34 Best Stops Between Hobe Sound and Palm Beach (2024)

The Lion Country Safari park offers a unique experience where visitors can view various wildlife in their natural habitat from the safety of their own car. The safari features a diverse range of animals such as lions, rhinos, and more. Additionally, there is an adjacent amusement park with rides for children, mini water parks, gift shops, and even a giraffe feeding pavilion. Visitors can also enjoy food trucks and a large cafeteria reminiscent of Disney's offerings.

Such a cool place!! The Drive through Safari was awesome. Got up close to so many animals. The actual zoo part was really neat. Lots of shaded areas, 4 gift shops, 3 mini water parks, tons of rides for kids, paddle boat area, not to mention a entire giraffe feeding pavilion! They also have foods trucks and a huge Disney like Cafeteria. If you have kids bring them here!! 👍🏻

Katelyn M — Google review

It was a Wonderful Experience, we had lots of close animal encounters and it was an amazing experience. We need to drive through in our car and follow a route and it's divided based on different geographical areas. The audio tour is quite helpful and informative. The park is very well maintained and the staff is very helpful and courteous. We spent close to 2.5 to 3 hrs, but we couldn't enjoy the water park, so plan at least for 5-6 hrs so the whole park + water rides can be enjoyed. There is also a giraffe feeding experience and children would definitely love it. I would definitely recommend it. Please like my review if you find it helpful.

Z K — Google review

This was a great visit to drive through the safari park love seeing all the animals it was amazing experience! Will definitely come back again. & also the park was really nice to walk around and see different things.

Bunnyx J — Google review

So amazing. The drive was incredible!! We got there right at opening and we’re one of the first in the park. We followed an employee who was feeding several animals. We drove through herds of antelope. It was spectacular!The inside park was a lot of fun too. Small but really cool.

Clay H — Google review

Awesome place! My wife was here in 1969 and she was like a kid again. Obviously there are more animals and activities now. Friendly and helpful staff. Well kept, clean, and the staff is very attentive towards the animals and visitors. We stayed at the KOA RV park which was also awesome. Overall it was a great time and place. I will definitely return.

Miguel E — Google review

We had such a great time and we are excited to go back again! We did the drive through Safari and the kids loved it! Then we went to the water park and they really enjoyed it too! The parking was easy and the park was so safe, clean and organized. I went alone with two young children and it was stress free. The best time.

C J — Google review

This place has really declined over the years. I was so excited to take family from out of town here after spending years when my kids were younger, coming repeatedly to drive through the park, enjoy feeding the giraffes, plus the water park and mini zoo park. I don’t know what happened but other than elk, like animals, they have significantly fewer main draw animals (and we were following the truck that was feeding them so we had the best opportunity to see animals up close). For example, they no longer have elephants and they used to. There used to be so many rhinoceros, and now there are only a few, Ive got to give credit to Lion Country Safari for clearly sharing information that the water slides & certain other areas are currently under construction. However, almost the entire zoo and play area should be under renovation. Much of it hasn’t been touched for at least 10 years and it shows. It has noticeably aged and worn seating areas, play areas, restaurants, and dining options. I respect it must cost quite a lot to take care of exotic animals however, I don’t think it’s worth the ticket price. I’ve spoken to several people since our trip last weekend. The consensus is unanimous that pretty much everyone who is a local feels this place is currently lacking. Hopefully they get donors or other funds to turn it around.

Sharon P — Google review

No#1 attraction in Florida. Online ticket booking was easy. It takes close to 75 to 90 minutes to compete the Safari drive. A lot of animals can be seen walking closely and the kids loved the experience. The Walk through Safari and the Kids rides were excellent. A must visit place for kids and families.

Karthi G — Google review

When we first did our research, it mentioned that is 55 acres park. But in reality, most of the safari part is self drive, makes it super relaxing to go on your own pace. Animals are easy spot and used to cars. We did have an ostrich trying to attack our side mirror. Lots of animals brought here and trying to give them best environment. But it’s still fence in. The adventure park portion is not as exciting. Old rides that really has nothing to do with animals, and some feeding area and petting zoo. I recommend going to safari in different time of the day so you get to see different animal activities.

