Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo
Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo
4
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
About
Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo has become 'The Little Zoo That Grew' since we moved to our new 25-acre home! The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is home to exotic animals, including lions, tigers, giraffes, reptiles, kangaroos, lemurs, and sloths, to name just a few. The Zoo features a domestic barn, seasonal animal adventures, a mining sluice, and interactive animal shows during the spring and summer months. The mission of the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is to create compelling experiences that connect people and community with wildlife and inspire personal responsibility for the conservation of the natural world.
Suggested duration
1-2 hours
Features animals
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Improve this listingAdmission tickets
from $37.00
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Attractions
39 within 6 miles
See what other travelers are saying
- rb1429Houston, Texas30 contributionsCute & small zoo!Coming from Houston, where we have a massive zoo; this is a much, much, mmmmmuuucccchhhh smaller scaled zoo that we were in & out in probably 3 hours. It is a perfect way to explore Gulf Shores if you have little ones. My 15 month old son is quite the explorer so it was a great way to spend time with him, show him sights & sounds of the zoo. The zoo itself, looks really nice and well-taken care of & appears to have been somewhat recently constructed (?). The gift shop was really nice with decent prices. I thought admission was on the higher side with what animals they have to show: giraffes, monkeys, a few cat species, reptiles, petting zoo. There aren’t any hippos, rhinos, seals, elephants. But we are all for supporting a local community wherever we are so it’s all good! There are a few additional add-on’s that we didn’t participate in but we enjoyed the free playground!Traveled with familyWritten December 27, 2021
- James MichaelBranson West, Missouri423 contributionsFrom Disappointment To Joy!After four years of making Gulf Shores our destination point for our 3 week ministry and personal sabbatical we decided to take advantage of places and things we had never experienced, one of which was the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo. Having read the reviews we came with great expectation. However towards the end of our visit we had a huge disappointment. We tried unsuccessfully to view the multiple places were the "cats" were located. Seemed their habitats were completely empty. Found a could of workers who my wife Karen stopped and asked where they were. They were wonderful in getting in touch with Katelyn the local resident cat trainer and overseer at the Zoo. Katelyn went over and above the ordinary to give us an exhibit by exhibit tour of where they were hidden and an extensive history of each animal. She was truly a grace gift to us. We highly recommend the entire zoo for "children" of all ages: 8-80. It will be worth your time and effort!Written April 19, 2022
- snellasthenameNevis, Minnesota4 contributionsClean but overpricedWe visit zoos quite often, and while we were impressed with how clean this zoo is, we weren’t impressed by the cost. 2 adults and 2 children cost nearly $80 after tax. The zoo in Omaha, which is one of the largest, comes in at a lower price. We appreciated the fresh air, since we’ve been to some zoos that were pretty smelly, but I wouldn’t recommend this zoo if you’re on any sort of budget. It’s just not a big value. I think it took us less than an hour to see all the animals and exhibits. Pretty disappointing since we were looking forward to a zoo visit on our beach trip.Traveled with familyWritten March 2, 2021
These reviews are the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor checks reviews for fraud.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.0
1,648 reviews
Excellent
882
Very good
446
Average
202
Poor
75
Terrible
43
maria
Rosedale, MD2 contributions
Aug 2022 • Family
I had not thought that this was as small as it was. Then the Lemur encounters had been closed for months which should of been stated on their website. Next the kangaroo encounter had no babies only 1 and 2 yr olds. So the website pic's that show people holding baby kangaroos we're at least a year old. I just felt the encounters should have been explained much better and that I wasted money on them. We went through the entire zoo and encounters in two hours for three people we spent $200.
Written September 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
ashlynboulton
Baton Rouge, LA540 contributions
Jan 2022 • Couples
My boyfriend and I decided to visit this zoo on an early Saturday afternoon. We were a little stunned with the $20 admission price per person. They offered no map so we just picked a direction and went with it. We completed the zoo in about an hour and a half if even that long. It is a very small zoo. I will say though, that for a smaller zoo I was pleased with the animals that they had. Their animals included two giraffes, two tigers (a white tiger!!!!), lions, leopards, lots of monkey’s, lemurs, and kangaroos. They do offer giraffe feedings twice daily for one hour increments, one in the morning and one in the afternoon for $5. They also offer multiple additional encounters at an extra cost with the lemurs, kangaroos, and sloths. We definitely enjoyed the zoo but I personally think it is overpriced. It would be more worth it to visit if it was priced a little lower. I highly recommend for families with small children as there were multiple playgrounds. If you’re interested in seeing a lot of different animals though, save your money.
Written January 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Liz S
42 contributions
May 2022 • Friends
My BFF and I visited this small zoo. It's a smaller zoo that is extremely well kept. We enjoyed visiting with the animals even though they were rather warm. It was refreshing to see each had their very own water feature if they became too hot. No all zoos do that for their animals.
