 10850 Moore Rd. Lakeland, FL 33809. The standard safari is $75 per person and lemur feeding encounters are $20 each.
Trek above the animals at Animal Kingdom
If you have been to Disney’s Animal Kingdom, you have surely gone on their Safari ride. Now, Animal Kingdom is also open at night so you can get a totally different nighttime safari experience. However, if you really want to do something different, sign up for a Wild Africa Trek.
This three-hour, privately-guided, VIP expedition travels above the animals in the Safi River Valley on a shaky rope bridge (don’t worry, you are hooked into a safety harness.) You will also take a private safari vehicle across the savanna, getting exclusive insight into the animals and park operations.
Wild Africa Trek is located in Animal Kingdom for $189 to $249 per person, plus tax. Prices vary based on season and requires a separate admission ticket to Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park.
Meet penguins at SeaWorld Orlando
Penguins are one of my favorite animals (I admit that I sleep with a stuffed penguin) and while I hope to make it to Antarctica one day, I welcome opportunities to see penguins before that day comes. One of the close encounters offered by SeaWorld is a Penguin Up-Close Tour.
We had a chance to go behind the scenes at Antarctica: Emperor of the Penguin at SeaWorld Orlando for a 45 minute tour to learn all about the penguins housed there including how they breed, what they eat and how they live. After seeing where the keepers work, we stepped into the backdoor of the exhibit to meet the Rock Hopper, Chinstrap, Gentoo, King, and Magellanic penguins living there.
After having a chance to meet a penguin chick (their fluff is so soft!!), an adult Gentoo penguin came over to say hello. They greet you with a bow and a hiss. After first I thought it was going to bite our toes but it is just the penguin’s way of saying hello.
SeaWorld is located at 7007 Sea World Dr, Orlando, FL 32821. Penguin close up tours start at $59.00 per person, a separate park admission is required.
Go behind the scenes at SEALIFE Aquarium
I’ve been to a couple of SEALIFE Aquariums now…one in Orlando and the other in Kansas City…and they are all fairly similar. However, this time around we got to do one of their VIP experiences and go behind the scenes to learn how their 5,000 animals are cared for, including the sea turtles.
This 25-minute, behind the scenes tour showed us how the water is treated, the science behind the maintenance of the tanks, where food is prepared, and even had a chance to see the giant tanks from above. Actually, we combined this tour with the other iDrive 360 attractions and had a behind the scenes tour at Madame Tussauds wax museum and a glass of champagne as we rode the Orlando Eye.
SEA LIFE Orlando Aquarium is located at 8449 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819. The behind the scenes tour is $5.00 and requires a standard aquarium admission, which is $20 for an adult and $15 for a child.
Kayak through Brevard Zoo
I was so impressed by the Brevard Zoo in Melbourne on Florida’s Space Coast. As a newer zoo and an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the animal habitats were lush and spacious, the walkways were frequently shaded boardwalks, and they even offered a splash area for the kiddos to cool off.
The Brevard Zoo offers a few unique animal experiences. You can feed giraffes and birds, have close up encounters with lemurs and rhinos, or even take a treetop trek over the zoo. But one thing that I never saw before was kayaking through the zoo. We took a short paddle on a manmade river that cuts through the zoo, floating past the giraffes with nothing but natural barriers to separate us from these beautiful animals.
Brevard Zoo is located at 8225 North Wickham Road, Melbourne, Florida 32940. Kayaking is $9.95 per person (5 and older). A regular zoo admission is required, $15.95 for adults and $11.95 for children 3-11.
Watch manatees with Island Boat Lines
Island Boat Lines offers guided eco-tours through the Thousand Islands of Cocoa Beach on 27-passenger pontoon boats. These islands have formed a maze of canals through the natural mangrove islands where dolphins, manatees, and flocks of birds like to hang out.
On our tour we saw many momma and baby manatees, along with plenty of dolphins too. In fact, when we got back to our slip, a momma and tiny baby were hanging out there and we had to wait for them to mosey along before we could park the boat.
Island Boat Lines is located at Sunset Waterfront Grill & Bar, 500 West Cocoa Beach Causeway (520), Cocoa Beach FL, 32931. Tours are $28 for adults and $23 for children under 13.
Feed giraffes at Lion Country Safari
Lion Country Safari is the only drive-through (on your own) safari in Florida. Located near Palm Beach, you get pretty close to over 900 animals, including large herds of water buck, orucks, and rhinos as well as two lion prides, chimps, and giraffes on this 4-5 mile drive. There is also an amusement park and water splash area.
The best time to go is probably between 11:30-12:00, when they are feeding the animals, but you are welcome to drive through as many times as you would like, just allot 1-1.5 hours for each trip. Lion Country Safari offers unique experiences like VIP driving and walking tours, giraffe feeding, and even the chance to watch a giraffe paint a picture that you can take home.
Do you have any favorite animal encounters in Florida to add? Leave a comment below with your suggestion. Find even more amazing places to visit in Florida.
PIN THIS FOR LATER
Note: I was a guest of Visit Florida and local destinations and attractions as part of a press trip to introduce writers to some of what Florida has to offer families. All opinions are my own.
Woww that Kayaking is next level! Never heard of that.
Kayaking through a zoo seems like such a unique and awesome experience! I’ll have to remember these things for our next Orlando trip!
For sure!