Brevard Zoo — Attraction in Viera

Went to the Brevard Zoo on a Saturday for my partner’s birthday. It was absolutely fabulous. If you like zoos this one is a must see. We are pretty big fans of zoos both for the experience and for the conservation and education work they do and this zoo did not disappoint in either aspect. First my partner is the biggest fan of Okapis, so we did the $45 ad on and it was 100% worth it. You got a solid 20 to 30 minutes with George, their young male, and got to touch and feed him. The keeper was also very knowledgeable and super nice. You even got a bit of a backstage viewing of the rest of Africa on the way getting up close with the giraffes and rhinos so even more value! Touching such a rare and special animal was a treat and the zoo always made it his choice to come up and get fed and scratched so I had complete confidence that this experience (and any of the others at the zoo) were not at the cost of the animals welfare. Second, they have quite a few rare and even almost extinct species that they participate in conservation efforts for. Most impressive are their Bongos, Coatis, and Cotton-top Tamarins. Additionally, the zoo had lots of good educational content throughout and plenty of pro-environment messages to get kids thinking about their impact. Could definitely see us taking our future kids here frequently when in the area. For reference we have been to quite a few zoos around Florida including Zoo Tampa and Zoo Miami and even though this zoo is considered small it holds up against these larger competitors. The main thing that sets this zoo aside, in my opinion, is the vibes. All of the areas are very compact and well thought out in a way that shows real attention to detail and the site lines in some of the larger areas are very well managed. For example, in the Africa area there is a place where you can get a peak at George over the river kayak trail and through a dense forest and it feels like you are really spotting this species in the wild forests of the Congo. Finally, the zoo is almost entirely shaded, which is very impressive for a zoo in Florida. I was noticeably more comfortable here, even on a hot day, than I have been at Zoo Tampa and especially Zoo Miami. And the compact nature of the zoo means it is perfect for elderly and young people who may not be able to walk as much. My partners grandparents were with us all day and never had any trouble. This is especially nice as some zoos have so much dead space and walking for what feels like miles just to get from one exhibit to the next (looking at you Zoo Miami). At this zoo I was constantly entertained for almost 6 hours with very little dead space.Despite being compact and being relatively busy it never felt crowded or cramped. Once again a testament to how well thought out the pathing and viewing areas are. And I’m assume that the fact that they rotate some of their animals through exhibits, especially in the rainforest area, will mean repeat visits will be more than worth it.

Lastly, I think is worth mentioning that the concessions at the café were surprisingly good for zoo food. We had the turkey club and fries, and they were both reasonably priced and better than I was anticipating.

TLDR Great zoo, lots of shade, kid and elderly friendly. Also pro tip: if you get the membership you get discounts on all other AZA institutions and this zoo would be great one to support with your membership.

PS The jaguar was really cool and unique but I couldn’t find a place to fit it...

Brevard Zoo is one of my favorite zoos, offering a delightful mix of engaging animal exhibits and interactive experiences. Although it's on the smaller side, it's packed with unique attractions and has something for everyone. My last visit was pre-COVID, when the zoo hosted Boo at the Zoo in the evenings, and I really miss that nighttime experience. It's a shame they haven’t brought it back since the pandemic, as it would definitely encourage more visitors.

This time, we attended their Jolly Days holiday event. We arrived around 10:30 a.m. and waited only about five minutes in the ticket line. I'd highly recommend purchasing tickets online to streamline entry. On a side note, I think it would be great if Brevard Zoo offered a membership similar to Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo, where you pay for a day and can come back throughout the year—it’s a great value.

The holiday festivities were fun, especially getting to meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. We only had a short wait, and the staff were incredibly sweet, even offering to take our family photos. Another highlight was watching the giraffes get fed. We were able to get up close, which is a rare experience—usually, you'd have to pay extra for that kind of interaction. There was also an option to feed the giraffes for a small fee, but we just enjoyed observing them.

