Georgia > West Central Georgia > Harris County > Pine Mountain

By SHERRI SMITH BROWN

A zebra is just one of the animals that might walk right up to your vehicle as your ride through Wild Animal Safari in Pine Mountain. 

Have you ever seen a Yakatusi, Nilgai, Rhea, Black Buck Antelope, Watusi, or North American Elk? After a trip through Wild Animal Safari in Pine Mountain, you’ll be able to say “yes” to that question. At Wild Animal Safari, there are more than 700 free-roaming exotic animals from six continents - every continent except Antarctica. You can spend your entire day exploring a wildlife preserve that offers habitats encompassing the plains, swamps, deserts, mountains and forests of the world.

You can drive through the Safari in your own car, rent a Zebra-painted van, or take the guided tour bus, the Zebra Bus, offered seasonally by the park. Winding through 200 acres of natural environment on 3.5 miles of paved road, you will have a chance to touch a Giraffe, come face to face with American Bison, and see many other animals from all over the world in a natural setting.

The park also has a walk-through zoo environment, called the Walk-About, which is home to tropical birds, monkeys, bears, wolves, and other animals. The Georgia Wildlife Museum, housed inside the park, features wildlife native to Georgia in a natural setting, as well as a few exotic snakes and lizards.

Links:

• Read more about Wild Animal Safari
• Find more Pine Mountain travel and recreation resources

By SHERRI SMITH BROWN

Georgia > Southwest Georgia > Lowndes County > Valdosta

Wild Adventures Water and Theme Park mixes animals, amusement rides and water park rides like the Wahee Cyclone, a four-person tube ride that swirls down a dark, 45-foot funnel.

Thrill rides, water rides — and animals!

A combination amusement park and water park sounds like a lot of fun, but Wild Adventures Water and Theme Park in Valdosta captures both of those and throws in an extra – wild animals – to give you a three-way adventure that is hard to beat.

Wild Adventures is divided into seven sections, each with its own collection of rides and animals.

When it comes to amusement park rides, Wild Adventures offers plenty of family rides – everything from the Century Wheel ferris wheel to the Dizzy Dragons. There are numerous Thrill Rides, including the 50-mph vertical loops of the Boomerang with its six inversions and two hills; The Bug Out – a wild mouse ride with single cars, hair-pin turns, and sudden drops; and the Cheetah, a 90-foot tall, 3,000-foot long wooden roller coaster. And, of course, the gentler Kids Rides, such the Rio Grande Train and Saddle Up Pony Rides, are also plentiful. (more…)

By SHERRI SMITH BROWN

First stop for kids at Zoo Atlanta is Flamingo Plaza, where the long-legged birds show off their wading skills and beautiful pink plumage.

From the awesomeness of elephants and gorillas to the antics of panda bears and lemurs, there is nothing like a trip to Zoo Atlanta with kids. Just last week, I made my first trip in a good number of years with Brianna and her kindergarten class—twenty kids, who excitedly spent a couple of hours seeing as many of the zoo’s 1,300 mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians as possible!

Zoo Atlanta, which celebrated its 120th birthday this past March, is pleasant, clean and has lots of shady areas so that you can enjoy it even on Atlanta’s hotter days. Once you leave Flamingo Plaza, you can visit the African Plains with zebras, giraffes and lions; the African Rain Forest, where monkeys swing from tree to tree; and the Asian Forest, where orangutans, otters and tigers reside. Exotic birds, kangaroos and a petting zoo can be found in the KIDZone as well as the zoo train, carousel and a rock climber wall. Although not my favorite, my group of children went wild in the World of Reptiles building. Besides all that, you’ll find plenty of things to climb, places to eat, and great photo-ops at Zoo Atlanta. (more…)

By SHERRI SMITH BROWN

The gopher tortoise, which lives in dry, sandy regions and is native to Georgia’s coast, can be see in the wild at Oatland Island Wildlife Center.

American bison, white-tailed deer, gray wolf, red fox, nine-banded armadillo, peregrine falcon, sandhill crane, gopher tortoise and bald eagle—these are just some of the natural wildlife of Georgia and the nation that you can see at the Oatland Island Wildlife Center of Savannah.

Located less than five minutes from Savannah’s historic district, the wildlife center has over 100 acres of maritime forest and exhibits 50 species of animals. Outdoor exhibits include the Wolf Wilderness, Alligator Wetlands, Predators of Georgia, and Birds of Prey. Goats, pigs, donkeys and sheep are just some of the animals found in the Georgia Farm area. (more…)