Virginia has one of the East Coast’s top drive-thru safaris, in the Shenandoah Valley, with 1,200+ animals along 3 miles of safari road. On the Eastern Shore, the famous Chincoteague wild ponies can be seen from a refuge wildlife loop that opens to cars every afternoon. Along the Blue Ridge, Skyline Drive is one of the best fall wildlife drives in the East.
- Virginia Safari Park (Natural Bridge)
- Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge – Wildlife Loop (Chincoteague Island)
- Shenandoah National Park – Skyline Drive (Front Royal to Waynesboro)
VIRGINIA SAFARI PARK
Type: Self-drive safari plus a walk-thru Safari Village, wagon rides, and animal encounters
Location: 229 Safari Ln, Natural Bridge, VA 24578 (off I-81 in the Shenandoah Valley, about 45 minutes north of Roanoke)
Phone: (540) 291-3205
Website: virginiasafaripark.com · Tickets & Hours · Buy Tickets · Safari Drive-Thru · Animal Experiences · Park Map · FAQs · Guidebook (PDF)
Social Media:
Size: 180 acres, with 3 miles of maintained gravel safari road
Animals: 1,200+ animals, many rare and endangered, including antelope, bison, bull elk, Père David’s deer, emus, ostriches, wildebeest, and zebras on the drive. Safari Village has giraffes (feed them daily), rhinos, a king cheetah, sloths, giant anteaters, and a budgie aviary.
2026 Admission (includes unlimited drive-thru plus Safari Village):
- Adults (13–64): $29.95
- Seniors (65+): $27.95
- Children (2–12): $22.95
- Under 1: Free
- A 6% county admissions tax is added to all admissions.
- $4 off each admission for law enforcement, active duty, and retired military with valid ID
- Same-day re-entry is allowed with your receipt.
- One full-color Safari Guidebook is included per car.
Animal Feed:
- Safari feed bucket: $6, or 4 for $20
- Village goat feed cup: $4
- Budgie feed stick: $2, or 4 for $7
- Giraffe romaine lettuce with souvenir cup: $5
- Village Feed Bundle: $12
2026 Hours:
- September 28 – October 25: Daily 9 AM – 4 PM (last vehicle out by 5:30 PM)
- October 26 – November 29: Daily 9 AM – 4 PM (last vehicle out by 5 PM)
- Closed Thanksgiving Day.
- The season ends Sunday, November 29, 2026.
Rules:
- No animals allowed.
- No outside animal feed.
- Stay in your vehicle at all times on the drive-thru.
- Windows must be all the way down to feed, and buckets must be held outside the vehicle. No hand-feeding.
- Not allowed: motorcycles, convertibles, open-top Jeeps, vehicles without doors, tow-behind trailers, or riding in pickup beds.
- Keep minivan sliding doors closed.
- No drones or balloons. Smoking and vaping only in the designated area.
CHINCOTEAGUE NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE – WILDLIFE LOOP
Type: USFWS national wildlife refuge on Assateague Island, with a paved wildlife loop that opens to cars each afternoon. It’s home of the famous Chincoteague wild ponies.
Location: Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Beach Rd, Chincoteague Island, VA 23336 (Virginia’s Eastern Shore, about 3 hours from DC)
Phone: (757) 336-6122
Website: fws.gov/refuge/chincoteague · Visit Us · Activities
Social Media: Facebook
Size: The Wildlife Loop is about 3.25 miles of paved road around freshwater impoundments, marsh, and forest. The refuge also has 15 miles of trails and a beach.
Animals:
- Chincoteague wild ponies. The southern herd is often visible from Beach Road pull-offs and the Wildlife Loop.
- Sika deer (sika elk) and white-tailed deer
- Snow geese, ducks, herons, egrets, shorebirds, and bald eagles, with fall migration peaking October – November
Admission:
- Daily vehicle pass from $10
- Walk-in and bicycle entry are free.
- America the Beautiful passes and Federal Duck Stamps are accepted.
Hours:
- Wildlife Loop is open to vehicles daily, 3 PM to dusk. Before 3 PM it’s for hikers and bikers only.
- October: Refuge roads, beach, and trails are open 6 AM – 8 PM.
- November – mid-March: 6 AM – 6 PM
Rules:
- No pets on the refuge, even inside your vehicle.
- Never feed or approach the ponies. They bite and kick.
- Drive slowly, since walkers and cyclists share the loop.
Tips:
- Bring binoculars, because ponies are often in the distance.
- Late afternoon on the loop combines the vehicle opening with active wildlife.
- Boat tours are another way to see the ponies from the water.
- Assateague Island National Seashore (Maryland district) has the island’s northern herd.
SHENANDOAH NATIONAL PARK – SKYLINE DRIVE
Type: National park scenic byway along the crest of the Blue Ridge, with frequent roadside wildlife
Location: Shenandoah National Park, Skyline Drive (105 miles from Front Royal (north) to Rockfish Gap near Waynesboro (south), about 1.5 hours from DC)
Phone: (540) 999-3500
Website: nps.gov/shen · Fees & Passes · Current Conditions
Social Media: Facebook · Instagram (@shenandoahnps)
Animals: White-tailed deer (very common, especially around Big Meadows), black bears (fattening up on acorns in fall), wild turkeys, foxes, and raptors migrating along the ridge
Admission:
- About $30 per vehicle (7-day pass)
- America the Beautiful passes are accepted.
- Check Fees & Passes for current rates.
Hours: Skyline Drive is generally open 24 hours, but sections close during bad weather and at night during hunting season.
Rules & Tips:
- 35 mph speed limit. Deer and bears cross often.
- Never feed wildlife, and stay at least 50 yards from bears.
- Mid-to-late October is peak fall foliage, with heavy weekend traffic. Go early or on weekdays.
- Big Meadows (Mile 51) is the best wildlife viewing area in the park.
Explore Drive-Thru Wildlife Parks in Neighboring States:
Maryland · West Virginia · Kentucky · Tennessee · North Carolina