This Special Day is the Perfect Time to Visit the Central Florida Zoo

The end of December is already packed with exciting holidays, but did you know that between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, December 27 to be exact, is National Visit the Zoo Day?  

Take time between your holiday celebrations to visit the Central Florida Zoo, home to some of the Orlando area’s most distinguished residents.  

History 

The Central Florida Zoo has been a part of the area’s history for over one hundred years.  

In 1923, a traveling circus gifted a rhesus monkey to the Elks Club in Sanford, Florida. The lonely monkey was eventually joined by a female monkey, a bulldog, a skunk, an opossum, a raccoon, and a squirrel; thus, the Sanford Zoo was born. 

The Sanford Zoo was a popular destination for guests visiting the shores of Lake Monroe. In 1975, the zoo moved to its current location with legendary animal education and conservationist Jack Hanna as director. That’s when its name changed to the Central Florida Zoo. 

Since then, the Central Florida Zoo has continued to grow and evolve. Today, it’s home to over 350 animals representing over 100 different species. Their thoughtful exhibits and botanical gardens draw thousands of visitors every year.  

Animals  

When you visit the Central Florida Zoo, you’ll get to come face-to-face with some of the planet’s rarest animals - and some that you may recognize from your backyard.  

You can watch PJ the endangered Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros ambling through his exhibit and munching on fruit and leaves. Enjoy cheetahs lazily snoozing in the sun or picking up speed as they race through the grass. Crane your neck upwards to get a good look at the zoo’s towering giraffes, maybe even as you feed them fresh lettuce as a treat.  

The Central Florida Zoo is also home to a variety of sloths, lemurs, monkeys, big cats, colorful birds, frogs, snakes, lizards, and some fascinating invertebrates, too.  

Attractions  

In addition to walking through the zoo to see the animals, there are also plenty of attractions to keep the entire family entertained.  

The Champion Miniature Train is a one-quarter scale model of an Atlantic Coast Line Railroad streamliner. This replica takes riders on a loop around the zoo and will be a big hit with train enthusiasts of all ages.  

An outdoor activity like a day at the zoo can get hot in the Central Florida sun, but you can cool off in the Wharton-Smith Tropical Splash Ground. This display of sprinklers, sprays, and streams is great for kids and kids-at-heart to enjoy on a hot day (weather permitting.).  

The Central Florida Zoo is also home to Seminole Aerial Adventures, a ziplining course with rope bridges, zips, suspended discs, and other physically challenging obstacles. If you know you’re interested in giving the course a try, you’ll want to make reservations ahead of time.  

Animal Encounters 

At the Central Florida Zoo, you can get up close and personal with a variety of animals.  

One of their most popular encounters is Giraffe Feeding, available for an additional fee. This one-of-a-kind experience has tall giraffes bending down to you to grab a tasty treat from your hand.  

At the Barnyard Buddies Children’s Petting Zoo, you can interact with farm animals like goats, alpacas, sheep, chickens, and llamas. Entry to this hands-on experience is included in your admission ticket, but feeding the animals is an extra cost. 

It isn’t every day that you get to interact with an endangered rhinoceros, but your trip to the Central Florida Zoo could be your chance! You’ll get to meet, take photos with, and learn about the zoo’s resident rhino, PJ, and his species. This specially ticketed encounter is available Friday through Monday.  

Botanical Gardens 

Nature-lovers should take some time to explore the zoo’s botanical gardens.  

In the butterfly garden, you’ll find flowering plants, shrubs, and trees selected to attract butterflies, bees, hummingbirds, and other important pollinators. The Health and Wellness Garden is home to plants that have historically been used as medicine and food.  

As you wander through the zoo, you’ll find plants as prickly as porcupines, as ancient as dinosaurs, and as diverse as the animals surrounding them.  

Accessibility  

The Central Florida Zoo is dedicated to being an affordable family experience for all visitors. Their outreach to local schools, conservation efforts, and community programming make them a wonderful organization to support.  

The cost of every ticket to the zoo helps to care for the animals, teach visitors how to protect our planet, and ensure that the Central Florida Zoo is around for years to come.  

Stay at Rosen Inn Closest to Universal for Your Next Wild Adventure 

Rosen Inn Closest to Universal is right in the midst of Orlando’s most exciting entertainment. Whether your itinerary has you park-hopping or heading out to the Central Florida Zoo for National Visit the Zoo Day, we’re happy to host you on your next stay.