New Jersey’s famous drive-thru safari at Six Flags no longer lets private cars in. Since 2013 it has been a guided safari truck experience with its own ticket. For a true self-drive wildlife loop, the state’s best option is the 8-mile refuge drive just outside Atlantic City.
- Six Flags Wild Safari (Jackson)
- Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge (Galloway)
SIX FLAGS WILD SAFARI
Type: Large safari park next to Six Flags Great Adventure, toured by guided open-air safari trucks (not your own car), plus a walk-through Safari Base Camp. It opened in 1974 as a drive-thru safari and was converted to guided truck tours in 2013.
Location: 1 Six Flags Blvd, Jackson, NJ 08527 (Ocean County, about 1 hour from NYC and Philadelphia)
Phone: (732) 928-1821
Website: Wild Safari · Calendar & Hours · Meet the Animals · Safari Programs · Daily Tickets · Savannah Sunset Resort · FAQ
Social Media:
Size: About 350 acres. It’s one of the largest safaris outside Africa.
Animals: About 1,200 animals of 50+ species, including elephants, giraffes, rhinos, zebras, lions, bears, and antelope along the truck route. Base Camp has macaws, birds of prey, reptiles, and insects, plus giant Aldabra tortoises and a lorikeet aviary.
Admission:
- A Wild Safari ticket is required for everyone over 36″, sold separately from theme park tickets.
- It’s included with Six Flags Great Adventure Season Passes and memberships.
- Prices vary by date. Check Daily Tickets for your day.
Add-On Encounters (purchased same-day at Safari Outfitters in Base Camp):
- Tortoise Encounter (scheduled times, limited)
- Lorikeet Feeding (daily, limited)
- Private truck tours and other animal programs are available. See Safari Programs.
Hours:
- The Wild Safari operates on the theme park’s seasonal calendar.
- Fall schedule: Fright Fest is running at Great Adventure, adding Thursday nights starting October 8.
- Safari days and hours vary in fall, and the season typically wraps up in early November. Check the calendar before you go.
Tips:
- Go early in the day, when animals are more active.
- Glamping lodges at Savannah Sunset Resort overlook the safari.
EDWIN B. FORSYTHE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Type: USFWS national wildlife refuge with an 8-mile, one-way gravel self-drive Wildlife Drive
Location: 800 Great Creek Rd, Galloway (Oceanville), NJ 08205 (about 15 minutes north of Atlantic City)
Phone: (609) 652-1665
Website: fws.gov/refuge/edwin-b-forsythe · Visit Us · Friends of Forsythe – Plan Your Visit
Social Media: Facebook (closure updates)
Size: The refuge covers 48,000+ acres of coastal habitat, mostly tidal salt marsh. The Wildlife Drive is an 8-mile loop with 2 observation towers (Gull Pond and Turtle Cove), a salt-marsh boardwalk with Atlantic City skyline views, and 4 hiking trails.
Animals: 320+ bird species. It’s one of the top birding hotspots on the Atlantic Flyway. Fall migration (October – November) brings huge flocks of snow geese, ducks, egrets, herons, and raptors. Also look for diamondback terrapins, river otters, foxes, and white-tailed deer.
Admission:
- $4 per private vehicle
- $2 per walker or bicyclist
- Under 16: Free
- Pay at the self-service fee stations (honor system).
- America the Beautiful passes, Federal Duck Stamps, and Forsythe Annual Passes are accepted.
Hours:
- Wildlife Drive and trails: Daily, sunrise to sunset, year-round
- Visitor Information Center: Wednesday – Sunday, about 10 AM – 2 PM. Hours depend on volunteers.
Rules & Tips:
- 15 mph speed limit. Pull over to let others pass.
- The drive occasionally closes for wildlife management or storm flooding. Check Facebook before you go.
- Bring binoculars and bug spray.
- Mid-tide and early morning are best for birds.
Explore Drive-Thru Wildlife Parks in Neighboring States:
New York · Pennsylvania · Delaware