Top Animal Encounters in Austin
Austin contains a wide array of unique and exotic animal in Austin. With most of these attractions, you get to interact with a variety of wildlife and experience incredible moments worth a lifetime of memories. Read and discover more about some of the great animal encounters in Austin.
1. The Austin Zoo
10808 Rawhide Trail, Austin, TX 78736
Open Hours: 9:30 am- 6:00 pm daily
Winter period- 9:30 am – 5:30 pm
Contact Details: 512-288-1490
Situated on a 15-acre land, Austin Zoo is home to more than 300 animals. It exists for over 20 years now and is an accommodative home to animal varieties where it shelters orphaned animals, those originating from other zoos, pets released by their owners, as well as those animals taken forcefully due to illegal ownership, or cruelty by their caregivers.
By visiting this Zoo, you get attracted by both large and small wide varieties of animals. You will also enjoy watching the different animal characteristics and behaviors. Some of the wildlife you get to see include tigers, lions, bears, wolves, tortoises, foxes, mammal varieties, tortoises, raccoons, hyenas, cheetahs, amongst many others.
There’s a large picnic site, with a lot of free space for parking, as well as an optional train ride for purposes of hill country viewing.
2. Pioneer Farms
Children below two years go in free of charge.
Open Hours: Thursday- Sunday- 10:00 am- 5:00 pm
Monday-Friday- Tour guides available with prior bookings.
Contact Details: 512-837-1215
By visiting the Pioneer Farms, you are taken back into the rich history of Texas from the 1800s. Here, you get to discover much of Texas’ fascinating ancient times. You’ll also meet donkeys, horses, barn cats, longhorns, and many other farm animals that you see grazing and enjoying their free spaces.
3. Austin Aquarium
Open Hours: Sunday- Thursday- 10:00 am- 7:00 pm
Friday- Saturday- 10:00 am- 8:00 pm
Contact Details: 512-284-9239
www.austinaquarium.com
The almost 3-year old aquarium offers a considerable number of exciting activities. You will not only view the animals but also enjoy touching and feeding those on display. Some of these categories of animals that you get to intermingle with either by seeing only or by contacting and feeding include the starfish, sharks, octopus, rays, jellyfish, macaws, pythons, caimans (small crocodiles), amongst much other aquatic life.
Interestingly, whenever you visit between February to April, you get to see the harvesting of shark eggs from the touch tank, and then developed in a separate nursery tank. You can learn much, while the kids will have fascinating stories to talk about at home.
4. Blue Cat Cafe
Open Hours: 10:00am- 10:00 pm
Contact Details: +1512-766-5003
http://www.bluecatcafe.com
Here you enjoy some breathtaking moments on the outside patio, plus the food trailer that supplies vegan food, hot coffee, or chocolate, you’ll also take pleasure in the friendship of all the available cats for adoption.
5. Austin Nature and Science Center
Entry is free
Hint: The place is full mostly on weekends. Thus, ensure you go early to avoid parking challenges.
Open Hours: Monday- Saturday- 9:00 am- 5:00 pm
Sundays- 12:00 Noon- 5:00 pm
Contact Details: 512-974-3888
www.austintexas.gov/department/austin-nature-and-science-center
This captivating Austin City educates visitors concerning the natural world from 1960. You’ll have a lot of engaging activities such as interacting with animals live at the center, and learning more about them. Some of the animals have physical challenges like mobility or vision problems.
Furthermore, you can touch the wide varieties of shells and snake skins. You are also free to hike through the neighboring wide Zilker Nature Preserve from sunrise to sunset.
6. Mayfield Park & Preserve
Open Hours: Daily 5:00 am- 10:00 pm
Contact Details: 512-477-1566
https://austinparks.org/
If you love nature and enjoy beautiful sceneries with birds around, this is the best place for you to tour. Being in existence for 27 years now, you get to see attractive peacocks moving freely and exhibiting their striking feathers. Further, you’ll see frogs and turtles jumping up and down in the ponds.
7. Meadows Center for Water and Environment
Open Hours: Daily 9:30 am- 5:00 pm
Contact Details: 512-245-9200
www.meadowscenter.txstate.edu
Having operated since 1951 as a marine pleasure park, Texas State University took over in 1994, making it more of an educational tour site. You will view and learn more about fish, turtles, salamanders, nutria, as well as aquatic birds.
You can visit the Wetlands trail and discovery halls free of charge. You will, however, pay for the glass-bottom boat rides.
8. Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch
Open Hours: Daily 9:00 am- 4:00 pm
Contact Details: 830-438-7400
www.wildliferanchtexas.com
It is one of Texas’ renowned family attraction sites. You get endless fun activities involving the exploration of creek beds, rolling hills, and outstanding oak trees. You will also watch the all the amazing wild life – more than 500 animals, both from the native and exotic species, originating all over the world.
9. Exotic Resort Zoo
Open Hours: Daily 9:00 am- 6:00 pm
Contact Details: 830-868-4357
www.zooexotics.com
If you enjoy watching a wide variety of both the endangered and exotic animal species in their natural habitat, then Exotic Resort Zoo is your rightful place. They have 600 plus wild animals, where you get to learn about each of them. With the excellent tour guides, you will enjoy both a fascinating and educative tour. The staffs also ensure that you attain the incredible feeling of the companionship of the friendlier animals such as the camels.
10. Topsey Exotic Ranch and Drive-Thru
Open Hours: March- September: 9:00 am- 5:00 pm
October- February: 9:00 am- 4:00 pm
Contact Details: 254-547-3700
www.topseyexoticranch.com
The magnificent scenery situated on a 350-acre of land offers you the free-range safari and the viewing of wildlife from their natural habitat.
You will enjoy capturing photos of incredibly large varieties of exciting wildlife.
You will discover that whenever you visit the above animal encounters in Austin, you get to have fun as well as learn many new things. The places are great for both children and adults to explore and enjoy.
