If you come to Florida and take a day or two between theme parks to enjoy the world's greatest beaches you might want to take a short ride east toward the Space Coast in Brevard County. Right off I-95 in the Viera/Suntree Area you can visit the Brevard Zoo. This is a beautiful animal conservation park with hundreds of animals, birds, and reptiles.
Brevard Zoo is divided into geographic areas. Above you see the giraffes in Expedition Africa. There is South America, Australia/Asia, and Wild Florida with our ever-popular alligators. There is also a play area called "Paws-On" where kids up to 12 years can romp around, get wet, and burn off energy, especially in the hot summer months. The animals are too many to mention but just to name a few there are kangaroos, baboons, dingo dogs, and a variety of monkeys. There are a number of eagles, hawks, and owls in full display and several gray wolves. You can also catch a closeup of a jaguar which is one of the most beautiful cats I've ever seen.
The zoo is designed under a canopy of trees so, while there is plenty of light you aren't in the baking sun in the hot months. It isn't a tremendous walk like Disney World so it's a nice visit without lines or huge crowds. There are education programs for all ages and they offer education to anyone who wants to learn about the animals of the world.
This year we took a kayak through the park. There's an extra charge for this. I think it was $3 or $4 each and they just added a "Zip Line" so you can take a swing through the trees over the animals if you like! (We haven't done that one yet). You can take a train ride and see the wildlife from that angle. It's very popular with younger children, and Dads.
Hours of operation are 9:30 am to 5:00pm daily. They only close on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas so you can visit any time throughout the year. Tickets are $13.75/Adult, $12.75/Senior, $10.25/2 to 12 years, and under 2 is FREE.
Brevard Zoo is a great time and worth it if you want to take a quieter, less stressful afternoon on your trip to Florida. I hope you try it. I think you will agree. Thanks for reading.
