Visit a North Georgia Zoo: A Guide to Two Unique Wildlife Parks

_{By Brianna Leonhard • October 1, 2021}

I’m going to be honest. I did not even know there is one north Georgia zoo for the longest time, so I definitely did not know there are two! I grew up going to Zoo Atlanta and believing that it was the only zoo around. Once I had kids of my own, I started doing some research on local sanctuaries and found some well-kept secrets!

Anyone who is from Georgia, or has visited recently, knows that we love our animals. It seems like you could find a wildlife park in just about every county in Georgia. My two toddlers love any kind of “zoo,” even if it only has some turtles and a stray squirrel. My little one is obsessed with little goats. Maybe because they are her size?

If your kids love animals like mine do, please check out a north Georgia zoo! They will not disappoint.

Read on and then plan your trip to the North Georgia mountains! All ages are welcome so these are perfect destinations (or even quick detours) for a family road trip.

The Dahlonega Zoo: Chestatee Wildlife Preserve & Zoo

Chestatee Wildlife Preserve is fondly referred to in my house as the “Dahlonega zoo” because, for some reason, that is easier for us to remember. However, it is truly a wildlife preserve. The animals at Chestatee Wildlife Preserve have been injured, orphaned, or have found themselves in need of a new home that can provide a more suitable natural habitat.

Chestatee is home to over 100 animals that were in need of a safe place to live. That list includes: white tigers, zebras, bears, a zedonk (what?), camels, birds, bison, and many more. Check out all of their animals here. FYI: Some of their animals go on vacation during certain times of year if the climate is not suitable so you may not be able to see all of them at once.

Chestatee offers self-guided tours of the preserve allowing guests ample time to visit with each animal. They also sell feed bags for $5 each that allow you to feed the animals that come to the fence! Having a zedonk lip the food out of your hand may be the best (or worst) part of your day.

Caution: the animals can nibble so make sure little ones are assisted by adults. My three year old did very well feeding the animals because he knows how to use a flat, open palm. My two year old needed some assistance. I would highly recommend at least one feed bag. Being able to feed the animals really makes the trip worthwhile.

My three year old was a big fan of the zebras. It was by far his favorite encounter, probably because they come right up to the fence and let you feed them. Then again, every animal here does that. My two year old was more interested in the free range chickens and rabbits.

If you’re curious about the layout, check out their drone tour that features their property and some of their sweet animals.

Birthday Celebrations at Chestatee Wildlife Preserve

Chestatee Wildlife Preserve & Zoo has two large pavilion areas that can easily host birthday parties. These pavilions do not require reservations in advance. They do require that you bring garbage bags to dispose of your own trash with because their dumpster space is so limited.

The up close animal interactions would be perfect for younger kids’ birthdays. We were literally face to face with every animal at the zoo, with the exception of the tigers and bears (which is 100% okay).

Cost: Any child under a year of age is free. Children ages 11 and under are $10 each. Everyone else is $15 each. Feed bags are available for birthday parties as well and cost $5 per bag.

Check out all of their birthday party information here.

Plan your visit to our Dahlonega Zoo

Location: 469 Old Dahlonega Hwy, Dahlonega, GA 30533 // (678) 300-0019

Operating Days/Hours: Open every day from 10-4! Call or check the website if inclement weather is forecast for the day you are planning your visit.

Cost: $15 for ages 12+ // $10 for ages 1-11 // Under 12 months is free //Feed Bags are $5 each

Website: Chestatee Wildlife Preserve & Zoo

Looking for other awesome things to do in Dahlonega, GA?

If you are planning a road trip to the Dahlonega area then the Chestatee Wildlife Preserve should definitely be on your list. However, it will not fill up an entire trip. If you need more family friendly ideas check out our post for things to do in Dahlonega, GA with kids.

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North Georgia Zoo #2: North Georgia Wildlife Park

The North Georgia Wildlife & Safari Park is located in Cleveland, GA meaning it is only 17 minutes north of the “Dahlonega Zoo.” There really isn’t a more convenient way to make a whole day out of some animal fun. Chestatee Wildlife Preserve and North Georgia Wildlife Park do feature some of the same animals but the experiences are a bit different.

The North Georgia Wildlife Park offers a variety of experiences. The main zoo admission allows you to view and interact with over 80 species of animals through a “Wildlife Walk” that includes a 45 minute guided tour through the zoo and provides some up close encounters with some of their animals!

The park also houses a petting zoo, which you can purchase individually (and much cheaper) if you are wanting a quicker stop. It is already included in the zoo admission. The petting zoo includes animals like miniature horses, zebu cows, llamas, nubian goats, miniature pigs, chickens, and many more. Our kids are obsessed with the goats!