The A — Google review

This place is AMAZING!! The prices are so reasonable because this place offers so many fun activities! From an outdoor drive through safari, to the indoor zoo where you can feed the giraffes (however, to feed the giraffes is an extra $5); there are so many things you can do. This place also offers free mini golf, a small outdoor waterpark and a few little amusement park rides for the kids and a petting zoo, all of which are included in the daily ticket price and doesn’t cost extra. You could spend all day here and never get bored. You can also drive through the outdoor safari as many times as you like, which is so cool because you get so close to the animals. The animals just freely roam around and some even end up getting close to your car. If you are looking for a fun filled day trip, then this is definitely the perfect place!

Sam — Google review

A very unique experience where you can drive through several exhibits to experience animals up close and personal. Plan to spend about 60-90mins and be sure to have enough gas in the car.It's mostly antelope, gazelle, etc. with chimps and lions as well. They provide an audio guide you can access via your phone, which I'd recommend as otherwise you don't really know what you're looking at.The price is a bit steep though, wish it was more affordable.

Jason W — Google review

The drive-through safari was amazing. It takes about an hour to drive the whole thing. We went on a weekday, so there were only about a dozen cars at that time.After, we went through the walking park area. Paddle boats, carousel and attractions for kids. We didn't visit the splash park, but there is a lot to experience. Feeding the giraffes was a unique experience.I definitely recommend making the trip!

Laura K — Google review

Our second time visiting. First time was 10 years before. Was everything that we remembered. Had a great time. Picked the perfect day, as it was cloudy and a bit cool so even the lions were out and active. Was able to get many great photos. Almost seemed like all of the animals were trained to pose for us.

Mike R — Google review

We camped at the KOA Lion Country Campground in West Palm Beach which is literally right next to the safari. You can get a discount on your safari tickets if you are camping. The price wasn't too much and we could enter the park all day. We went early, 9:30 am when they opened and saw the animals eating their morning meals. Definitely more vehicles at that time. We drove through and it took about an hour, with the slow speed and stopping often to observe the animals. It was very enjoyable and kids would love it! (We couldn't bring our pups 😔) After the drive thru we entered the actual park. Inside, it has more of a zoo atmosphere with exhibits and animal shows. Food and drinks are available. We purchased a large pretzel for a snack and it was good. Can't remember if it was $5 or $10...leaning towards $10. Later, we returned to drive through again. We timed it for closing and ended up being the last and ONLY vehicle in the Safari. 😂 We were "stalked" by the workers waiting to put the animals away and close the gates.of each section. Which they did IMMEDIATELY AFTER we drove out of each section!!😂😂 It was not our intention to hold them up, but we sure got that feeling. We entered at 4:20 and exited at 5:30 which is their closing time, so it was all good. 👍🏻 The afternoon drive thru was the absolute best time to go!! We got to see a lot of the animals up close as they were prowling at the gates waiting to be put up/fed. All in all, a great place to visit.

Sherri J — Google review

We had a great time here. The animals are well cared for and constantly monitored by staff. We didn’t go to the park but we enjoyed the safari so much we went through twice. We were camping at the Lion Country KOA which has discounted tickets and is an added incredible way to enjoy this!

Mike S — Google review

We had such a nice time here with our two young kids. Everything exceeded expectations. The adventure park was exceptionally clean and well staffed. The food was actually really delicious and in a super nice air conditioned space. And the drive through had so many great animals in healthy condition to see with a nice audio tour. The water parks were so much fun for the kids.

Josh E — Google review

Small park which can be easily completed in 2-3 hours total. The park is separated into two areas. First, the drive through safari was nice with 30 species of large animals. The drive is in the comfort of your own air-conditioned car at your own pace with two lanes offered. Second, the walk through park is nicely landscaped however several of the displays were empty and all animal feeding stations had been removed (May 2022). There is a childrens area in the back of the park which has a splash fountain. Some small rides like a carousel, paddle boats and slides. Most disappointing were the food and eating options all of which were extremely overpriced and poorly serviced. Bring your own drinks and let the kids wear their swim suits. Nice afternoon.

