Drive-Thru-Safari-Wildlife-Parks-in-texas

Drive-Thru Safari Wildlife Parks in Texas

Texas has more drive-thru safari parks than any other state, from Hill Country conservation centers to East Texas piney-woods ranches. Most are open year-round, and fall’s cooler weather is one of the best times to go.

FOSSIL RIM WILDLIFE CENTER

Type: AZA-accredited nonprofit conservation center with a self-drive safari, specializing in breeding endangered species
Location: 2299 County Road 2008, Glen Rose, TX 76043 (about 1.5 hours southwest of Dallas–Fort Worth)
Phone: (254) 897-2960
Email: info@fossilrim.org
Website: fossilrim.org · Tickets & Hours · Self-Drive Tickets · Road Rules · FAQs · The Lodge
Social Media:

Size: A 7.2-mile self-drive through Texas Hill Country. Allow at least 1.5 hours.
Animals: Endangered antelope (scimitar-horned oryx, addax, and more), giraffes (which you can feed from your car), rhinos, cheetahs, zebras, wildebeest, and aoudad

Admission:

  • Self-drive prices vary by age, date, and season. Pick a date and arrival time on the ticket page to see the price.
  • Ages 2 & under: Free
  • Each vehicle gets a 16 oz bag of animal feed.
  • Buy online in advance, since availability at the gate isn’t guaranteed. Dates open about a month ahead.
  • Tickets are nonrefundable but can be rescheduled once.

Other Tours: A guided open-air Safari Tour, a 3-hour Behind-the-Scenes Tour, private tours, and Twilight T.W.A.N.G. sunset tours

Hours:

  • Admission: 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM (last vehicle out by 5:30 PM). It extends to 4:30 PM in peak season.
  • Open year-round. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

Rules:

  • No pets on the property.
  • Hard roof and fully enclosed hard doors required. Jeeps and convertibles are allowed only with a hard top and hard doors, kept closed. Sunroofs must stay closed.
  • No riding in truck beds, and no trailers.
  • No outside food for the animals.

NATURAL BRIDGE WILDLIFE RANCH

Type: Self-drive African-style safari, plus guided and private VIP tours
Location: 26515 Natural Bridge Caverns Rd, San Antonio, TX 78266 (between San Antonio and New Braunfels)
Phone: (830) 438-7400
Website: wildliferanchtexas.com · Days & Hours · Self-Guided Tour · Get Tickets · Pet Policy · FAQs
Social Media:

Size: 500 acres, with a 6-mile drive
Animals: 500+ animals of 40+ species, including giraffes, southern white rhinos (including Twuda, the third calf born here in three years), cheetahs, zebras, exotic antelope (addax, gemsbok, kudu), aoudad, and primates

Self-Guided Admission (recent rates):

  • Ages 12+: about $31.99
  • Ages 3–11: about $21.99
  • Book online for a time slot.

Add-Ons:

  • Guided tours (ages 3+)
  • Private VIP tours with a Giraffe or Rhino Experience
  • Aviary budgie feeding (ages 3+)
  • A primate area and playground

Hours: Open 363 days a year. See the 2026 calendar for daily hours.

THE EXOTIC RESORT ZOO

Type: Free-roaming safari park with drive-thru and guided tractor-tour options, plus safari cabins for overnight stays
Location: 235 Zoo Trail, Johnson City, TX 78636 (Hill Country, about 1 hour from Austin and 30 minutes from Fredericksburg)
Phone: (830) 868-4357
Website: zooexotics.com · Admissions
Social Media: Tripadvisor

Animals: 700+ animals of 45+ species, including zebras, camels, antelope, and deer, plus a petting zoo

Admission (most recent posted rates):

  • Adults (13–59): $19.95
  • Seniors (60+): $17.95
  • Children (2–12): $15.95
  • Animal feed: $8
  • Drive-thru tickets are sold in one-hour time slots. Guided tour tickets are good anytime from 9 AM to 5 PM on the day you buy them.

Hours:

  • Open every day, 9 AM – 5 PM. The last tour leaves by 5 PM.
  • Closed Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Tip: Weekends and holidays are busiest.

AGGIELAND SAFARI

Type: Self-drive safari plus a walk-thru Adventure Zoo
Location: 18075 FM 974, Bryan, TX 77808 (northeast of College Station, about 2 hours from Austin and Houston)
Website: aggielandsafari.com · Pricing

Size: 250 acres
Animals: Hundreds of animals on the drive. The zoo side has capybaras, reptiles, and more.