There were school children there, but not all of the limited attractions were opened like the train, rail cars, carousel or zip line. They did have a mining experience, but limited amount of buckets.
Their gift shop was well laid out, but the two employees running it were extremely overwhelmed by the amount of kids buying and searching for their gifts.
Don't forget to bring 2 quarters and a penny for the cheapest souvenir!
Was this an all day experience? No, about and hour worth. 2 people cost over $40. However, the restaurant attached to the zoo that you do not have to buy a zoo ticket to is well worth it.
There were school children there, but not all of the limited attractions were opened like the train, rail cars, carousel or zip line. They did have a mining experience, but limited amount of buckets.
Their gift shop was well laid out, but the two employees running it were extremely overwhelmed by the amount of kids buying and searching for their gifts.
Don't forget to bring 2 quarters and a penny for the cheapest souvenir!
Was this an all day experience? No, about and hour worth. 2 people cost over $40. However, the restaurant attached to the zoo that you do not have to buy a zoo ticket to is well worth it.
Written May 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Stacy M
7 contributions
May 2021 • Family
My daughters and I were very disappointed in this place. We got there at 9am and started walking around the zoo. We were done by 10am. Why did we get done so quick? 70% of the animals were not out while their enclosures we're being cleaned. Why not do that prior to opening? If you're gonna charge $20 a person, then at least try to provide us with what we paid for.
I understand that the cost of keeping up a zoo is extensive, but why if we are already paying $20 a person, does it make sense to charge each person and additional $20 just to go in the enclosure with a few kangaroos? Most zoos include that for free. They have no petting zoo either.
But wait, there were a few animals out! Unfortunately, the zoo keeper came over and asked us to move on and posted a sign that said the animal was having a bad day and everyone should simply leave her alone.
We thought, well maybe we can feed a giraffe. We waited and the posted time that the attendant was supposed to open the feeding station passed by. At that point, we were not going to wait forever.
I see a lot of good reviews, so perhaps we were simply there on a bad day? A very bad day!
I understand that the cost of keeping up a zoo is extensive, but why if we are already paying $20 a person, does it make sense to charge each person and additional $20 just to go in the enclosure with a few kangaroos? Most zoos include that for free. They have no petting zoo either.
But wait, there were a few animals out! Unfortunately, the zoo keeper came over and asked us to move on and posted a sign that said the animal was having a bad day and everyone should simply leave her alone.
We thought, well maybe we can feed a giraffe. We waited and the posted time that the attendant was supposed to open the feeding station passed by. At that point, we were not going to wait forever.
I see a lot of good reviews, so perhaps we were simply there on a bad day? A very bad day!
Written May 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Deb62862
Memphis, TN11,013 contributions
Nov 2021
This is a small zoo in apparently a new location. They don't even have maps to hand out and signage was lacking. Much of the staff seemed to not much give a hoot when we asked questions. There's no fee for parking, but they're making it up on the entry fee and fees for their experiences. We did the kangaroo encounter, which consists of petting a couple of young kangaroos for about fifteen minutes. The keeper gave her canned speech about kangaroos when we arrived and answered a few questions. Mostly, she seemed bored. We also fed the giraffes. You're given a few small branches with leaves and it goes very quickly. Its not somewhere we'd visit again for the price we paid.
Written November 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Tabitha D
Hesperia, MI23 contributions
Apr 2021
Disappointment is an understatement. The price to get into this zoo is absolutely NOT WORTH IT! Not only does it take less than an hour to go through, the cages that the animals are in, are entirely too small. Witnessed MULTIPLE animals with definite anxiety.
Not only do you pay a ridiculous amount to get in , you then are required to pay an additional $20 per person for the "petting zoo".
Don't waste your time or money!
Not only do you pay a ridiculous amount to get in , you then are required to pay an additional $20 per person for the "petting zoo".
Don't waste your time or money!
Written April 8, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Jena N
Stitzer, WI118 contributions
Mar 2022
We were glad we went here. We enjoyed walking around and seeing all the animals, plus there is a bird area you can walk through and be right with them (and a big turtle). There are many things you can pay extra money to do once IN the zoo, but the only one we chose to do was drive a little safari type jeep around the circle. Pricey for the little bit you get to drive, but our son thought it was fun to drive it, so we decided to do it.
