Have you ticked off that summer bucket list yet? The Gulf Breeze Zoo is a summer staple and if you haven’t been yet, fear not, I visited last week and have the perfect half-day itinerary for you and the family.
I have visited the Gulf Breeze Zoo a handful of times, but never participated in any of the animal encounters. When my seven year old niece was visiting last week, I decided to plan an adventure that included up close and personal encounters with two Galapagos Tortoises and a Nile Hippo named Kiboko. All in a half days time and without any air travel. Here’s how.
9:00am
The Zoo opens at 9am and I recommend arriving then for a few reasons. First of all, it’s the end of July in Florida — every degree counts! Second of all, the animals tend to be more active in the mornings. Once you arrive, purchase your ticket along food for the giraffes, alligators, camels, cows, and budgies and your animal encounters of choice! We went with the Galapagos Tortoise encounter at 10am and the Hippo encounter at 12pm. Other encounters include sloths, Indian Rhino, Albino Alligator and the Giraffes.
9:10am
Make your way to the bird aviary and get ready to become besties with the budgies. Commonly known as budgies, the full name of these gentle, colorful birds is the budgerigar (AKA parakeets). Regardless of what you call them, you can feed them as they perch on your hand, phone or even land on your head. 
Budgies are notorious for hiding in backpacks, purses, and pockets. Check for any stowaways before you leave the aviary!
9:30am
Right next to the bird aviary is the farm where you can feed the goats and cows and we were lucky enough to spot two baby goats. I now want a baby goat!
9:45am
After you pass through the farm area you will end up next to the Zoo’s most popular exhibit, the Giraffes. The giraffes will literally eat Romaine lettuce out of the palm of your hand! Their tongues are 21 inches long, dark in color and will 100% slobber on you if you’re not careful. Don’t forget to pose for the perfect giraffe selfie while you’re here, you won’t regret it. Right next to the Giraffe exhibit there are water misters you can run through and cool-off in which are not to be missed, especially during the summer months.
10:00am
It’s time for the Galapagos Tortoise encounter! Galapagos Encounters are available from May through October. During this experience, we were introduced to the resident Galapagos tortoises and learned everything that goes into taking care of the largest species of tortoise in the world. We were able to feed the tortoises and even found out they enjoy a nice shell scratch.
10:30am
After the Galapagos Tortoise Encounter, we headed to the Watering Hole Cafe for a cold treat. My niece opted for an ice-cream where I was tempted by their secret menu of ‘Lionades’. A lionade is a cherry slurpee mixed with a lemonade or your favorite soda and served in a trendy Gulf Breeze Zoo souvenir cup.
11:00am
Before hopping on the Safari Express Train to our next encounter we fed the alligators and the camels. Being able to feed so many different species is definitely one of the most unique attributes of the Gulf Breeze Zoo. I have been to a handful of zoos around the country and have never been able to see so many animals up close.
12:00pm
At 12pm we hopped on the Safari Express Train to head to our next encounter. The CP Huntington Locomotive is a 15-minute narrated train ride where you can watch rhinoceros, deer and antelope roam free on our 30-acre preserve. From the train, you will also get an up-close view of gorillas, orangutans and the huge Nile hippos.
12:10pm
About three quarters of the way through the train ride, it stopped and allowed the Hippo Encounter group off the train. We listened to a brief safety briefing and then entered the Kiboko Station Hippo habitat. Meeting Kiboko, the male Nile Hippo, was the highlight of our day. We tossed sweet potatoes into his mouth and learned all about what it takes to care for these adorable, ginormous animals.
12:45pm
We rode the train back and made one last stop at the Watering Hole Cafe for a chicken tender kids meal. The kids meals are served in the cutest safari hats which can be worn and taken home with you. We took a stroll through the gift shop, which contains stuffed animals of all sizes, games, apparel and loads of interactive activities you can take home with you. We settled on a stuffed hippo and hippo t-shirt to pay tribute to the one and only, Kiboko.
Our half day adventure ended here and was nothing short of perfect! If you are looking for something fun to do to fill the finals dog days of summer, I definitely recommend a trip or two to the Gulf Breeze Zoo. If you plan on visiting more than once, it might be worth becoming a member. Enjoy free admission with your annual membership, discounts on special event tickets, food, gifts, and reciprocal admission to their three sister safari parks. Plus, a portion of your membership fee goes to support the Zoofari Parks Conservation grants, which help expand conservation efforts in our region and around the globe.
About the Gulf Breeze Zoo