Warning: it really smells like farm animals. My toddlers were a bit offended by the smell when we first got out of the car. We all got used to it after 10-15 minutes of playing with some cute animals.

Is the North Georgia Zoo accredited?

The North Georgia Zoo recently made a switch and is now referred to as the North Georgia Wildlife & Safari Park. So, if you see information for the North Georgia Zoo, just know that they are one in the same. If you are concerned about the accreditation of the zoo or the treatment of the animals, check out this statement posted on their website:

“North Georgia Zoo makes every effort to ensure that all of the physical and psychological needs of each animal are met and/or surpassed. As a USDA, DNR and USDI  accredited institution,  NGZ must meet the official approval by USDA inspectors and Fish and Wildlife experts.  These experts carefully examine each zoo  including living environments, social groupings, health and nutrition. The USDA also make sure that animals are provided with enrichment, which stimulates each animal’s natural behavior and provides variety in their daily routine. The NGZ  Zoo prides itself on continuing to maintain these high standards.”

You can also find it here.

North Georgia Safari Park

The North Georgia Wildlife & Safari Park is actually two separate parks. The zoo encounter is located in the North Georgia Wildlife Park. There is a separate Safari Park that offers a drive through safari experience with optional package add-ons.

The Safari Drive Thru experience includes animals like zebras, camels, bison, and more. Llama Lane is also included in this ticket price and allows you to see llamas up close and feed them from your car window!

There are three additional packages that you can choose from to enhance your safari experience. The Explorer Package allows you to choose one add on experience: Camels, Small Animal, or Deer. The Expedition Package allows you to choose two of those add-ons. The Adventure package includes all three of those add-ons.

You will need to pull into the main zoo entrance and purchase tickets at the ticket booth. From there, you will drive across the street (literally) and begin your safari tour.

Visit both: North Georgia Wildlife Park & North Georgia Safari Park

The parks offer a multi-park combo pass that allows you to experience both parks! If you are planning to make a day out of your visit here then this is your most cost-effective option. The Multi-Park Combo Pass includes the Safari Drive Thru, Llama Lane, Petting Farm, and Wildlife Walk!

Cost: $38 per adult // $36 per child

They Also offer a Kiddie Combo package that is great for younger kids who may not be able to walk the whole park. This package includes the Safari Drive Thru, Llama Lane, and the Petting Farm. This would be a great options if you have kiddos under age 2 or children of different abilities who cannot easily walk an entire zoo.

Cost: $20 per person, all ages

Pack a Picnic

One more cute feature of this park is a small area with 4 picnic tables. Their “front yard” contains the picnic tables (that are in the shade!), a tractor, a fun “put your face in the hole” board, and a friendly basset hound. We decided to eat lunch here since we had packed some sandwiches to eat on the road. Its a great picnic spot, complete with a hand washing station!

Plan your visit to the North Georgia Wildlife Park

Location: 2912 Paradise Valley Rd, Cleveland, GA 30528 // (706) 348-7279

Operating Days/Hours: Fridays 11-3, Saturdays & Sundays 10-5

Cost: See their website (below) for all of the different admission options (there are a ton). General zoo admission is $25 for adults and $23 for children ages 2 and up.

Website: North Georgia Wildlife & Safari Park

Wrap up: Visit a north Georgia zoo today!

Before you plan your trip, I’d like to give you a Chestatee Wildlife Preserve vs. Dahlonega Zoo scenario. Here are your main takeaways so that you can choose the one that best fits your family.

Chestatee Wildlife Preserve: at your own pace, large farm with spacious (flat) walking trails, a smaller variety of animals but you can personally interact with almost all of them. The only ones you can’t interact with are the ones that would mistake you for food. This zoo is also cheaper and contains large, shaded pavilions for resting or eating lunch. The only downside is that they have porta-potties instead of indoor plumbing.

North Georgia Wildlife & Safari Park: larger variety of animals to see but you can only interact with the animals at the petting zoo. The smell is more pungent at this zoo but there are also many more farm animals here. Indoor plumbing and hand washing stations. The wildlife walk is very informational but a bit long for small kids. There are also stairs required for the wildlife walk.

Personally, my family preferred the Chestatee Wildlife Preserve over the “Dahlonega Zoo” because of all of the walking trails and hands on animal exhibits. Although there was a smaller quantity of animals, the quality felt greater for us with toddlers.

I would highly encourage you to visit both and see for yourself! Let us know which one your family prefers and why.