One small disappointment was seeing that the cheetahs had been moved to a smaller enclosure. While I’m not an expert, it seems like they would benefit from a larger space to run, especially considering their natural behaviors. On the other hand, the kangaroo exhibit was absolutely fantastic! Being able to walk around and have a kangaroo hop right in front of you was such a memorable experience—it was definitely the highlight of our day.

We also rode the zoo’s train, which was fun, but at $4 per person, it felt a bit steep, especially since the speaker system wasn’t working. I’m used to zoo rides being included in admission, like at Tampa's zoo, so it felt like an extra charge. I understand that maintenance is costly, but it did seem like an unnecessary upcharge.

The Rainforest exhibit was another standout. I loved watching the primates use their sky pathways, which were fascinating. Another favorite moment was seeing the sloth interact with a staff member—such a peaceful, slow-paced creature.

I’d also suggest adding a hand sanitizer station near the white-tailed deer feeding area. There was one by the cheetah exhibit, but it would be ideal to have one at both feeding stations. Unfortunately, the splash area was too cold for us, but my 6-year-old had a blast at the playground.

One of the thoughtful touches I really appreciated was the variety of craft stations around the zoo—everything from coloring ornaments to decorating wrapping paper. Plus, there was even "snow" falling at the entrance, which was a nice seasonal touch.

Overall, I would definitely return to Brevard Zoo. It’s a great place for families and animal lovers alike. With a few adjustments—like bringing back the nighttime events, expanding the cheetah enclosure, and adding more sanitizer stations—it could be even better. I look forward to...

Really great place with a lot of variety of animals. They also do a lot of small things like shows or bringing out animals for people to see and pet - like monitor lizards, snakes, tortoises. A lot of things for small children to do as well. Every holiday, they do a little something extra. They also keep times when they feed the animals posted up so you can be sure to be at the exhibit to see that, and they will tell you a lot about the animals during that time, answering a lot of questions. You also get to see some training. Right now for a few months there will be a dinosaur exhibit as well.

Some of my favorite exhibits are the kangaroos and birds. The kangaroo area you are able to go in and follow a path, and the kangaroo tend to be lounging along the path. The bird enclosures, there are two, you can go into and be with the birds as they fly freely around. For a couple dollars, you can get some feed for them and take it inside. If you are patient and calm, birds will fly right onto you and eat. A really fun experience. Always my favorite.

There is also a train ride. It is three dollars per person. It isnt a very long ride but it is fun, you get to go see some critters you wouldnt get to see around the zoo. You can also feed the giraffes for a couple dollars which is very fun. They come right up to you. Really wonderful thing for young kids especially.

Also for young kids there is a water play area, a playground, and a petting zoo. Also a little indoor area where they can play veterenarian and see some reptiles. That area has veterenary play equipment and costumes along with stuffed animals and videos of actual food prep and procedures done in the zoo. There is also a fossil dig area here. I believe the zoo also rents out strollers. In the water play area, kids also have the opportunity to feed the rays for free. They keep the feeding time posted. The water play area itself has a play boat, a shallow pool - maybe one foot - a slide, touch pool with small ocean critters, bathrooms, tables, tons of chairs, a nursing area sort of tucked in ghe trees a little if you want some privacy, and a tortoise area. There is also a restaurant leading into this area. The petting zoo has alpacas and goats, and I believe they recently trained a monitor lizard for this area as well. The playground is actually quite large. Lots of room to run around and a fun playset to go inside and climb.

The zoo also offers kayaking, paddleboating, and ziplining. Those cost extra but not too terribly much. The cafe is a little pricey but they have a large variety. There is also a DippinDots cart in that area.

The dinosaur exhibit is really lovely. There are large animatronic dinosaurs that move and make noise. Children get the opportunity to dig up bones, water sift bags of real fossils to keep ($5), help uncover the researchers dig out actual fossils, and see a lot of really cool fossils and replicas while learning a lot. Going in this exhibit costs 3 dollars extra per person. But it is surprisingly long and we spent 2 hours there alone when...