Drive-Thru Zoo’s On The East Coast
Take the whole family out on an animal-filled experience with some beautiful drive-thru zoos. Enjoy a wide selection of everyone’s favorite critters, goats, llamas, and majestic ones like lions, tigers, elephants, rhinos, etc. An amazing weekend getaway for the kiddos! For those with a longer trip down, the weather and the gorgeous Jersey greenery make for a relaxing scenic drive. There are some must-visit getaways in the tri-state too.
Please make sure to call and confirm each zoo before visiting as availability can change daily.
Six Flags Safari
1 Six Flags Blvd, Jackson Township, NJ 08527
Six Flags Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure now open from the comfort of your own car! HOT TIP: Plan your visit on a weekday for the best reservation availability. You will have to make an online reservation before your visit of course. Six Flags Safari boasts 1,200 animals from all parts of the world. The drive itself takes you very close to the animals while being entertained and informed by guides the whole way through. Safari Off Road Adventure is a must-do and best done in the first half of your visit to the park. It offers opportunities to see exotic animals up close. This kind of trip is bound to be a great bonding experience for the whole family, regardless of age.
Brookhollow’s Barnyard – Opens May 1st 2024
301 Rockaway Valley Rd, Boonton, NJ 07005
Opens May 1st, 2024 through to October 31st, 2024
This drive-through farm is about 50 minutes away from downtown Jersey City. They have small animals like ducks and bunnies to large farm animals such as goats. They have a walkthrough and drive-through experience every day. Walkthrough tickets are $6.50 per person age 2 and older. EVERYONE (age 2 and older) MUST HAVE AN INDIVIDUAL TICKET TO COME IN. Tickets are nonrefundable nor exchangeable so plan accordingly. In the event of rain, they will remain open for ticket holders. They also have summer camps for kids at their farm. It is a unique farm experience for the youngsters. But the sign-ups start in January and the it is first come first serve.
Space Farms Zoo Museum
218 County Road 519 Sussex, NJ, 07461
Space Farms Zoo in Sussex, NJ is home to over 500 live wild animals. Explore the most popular zoo animals. Space Farms Zoo is home to many big cats: African lions, black leopards, South American jaguars, cougars, lynx, bobcats, and Bengal tigers. They have the largest private collection of North American animals in their natural surroundings, in the United States. You have to reserve in advance on their website. They are open daily from 10 am to 5 pm till November. The tickets are $24 for adults with discounted tickets for kids and seniors. You can also opt for a season pass for $48 per adult. The season passes are valid until October and pay for themselves in two visits to the zoo.
Lake Tobias Wildlife Park
760 Tobias Rd, Halifax, PA, 17032
April Dates: 15th, 16th, 22nd, 23rd, 29th
May – August Open all month. Check website for times.
At Lake Tobias Wildlife Park, there are plenty of options for family fun. It is around 3 hours away so you can make it into a fun weekend getaway! Their self-sustaining family-owned park is committed to introducing you and your family to a wide variety of exotic and familiar animals that you can observe, touch, and even feed during your visit. Additionally, enjoy a safari across 150 beautiful acres of rolling hills, pasture, and woodlands, where you’ll see rare and exotic animals from around the world. The price for the drive-thru safari will be $9/person ages 3 and up. Zoo exhibits plus Safari tour is $19 per adult. Tickets are not sold online. Parking is free.
Action Wildlife
337 Torrington Rd, Goshen, CT, 06756
Action Wildlife Foundation’s admission price will be $19 per adult and $15 per child. Action Wildlife is about 2 hours say from Jersey City. Your safari section is 18 acres of open land where different animals roam. It was created so that the animals in this area would have a nice open space to act as natural as you would see them in the wild. As you drive around the outside of the fenced-off area keep your eyes open for our herds of Fallow Deer, Japanese Sika Deer and White Tail Deer. They like to hide among the tall grasses, in between the rocks and trees and near the fences. Sometimes all you can see are ears flicking or antlers sticking out of the grass. Keep a lookout for the Emu in this area as well. They love to play and chase each other.
A drive-thru zoo experience is right up there on the top things to do in the summer months. With the schools closed, it is a constant challenge to look for activities for the kids to do with family. As much as possible, people prefer to spend the days outdoors but sometimes, due to weather-related issues, you might need to look for indoor activities. If weather and time permits, you could go camping, biking, and hiking, or go to some of the water parks or sprinkler parks. If a safari is not what you are looking for and you still want the kids to interact with animals, a visit to the petting zoo is an alternative option. Visiting a lake nearby or going for a swim is also a good way to engage the kids. With so much to do, this summer is one to enjoy.
Updated July 19, 2024