LYNNETTE R — Google review

I read the bad and good reviews carefully before coming. Here is my objective opinion about my visit:1.- There is a dedicated area for picnic2.- Restrooms are super clean.3.- Theme and souvenir stores have average prices. In fact, much better than other parks.4.- Yes, the lions can be seen through a fence, and it is safer that way. People with kids will consider that policy the most intelligent one, provided that lions and other animals are savage and will act according to instincts.5.- By the time of my visit, I had the opportunity to see several animals being fed by the crew members. There are no animals showing signs of malnutrition. This is one of those Zoos that has animals in excellent shape!6.- Rhinos instead are free, however, at least five Pick Up Trucks from the park were moving strategically so the rhinos would not represent a threat for visitors.7.- All areas are very clean. Either the drive or the walk-through are well kept, even the entire road is free from stools.8.- Staffing personnel are very kind and knowledgeable.It's worth the trip

Leonardo A — Google review

I have been going here since I was a child. I live in New York but often visit Florida to see family, and this is a place we always go to. It is great for all ages. Each time you go, it is a new experience. Sometimes you will have an ostrich pecking at your car window; other times, you will have a rhino walking in the road and stopping traffic. It is truly a magical experience. Knowing that the animals are well taken care of and seem happy and healthy is awesome. The walk-through part is also super fun! Feeding the giraffes is a must. The gift shops are also affordable so that you can take home a fun souvenir. Everyone who travels in the area must visit this place at least once. Make sure you have your camera ready so you can capture videos and photos along the way!

Cait — Google review

This place is awesome, a drive thru safari then you get to go inside the park and they got more rides and more animals and water park. You can pack food and have a picnic or buy what they have , only thing was the indoor dining area was under renovation when i went . But my kid had an awesome time and so did i just watching him be so happy .

Jack S — Google review

We always wanted to visit. We had a disabled person in the car so we didn’t do any of the out of car activities. We did drive through the safari twice. We were able to pull over and watch the animals as long as we wanted. The only animals you don’t see real well are the lions. This is because they are enclosed in giant chain link fences. Also they have a fairly large area to roam meaning they are not always up close to the fence. Warning signs reminding folks what to and not to do should be more prominent. Stupid us, we stopped sort of near the rhinos. They were milling around. On the way out of the rhino area the sign warns you to not stop near the rhinos. Not sure how near is near. You will need to keep your windows up so make sure your AC works well. We did one trip with some rain and another without. Both were enjoyable. If ai lived close I absolutely would have an annual pass to this park. It was delightful!

Lisa S — Google review

Excellent place, my children, my husband and I were delighted. The safari is very entertaining, you can see the animals up close, it is seen that they are well cared for and the audio that tells you about each animal is in English and Spanish. In addition to the safari, there are more animals that you can see already walking. There are also other attractions that are included with your ticket. The water park was a lot of fun. There are several restaurants, all the staff are very friendly and in general the place is very clean and nice. We liked it so much that we will not hesitate to buy the annual pass!

Pierina R — Google review

Excellent experience with a drive through Safari and optional medium-sized amusement park at the end. Definitely one of the unique activities in all of Florida, if not the USA. The drive through Safari takes about one to two hours to complete (your individual time spent watching the animals is up to you, can be longer or shorter). Large variety of animals. Many of them have no problem walking up to the cars or stopping on the road. Very fun to watch. The Safari is great for kids, or older less mobile people, or both. As for the amusement park, this is great for kids, generally 2yrs old to 10 yrs old. Variety of rides, food, ice cream, and more animal exposures. There is also a water park for little kids.

Michael B — Google review

Such a fun experience! The animals were active and were close to the road which allowed everyone to get a good look at them. The drive through was fun for everyone and then exploring the rest of the park was equally enjoyable. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable. The water park looked very fun(we didn’t go this time but will be back). The little boat tour with Charlotte was great and seeing all the other animals inside the park felt like going to the zoo. Highly recommend!

Candace C — Google review

Amazing place to spend the day. Definitely the top option for families. It would be good if you download the audio for the safari before going there, the signal is not very good. Take some cash to go feed the animals, 50 cents for fish and 5 dollars for the giraffe.

MónicaM M — Google review

This was the perfect activity for someone who is recuperating from a hospital stay or someone with limited mobility. You just stay in your car, windows rolled up, adjust the air conditioning, turn on the audio tour and enjoy the next 90 minutes! The animals were in a more natural habitat than a zoo, and there were large numbers of all of the species. With each section of the park we saw different varieties of animals and learned so much info on each breed. We could pull over at any time and pause the recording and reference the map with photos and descriptions of the animals. It was not a rushed tour. You could take as long as you liked at any part of the tour. We especially liked the zebras and giraffes. After the car tour, there was other parts of the park to explore. There were plenty of benches to rest on and maps to show you where you were. A very enjoyable day! Best part was feeding the giraffes. They sold three leaves of romaine lettuce for $5 and you could feed the giraffes from a platform where you are face to face with them. Definitely the highlight of the afternoon.

