Lion Country Safari Review-Is it worth it?
I know you are here for the burning question about our Lion Country Safari review-is it worth it?
I have all the details on that! Going into this adventure with two kids under 4 years old, we had no idea what to expect. We heard about it being a big attraction in South Florida, and we had to see what all the hype was about.
Our oldest adores animals, so we knew he’d enjoy this zoo-like experience.
But the true test was if my husband and I would agree that this was one of the best things to do with kids in Palm Beach County.
I hope by the end of this post, you’ll be able to decide if the Lion Country Safari will be worth it for your family!
Published | May 2024
Now, let’s go over the details:
Admission to Lion Country Safari
Like I mentioned, we had no idea what to expect before driving an hour to get here. I will admit, this mama did not research costs, rules or anything about the park before going. So, looks like you’re already a step ahead of me!
Going in blind, I have a few takeaways:
- Admission for a big family can add up fast.
- You really need the entire day to get through everything.
- The park is very large!
Lion Country Safari Rates
If I had known there were discounts before going to this safari in South Florida, I would have tried to get some!
Here are the standard costs:
Regular (ages 10 and older): $49 plus tax
Child (ages 3-9): $37 plus tax
2 and under: Free
So as you can see, for my family of 4, we paid around $135 to get in. Now my hopes were high and I raised my standards just a bit!
Lion Country Safari Coupons
Undercover Tourist is one of the largest official third party ticket sellers for Disney theme parks and more.
They offer discounts to Lion Country Safari and this could have saved us around $20.00. Might not be much, but when you buy food and drinks and other optional things in the park, it adds up.
If going this route, read their cancellation and refund policy and make sure it’s a good fit for you!
Side Note: Pack a lunch. The easiest and best way to save a few dollars is just bring your own. You are allowed to bring in drinks, coolers, wagons and strollers, so why not bring food and plenty of water. It is South Florida, after all!
Summer Savings Pass
The Summer Savings Pass is your ticket to explore all summer long at top South Florida attractions and activities for kids and families! Pass holders get unlimited visits* to Lion Country Safari, Cox Science Center & Aquarium, Zoo Miami, and Everglades Alligator Farm from May 15th – August 31st, 2024.
Annual Pass
If you live in Florida or plan on going 3 times within the year, then you’re saving money on the annual pass. As you know, Florida in the winter is just amazing, so this option is truly intriguing to know that you can enjoy the park all year round.
Here is what the annual pass gets you:
- 20% Off in Restaurant and Gift Shops
- 20% Off Additional Guests
- 10% Off KOA Campground Daily Rates
- Free Parking
Annual pass prices*:
- Regular (ages 10-64): $120.00
- Senior (ages 65 and up): $110.00
- Child (ages 3-9): $100.00
- * Prices subject to change. Taxes not included.
Now onto our Lion Country Safari Review-Is it worth it?
Drive through Safari
We started off our journey into the wildness with excitement!
This was our first safari trip as a family and we had no idea what to expect. You will be handed a pamphlet with the animals you may see, and a QR code so you can scan and tune in to the audio which gave us a guided tour.
As my hopes were high and the tour went on, I was beginning to think the safari wasn’t so great.
We didn’t have any animals come very close. The lions were in cages and could not come up to the car. (while safe, I was kind of hoping to see one next to us.)
But then, the ride starting getting better, as we entered each new habitat of animals.
Drive-through safari
My person favorite about the safari, was the rhinos! They were so close, and I did a thing. (Probably not allowed, but I popped my head through the sunroof and took a picture.) I do not endorse this behavior 🙂
Adventure Park
Waterpark and splash pad
After the safari, we parked and started our next adventure, the walk-through adventure park. Parking was free. Don’t forget your sunscreen, bathing suits, towels and cooler.
The waterpark was super fun. It had a lot of interactive activities, including slides, a splash pad (pictured), water dump buckets, and sprayers. This area was well designed with all ages in mind.
Big kids will definitely have fun here, too.
Flying Elephant Ride
This was a little version of Dumbo, so cute and ideal for young kids.
Train Ride
Another kiddie activity that my toddlers loved!
Carousel
Who doesn’t love a merry-go-round? This one was, you guessed it, safari themed.
The Carousel
Fun Slide
We passed on the fun slide because my oldest isn’t 42” yet. But this looked so fun!
Paddle Boats
I was suprised to find the paddle boats and pontoon boat ride were both included in admission. This was a nice activity to experience!
Pontoon Boat Ride
This tour gives you a closer view at some of the wildlife around the lake. If you are going for the entire day, you’ll definitely want to catch this last so you can get off your feet and enjoy the ride.
Gem Mining
This activity was cute for the kids. It costs $11.00 for the mining bag and kids can discover gems and fossils.
Safari Maze
This is really just a stroll through hedges while trying to find your way out. While it’s a great concept for some, and complimentary, I already have enough fun trying to find my kids as it is, so we passed on this.
Mini Golf
Cute amenity for playing 16 holes of mini golf. Again, older kids have the attention span for this, or even adults who come and enjoy the park may like this but my toddlers were too young. When my son is a little older we may be able to play a relaxing game-here’s to wishful thinking.
Animal Encounters
We were happy to see many more animals after the safari!
Giraffe feeding
My favorite animal encounter was definitely the amazing giraffes. As you walk up toward their height in the shaded pavilion, you have the option to just watch them or purchase lettuce for them to eat! They came right up to us and everyone else offering greens!
Giraffe Feeding
Petting zoo
My son may tell you that this was his favorite part. He loves petting zoos. It was a great amenity and very nicely done, but you have to watch out for the droppings. If you have little ones, you’ll find yourself redirecting their feet away from stepping in piles of animal poo.
Lorikeet feeding
Seeing the beautiful colored birds was fun, as we walked through their area. You can purchase food to feed them as well.
Parrott
Dining
Table 67
This dine-in restaurant was stunning! I was not expecting such a nice ambiance for a “zoo.” The menu was unique and had a lot of hand-crafted items on it like an asian crunch salad, burgers, a shirimp po boy, etc. They also served draft beer. Everything was ordered at their easy-to-use kiosk. This process definitely felt like a Disney experience.
Food kiosks
Food kiosks with snacks, churros, funnel cakes, hot dogs, popcorn and more, were available around the park. They also had cocktails like frozen drinks, margaritas, etc.
Food truck
The safari food truck was another great option to get food quickly and keep on your way.
Shopping
There was not a shortage of shopping at this animal haven!
Marketplace
The marketplace is an extra large gift shop at Lion Country Safari! As one who loves to shop, this was my favorite way to end our day (the air conditioning was nice, as well.)
Gift shops
There are a couple other small gift shops too, just in case they didn’t hear you say no the first time! 😉
That’s a wrap for the details.
So, to answer that burning question if our Lion Country Safari review is worth it…well, let’s just say that we bought annual passes!
Overall, we had a great time and the park exceeded our high standards after the somewhat steep cost of admission.
To be honest, due to the amenities, beautiful landscaping, and overall experience, this park reminded me of a smaller version and prequel to Disney’s Animal Kingdom.
More Things To Do in South Florida With Kids
Fort Lauderdale is located about an hour south of Palm Beach County and is a city filled with tons of kid-friendly things to do. Check out the top 5 thrilling things to do in Fort Lauderdale with kids by Alisha, the Adventure-Seeking Mom!
If you found this post helpful in planning your trip to Lion Country Safari, drop a comment.
And don’t leave without reading 40 Kid-Friendly Things to do in Jupiter
