The Central Florida Zoo is a Great Way to Spend the Day away from the Hustle and Bustle of the Major Orlando Florida Attractions.

The Central Florida Zoo will provide you and your family with a fun day in the sun. Without breaking the bank! This zoo is located in Sanford Florida. Sanford's not far from Orlando, Florida and the zoo is worth the drive!

3755 U.S. 17

Sanford Florida 32771

Open from 9am-5pm

Website (opens a new page)

This's not an all day zoo because it's kind of small. But you could kill a few fun filled hours. You could always head to Flea World for some Orlando shopping once you’ve had your fill of the monkey’s, elephants and cougars.

Driving into the zoo you see a cool entry way. With metal animals protruding from it. It’s very inviting.

You drive in and look around to see a pathway of trees leading to the parking lot (which offers free parking).

You’ll come to a small stop sign for the railroad crossing. I was a little puzzled about that at first (it's been years since I've been here.)

Madison couldn’t wait to ride it! Unfortunately she didn’t get the chance because the driver was on break when we wanted to go.

*The train is owned and operated by a different company than the zoo. Make sure to find out ride times before you plan your day so you’ll have the opportunity to ride the train.*

I asked Madison what she wanted to do first and she said she wanted to see the elephants. So we made our way there.

There's a ton of animals to see at the Central Florida Zoo (over 400 according to the zoo’s website.) Monkey’s (my personal favorite), elephants, panthers, alligators, birds, sloths, porcupines and so much more.

Plus the Central Florida Zoo houses a number of endangered and threatened species of reptile. That’s pretty cool because you’d never come across them any other way considering there are so few of them in the world.

While walking around you’ll see descriptions of all the animals and their habitats.

On Saturdays and Sundays the Central Florida Zoo has a variety of shows. Including the elephant show and a bird show.

For an extra fee you can go behind the scenes and meet the elephants. My Mom and I did this a couple years ago and had a great time. We fed the elephants whole apples! Plus we got to pose with them and pet them.

The staff are very knowledgeable and friendly. Plus they are visible throughout the zoo. Cleaning cages, feeding the animals or just walking around and talking with guests.

We decided just to wing our day at the zoo. So we walked around to see what we could find. We came upon the snack bar that offers hot dogs, hamburgers, popcorn, candy and other fun but not so healthy snacks.

In front of the snack bar are little cars the kids can ride. Of course I was ready for this with a pocket full of change.

We saw an alligator. Check out the alligator picture. He’s huge! The cool part is that everything is so close. That allows for great observation.

The zoo also offers some indoor activities for the kids. So make sure you check out the insect zoo. There’s a bunch of different insect species. Plus there are little costumes for the kids to dress up in.

Games, mini microscopes and other educational tools are there too. If there's a little sprinkle outside (which Orlando, Florida is known for) this would be a good place for you and the kiddies (or those of you that are kids at heart) to hang out. Plus on a hot day the air conditioning is a welcome break.

They have goats that will gobble up those little pellets (actually I think it might be dog food). Madison was a little scared of them but Chris and I really enjoyed it.

We put a few of the pellets on the fence and I snapped a photo of the goat licking it up. Check it out, it's pretty funny!

The newest attraction added to the Central Florida Zoo is a zip line. It’s an obstacle course that wraps around the front part of the zoo. They have one set up for the kids and one for the adults.

The adult version zip lines over the fountain in the front parking lot! It looks like a ton of fun and Chris and I are planning a trip back to do it. I’ll keep you informed.

*The zip line is an additional fee but it includes the price of admission to the zoo.*

It was always my favorite part of going to the zoo. It makes me smile just thinking about that cup. It was a little treat that my mom allowed me.

Next we checked out a nice little nature trail. It was tree lined and nicely shaded. There are benches and other seating areas around this trail. Most of the zoo has wooden boardwalks making it easy to navigate.

Make sure to remember your bathing suits and towels when you head to the Cental Florida Zoo because they have a little splash park.

The adults can join in the fun or just hang out and watch the kids. Don’t forget the sun screen!

There’s mixed reviews on the Central Florida Zoo. If you consider that parking at Disney World is $12.00 and the cost of the zoo is $11.00 what do you have to lose? It’s a small drive getting there but it’s worth it.

You could spread it out and make a day of it or make it through the entire zoo in about 2 hours. Check out the zoo's website before you go and you can plan your day. Or when you get there check out their adventure map and figure out what to do first.

Remember this's a small zoo that’s situated in the natural Florida wetlands. So you will not find some of the bigger animals that you’d find at Disney’s Animal Kingdom or Busch Gardens.

This will allow you to see the animals in a more active state. If you go in the heat of the day the animals may in their little hiding spaces. The weekends are a little busier but that’s also when all of the shows are.

*Admission for adults is $11.00 kids from 3-12 are $7.00 and seniors are $9.00. Anyone younger than 3 is free!*

Be sure to check out the Go Orlando Card and the Orlando Entertainment Book for coupons and discounts.

These are a couple of resources that have been known to offer valuable savings for this attraction in Orlando.

If you’re looking for a fun place to take the whole family that’s easy on the pocket book be sure to check out the Central Florida Zoo.

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