Lion Country Safari – Great Toddler Adventure
Written: Mar 23 '00 (Updated Mar 24 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Many Toddler friendly areas
Cons: A little expensive
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| sgentile's Full Review: Lion Country Safari |
I recently visited the Lion Country Safari in West Palm Beach, FL. with my family. Since we were sharing this adventure with a (then) 15-month-old, our experience was a little bit different than most. This review will focus on the “Safari World Amusement Park” section of this park. I will briefly describe the highlights of our safari tour, but if you want more details about that aspect of the park, you should either read other Lion Country Safari reviews or visit the website (www.lioncountrysafari.com).
Because the drive out to the Lion Country Safari was about an hour in length we decided it would be best to do the “outside things” first. This gave my daughter a little exercise, “live” experiences, and some lunch before requiring her to sit in the car for another hour during the safari. I truly believe that The Lion Country Safari is a far better excursion for toddlers than even the zoo. This is because the zoo is so enormous, and Florida can be EXTREMELY hot. Most toddlers have had enough of a zoo after about an hour or two. My daughter thoroughly enjoyed herself in the Safari World Amusement Park section of this attraction and, as it turns out, fell asleep the moment we buckled her back into her car seat.
This is a lengthy review, so skim the headings and read only what interests you. Again, I am focusing on the “Safari World Amusement Park” portion of this park; this is the area that you and your family can get out and walk through. As is true with any place where you are going to see wild animals, it is wise to arrive early before the heat causes the animals to seek shade.
Tickets:
Ticket prices ARE expensive, but you are allowed to drive through the preserve as many times as you like, and all of the attractions in the “Safari World Amusement Park” are free. Ticket prices are as follows: $15.50 for adults, $10.50 for children 3-9 and seniors, and free for anyone under 3. Add to that Florida sales tax. With a coupon we paid $46.59 for 4 adults and a toddler. The park does accept major credit cards, and group rates are available, but you must arrange for them prior to your visit.
*NOTE: No pets are allowed inside your car, but the park provides a free kennel at the mail office. Convertible cars are no allowed either, but you can rent a car for $6 for an hour and a half.
I recommend you check the website for coupons before going, or simply tell the ranger you couldn’t find the one in the newspapers. They are very nice and will probably give you the carload special anyways. Here’s the website: www.lioncountrysafari.com
First Stop: the Restroom.
We arrived on a Monday, shortly after entering visited the ladies’ restroom. At 10:45 am, the woman’s bathroom was spotless. I mention this because one of the most dreaded parts of visiting these types of attractions is using the bathroom. I find nothing more discouraging than entering a public bathroom to change my daughter’s diaper and finding it a living, breathing health hazard. It’s true I am armed with my miniature can of Lysol, and still used it before placing a thin receiving blanket down on the changing table . . .but it is so NICE to know the bathrooms are maintained.
The Petting Zoo:
The day we went, the only animals in the pen were sheep. These sheep were incredibly friendly and gentle, and the man who works there is a gem too. He’s retired and sought this job (pen keeper) because he loves children. He was so nice. Food is sold in the dispensers or through the pen keeper, but he was so charmed by my daughter that he kept putting single pieces into her willing hands.
Surrounding the pen is a mini zoo. Walking along the boarded path children can see and feed llama, sheep, goats, pigs, and miniature deer to name a few. There was a miniature crocodile, turtles, and an iguana too; but obviously these animals was meant for their “viewing pleasures” only. You can also view a squirrel, small birds, vultures, and parrots. The entire place is a toddler’s dream come true, as there is so much to see, and many paved paths (with numerous water fountains) on which to walk or stroll through.
Free Activities:
* Carousel.
Just around the corner from the Petting Zoo is a beautiful carousel, with both moving and fixed animals to sit on. There aren’t any seat belts on the moving horses, so you must be extra careful while holding your little one on. It wasn’t crowded on the Monday we went, we were able to ride immediately. My daughter loved it.
* Safari Queen Boat Ride.
We didn’t go on this so I can’t tell you how it was. The website states that riders will “…learn about the siamangs and spider monkeys that inhabit the islands of Lake Shanalee.”
