Safari West - Santa Rosa, CA

San Diego Zoo Safari Park - Escondido, CA

The San Diego Wild Animal Park (a branch of the San Diego Zoo) has everything a zoo has to offer, with a plethora of ways to see it all. Rather than keeping animals in small cages, this place opts to let the animals roam free—and puts the people in various vehicles to go out and see them. Families can commune with exotic wildlife from golf carts, African trams, zip lines, behind-the-scenes truck tours, or, even in a hot air balloon for a spectacular bird’s eye view of it all. Add in a ropes course for adventurers as young as seven, and you could spend days taking it all in. But at the heart of this animal wonderland is a mission to save the critters of the world, with its researchers and activists leading conservation efforts in 45 countries, with 380 partners in its conservation work, five conservation field stations and 200 conservation scientists working in the field or the lab, according to this article. 

Wildest Extra: Want to really wow your wildlife-loving kiddos? Opt for an overnight in an authentic safari tent. At the Wild Animal Park's "Roar and Snore" overnights, you'll get a nighttime tour of the zoo (with up-close animal encounters), then fall asleep to the sounds of lions' roars in the distance.

Online: sdzsafaripark.org

Virginia Safari Park - Natural Bridge, VA

Hidden Valley Animal Adventure - Varysburg, NY

Northwest Trek - Eatonville, WA

Bearizona Wildlife Park - Williams, AZ

Drive your car on a three-mile gravel trail to see some of our country's most popular wild natives, including bison, black bears and wolves. When you're ready to stretch your legs, the winding walk-through, Fort Bearizona, will give you the perfect view of the park's resident jaguars, grizzly bears, and more. Craving cuddles? Creepy-crawly lovers can see bugs, spiders and nocturnal animals at the Mine Shaft Experience.

Wildest Extra:  Want a peek at the resident bears... right now? Check out the park's Grizzly Cams!

Online: bearizona.com

African Safari Wildlife Park - Port Clinton, OH

Alpaca, bongos and camels are waiting to say hello to kids and their parents as they drive through the African Safari Wildlife Park. Cup in hand is the way they roll here. And when the drive comes to an end, be sure to check out the Walk-Thru Safari, where kidlets can come face to face with white alligators, ocelots and playful gibbons as they stroll along. In warmer months, the park brings out its giraffes for up-close encounters that let you feed these long-necked beauties a snack. 

Note: The park is closed from Dec. through Apr. Check the online calendar for details. 

Wildest Extra: Want to come face-to-tongue with a giraffe? Sign up for the 30-minute Giraffe Encounter, which lets you feed and mingle with the giraffes, Matata, Rudy, Poptart, and Harrison. 

 Online: africansafariwildlifepark.com

Wildlife Safari - Winston, OR

Be sure to slap your “Will Break for Bison” bumper sticker to the back of your ride before driving the gang through this open-air Safari park in Oregon. Families can get up close and personal with mammals, reptiles and birds as they check out the sights and feed a few of the residents in this 600-acre park. When your little animals get restless, take a break at Safari Village, a walkable area with trains, playgrounds and a petting zoo to keep kids busy and happy. As for conservation, Wildlife Safari’s staff works hard to protect animals both internationally and domestically. They’ve helped bring over 235 cheetah cubs into the world as part of their super successful cheetah breeding program. Hooray!

Wildest Extra: Want some wine with your wild? Be sure to get tickets for the park's "Sippin' Safari," which will honor the park's 50th anniversary on July 22 with live music, wine and beer tastings, and local food trucks. 

Online: wildlifesafari.net

Lee G. Simmons Conservation Park & Wildlife Safari - Ashland, NE

The winner of USA Today's Best Safari Park two years in a row, this Nebraska wildlife park (which is owned and operated by Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium) lets you enjoy a four-mile, drive-through experience showcasing North American wildlife. You'll see a menagerie of animals, including American elk, bison, waterfowl, raptors and white-tailed deer. At Wolf Canyon, guests can get out of their cars to gaze at grey wolves and American black bears. After the drive, take a hike to one of the park's overlooks to view the animals from above.

Note: Due to a current Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak in Nebraska, the American white pelicans in the Pelican Wetlands, the sandhill cranes and trumpeter swans in Crane Meadows and the chickens at the Hands-on Corral will not be on display until further notice. The Eagle Aviary will be closed, but the eagles are still viewable to the public. The whooping cranes will be off display.

