With summer heat upon us in Central Texas, nothing beats the thrill of a drive-thru safari to entertain the kids while staying cool in your car. These interactive wildlife experiences let you hand-feed exotic animals from your window—and many offer cabin rentals, guided tours, and overnight stays. Here’s your guide to drive-thru safari parks within a few hours of Austin.
Exotic Resort Zoo
Location: Johnson City, TX (approximately 1-hour drive)
Hours: 9 am – 5 pm daily (except Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s holidays)
See more than 700 animals and 45+ different species of animals on 137 acres, including some species that were at one time endangered. When you purchase tickets, you have the option of driving through in your own car, a guided tour, or a private guided tour. They also have Safari Cabin rentals available year-round.
Admission: Starting at $15.95
Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch
Location: San Antonio, TX (approximately 1-hour drive)
Hours: Hours vary here
This Wildlife Ranch is consistently voted in the Top 10 Best Safari Parks in the nation. You can see more than 500 animals as you drive through 450 acres of rolling hills, creek beds, and live oak trees. The safari trek covers four miles and takes most visitors 1-2 hours. Tickets can be purchased at a discount online, and they have lots of options here. Note that there are many discounted days for admission on weekdays. Click here to view the calendar.
Admission: Self-guided tours are $21.99 for ages 3-11 and $31.99 for 12+
Topsey Exotic Ranch & Drive Thru Safari
Location: Copperas Cove, TX (approximately 1 hour & 30 minutes drive)
Hours: 9 am – 5 pm daily (weather permitting)
See more than 50 species of wildlife in a natural setting on 350 acres, and hand-feed them from your car. You’ll get to see camels, zebras, various antelopes, gazelles, and more.
Admission: Adults are $14; Kids ages 3-12 are $12, Kids 2 & under are free; Seniors are $13
Franklin Drive Thru Safari
Location: Franklin, TX (approximately a 2-hour drive)
Hours: 9 am – 5 pm daily (weather permitting)
Take a trip to this 100+ acre drive-thru animal adventure park and interact with exotic animals worldwide. They also offer VIP private tours for those seeking more in-depth knowledge of the animals and how they’re cared for. Additionally, they offer cabin rentals just off the Safari.
Admission: $20 per person, free for children under age 2.
— Buena Vista Wildlife Safari and RV Park
Location: Evant, TX (approximately 1 hour & 30 min. drive)
Hours: 9 am – 5 pm daily (summer hours)
Not only can you tour this drive-through safari featuring a diverse range of animals, including llamas, alpacas, goats, chicken, and fan favorite, Oliver the pot-bellied pig. You can also plan a getaway and stay overnight at their RV Park or in one of their cabins.
Admission: Adult: $17, Child (ages 3-12): $14 (includes feed for animals); free for children 2 & under, and there is a 10% discount for Seniors and Active Military or Veterans.
— Wild Animal Safari: Aggieland
Location: Bryan, TX (approximately a 2-hour drive)
Hours: 9 am – 5 pm daily, with the last drive-through session beginning at 4 pm
Connect with hundreds of animals on a 250-acre Drive-Thru Safari. Purchase a bucket of feed and have an up-close and personal visit, all from the comfort of your vehicle. The drive-thru Safari is included in the cost of admission.
Admission: $20.95 – $89.99 online here
— Blue Hills Ranch & Giraffe Sanctuary
Location: McGregor, TX (approximately 1 hour & 30 min. drive)
Info: While you cannot drive your vehicle through this property, we wanted to include this park in our round-up because it offers VIP tours where your family or small group can jump in the ranch safari vehicle and search for all the free-roaming residents. You will see giraffes, zebras, camels, lemurs, mini donkeys, mini horses, kangaroos, emus, bison, and much more. You can also opt to book unique experiences such as bottle-feeding giraffes or swimming with otters. They also have beautiful cabins if you’re looking to make your Safari a bit of a getaway.
Admission: The grand safari tour is $65 per person, which you can book up to 60 days in advance.
— Fossil Rim Wildlife Center
Location: Glen Rose, TX (approximately 2.5 hour drive)
Hours: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Info: This nonprofit conservation center spans 1,800 acres and is home to more than 1,100 animals from over 50 species, including giraffes, cheetahs, rhinos, and endangered Texas horned lizards. Families can drive through the scenic route, book a guided tour, or splurge on a behind-the-scenes safari. There’s also a café, picnic areas, and educational exhibits to round out your visit.
Admission: Self-drive starts at $24.95 per child, and $29.95 per adult. Safari tours are $39.95 per person, and you can check out even more unique experiences here.
Enjoy your safari adventures!