Written April 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Carolina_chick
Cary, NC75 contributions
Apr 2022
This was our first time since going since the zoo had moved to its new location. It was wonderful. I know it is bigger size wise, than it was at the old location, but it also seemed to me like they had a lot more animals. For a smaller zoo, it had a nice variety of animals. It took us about 2 hours to walk around it at a leisurely pace, which was just the right length of time for us. You were closer to the animals than most zoos I've visited, but still safely separated from them. Most of the animals were visible if you looked around for them. Besides the animals they had some extra activities for children: a merry go round, some play areas, and a little car that you could drive. They have some optional activities that you can do . The one that was going on while we were there was you could feed the giraffes for a small fee. They also had a zipline that we did not try, but looked well done. You did not have to climb up to a platform. You actually sat in a seat and they pulled you up to the top and then back down again. This would be a great day for families who are looking for an alternative to going to the beach. My favorite part was the 2 islands with lemurs. They were very active while we were watching, running around and chasing each other. When we arrived there was a line to buy tickets, which probably would have taken about 10 minutes. while we were standing iin line we went on line and purchased the tickets.
Written April 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Sharon T
1 contribution
Jun 2022 • Family
We went to the Gulf Shores zoo and were extremely disappointed.The place was shabby and unkempt with very few animals to see it took about 20 minutes to tour the whole place.The ads say they have 600 animals!We saw about 20 at most.Would not recommend at all.
Written June 15, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
FhopeO8
Fairhope, AL455 contributions
Nov 2020
We've visited this zoo twice and our main complaint is that the lay out is very bland - lots of concrete and no shade for visitors or animals . The animal enclosures are very small too. There's just not much too the zoo.
Only positives are the large gift shop and employees are very nice. Would only go back in fall or winter when it's not hot or crowded with beach visitors.
Only positives are the large gift shop and employees are very nice. Would only go back in fall or winter when it's not hot or crowded with beach visitors.
Written April 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Myra F
Birmingham, AL
We are heading that way in mid-June, which I know is busy. Is there a day of the week that seems to be a little less crowded?
ALGulfCoastZoo
Gulf Shores, AL3 contributions
Depending on the weather, in the summer, Mondays and Tuesdays are usually the less busy days.
Friendbe
Thomasville, GA130 contributions
When the zoo reopens, will we be able to pre purchase tickets online?
ALGulfCoastZoo
Gulf Shores, AL3 contributions
Yes, tickets are available online to n our website.
Wendy S
Jackson, GA81 contributions
Are you closed now for the move? October 5th is today.
ALGulfCoastZoo
Gulf Shores, AL3 contributions
We are open at current location through end of 2019 holiday season. Projected opening date at new zoo is Feb 2020.
N Kraft
Bloomington-Normal, IL258 contributions
Will you be open during the week of Memorial Day? I read an article that you sustained damage during a storm a few weeks ago and had closed until the place could be cleaned up.
ALGulfCoastZoo
Gulf Shores, AL3 contributions
Yes! We are open today. Hours are 9am-5pm.
beckylou1218
Lancaster, OH4 contributions
Is there a fee for parking? Included in admission?
ALGulfCoastZoo
Gulf Shores, AL3 contributions
No fee for parking at current location.
How many hours do you recommend for a visit to the zoo?
MN2Go
Minneapolis, MN49 contributions
When we were there, we spent about 2 hours. We had a wonderful Sloth Experience which took about 30 minutes. The Zoo was very small, but they are moving in September to a new location.
Can you bring your small dog into the zoo?
ALGulfCoastZoo
Gulf Shores, AL3 contributions
No, animals are not allowed in the park. For service dog information please call our gift shop at 251-968-4910.
Passport39795
Sandy Springs, GA4 contributions
Has a moving day been scheduled?
ALGulfCoastZoo
Gulf Shores, AL3 contributions
We will be closing the current zoo on Sept 30th. Starting move on Oct 1st with a projected opening date end of Nov.
Is there a stroller rental and what is the price for one?
JIm J
Brandon, MS52 contributions
As others have answered there are “wagons” available but I don’t know the pricing as we did not have a need. However, I know they have complimentary wheel chairs available.
Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo (Gulf Shores) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo
- Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo is open:
- Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
- Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo admission prices can vary. Entrance tickets currently cost $37.00, while a popular guided tour starts around $35.00 per person. See all 3 Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo tickets and tours on Tripadvisor
- Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo can be crowded, so we recommend booking e-tickets ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund. See all 3 Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo tickets and tours on Tripadvisor
- Hotels near Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo:
- (0.21 mi) Attractively furnished condo in a great location, just minutes to the beach.
- (0.21 mi) Gulf Shores Condo w/ balcony & pool access | 2 miles from Gulf Shores Sportsplex
- (0.21 mi) Discounted Rates!1st Floor Apartment. Beach & Outlets 10min Zoo & Golf next door
- (0.22 mi) 4.5 miles from the Beach, 4.5 miles from Tanger Outlet!
- (0.28 mi) Awesome BEACH Getaway - Gulf Shores Secret
- Restaurants near Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo:
- (0.05 mi) Safari Club
- (0.95 mi) Kitty's Kafe
- (0.63 mi) Island Wing Company
- (0.86 mi) Cactus Cantina
- (1.31 mi) Down South Barbeque