Get up close to animals from six continents as they roam free throughout the 45 acres of open space at Fort Chiswell Animal Park in Max Meadows, just 15 minutes east of Wytheville. Admission to the zoo includes a 45-minute to one-hour safari bus ride during which you can touch and feed an array of animals, including zebras, ostriches and bison. You can also walk through the attached petting zoo, home to smaller critters like pygmy goats and llamas. The zoo is open Friday through Sunday from mid-March through November but expands its schedule to include weekdays between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Opened in 1952, Mill Mountain Zoo in Roanoke, one hour and 20 minutes east of Wytheville, showcases approximately 175 animals, including endangered species like red pandas and snow leopards. Learn more about these precious creatures during the zookeepers' daily talks, hosted alongside the animals for which they care. Take a break from all the walking with a leisurely ride on Zoo Choo, a miniature train that travels throughout the zoo, providing sweeping vistas of Mill Mountain. The zoo hosts special events throughout the year, including an outdoor summer concert series and zoo camps for children ages 4 through 13.
Embark on a rugged adventure at Virginia Safari Park in Natural Bridge. Drive your car on a 3-mile gravel road, crossing paths with more than 1,000 animals from six continents. You can feed animals from the comfort of your vehicle or simply watch antelope, bison, elk and zebra run free across 180 acres of open space. Head to the walk-through section of the zoo where you can feed giraffes, stroll through an enclosed kangaroo walkabout or visit a petting zoo with chickens and young llamas. Open seven days a week from mid-March through Thanksgiving weekend, the zoo is one hour and 40 minutes northeast of Wytheville.
Natural Bridge Zoo provides animal enthusiasts with unique opportunities, such as rides upon an African elephant or having your picture taken with a baby mandrill. The zoo focuses on threatened and endangered animals, including scarlet macaws, dromedary camels and Grant's zebras. Open from mid-March through late November, the zoo also allows you to feed certain animals, such as giraffes, goats and deer, for a nominal fee.
