We were provided complimentary admission to the Zoo for the purpose of this review, however, all opinions are our own.
If you check into the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo on Facebook it will check you into “The Little Zoo That Could.” That had me wondering, “Just how small is this zoo?”
The answer is that it’s really small when compared to other zoos, but all 5 kids that were traveling with me agreed it was their favorite zoo! We loved it from the moment we walked in the door and I can’t wait to tell you why!
Staff
You won’t find a friendlier or more knowledgeable group of people at any other zoo.
We visited in June and the heat and humidity in southern Alabama in the summer is no joke, yet the staff always had their smiles on and was ready to field the hundreds of questions asked by kids on a daily basis.
We were fortunate to have our own guide to walk around with and she really added to our enjoyment of the day.
Animal Encounters
What really sets the zoo apart from the others; however, are their animal encounters of which they have six!
To be completely honest the main reason my family decided to drive to Gulf Shores this summer was because we found out this zoo had a sloth, and I have a sloth obsessed teenage boy.
There are two sloths at the zoo that you can meet and feed and was by far the highlight of our day. Well, it was until we got to play with baby lemurs!
Each of the encounters cost additional to the entry fee and can be bought when you arrive with your general admission ticket, or if you have exact change you can purchase at the encounter. These encounters can really add up, so I recommend that you pick one or two.
The sloths and the lemurs are the most unique experience and therefore have the longest lines so head there first if you plan to do them. The Tamandua (which is basically an anteater) is right next to the sloth as well.
Then you can head to the reptile garden where you can hold snakes and alligators, we did the lemurs and kangaroos last.
Below are the costs of the various animal encounters:
Sloths – $10
Tamanuas – $10
Reptile Garden – $5
Lemurs – $10
Kangaroos – $5
Barnyard – $5
Atmosphere
My first thought was that some of the enclosures seems a little small but was thrilled to find out that this little 4.5-acre zoo will be moving to a new 25-acre facility in the spring of 2018.
Whether you visit before or after the move we hope that you will support this great zoo. The new zoo will feature five themed areas with new attractions like an events center, full-service restaurant, rides, playgrounds, splash pads and a wedding pavilion.
If you are looking for other things to do in Gulf Shores, check out this post.