MF S — Google review

Oh. My. Goodness. I was visiting my aunt who lives in the area and she wanted to bring me here. I have been to other drive through safari places, some where you can feed the animals, some where you can not feed the animals. This falls into the category where you can not feed the animals, which I like because the animals stayed away from your car. And they had lions! And rhinoceroses! And so many more! The drive through took a lot of time as there was so much to look at. Then you can leave. OR you can park, and do the walking tour! They are doing some renovations so be aware of that! There is a water park, but neither my aunt nor I were interested in that. There was an absolutely cute show with a few birds and a handler. It was amazing. I highly recommend for anyone in the area.

Andrea F — Google review

Absolutely great time! I love the fact that you can go through the safari experience, park your car go and get lunch and explore the walk through areas, petting zoo, and feeding the giraffe! (Which was a super cool experience) And then you could drive through the safari again if you want to!!! Had an overall great experience today even with it being my first time! Will be going again and again!

Emily S — Google review

My family was visiting from another Country so I took them there and they enjoyed it a lot. The safari is ok, feeding the giraffes is awesome!! If you have little kids you must go there, they have petting zoo, water park, so much to do there. I definitely would add this place to my list of things to do when someone comes to visit us here in Florida.

Ana V — Google review

Unforgettable experience!! It's a must visit irrespective of age especially if you are an animal and nature lover. This destination offers an exhilarating one-day adventure, complete with safaris, walking tour (don't miss the petting zoo and giraffe feeding!), a thrilling waterpark, and relaxing boat rides. It's the ultimate family day out that promises fun and excitement for everyone, especially the little ones!

Zeba D — Google review

Worth the drive!!! And if you like driving, then you're a lucky explorer! Just relax and enjoy the wild life from the comodity of your own vehicle:) wait... there is more... farm animals, rides, feeding birds and so on... my favorite? Visiting the giraffes up close and personal, if you don’t mind spending a few bucks, you get to feed then and enjoy these majestic creatures 🦒🦒

Eloisa — Google review

Lion Country Safari is a thrilling adventure for animal lovers! Get up close and personal with amazing creatures as you drive through the safari. It's an incredible experience to see animals roaming freely in their natural habitat. Beyond the safari, there's a walk-through area with more animals, plus exciting rides anda fun water park. It's a perfect day out for families and animal enthusiasts alike!

Ciprian C — Google review

Great fun for the kids. I worried that the cost wouldn’t be worth it, but we made a day of it! 6 kids and 4 adults was about $300 for admission and $150 for lunch. This seems on par with most Florida theme parks, so the value isn’t outstanding but it is average and the setting is unique. Rhinos, giraffes, and ostriches were favorites! And the water park was a great ending

Benjamin W — Google review

So many beautiful animals to see! It’s a little pricey but well worth the experience. Took about an hour to navigate through. It does get a little tricky because people sometimes will just stop with no warning and block the whole road so always be alert! They take such good care of the landscape and it’s very scenic.

Cindy A — Google review

Was nearly accosted by an ostrich. He held us and everyone in line hostage for nearly 10 minutes before deciding to leave the middle of the road. Amazing experience. 10 out of 10. Saw a baby rhino. Ate dippin dots. Spent like 3 hours looking at animals. I've been here several times throughout my life and this was definitely the most eventful and active animals! I think the trick is to come when it's overcast and windy, they were all out enjoying the weather! Insanely cool.

Alice M — Google review

Went with my parents just before they closed the doors and we loved cruising around! The audio guide was really cool as well. Got some awesome photos too!Why did the zebra cross the road? I don’t know and I think he forgot too because he stood there for 10 minutes 😂

C S — Google review

We did two rounds of the safari. It’s super fun has a lot of cool stuff to do after the safari like a small water park for kids and animal feeding. Highly recommend. I was able to find a $5 off pp online.

Lynn Y — Google review

We love this place! So fun to take guests young or old! We went last week and even though it was our 5th time there, there is always something new to see. Drive through the route with the narration on your phone and see antelope, zebra, ostrich, rhinos, water buffalo, lions, giraffes and so much more. They roam around and you can get great close up pics of them especially when they walk right in front of your car. We were excited to see the new baby rhino, Orion. So cute! And one of the gibbons had a baby too. They always entertain as they swing along the ropes. Then, go to the walk through zoo and don't forget to feed the giraffes. Get up close and personal with them as you feed them lettuce. The price is a bit high, but you can spend several hours there and see so much!

