Gulf Breeze Zoo — Attraction in Navarre

While it wasn't the worst, this visit enlightened me. It will be the last zoo I'll ever patronize.

Zoo Size: The zoo is definitely smaller than say the larger LA, San Diego, DC Zoos. But larger than expected. To give you an idea, it took us about 30 minutes to see everything. Most zoos take several hours. I will say that the weather had something to do with it. It was very cold so many of the animals weren't even out to look at. They were busy trying to stay warm indoors, in nests, in trees, etc. That really limited how many animals we saw. Their biggest exhibition is the Gorilla Island. Unfortunately, again, it was cold, so no gorillas. Disclosure: While I understand that the zoo needs to make money and stay open even if it's cold, they should make some disclosure on the site about the fact that there may be some limitation on the viewing of the animals due to the cold weather and/or reduce the price for the winter season so the public can decide whether or not it's worth making the trip. Perhaps they do and I am not aware. Admission was nearly $40 for two and we drove 45 minutes to get there. I may have waited for a warmer day had I known that many animals would not be out to view considering the park is in no way an "amusement park" and if there aren't any animals, there isn't anything to see or do. It seems as though that fact would be a no brainer, but since I am not a regular zoo goer and don't know much about wild animals, it didn't occur to me. Some zoos actually have indoor exhibitions and shows, this one does not. Caged Animals: Again, I'm not a zoo expert nor a wild animal expert, but there were enclosed areas that seemed far too small for such large animals. I'm sure the zoo has their reasons for the sizes of the enclosures, but honestly, it sickened me to think about these caged animals and their limitations within their enclosures. For example, the bears were surrounded by solid brick blank walls, a couple branches, some sand and some grass. They sat there in the corner looking very sad and pathetic, not wanting anything to do with us onlookers - what a life... Another example, the one tiger in it's enclosure was very thin and appeared lethargic. Did not make eye contact or even acknowledge that people were around. The tiger spent the entire time pacing up and down the approx. 25' fence line, same steps, same turn, same action, over and over... so very sad for such a beautiful animal... Overall: The staff was young, courteous, and busy. The zoo seemed more like a large farm with lots of large farm vehicles and warehouse type structures within plain view and in operation. I cannot say that this zoo is a "must see", but if you have small children and are looking for "something to do", this would be an option.

Photos: I've attached photos of some of the animals we...

fantastic !!!! we did the hippopotamus encounter for Christmas and went inside the budgerie to feed the budgies! there were other animal encounters, like the petting zoo and feeding the giraffes as well as various interactive activities, like the bird wingspan sign and a few other little hidden gems.

wheelchair accessible! with the exception of the train, maybe, and the hippo encounter is a walk in red dirt to the enclosure. a bit difficult for my grandmother to maneuver herself in and out bc of her knees but they have a handy lil staircase at the station. the train takes you around the safari and the greater apes islands, and if you don't want to ride they have a wheelchair- accessible pier walkway to view the sights.

this zoo, and the san diego zoo in california, are the only two zooz in the usa that have both the african hippopotamus and the pygmy hippopotamus!!! like!!! it really doesn't get any better than this. and the lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my!!

the Giraffeteria has food, drinks, and is a nice spot to cool down inside during summer. the bathrooms do not lol so make sure to go before visiting, but there are bathrooms right between the train station and the kid's playground.

i've been coming here for a decade or two and they have only improved. this zoo was featured on an animal planet show, in an episode where one of the endangered safari animals had a baby, i forget which one but oh, my heart!! when i was in middle school they had a program to be a junior zookeeper, idk if they still have it in summers but wow 👏 fantastic. made all my childhood dreams come true.

all the zookeepers and staff are knowledgeable, friendly, and you can tell they love their job. coming here is always a joy.

tip-- if you get hot easily, maybe bring an umbrella for portable shade. depends when you visit. earlier in the morning is...

Our recent visit to the Gulf Breeze Zoo in Pensacola was an incredibly satisfying experience for our entire family. As parents, there’s nothing more heartwarming than seeing your children’s faces light up with joy, and the zoo provided countless moments of happiness for our two sons, aged 14 months and 6 years. From the moment we entered, we were impressed by the cleanliness of the zoo and the well-maintained enclosures. The animals appeared healthy and well-cared for, and the surroundings were both safe and beautiful, providing a pleasant environment for both the animals and visitors. One of the highlights of our visit was the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the animals. Our sons were thrilled to feed the giraffes and goats, an experience that added a special touch to our visit. The variety of animals on display was impressive, and we appreciated the thoughtful layout that allowed us to view these magnificent creatures in habitats that closely mimic their natural environments. The staff at the Gulf Breeze Zoo were incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, enhancing our visit with their helpfulness and enthusiasm. They were always ready to answer our questions and provide interesting facts about the animals, which added an educational aspect to our fun day out. Overall, our family had a wonderful time at the Gulf Breeze Zoo. Seeing our children enjoy themselves so much was the highlight of our trip, and we left with many happy memories. We would highly recommend this zoo to anyone visiting Pensacola, and we will definitely return on our next trip to the area. Thank you, Gulf Breeze Zoo, for a day filled with joy and...