* Paddleboats.
Use the paddleboats to navigate your own tour of the lake.
* Remote Control Boats.
* Dinosaur Park.
This is a small area with a path to walk on, where a dozen LARGE plastic dinosaur structures lurk. These are great for taking pictures, and there are plaques nearby to identify the type of dinosaur you approach.
* Animal nursery Pens.
There might not always be anything to see in the nursery, as the park does try to keep its baby animals with their mothers. It is only in the case where a mother is unable to care for her baby, or the baby requires special medical attention that it will stay in the nursery.
* Miniature Golf.
The miniature golf animals represent those that players are likely to see on the safari.
* Animal Demonstrations.
These consist primarily of feedings and lectures by the animal caretakers. Demonstrations take place daily at noon, 1, 2, 2:30, 3, and 4.
* Bird Sanctuary.
The park has four “free flight” atriums where a large variety of birds freely roam in lush surroundings. There are two other bird areas, Crane Island, and Parrot Circle. When you first enter the park you will find beautiful pink flamingos, and scattered about are vultures, cranes, storks and the like.
What to Eat:
I saw picnic tables in two different areas of the park, for the use of visitors who have brought their own lunches. We also saw a few “snack” stands. My family ate lunch in the main restaurant, which is provided “cafeteria” style. It is located in the center of the park, and attached to the main gift shop. We got there at noon, the restaurant was not crowded, and the restrooms here were also surprisingly clean! We ate quite an assortment of foods. We found that they were reasonably priced, portions were good, and they were fairly good. There were a large variety of offerings; here’s a sampling of their menu:
Cheeseburger ($2.59), Fries ($1.56 / $2.17), 12-foot Oscar Myers hot dog ($2.60), BBQ Pork sandwich ($4.45), Chicken Tenders basket with fries ($5.75), Yogurt ($1.75), Pizza ($3.64 cheese / $3.92 pepperoni), Fruit salad, chef salad, garden burger ($3.65), turkey sub ($4.39), tuna salad ($3.54) or egg salad ($3.16)
The Safari Tour:
When you first approach the safari gates you are given a cassette tour to play while you drive through. Here you will encounter over 1000 animals roaming free; some in herds, in over 500-acres of land. There are several different gated areas, but each area is enormous (except for the lions’ pen) and does give you the sensation that the animals are “free”.
The number and different kinds of animals you will find here is large. As mentioned at the beginning of this review, I will describe only the highlights of our drive-through here. If you’re interested in reading more, there are several good reviews written on this attraction.
Shortly after entering the safari we paused to watch an Emu that was crossing the street. This big fellow came REALLY close to our car and then tried to “attack” our rearview mirror and another window. Talk about experiencing nature first hand! The lion pen proved to be unexciting this year (we visited last year when there were 2 male lions that actually roared and did a little running.). This time there were 4 or 5 female lions simply lounging around in the shade. We saw a herd of water buffalo in a pond with a baby (very cute). Another favorite memory was seeing an African elephant playing in the water. We stopped our car and watched for at least 20 minutes. The Chimpanzee Island is always a favorite of mine! There are 5 wooden “fort-like” structures erected in a large area. A few of these “forts” are connected by thick ropes, or have big objects (like truck tires) hanging from them. It’s like a giant playground. And finally, the giraffe exhibit is also memorable! There were 12 giraffes there when we went. They are either feeding or walking in groups of two or three. Last year 3 of them walked right next to our car; all we could see were yellow spotted long legs.
I highly recommend experiencing the Lion Country Safari to everyone. It is an experience you will not grow tired of, even if you visit every year. Here are the links to various information:
(561) 793-1084 or www.lioncountrysafari.com.
Directions: Here’s the URL: http://www.lioncountrysafari.com/images/map/map.jpg
Campground information: http://www.lioncountrysafari.com/faq/index.shtml
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
sgentile
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Location: New England, United States
Reviews written: 249
Trusted by: 476 members
About Me:
I'm a mother who focuses on safety, fun, & value. I write from experience.
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