Boyett's Grove & Citrus Attraction — Attraction in Florida

I wanted to enjoy and really like this zoo. However we left feeling very sad for the animals here. I think maybe at one point this was a very well run place. Today unfortunately the circumstances are very different. I think the owners hearts are in the right place but there may just be to much for them to keep up. The animals are kept in very deplorable conditions and fed popcorn, stale bread, bananas and carrots and no water for most animals. The animals follow you about almost begging to be fed or for mercy. The raccoons were panting in the heat because of lack of water. The birds, all of them are a mess. The monkies just sadly sit and plead for affection. The camel and emu enclosures are way over grown and they appeared matted and dirty. The buildings housing the other animals are falling down around them. There was a pond full of turtles who all literally swam over to us and begged us to feed them, even climbing out of the pond to follow us. The alligator was huge and in a dirty enclosure and it was way to small for him. He was literally laying in a mud pond. The fish tanks were clouded and plagued by alegea. We actually watched a fish swallow another fish. We assume they have not been fed in awhile. The snake enclosure we avoided all together. The bird room was a sad building full of birds sitting in cages most of them sat alone with nothing to entertain themselves with. There were several who looked unhealthy and missing feathers. This building was a bit to warm and stuffy to be housing birds like this. There were areas that appeared the roof was about to fall in. The only area that looked to be well maintained was the putt putt golf I assume this is where they make most of their money. The store is a whole different story. It is filled with creepy mannequins that are dressed in different outfits. The store is a jumble of odds and ends. It was very dirty and dusty and lacks proper care. I left there with a since of sadness. Sadness for the animals with a real urgency to call and report this place to the proper people in hopes someone will come and help them out. It makes me sad to feel this way because I truly do think the owners hearts are in the right place and they want to do good. I just think it is just to big of a job for them and the animals are suffering because of it. I am sorry to have to leave a sad and negative feedback however today was a very depressing...

We came in late June with 5 adults and 6 kids aged 14,10,10,7,3,9m and all of them had a blast! This is such a fun little family operated, historical road side attraction. There is a petting zoo with lots of fun animals like camels, zebras, pigs, Florida birds, monkeys that come over and want your food you're given when you start the zoo part of the attraction, parrots that talk, wallabies,mini ponies etc. They have putt putt (we didn't play), and a fun little room filled with obstacle illusions and black light art, a bunch of fun little exhibits. An area with multiple parrots who interact with you, turtles and a pond too lol, a great little icecream shop, and a pretty diverse souvenir shop where you can get all the Florida usuals like shells, sand dollars, gater heads and claw back scratchers, shark tooth rings and necklaces, post cards, gift boxes of different assortments of citrus, native arts and crafts, Elvis stuff etc. It really is hidden gem with a great scenic drive up. They do have online deals and combos but I think we actually paid less then the website stated when we got there. It was rainy fpr a bit after we got there so we got to do the zoo twice but a good majority of the fun is indoors or covered so bad weather won't ruin the trip. You should probably plan for 2 hours but you could see it all in less or take your time and spend the day meandering through all the exhibits as many times as you like. The staff is family or close to it and really nice. The woman who helped us seemed to enjoy our questions about the citrus grove that was originally the family business but was ruined after a diseased crop or two and a harsh freeze I believe. And telling us how Boyetts Grove and Citrus Attraction came to be. It's got a fun little history so dont be shy and ask about it. Don't skip this place, it makes for a fun outing that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to enter and they dont charge $30 for parking or any charge at all. It's a great day with family and friends of all ages. We loved it and will definitely go back everytime we return to my home state to visit our family. Thanks for such a wonderful memory for my girls and their cousins. It made their top 5 and we spent 7 weeks visiting from Phoenix doing all the Florida things from water parks to kayaking and boating etc. I'll gladly rate you 5 stars and recommend your place to anyone who needs a fun...

I went here for the first time with a guest we were trying to show a good time in our local area, and I left feeling beyond embarrassed to have taken them here. I'm not sure where the good reviews come from honestly. Maybe this place was cool once, but became rundown over time?

First and foremost, the animals are not well cared for by today's standards, in tiny pens and without enrichment in many cases. There were multiple lizards with completely dry water dishes. They give you food to feed the animals, but the food consists of two types of pellets and white bread, with no instructions on which animals can eat what. Most animals like the bread the best and so that's what people feed them, but I know for a fact it's unhealthy for many of the animals, and there is no one there to monitor how much you're feeding them.

The whole animal area is also a maze, with sidewalks that dead-end and parts of the zoo you can't even reach without walking through grass. We were lost for a long while, no signs or employees to help. There's no education involved (we were having to try to Google the animals we were seeing because there were no signs for many of them), and only mild amusement when you can forget how cramped and unhealthy the animals are.

Next point, the place is severely run down and falling apart. The floor was literally buckling in the store, and the golf course is so jankey in places we couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it.

Finally, they are the most understaffed attraction I may have ever seen. There was ONE person running the store register, scooping and serving ice cream, and doing the tour. She had to tell the guests in the register line to wait, then she took a handful of us on a "tour" at a jogging pace where she couldn't even take time to turn around and be sure we were all able to hear, (which we certainly could not at the back) so that she could rush back to her register and take care of the customers she'd...