Waccatee Zoo
Waccatee Zoo
3.5
This location was reported permanently closed
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Meets animal welfare guidelines
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
3.5
656 reviews
Excellent
216
Very good
147
Average
69
Poor
51
Terrible
173
Jessica M
Farmingdale, NY25 contributions
Apr 2021 • Family
I have gone here multiple times now with my 2 small kids. Give the establishment a chance. Talk to the ladies inside the main office...you can donate outgrown kids toys to them. I was pleasantly surprised to see the zoo has cleaned up older areas. If you want to see a modern zoo, you will pay bigger prices. For $12 bucks, the zoo is fine. We love sheeps & goats, so we come here to feed them...
Written April 2, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bonnie10941@yahoo.com
1 contribution
Aug 2021
This zoo experience would be improved by being CLOSED down!! The most horrible "zoo" we have ever seen. The (caged) animals (as few animals as there were) were stressed, walking around in circles. We did not see food or drink for any of them and their cages were very small. The entire zoo is literally in the woods, dark, smelly and the entire area was not appealing whatsoever. The admission was $15 per person, so not worth it! We stayed for a little over an hour and needed to leave. It was beyond sad seeing how these poor animals were treated. A field of various deer and one buffalo in the field by the entrance way had the most room to roam; all other animals on the premises not so lucky. An old, musty smelling dark building contained antique cars, as well as other antiques and a few caged animals which were totally out of place. This zoo may have had a "hay day" but no longer. I could write a book on what my husband and I felt about this place. I do NOT recommend wasting your hard earned money for you and your family to be as disappointed as we were. Also, some signs spoke of certain animals in certain areas. They were nowhere to be found....Find a zoo to visit in another area of the state or another state entirely... You'll be glad you did.
Written August 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Maureen H
3 contributions
Sep 2021
Was here in Sept 2021 and left feeling very sad. This place needs to be shut down. Most of the animals didn't even have water in their pens. I read some recent reviews about a bear losing his hair. He's probably dead because I sure never saw a bear there. Witnessed a monkey pacing and seemed very agitated/stressed out, saw another one with something obviously wrong with his eyes. He could barely open them. None of the peacocks had any tail feathers, probably because they were selling them for $1 in their ramshackle entrance building. I guess they're plucking them and selling them. This place was horrible! Did some online research after visiting and cannot believe how long this place has been on the radar and yet nothing can be done to help these poor animals. Sad!!
Written October 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brianna Lynne
Staunton, VA1 contribution
Aug 2020 • Couples
I have never seen a zoo so poorly ran or so nasty to their animals. They shouldn’t have not one animal they have there; they are known for many, many violations. They’re not taking care of their sick tiger who needs to be handed over to PETA so they can find somewhere for Lila to get the help she needs. The lions and tiger are all in really tiny cages with no place to go. The cougar is in a small cage to where she just paces back and forth. This place doesn’t even feed or give their animals water to the point where the donkey was begging us for water. This place is so disgusting I reached out to people I never wanted to have to speak to about a zoo. I feel horrible for even giving them money but we had to buy 2 big bags of food and still ran out quick because of how hungry they were. The bear has patches in his fur to where you can see it’s skin & he just kept pacing. The goats were literally fighting over food they were so hungry. The monkeys were in such a small enclosure you could tell there was no way for them to be happy. This place disgusts me and I hope they get closed down very soon. PETA and Animal Wildlife has been contacted with video and picture evidence and will continue to have contact with me until this place shuts down or gets rid of their animals.
Written August 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Dianne K
High Point, NC110 contributions
Jul 2022 • Family
We went here as it was recommended by the tour guide on the boat tour we went on (boat tour was great). If we would have known it caged wild/exotic animals we would not have given our money to them. Initially we thought it would be more of a petting zoo as there are large fenced fields with herd animals and those animals seem fine (deer Buffalo, zebra) however once we paid and entered the rear of the gift shop I immediately got the hoarder vibe from all the birds and reptiles haphazardly placed around the shop. The poor yellow python had a small unnatural looking enclosure (more like snake prison). But the worst was when we made it through the shop and got the first look/smell of the zoo… it is run down and depressed looking with metal cages that look more like animal prisons than they do nice natural enclosures. My son said it was “spooky”. Now the goats, pony’s and cattle seem okay, but there are a ton of goats. Again, giving off animal hoarder vibes. We were also concerned about the poor black bears. Very small enclosure and the “cave” had dirty water I guess for them to swim in but it needed to be seriously cleaned. The one poor bear looked seriously dejected and had a long patch of missing hair and my husband said it looked like he was clawed by the other bear on the back. The lions looked beautiful but the male looks like it had a 5 or an S tattooed near his right eye. They were separate from each other which seemed odd. The big and small cat enclosures were just chain linked cages and they all seemed too small. To me the most upsetting was the primate enclosures. It seriously looked like something out of a science lab placed in the woods.No primate looked happy, the one poor baboon was swaying back and forth and at first we thought it was dancing but then I read that is a sign of distress. Another odd thing about this place is the amount of lemurs. They are scattered around the park haphazardly in small cages, there was even a baby so they are definitely breeding them (screams animal hoarder). I also developed a major headache after visiting here and the smell did not leave my nose until I woke up. Yuck. One of the workers told me they “take in” primates for owners who were forced to surrender them, she seemed to think that was a good thing. Personally euthanasia for the primate may be better than living here. BTW I am not anti zoo. I just think If you are going to run a Zoo you need to make it as natural and sanctuary like as possible. I know that takes lots of money. The more animals you have the more money it takes. If you can’t do it correctly then don’t do it at all and stop breeding more animals. This place should be shut down or be put under new management. The cats need to be relocated to an actual sanctuary and the other exotic animals relocated to proper zoos. Don’t support this place, I wish we had not, but now I can warn others not to go.
