ZOOS & ANIMAL PARKS ALABAMA

Two By Two Petting Zoo is a walk-through indoor petting zoo conveniently located just three miles from downtown Enterprise, Alabama, operating as a division of Whigham Farms. The zoo offers a welcoming, hands-on animal experience suitable for families, field trips, church groups, and birthday parties, featuring a wide variety of animals that visitors can pet, feed, and interact with up close. Pony rides add to the excitement for younger guests, making it an engaging and memorable outing for children. Its accessible location and affordable, interactive format make Two By Two Petting Zoo a popular community destination for families throughout the Enterprise area and the surrounding region of southeast Alabama.

Alligator Alley is a swamp sanctuary and alligator farm located at 19950 County Road 71 in Summerdale, Alabama, offering visitors an up-close look at hundreds of alligators in a natural cypress swamp habitat spanning more than 20 acres. Home to over 450 alligators ranging from hatchlings to massive adults, the facility began as a rescue sanctuary for nuisance alligators that would otherwise have been destroyed, giving each animal a second chance. Guests can walk an elevated boardwalk trail nearly a mile in length, observe daily feedings at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., and 4 p.m., and hold a baby alligator in the air-conditioned gator station. The park's star resident, Captain Crunch, stretches over thirteen feet and holds a world record for bite force. Alligator Alley is a distinctive wildlife attraction near Gulf Shores, drawing nature lovers and families from across the region.

Animals R Us Petting Zoo is a family-friendly farm attraction set on more than 40 acres in New Market, Alabama, offering hands-on animal experiences for guests of all ages. Visitors can pet and feed a friendly assortment of animals including goats, pigs, cows, bunnies, and more, while also enjoying horseback riding, summer camps, and animal care lessons. The farm hosts private birthday parties and offers both mobile and virtual petting zoo options for community events and schools. Its affiliated nonprofit, Step by Step Therapeutic Riders Inc., provides equine-assisted therapy and riding instruction for individuals with special needs, reflecting the facility's deep commitment to inclusive, therapeutic, and educational animal programming throughout northern Alabama.

Snead's Farmhouse is an educational farm sanctuary and 501(c)(3) charitable organization located at 820 County Road 1225 in Vinemont, Cullman County, Alabama. Founded by Judy Snead, what began with a single chicken has grown into a thriving menagerie of animals including chickens, pigs, ducks, peacocks, roosters, turkeys, alpacas, baby goats, and a variety of other farm residents. The farm welcomes school field trips, offering students hands-on petting zoo experiences, puppet shows, crafts, and lessons in animal care. Snead's Farmhouse is celebrated for its inclusive spirit, providing a welcoming environment for children, families, and visitors of all abilities to connect with animals and discover the joys of farm life in the heart of north-central Alabama.

Montgomery Zoo and Mann Wildlife Learning Museum is a 40-acre wildlife park located in Montgomery, Alabama, home to more than 500 animals from around the world displayed in natural, barrier-free habitats organized into five continental realms: Africa, Asia, Australia, North America, and South America. Visitors can encounter elephants, lions, giraffes, and zebras in the Africa realm; Bengal tigers and Indian rhinoceroses in Asia; kangaroos in Australia; elk, cougars, alligators, and critically endangered red wolves in North America; and Chilean flamingos in the South America flight aviary. Highlights include a walk-on giraffe feeding platform, a Zoofari Skylift, a zoo train, and the 28,000-square-foot Mann Wildlife Learning Museum featuring over 270 immersive exhibits of North American wildlife. The zoo offers animal encounters, educational programming, and seasonal events, making it a premier family destination in central Alabama.

Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is a community zoo located in Gulf Shores, Alabama, accredited by the Zoological Association of America and home to 118 species including 22 critically endangered animals. Residents include Eurasian lynxes, African lions, macaws, and lemurs, with popular interactive experiences such as giraffe and tortoise feedings, the South American Adventure exhibit, and Destination Madagascar. Keeper presentations take place throughout the day at no additional charge, offering guests an educational window into the animals' lives and conservation needs. The zoo provides zoo camp programs, school group visits, birthday parties, and community outreach, making it an engaging and accessible destination for families and wildlife enthusiasts along the Alabama Gulf Coast. Open daily from 9 AM to 4 PM, the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo delivers a memorable wildlife experience just minutes from the sugar-white beaches of Gulf Shores.

The Alabama Aquarium at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab is an educational marine facility located on Dauphin Island, a barrier island approximately 35 miles south of Mobile, Alabama. The aquarium showcases the four key coastal Alabama habitats through visually engaging and interactive exhibits, featuring rays, sharks, trout, and other Gulf Coast species in tanks that replicate the Mobile Bay ecosystem. Daily feeding demonstrations, live exhibit webcams, and educational excursions immerse visitors in the science of estuarine environments. The facility is affiliated with the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, a leading marine research institution, and supports conservation through programs such as the Marine Mammal Stranding Network. With affordable admission and a commitment to scientific education, the Alabama Aquarium is a rewarding destination for families and nature enthusiasts exploring the Alabama Gulf Coast.

Alabama Safari Park is a sprawling 350-acre wildlife attraction located in Hope Hull, Alabama, just off Interstate 65 at Exit 158. Guests can explore the park via a drive-through safari from the comfort of their own vehicles, discover the walk-through Safari Village, and enjoy close-up animal experiences with sloths, giraffes, and Aldabra tortoises. The park is also home to llamas, Watusi cattle, zebras, lemurs, and other exotic species, along with a budgie aviary, daily animal feedings, and wagon rides. Open daily from 9 AM to 4 PM, Alabama Safari Park is part of a larger network of safari parks across the United States.

Birmingham Zoo is Alabama's only AZA-accredited zoological park and one of the state's premier family destinations, set on 122 acres in Birmingham. The zoo is home to approximately 950 animals representing 230 species from six continents, including red pandas, lions, giraffes, orangutans, rhinos, elephants, hippos, jaguars, sea lions, and zebras. Standout exhibits include the Trails of Africa — home to the only all-male African elephant herd at any U.S. zoo — the Hugh Kaul Children's Zoo celebrating Alabama's wildlife, the Predator Zone, Lorikeet Aviary, Alligator Swamp, and a reptile building. The zoo actively participates in AZA Species Survival Plans, supporting conservation of endangered animals worldwide, while offering seasonal camel rides, keeper chats, and educational programming for families and school groups.

Tigers For Tomorrow, operating as UNTAMED Mountain, is a wild animal preserve and environmental education center nestled in the mountains of Attalla, Alabama. The sanctuary provides permanent, secure homes for exotic animals in need, including nine species of wild cats, bears, over 50 canids such as wolves, hyenas, and foxes, small mammals, and rescue equines. Visitors can enjoy general admission walks, private tours, and special evening events featuring tiger and capybara feedings. Summer camps for children ages 7 through 12 combine hands-on animal encounters with lessons in wildlife conservation, ecosystems, and geology. School field trips and group visits are accommodated year-round, making UNTAMED Mountain a compelling destination for families and educators seeking meaningful engagement with exotic wildlife in a conservation-focused environment.

Bigham Farms and Exotics Sanctuary, also known as That Turtle Place, is a family-built animal sanctuary and reptile zoo located in Coker, Alabama, in Tuscaloosa County. Established in 2017, the two-acre sanctuary serves as a safe haven for over 100 turtles and tortoises, the vast majority of which are surrendered or former pets. In addition to its reptile focus, the facility is home to wallabies, ringtail lemurs, coatimundis, Patagonian cavies, macaws, cockatoos, emus, and goats. Open to the public each spring and fall, visitors can explore a nature trail and feeding stations where they hand-feed turtles directly. The sanctuary offers field trips, birthday parties, and classroom visits, with a donor membership program supporting ongoing rescue and rehabilitation work. Admission is $10, making it an affordable educational experience for families.