Admission (per person, ages 3+; tax and fees not included):

  • Safari Pass (drive-thru only): $25 online, $30 at the gate
  • Adventure Pass (drive-thru + zoo): $35 online, $40 at the gate
  • Ages 2 & under: Free
  • Annual pass: $85
  • Capybara Close-Up encounter: $55, or $90 with admission (ages 5+)
  • No refunds.

Hours:

  • Thursday – Monday, 9 AM – 5 PM. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
  • Last car entry: 4 PM.
  • Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.

TEXAS ZOOFARI PARK

Type: Self-drive safari plus a walk-thru Safari Village
Location: 9773 FM 429, Kaufman, TX (about 45 minutes southeast of Dallas)
Website: texaszoofaripark.com · Tickets & Hours

Admission (includes unlimited drive-thru plus the Safari Village):

  • Adults (13–64): $26.95
  • Seniors (65+): $24.95
  • Children (2–12): $21.95
  • Under 2: Free

2026 Hours:

  • September 8 – October 25: Daily 9 AM – 3:30 PM (last vehicle out by 5:30 PM)
  • October 26 – December 31: Daily 9 AM – 2 PM (last vehicle out by 4 PM)
  • Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas. The season is extended through January 3, 2027.

Rules:

  • No animals allowed.
  • No outside animal feed.
  • Windows must be fully down to feed, and feed buckets must be held outside the vehicle.
  • Minivan sliding doors must stay closed.

ROCKY RIDGE DRIVE-THRU SAFARI

Type: Self-drive animal safari
Location: 3350 FM 1256, Eustace, TX (about 1 hour southeast of Dallas)
Website: rockyridgesafari.com · Pricing

Size: 200 acres
Animals: 25+ species

Admission (plus tax):

  • Adults (13–64): $19.95
  • Seniors: $17.95
  • Children (3–12): $15.95
  • Under 3: Free
  • Each admission includes 1 lb of feed. Extra bags are $5.
  • 10% discount for military and first responders

Hours: Daily. Summer hours are 10 AM – 4 PM Monday – Saturday and 11 AM – 4 PM Sunday. Call for fall hours.

FRANKLIN DRIVE THRU SAFARI

Type: Self-drive exotic animal safari plus a walk-up giraffe and tortoise feeding area, a baby animal room, and a reptile house
Location: 4324 W Hwy 79, Franklin, TX 77856 (about 4.4 miles southwest of Franklin, less than an hour from College Station, and about 2 hours from Austin and Houston)
Phone: (979) 828-5256
Website: franklinsafari.com · Location
Social Media: Tripadvisor

Size: About 100 acres. The drive takes 30 minutes to an hour, and you can loop through more than once.
Animals: Zebras, deer, camels, ostriches, giraffes, kangaroos (including albino kangaroos), lemurs, monkeys, tortoises, parrots, and peacocks roaming the grounds

Admission (recent rates):

  • Adults: $17
  • Children (3–12): $14
  • Ages 2 & under: Free
  • Admission includes feed.
  • 10% discount for seniors, active military, and veterans
  • Group rates are available for 20+.

Hours: Open every day, 9 AM – 4 PM. Hours vary by season, so call to confirm.

Other Experiences:

  • Baby animal room (hold baby monkeys and lemurs)
  • Private tours
  • Newly remodeled cabin rentals just off the safari

Tips:

  • Reviewers recommend buying extra feed buckets.
  • Ostriches and camels can be pushy, and animals may scratch your car.
  • Weekdays are less crowded.
  • There are picnic tables and a playground on site.

CHEROKEE TRACE DRIVE-THRU SAFARI

Type: Self-drive safari through East Texas piney woods
Location: 1200 County Road 4405, Jacksonville, TX 75766 (about 12 miles east of Jacksonville and about 1 hour from Tyler)
Phone: (903) 683-3322
Website: cherokeetrace.com · Hours & Prices
Social Media:

Size: About 300 acres of hills and open savanna. The drive takes about 1.5–2.5 hours.
Animals: 600+ animals of over two dozen exotic and endangered species, including zebras, camels, kangaroos, and antelope. There’s also a petting zoo.