Written July 14, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Return visitor
Emmaus, Pennsylvania3 contributions
Jul 2021
We make Waccatee Zoo a priority every time we come to Myrtle - 3 times a year for the past 9 years. Love this zoo! Its clean and well-kept, the animals seem happy, well fed and have spacious enclosures. Its so relaxing to walk through the paths under the trees and see not only the animals, but a beautiful example of natural low country forest - something rare in the hustle and bustle of Myrtle Beach. I don't know why some people leave bad reviews, in all of our visits here we've never seen anything negative, and the reports of abuse are just ridiculous, its apparent that these people love and care for their animals like family. This is a fun and relaxing way to spend a couple of hours,
Written December 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Diana S
6 contributions
Apr 2021 • Couples
If you have children and are visiting the Myrtle Beach area, this “zoo” is a must visit. Not your typical zoo, much much better. You walk dirt trails and see all kinds of animals in cages from black bears to birds to goats to lions to deer etc. Be sure and purchase food to feed some animals. Lots of snakes and other animals in cages inside the store. Also have several antique cars to view.
Written April 25, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stardust freedo... J
Myrtle Beach, SC1 contribution
Aug 2020
This "zoo" seemed to me like a "house of torture" and neglect for these poor animals. OMG, I am so sorry I took my young children here, even my 5 year old Daughter cried, she said this well "hell" for the animals. Way overpriced...they could not pay me to visit Waccatee Zoo again.
Written March 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tonya
Maryville, TN20 contributions
Jun 2020 • Family
We visited the zoo the second week of June on vacation. We enjoyed the animals, being able to feed them, and to be close to them. The animals seem well taken care of but some of the property needs a lot of maintenance. That did not dampen our visit though! Would recommend and we will visit again.
Written June 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Barbara U
9 contributions
Jun 2022
I have mixed feelings about our visit. This place has a lot of potential. We took our 6 year old granddaughter. She loved feeding the different animals. This is not a normal zoo. There are several kinds of goats and other domestic animals, black bears, different kinds of monkeys, zebras, bison, deer and more. The exhibits are not well marked so there’s a lot of guessing. The employees are very nice and obviously care about the animals. Exhibits are a bit run down and several are empty. Take the time to walk around the fenced area out front. Although further away than the other exhibits the animals are in clear sight. The website is out dated. Fees are $15 for adults kids were still $5. We’re glad we went if for no other reason than the support.
Written June 9, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ANJ19932014
Trenton, GA130 contributions
What's the price for the administration?
trobb2016
Oswego, NY69 contributions
Ages 13 and Older: $12.00 **
Ages 12 Months to 12 Years: $5.00 **
11 Months and Under: Free
Do I need to make reservations for this? How much is the price for one person?
beachbeforework
virginia29 contributions
No reservations needed. They are open seven days a week 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Adult admission is 12 dollars per person and children 12 and under are 5 dollars each.
They have a website that will tell you all of this and more.
anjibug06
Fort Smith, AR142 contributions
Prices and are military discounts offered?
crenne02
Charlotte, NC134 contributions
When we went I believe it was 12 pp or around this price and children under a certain age are free. Extra if you would like to feed certain animals. Please though consider spending your money elsewhere you will be disappointed and the animals are in such poor conditions.
brittanyschanck
Lewiston, MI
we are planning a trip in March and I was curious if you are open and how much it will cost? I have a family of five.
Birdie L
Flemington, WV36 contributions
I have a family of 5 and it cost us about $40 for admission last summer.
Waccatee Zoo is open 7 days a week from 10:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. (Weather permitting)
Currently the admission rates are:
AGES 13 AND OLDER: $12.00 **
AGES 12 MONTHS TO 12 YEARS: $5.00 **
11 MONTHS AND UNDER: FREE
**Admission rates subject to change.
Above rates begin July 13, 2016
Are the paths wheelchair accessible?
fiveeeee
5 contributions
I don't see why not, they're dirt trails.
rjernigan7
Goldsboro, NC
Are you allowed to carry snacks on the farm? How should one dress? Do you have bathrooms on site? Gift stores?
Henry K
Ossining, NY74 contributions
In summer there it gets hot and humid. Wear a hat. Also insect repellant for mosquitos for the trails is a good idea...We wear light long sleeves and pants. All the other answers so far are right on...They sell snacks by the bag for the animals and my wife and I each bought one of the zip lock big ones. They lasted the visit. The animals really enjoyed them... The gift shop has lots of interesting stuff....Figure about two hours if you really like animals...Spend some time and food with the big area animals too, next to the parking area, they are fun to watch and friendly. Carry water as you will do some walking in the heat.
Alex H
North Charleston, SC
do we have to pay?If yes i would like to know how much.Thank you and have a nice day.
S C
Pickering, Canada9 contributions
I think ten dollars each, four for small kids. Coupon books have ten percent off total admission. You can also buy feed to feed the animals for six dollars for a bag or stop in Walmart and buy some food there.
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