Mkdamico37 — Google review

What an affordable GEM!This is such an awesome place. Great care of landscape and well cared for animals. We are from Africa, living in the USA and this is by FAR the very best wildlife park we have visited in the USA.Bring your friends and family here. You will love it!

Steve M — Google review

What a cool time we had! Never did a drive through safari before so I didn’t know what to expect, but we had a blast! Drive took about an hour, and you can stop whenever you want and watch the animals. Saw huge ostriches, rhinos, lions, giraffes, and more. When you’re done with the drive through, they have a smaller zoo that you can walk through with goats, rare birds, alligators, and flamingos. They also have a nice cafe, although the food was basic, it was nice to sit down and have a bite. There is also an extensive children’s section where kids can go on various rides. Well worth the admission price!

Daniel C — Google review

It exceeded my expectations, very organized and fun for kids. We took our tidier who had a lot of fun. Take your bathing suit as waterpark is fun for little ones and adults can join in. Giraffe feeding experience was great too!

Adrian G — Google review

Lugar recomendable para ir con niños. Excelente experiencia con animales. Quizás faltan elefantes nada más…. Pero una gran cantidad de rinocerontes que puedes ver a sólo metros. Adicionalmente hay otras actividades como juegos de agua, carrusel, botes,etc. incluidos en el precio de la entrada.(Translated by Google)Recommended place to go with children. Excellent experience with animals. Maybe there are just elephants missing… But a large number of rhinos that you can see just meters away. Additionally, there are other activities such as water games, carousel, boats, etc. included in the ticket price.

Felipe C — Google review

What an amazing experience! The drive through was insanely fun! The audio video was so informative and we’ve learned so much! I was very hesitant at first, as it is on the pricier side, but after our experience I think the price should have been doubled! So so much to do there: drive through safari, petting zoo, water activities, cafe and food, souvenir shops and more!Very neat and very fun! You can really tell the animals love it there!

Sarita L — Google review

We really enjoyed it! It’s great that you can do the drive thru a second time if you want. Plus, there’s a large walk thru area, a petting zoo, and a water park area with slides. Our only complaint/recommendation is that you bring our own food or drinks and don’t expect to eat there. Coffee was $4.50-$8. No deals to be had on food or drinks, that’s for sure! We bought tickets online and saved about $20 on 2 adults and 1 child vs the gate rate.

Meaghan M — Google review

It was such a wonderful and exciting place. We drove our car through an animal reserve park while listening to the radio, giving us details on each section.We got to see all different kinds of animals, get up close and personal. It was so amazing that it made us feel like we were on an actual safari!! You can drive as slow as you like and even pull to the side to watch them. Afterward, we went into the park and enjoyed some refreshments. Then, we spent the rest of the day exploring the park. We feed and pet some of the animals like the giraffes, goats, and birds. They also have a water park area. However, we did not take advantage of that portion of the park!! If you find yourself in the West Palm area, I definitely such you go!!

Renee' T — Google review

We visited on a regular Sunday morning and no that crowded/busy. The drive through experience was amazing. The walk through was also a good experience from feeding/petting and water park. If you are visiting with family and kids, I would recommend for before hand planning for food, clothes and drinks.

Dr. K — Google review

We went with the entire family and there was something for everyone to do and see. The exhibits/animals were fantastic. We brought our own lunch and there was plenty of seating. A bit pricey overall. We recommend printing your tickets ahead because the entrance scanner does not work well on mobile ticket barcodes.

Penelope T — Google review

What a great experience! We enjoyed the drive thru Safari and saw lots of animals up close. Then we parked and walked the rest of the exhibits. Our little plated in the water areas. Everything was well maintained and clean.

Melanie L — Google review

I would like to give it 5 stars, because the truth is that it met our expectations and we had a phenomenal day, to spend with family and especially with children. The only thing I complain about the park and hence my score, is that in the second water park they should put more umbrellas, plant trees, whatever, because it is really inhumane to be able to enjoy in that area. Otherwise I recommend it 👌.

Sebastian S — Google review

It was an awesome experience. Got there about 10 minutes before gates opened. The animals were very active and many were right by the road or walked in front of us. The place appears very well maintained. I highly recommend visiting. We will be back to visit again soon. Can't wait.

Annette R — Google review

34 Best Stops Between Hobe Sound and Palm Beach (2024)
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