San Antonio, Texas is a fantastic city to visit as a family. Besides the epic historical sites, beautiful Riverwalk area and fun amusement parks, there is a one of a kind experience waiting for you at the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch.
This park, located about 30-40 minutes outside downtown San Antonio in the Hill Country combines safari style adventures with a petting zoo, and other up close stationary animal exhibits. There is a dedicated giraffe feeding and interaction area as well.
At the park entrance, where you settle your entry fee, you are given one bag of animal feed that you can use anywhere in the park. Additional bags are sold for $2.50 if you want to avoid squabbles with the kids over who gets to hold the bag :-). Park maps are available for purchase as well.
Upon entrance you will first be able to stop at the Giraffe Conservation area as well as the petting zoo and other animal exhibits, prior to starting the safari drive. There is a restaurant called the Safari Grill which serves made to order burgers as well as breakfast. The Grill also has clean bathrooms.
The entrance to the Safari is right off the parking lot. Then estimated time for the safari drive is 1 hour to 1.5 hours and you can drive the course as many times as you like. Our drive took a little over an hour. Your course is dependent on how much time YOU want to spend on the course as well as the path of traffic while you’re there.
Factors like the volume of cars in the safari on that day as well as the activity of the animals will affect how long your drive is. Though the driving course is wide and passing vehicles is allowed it is still hard to know how long the drive will take. Fortunately there is a stop off point during the safari course with a snack shop, bathrooms and large parking lot for breaks.
The Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch is a unique adventure for anyone who wants an immersive nature adventure. This wasn’t our first trip to a drive through animal safari and it won’t be our last! You never know exactly what your visit will be like, which means you can visit again and again!
Have you ever visited a drive through animal safari park?
13 Comments
A safari in the middle of Texas – who knew? I’ll have to remember this for our trip to San Antonio!
This post had me at Lemurs! My absolute favorite animal! This place looks awesome and it also looks like y’all had a lot of fun!
This make me want to visit the drive through park down here in Miami! The one here is called Lion Country Safari. I’ll look into it since you made it seem like so much fun!
We haven’t been to Texas yet, but we’d definitely drive through here, at least once! What a fun family activity!
I’ve been through a National Park with buffalo, horses, prairie dogs, etc. I’ve never been to Texas. This safari drive looks like a lot of fun!
That looks so fun! We have a wildlife park similar here in Oregon but we haven’t been. I think it is so cool and such a fun way to bond with your kids. I love this!
I’m not one for zoos or safaris but tbh it is always nice to see animals and moreso when u can touch them! That stripped mountain goat look amazing!
I should visit Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch soon. It seems like a fun place to be at!
Safaris are so cool because you never have the same experience twice! I have gone to 3 different parks like this across the US and each one was so cool.
I love watching the animals. They are so fun and full of character.
This ranch looks great and it looks like you guys had fun. I would love to visit sometime
your safari trip looks great. Hope you fun visiting nature at its best with kids.
Wow this is quiet a ranch. Look at all of the animals I know big and little kids would enjoy this!