young girl feeding a giraffe at the zoo

American Zoo Day is on July 1 this year and it’s a great time to explore your local zoos with the kids. Here at Country Home Learning Center, we take lots of field trips as part of our summer camp to places like the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch and the Exotic Resort Zoo.

Here are some fun local zoos you can bring your family to this summer as well.

Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch

The Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch offers self-guided tours, guided tours, group adventures, a Giraffe VIP Experience, and lots of educational excursions. There are more than 500 animals waiting to see you here at the ranch, such as American bison, antelopes, cheetahs, impalas, monkeys, wildebeests, white rhinos, lemurs, giraffes and more. Choose from a variety of excursions and add-ons, such as prehistoric or aviary experiences.

Exotic Resort Zoo

The Exotic Resort Zoo, an independently-owned safari in Johnson City, TX, is home to more than 700 creatures representing more than 45 species. They host lots of field trips in the summer, or you can choose to tour the park in your own car with the Drive-Thru option. The zoo is open 362 days of the year with hours of 9am to 6pm. Choose from guided safari tours, private guided tours, and drive-thru safaris. You can even rent one of eight safari cabins for an overnight stay throughout the year.

San Antonio Zoo

From the Reptile House to Big Cat Valley, the kids will surely love visiting all the amazing animals living at the San Antonio Zoo. There’s a kiddie park, zoo train, zootennial carousel, tiny tot nature spot and much more, with programs ranging from fields trips and overnights to scout workshops and zoo camps.

Austin Zoo

Enjoy one-of-a-kind experiences with the animal residents at the Austin Zoo, located in the heart of the Hill Country. This private, non-profit institution offers lots of family-friendly events, educational programs for people of all ages, and animal rescue initiatives. Enjoy seeing more than 300 animals representing more than 100 different species. From animal encounters to daily zookeeper chats, there’s always something going on here.

More than 237,000 people visit the Austin Zoo each year, and that includes tens of thousands of students and teachers on field trips. They also offer summer camps, Saturday camps, school holiday camps, a homeschool nature series, and family nature experiences.

San Antonio Aquarium

Aquariums are zoos for marine animals, so we’re including it on our list! The San Antonio Aquarium offers interactive adventures with marine life, reptiles, birds and mammals, showcasing thousands of species and interactive exhibits. The San Antonio Aquarium has been operating in Leon Valley since 2014, offering amazing experiences for families that include everything from sloths to sharks.

Enjoy viewing a wide variety of amphibians, lots of colorful cold water and tropical fish, an interactive lorikeet and parakeet aviary, a stingray touch tank, and a rainforest containing hundreds of reptiles. There’s also a bounce house, arcade, Mermaids at the Aquarium, and Snorkeling with Stingrays.

We hope you enjoy celebrating American Zoo Day on July 1 by visiting any of the above zoos and other area programs raising awareness of the animals we share the Earth with.

Sign Up For Summer Camp at Country Home Learning Center

Here at Country Home Learning Center, we take lots of field trips as part of our summer camp to places like the Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch and the Exotic Resort Zoo. To sign up for our summer camp program to experience fun field trips and so much more, contact us today.