People tend to associate Africa with a safari holiday, but, in actual fact, there are some fantastic options across America. Some destinations in the US are regarded as safari parks, while others are wild animal parks or conservation zones.
For the vast majority of safari-goers, an animal-themed adventure is the trip of a lifetime. After all, people generally adore animals, and they’re particularly popular with families, too. While playing products like the Buffalo Blitz casino games and watching classic movies like the Lion King will enable you to gain an insight into animal life, experiencing some of the world’s most iconic creatures for yourself during a safari trip is unbeatable.
For animal lovers, it’s the dream vacation to go on.
Thankfully, with many of America’s safari destinations ensuring that all animals are being cared for and having accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). As a result, there are some excellent options in the country. Let’s assess some of the best of them below.
Virginia Safari Park, Natural Bridge, Virginia
A glorious part of the country in its own right, Virginia Safari Park offers a drive-through safari experience like no other, largely due to its thousands of animals but also because of its picturesque setting. A 3-mile driving course, you’re also able to feed the animals at the petting zoo, there are plenty of areas to stop and have a picnic, and you’ll see a range of loveable creatures that are remarkably friendly.
Bearizona Wildlife Park, Arizona
Although the name could perhaps do with a bit of work, Arizona’s Bearizona Wildlife Park is a dedicated and safe environment for some of America’s most famous animals. Offering an on-foot and driving safari package that is hard to beat, visitors can see a huge variety of giant bears and then take in the smaller creatures in the barnyard.
Safari West, California
Located in the heart of California’s wine country, Safari West takes around 3 hours to complete and is home to some of the African Serengeti’s most iconic animals. The animals you’re most likely to see while going on a walking or driving tour in the park are buffalo, wildebeest, oryx, and gazelle, although a range of other creatures come out for any nocturnal safari-goers also.
Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, Texas
Located in San Antonio, Texas, the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch provides a highly educational safari experience for its thousands of yearly visitors. With over 450-acres of pastoral landscapes to take in, alongside a selection of over 500 endangered, exotic and native animals to meet, this safari’s driving course is hugely popular. Over the years, Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch has received numerous plaudits for its giraffe conservation efforts in particular.
Pine Mountain Wild Animal Safari, Georgia
Home to a large variety of animals, from birds, lemurs and wolves to lizards and wallabies, Pine Mountain Wild Animal Safari is a go-to option for many safari addicts in the country. Known for housing an extensive selection of some of earth’s finest animals, the park is extremely popular with families.
You can explore the animals that live there either by driving your own vehicle or by hiring a van for the 3.5-mile loop. You might even get the chance to feed some of the animals, too.
African Safari Wildlife Park, Ohio
Ohio’s African Safari Wildlife Park provides visitors with a unique opportunity to feed a variety of animals as you move through the park in your vehicle. Featuring big populations of camels, bison, zebras and alpaca in particular, you can also go on a memorable camel ride and even feed an Australian kangaroo, too.
