If your family is looking for an adventure this summer, consider traveling to Winston, Oregon, to visit Wildlife Safari, where you are captive, and the animals roam free!
Wildlife Safari strives for the highest quality interaction with wildlife and inspires lifelong commitments to conservation, education, and the preservation of native and exotic species. The park is spread over 600 acres, where visitors can interact with more than 550 animals representing their wild counterparts from all around the globe. It is also the only drive-through animal park in the state.
The park opened in 1972 and has welcomed generations of visitors since. General admission prices currently range from $22.50 for children to $29.50 for adults, with children 2 and under admitted free. Wildlife Safari also offers family bundles and other ticket options, so check the website before you go for the latest pricing.
The park is open 363 days a year and is closed only on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Current drive-through hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from March through September, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in October, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from November through March. Hours can change, so it is always smart to double-check before heading out.
During the 60-90 minute drive-through experience, guests can see ostrich, Watusi cattle, lions, zebra, hippos, the scimitar-horned oryx, rhinos, giraffes, bears, bison, elk, African elephants, emu, yak, white-naped cranes, and critically endangered Sumatran tigers. There are some feeding opportunities throughout the drive-through experience, and there are many photo opportunities during the drive.
Personally, I first went to Wildlife Safari when the park was only a few years old in the 70s, and it was a truly amazing experience. It is one that has resonated with me throughout my life! The park has grown substantially since then and offers so many opportunities for both adults and youngsters to engage with animals while providing invaluable educational opportunities.
In our family’s experience, it is best to do the drive-through twice. The first time should be in the morning when the park opens, as animals are being fed and are very active. A second drive-through in the late afternoon or early evening provides a different opportunity to view these awesome creatures as they begin stirring with the setting sun. Our drive-through experience took longer than expected because our kiddos were having so much fun looking at the animals, taking pictures, and observing their behaviors.
Wildlife Safari is also renowned for its successful cheetah breeding program. According to the park, 259 cheetahs have been born there since the program began, making it the second most successful cheetah breeding center on Earth and the top center in the Western Hemisphere.
The park offers various internship programs each year, and an international veterinary medicine program resides on Safari grounds. Hundreds of young students are reached each year through education programs for school-aged children, and some high school students even attend ecology, English, and mathematics classes on-site. Summer camps are also available and offer further enrichment activities for kids of all ages.
A special treat worth looking into is Wildlife Safari’s overnight camp opportunities and special after-hours programs. These experiences may vary by season, but they can give families a chance to experience the park in an entirely different way. Depending on the program, families may be able to enjoy animal ambassador encounters, guided tours, campfire activities, and behind-the-scenes experiences.
Our family had the opportunity to take part in one of these overnight experiences, and it was unforgettable. We were able to go into the lions’ enclosure while the carnivores were safely secured and place treats around the area for them to discover. Once everybody was out, the gate was closed, and the lions were released. They came “roaring” out, so excited to find their treats and gobble them up! We could stand right outside the gate and, at times, were within inches of these magnificent creatures.
Truly, it was a memorable experience. Falling asleep to the sound of crickets and frogs and waking up to the awesome sound of roaring lions is something our family will never forget. If an overnight camp or after-hours program sounds like something your family would love, check Wildlife Safari’s website early or contact Guest Services for current availability. These experiences can fill quickly, and details may change from season to season.
One last experience is worth mentioning. Wildlife Safari offers animal encounters with various creatures, with varying group sizes, ages, prices, and availability. We have partaken in a number of these, and in this mom’s humble opinion, they are worth the extra cost.
Our favorite encounters so far have been with the elephants and the cheetahs. During the elephant encounter, we could take pictures with the elephants while guests remained inside a safe viewing area. The elephants also “paint” with their trunks. Art painted by these gentle giants is available for purchase, and depending on the encounter, guests may even have the chance to watch an elephant create a unique painting. Our kids could pick three colors they liked and then watch as the elephant painted their masterpiece on canvas. To this day, our kids still treasure their elephant art despite growing up into teenagers!
Another favorite encounter was with a cheetah. The chosen cheetah for that visit was brought out by keepers and then laid on the grass near a tree. Our family could then pose behind the cheetah for a picture, which ended up becoming our holiday family picture that year.
It is important to note that no animals at the park are forced to do anything they don’t want to do. In our experience, the elephants were waiting for us because they knew it was just about tour time. If an elephant wasn’t in the mood to paint, another elephant volunteered. The same goes for other encounters. If an animal is not in the mood, the keepers adjust. The animals’ safety and comfort come first.
Current encounter options include experiences such as Giraffe Munch Time, Elephantastic Moments, Pride & Pack, Wild Nights: Lion, and other close-up opportunities. Prices and availability vary, with many encounters requiring advance booking because spots are limited. If your child has a favorite animal, check the current encounter list before your visit and plan ahead.
The costs can add up if you participate in several of these encounters, so grandparents, aunts, and uncles “gifted” these experiences to our children for birthdays or Christmas. While not a tangible gift, the experiences are deeply treasured and something our kids will never forget.
Hopefully, I’ve convinced you to check out Wildlife Safari at some point in the future. The park enjoys accreditation from the Zoological Association of America and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a designation that fewer than 10% of animal parks in the country can claim, as superior animal husbandry is mandatory. While zoos are awesome to visit, Wildlife Safari is a unique experience that will make cherished memories for everyone.
Go wild at Wildlife Safari!
Amy currently lives in Lake Tapps, Washington, where she lives with her family of six plus a menagerie of pets and works as an educator at both the high school and collegiate levels. She holds a B.A. in English and Expository Writing from the University of Washington and a Master’s in Teaching and teacher certification from Seattle University. She grew up on a working farm in a small logging town in SW WA and loves to travel all along the Oregon coast. When not grading papers, she enjoys reading, traveling, entertaining, gardening, crafting and doing anything with animals. She also works as a dance judge for high school competitions and is an avid blood donor.