Tag: Zoo Miami

 
When you think about all of the types of animals that are native to the Miami area, what types do you think about? We have an infinite amount of sea life, flamingos, and alligators to name a few. To help kids explore the natural fauna of the Miami-area, we have compiled a list of animal-related experiences that are fun for the entire family. These experiences offer not only viewing of the different breeds, but the opportunity to interact with them as well.

1 – Jungle Island – 1111 Parrot Jungle Trail, Miami FL, 33132

Starting off with Jungle Island, located on Watson Island in between Downtown Miami and Miami Beach on the MacArthur Causeway, this is a full day in and of itself. They offer everything from a Garden Admission that includes access to animals from all over the world, but particularly South Florida.

There are parrots, flamingoes, a true replica of the Everglades and Everglades Habitat, monkeys, tortoises, snakes and more. For the high-energy bunch, you can also trapse through Treewalk Village, a network of tree houses connected by nets, bridges and slides. There is also a playground to spend pent-up energy.

If you are eager for some 1-on-1 time with the animals, you can book an animal encounter. These allow you to play with lemurs and sloths, or feed Florida flamingos. An additional VIP tour allows the family to enter the habitats and get up close and personal with kangaroos, parrots, reptiles or giant tortoises.

After all of the animal interaction, you can stroll over to Joia Beach and have some snacks on a manmade beach overlooking the Biscayne Bay.

Prices vary depending upon age and the experiences chosen.

2 – Zoo Miami – 12400 SW152nd Street, Miami FL, 33177

If you are looking for a very extensive animal experience and don’t mind a bit of a drive, make a day out of ZooMiami. It boasts 750 acres of animals from around the world that you can experience by foot, by tram or if you are not big on walking such distances, the VIP golf cart experience. The zoo is a lot and is definitely a full day’s adventure, so be sure to plan ahead. Their website offers a planning section with a map of the facility, and links to all of the different experiences you can upgrade to along the way.

In order to get up close and personal with the animals, you’ll want to book encounters online. During the animal encounters, you will be able to visit with the zookeepers who are in charge of the various animals, sometimes even getting to feed them. ZooMiami is currently offering the Black Bears, Rhinos, Pygmy Hippos, Tortoises and the cute little Kiwi birds that can’t fly. Each breed has its own social schedule, so be sure to plan ahead.

Prices for ZooMiami vary depending upon age, date, and the options you choose. There is also an option to purchase yearly memberships, which is often times more economical especially if you intend to visit the zoo more than once per year.

3 – Frost Science Museum, Aquarium & Planetarium – 1101 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami FL, 33132

One of the newest additions to Miami’s animal-friendly repertoire, the Phillip & Patricia Frost Museum of Science opened in Maurice Ferré Park in Downtown Miami in 2017. In addition to the science exhibits and planetarium, the new museum boasts an actual replica of the South Florida aquatic ecosystem. This begins with a recreation of the Florida Everglades on the top level, with a river of grass, alligators, mangroves, and beaches.

You can travel down and peek into the ecosystem of the ocean that is on display in a 500,000 gallon tank with vibrant coral reefs, sharks, a bevy of breeds of fish, all held together in the gulfstream current. There are nooks and crannies for the kiddos to crawl and explore, peering in to the makeshift ocean to see all of the colors and elegant forms of life existing together as they do in the wild.

As you travel through the different levels of the deep, there are offshoots on each floor that allow guests to view certain breeds in closer quarters. The jellyfish exhibit is especially soothing, under the black light the majestic creatures light up in purple and pink and blue, to the amazement of little eyes.

The Frost Museum is another location where we suggest a yearly membership if you plan to visit more than once per year. For members, you are able to visit as many times as you like per year, visit each of the rotating exhibits and the aquarium plus 1 planetarium show per visit. The museum is easily accessible from nearly any part of town, so will definitely be something you wind up doing several times per year, if not more.

4 – Everglades Holiday Park Airboat Rides & Tours – 21940 Griffin Road, Ft Lauderdale FL, 33332

If you are not feeling the energy of interacting with animals in captivity, you can also go see them in the wild! This will be a bit of a drive to Fort Lauderdale, but is well worth the trip. The Everglades Holiday Park Airboat Rides & Tours will physically take you into the wild so that you can see all of the different birds and wildlife that live in the River of Grass. Of course there are alligators too and the airboats are quite fun!

There are many places in the Everglades to book an airboat trip, but we prefer the Everglades Holiday Park as it also offers one-on-one animal encounters. You can hold baby alligators (mouths taped shut of course), pythons, pigs, foxes and even skunks! Once you are finished with your photo-ops, you can sit back and watch the pro alligator wranglers play around with the deadly creatures, feeding them by hand and other daredevil activities.

You can view photos and experience offerings, or book excursions and experiences online here.

5 – Zoological Wildlife Federation – 16225 SW172nd Avenue, Miami FL, 33187

For those who prefer a more intimate zoo setting, the Zoological Wildlife Federation is going to be up your alley. This zoo is also just south of Miami, and offers a more extensive menu of animal experiences. In addition to being able to interact with the animals and speak with the zoo keepers, you can also hold baby tiger cubs, have your photo taken with the animals, or have a private tour of the facilities.

Among the breeds offered, there are many different breeds of big cats, lemurs, monkeys, ant eaters, birds, primates and otters. It is important to note that the zoo allows the animals to behave as they will, so there isn’t a guarantee of which ones will be social on a given day. Since they are allowed to live as naturally as possible, it is also impossible to guarantee whether or not a litter of cubs will be available. The animals are not bred, they pair up and start families as they see fit. Given this tidbit, it is a good idea to call ahead or visit their Instagram page to see if there are any sweet babies to visit before you make the drive. The cubs are available for encounters until they reach 40lb, in which case they are kept in a habitat for the safety of zoo guests.

Too view the facilities and book a tour, you can visit their extensive website here.

Please note that these are only our top 5 favorite animal experiences in the area. There are loads of additional ones, so your little ones can keep learning even when school is out. It could be a full 3 months of field trips if you want it to be. Miami is so rich with things for families to do. Tune back in next week as we look into other outdoor activities to keep the kids busy until school starts back!

Photo courtesy of Jungle Island Website