Admission (plus tax):

  • Adults: $21.95
  • Seniors (65+): $19.95
  • Kids (3–12): $16.95
  • Groups of 15–49: Adults $19.95, Seniors $17.95, Kids $14.95
  • Groups of 50+: Adults $18.95, Seniors $16.95, Kids $13.95

Hours:

  • Now through November 1: Monday – Saturday from 10 AM, Sunday from 1 PM. Last car admitted 4 PM.
  • November 2 – February 28: Monday – Saturday from 10 AM, Sunday from 1 PM. Last car admitted 3 PM.
  • Closed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
  • Call before you come to make sure weather isn’t affecting hours.

LONESOME DOVE DRIVE-THRU SAFARI

Type: Self-drive safari, animal sanctuary, and petting zoo, with a narrow-gauge train around the park’s outer edge
Location: 1782 US-59 N, Jefferson, TX 75657 (1½ miles north of the US-59 and TX-49 intersection, a short drive from Texarkana)
Phone: (903) 665-0053
Email: Dcjcarroll2@gmail.com
Website: lonesomedovedrivethrusafari.com
Social Media: Facebook

Animals: About 160 animals, including bison, camels, and zebras. The petting and walk-thru zoo is included in admission.

Admission (most recent posted):

  • Adults: $19
  • Children: $13
  • Feed: $6.50 per bag. Vegetables are available on request.
  • Cash and credit/debit cards are accepted.
  • Ask about military, first responder, and group discounts.

Hours: Daily, 10:30 AM – 4:30 PM, weather permitting

Tip: You can drive through more than once during your visit.

BUSY B RANCH WILDLIFE PARK

Type: Self-drive safari plus a walk-through petting zoo with animal encounters
Location: 1100 W Prospect Rd, Jefferson, TX 75657 (about 6 miles north of Jefferson)
Phone: (903) 665-4093
Email: busybranchwildlifepark@gmail.com
Website: busybranchwildlifepark.com · Plan Your Visit · General Admission · FAQs · Field Trips
Social Media: Closures are posted on Facebook and the phone voicemail.

Size: 125 acres. Allow about 2 hours.
Animals: 50+ species of native and exotic wildlife on the drive, plus a Parakeet Walkabout, a Sloth Exhibit, capybaras, and mini Highland cows

General Admission (unlimited drive-thru plus the petting zoo):

  • Adults (13+): $18
  • Kids (4–12): $12
  • Ages 3 & under: Free
  • Annual passes from $75

Add-On Encounters (general admission required):

  • Capybara Encounter: $30 (ages 7+, 15 minutes)
  • Mini Highland Cow Encounter: from $30 (ages 7+, 20 minutes)
  • Sloth Encounter: from $15 (ages 7+)
  • Australian Walkabout: $10
  • Zoo Boo Halloween event this October: from $25

Hours:

  • Friday – Monday, 10 AM – 4 PM. Closed Tuesday – Thursday.
  • Last car admitted at 4 PM, and the park closes at 5 PM.
  • Closes during storms. If light rain is forecast, call before you drive over.

Rules:

  • No outside food for the animals. They’re on a special diet.
  • No pets, including service dogs, because dogs stress the animals.

GRAPELAND SAFARI

⚠️ Status uncertain: Some recent listings show this park as closed. Call (936) 687-5292 before you go.

Type: Family-run self-drive safari with a petting zoo and train rides. The Herring family has run it since 2005, and they’ve been in the drive-thru safari business since the 1980s.
Location: 13440 US Hwy 287 N, Grapeland, TX 75844 (halfway between Crockett and Palestine, about 2 hours north of Houston)
Phone: (936) 687-5292
Website: grapelandsafari.com
Social Media: Yelp

Size: 59 acres. The drive takes about an hour.
Animals: 350–400 animals of about 38 species, including zebras, kangaroos, camels, emus, axis deer, yaks, and turtles

Admission (last published):

  • About $15.95 per person, including a cup of feed
  • Ages 1 & under: Free
  • One of the most budget-friendly drive-thrus in Texas

Hours (last published): Wednesday – Sunday, 9 AM – 5 PM. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

Tip: There’s a large picnic area for birthday parties, reunions, and field trips.

Explore Drive-Thru Wildlife Parks in Neighboring States:
New Mexico · Oklahoma · Arkansas · Louisiana