Wildest Extra: For an extra $65 per person, you can book a Backstage Experience to see the animals and their keepers up close. Experiences include a Cheetah Conservation Experience, which gives visitors a backstage look at the state-of-the-art Cheetah Conservation Breeding Facility to see and learn how keepers care for the park's 20 cheetahs; and the Tiger Conservation Experience, in which visitors will get the chance to tour and meet the tigers at the Tiger Conservation Breeding Center.  

Online: wildlifesafaripark.com

The Wilds - Cumberland, OH

A sprawling sister property of the award-winning Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, the Wilds lets visitors get an unfettered glimpse of the animals who call this 10,000-acre park home. Here, it's the humans who go in the "cages" and the animals who get to roam free. To see the wildlife, visitors must board the park's open-air safari vehicles to see the resident rare and endangered animals roaming in their large, natural settings.  

What else? Want something extra special? Select from a variety of specialty tours to soak in The Wilds’ stunning scenery. Whether you want to float the day away during a relaxing Fishing Safari on one of nearly 100 lakes; whoosh above it all on a Zipline Tour; saddle up on a Horseback Safari through the quiet prairies; snap some Insta-worthy shots during one of the park's gorgeous Sunset Tours, or get a behind-the-scenes look at the animals with a Wildside Tour—there’s an adventure for everyone! 

Note: The Wilds is open May through Oct. 

Online: thewilds.columbuszoo.org

Lion Country Safari - Loxahatchee, FL

Fossil Rim - Glen Rose, TX

Born out of a desire to help dwindling animal populations, Fossil Rim found its roots and eventual footing in propagation programs for threatened and endangered species. Thirty years later, families still flock to this Texas park, where they can take their own vehicles around the 9.5-mile Scenic Drive, or get insider deets and educationally potent tidbits when they ride along on a Guided Tour. We love that The Overlook is smack dab in the middle of this drive, as it's the perfect stopping point for antsy toddlers. Get out and interact with friendly tortoises and curious goats at the Children’s Animal Center, or grab grub at the snack bar.

Wildest Extra: A two-hour nighttime tour through the park to see what wild antics the animals are up to once the sun sets is as thrilling as it sounds! Want to stay even later? Adventurous explorers can also spend the night at the Fossil Rim Lodge, which was the original home for original Fossil Rim owner Tom Mantzel; or at one of the safari cabins overlooking one of Fossil Rim's most popular wildlife watering holes. 

Online: fossilrim.org

Out of Africa - Camp Verde, AZ

Nominated as one of the top 10 Best Safari Parks in the U.S. by USA Today, this 100-acre park is home to hundreds of exotic mammals, birds and reptiles from all over the world—with an assortment of fun ways to see them. Climb aboard the open-air safari truck—or upgrade to a"Supermog" (an all-terrain, safari vehicle modified from a medium-size Isuzu truck)—and set out on a bumpy ride into the Serengeti preserve to see zebras, sable antelope, gemsbok, and more. You may even get a chance to feed a giraffe along the way! When the ride is over, there's plenty more to see, including the "Tiger Splash" show, which lets you spy on Bengal and Siberian tigers as they splash around in their pool and interact with their keepers; and the "Predator Feed," where keepers throw 800 pounds of raw food to eagerly-waiting carnivores.

Wildest Extra: Adrenaline junkies will want to sign up for a zip-line tour over the rolling hills. The "Racing Raptor" features three parallel lines—so you and your kids can zip the more than 1,000 feet together above the animals; the Predator zipline tour gives brave riders a course of five zip line runs above it all (Children must be 8 years old to ride.).

Wild Animal Safari - Pine Mountain, GA

Whether you drive your vehicle, rent a zebra bus (you know you want to) or take advantage of the guided bus tour, your pack will have a grand time spotting many (and even touching a few!) of the 65 different species that roam this 250-acre Serengeti adventure park. Think zebras, elk, bison, camels and more. When the park first opened, it was specially designed to capture the imagination of the littles and engender a lifelong love of animals. Not much has changed since then. Kiddos of all ages love the personal attention they get from the curious animals here! Don't miss the park's newest resident: Malaika, a giraffe calf born in January. 

Note: The Wild Animal Safari also has locations in Strafford, MO and Aggieland, TX.

Wildest Extra: The chance to hand-feed animals at the park's Walkabout Adventure Zoo is a hoot for the tot lot. "The animals are sociable, and you may be slobbered on if you are too close," warns the website (in other words, animal-loving kids will be in heaven). Fuzzy, friendly and hungry, these animals are sure to elicit some giggles from the little ones who feed them.

Online: animalsafari.com