Experiences & Recreation · Family Activities

Gulf Breeze Zoo

Pensacola · Gulf Breeze

Animal encounters Family friendly Open daily

About

Gulf Breeze Zoo sits on 50 acres along U.S. 98 between Gulf Breeze and Navarre, and it is one of the biggest family attractions on the western end of the Emerald Coast. More than 900 animals live here, from giraffes and gorillas to rhinos, hippos and orangutans, and a good share of the day is spent up close: hand-feeding giraffes, walking through a budgie aviary, or riding a train through a 30-acre preserve where the animals roam more freely.

The zoo opened in May 1984 as The Zoo Northwest Florida, started by a group of local founders with about 60 animals on 19 acres. Hurricanes Ivan and Dennis hit it hard in 2004 and 2005, and it closed in 2009. That December, the owners of Virginia Safari Park bought it and reopened it as Gulf Breeze Zoo in February 2010. It has grown steadily since, adding 35 acres in 2018, and it now operates alongside sister parks in Alabama, Virginia and Texas.

Gorilla in its grassy habitat beside the water at Gulf Breeze Zoo — *Photo: Britt Reints, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons*

What to see and do

The Safari Express train is the signature ride: a narrated, roughly 15-minute loop through a 30-acre preserve with rhinos, antelope, gorillas, orangutans and hippos. Back on foot, visitors can hand-feed the giraffes, step into the Budgie Adventure Aviary with a seed stick, and visit the goats and sheep in the petting area. An elevated boardwalk carries you over part of the grounds, and kids can pan for “gems” at the mining sluice.

For a closer look, the zoo offers paid animal encounters that have included rhinos, hippos, tortoises, sloths and lemurs. Encounters are limited and change through the year, so check the zoo’s site and book ahead.

The zoo has had a run of new arrivals lately, including a giraffe calf in June 2025 and a rhino calf in September 2025.

Blue-and-gold macaw perched beside a red macaw at Gulf Breeze Zoo — *Photo: Britt Reints, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons*

Hours and admission

Hours: open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through October 30, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from October 31 through February. Last admission is one hour before closing. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Admission: $29.95 for adults (13 to 64), $27.95 for seniors (65 and up), $22.95 for children (2 to 12). Children under 2 are free.
Discounts: 15% off for military and law enforcement with ID, and a group rate for 15 or more.
Getting around: wheelchair and wagon rentals are available.

Tips for visiting

Plan on three to four hours. Arrive at opening in summer, when the animals are most active and the paths are cooler, and ride the train early before lines build. Giraffe feeding and aviary seed sticks may cost extra, and comfortable shoes help, since the grounds are large. The zoo is about 20 minutes east of Gulf Breeze and about 15 minutes west of Navarre on U.S. 98, and about 50 minutes from Destin.