Hannah Fitzpatrick
When you picture your dream vacation, does it involve seeing your favorite animals in their natural habitat? How about going hiking or taking a yoga class with animals like goats and llamas? If this sounds like you, here are some vacation spots to consider for all animal lovers alike.
Clover Brooke Farm – Hyde Park, New York
Located in the Hudson Valley region of Upstate New York, this 45-acre farm provides a multitude of unique experiences for people of all ages. One of their more popular experiences that this farm offers is a 90 minute hike with your own llama or alpaca, where you can walk through gentle pastures, a stocked bass pond, scenic vistas and an established hop field, while learning about the history of Clover Brooke and some fun facts about llamas and alpacas. If hiking isn’t your thing, they also offer outdoor yoga classes where you can stretch and relax while interacting with the farms’ llamas!
Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo – Horse Cave, Kentucky
Have you ever wanted to explore the “land down under” without having to travel all the way to Australia? If so, then Kentucky Down Under Adventure Zoo is just the right place for you! This adventure park, located an hour outside of Louisville, KY, features a variety of Australian wildlife, including kangaroos, emus and lorries. The park even has its own “outback” where you can watch kangaroos and emus roam freely and feed them while an interpreter discusses these animals’ habits and habitats.
Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge – Crystal River, Florida
You may have heard of people swimming with dolphins, but have you ever heard of people swimming with manatees? From November to March, you can find these gentle sea creatures spending their winters in the warm waters of Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge in Crystal River, Florida. This refuge, located one hour north of Tampa, FL, on the Gulf Coast, is the only wildlife refuge in the United States specifically created to protect habitats for the manatees.
Here, you can go on a guided snorkeling tour where you can learn about the Crystal River, manatee facts and manatee behavioral patterns while interacting with them in their natural habitat. There are also above-water activities available, such as wildlife photography at the refuge’s Three Sisters Springs boardwalk, where e anyone can find the perfect shot of resting manatees.
Lanai Cat Sanctuary – Lanai City, Hawaii
If you consider yourself to be a cat person, then the Lanai Cat Sanctuary in Lanai City, Hawaii, is the perfect place for you. This sanctuary is home to over 600 rescue cats, where they can roam freely across a lush, four-acre paradise. Vistors can come feed treats ad socialize with the cats while taking in the beautiful scenery. Plus, if you find a cat – or several – that you don’t want to let go of, the sanctuary has an adoption program that can help them find their forever home.
Sky Falconry – San Diego, California
This historic 40 acre ranch in the mountains of San Diego, CA, aims to educate the public and offer hands-on experiences with free-flying birds of prey, such as hawks, owls and falcons. You can choose from a number of different classes and experiences to interact with these majestic birds. A basic falconry lesson will teach you how to hold a hawk, cast it from your glove and call it back again. Their “hawk walks” allow you to interact with trained raptors while hiking trails in the San Diego mountains.
Atlanta Alpaca Treehouse – Atlanta, Georgia
For a truly one-of-a-kind hotel experience, give the Atlanta Alpaca Treehouse in Atlanta, GA, a try. Located in a bamboo forest, this treehouse has been featured on three Netflix shows, including
“Love is Blind,” and for a good reason. The treehouse is elevated 15 feet above the ground, built entirely of reclaimed architectural antiques, and is right in the heart of a sanctuary that is home to numerous llamas and alpacas rescued from abuse and neglect. Onsite activities include private tours of the sanctuary, yoga, and even a wine tasting while hanging out with the animals!
Monarch Butterfly Grove – Pismo Beach, California
Each year, thousands of vibrant monarch butterflies flock to warmer climates to seek shelter from harsh and cold northern winters. The Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove in Pismo Beach, CA, is one of the most popular spots in the state to see these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat, and is one five sites in the state that has counts of over 10,000 butterflies annually. From late October to February, the butterflies cluster in the limbs of towering, majestic Eucalyptus trees throughout the park – a fantastic view for long walks or bike rides with the whole family.
C Lazy U Ranch – Granby, Colorado
This luxury dude ranch, located in the heart of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado, is one of the few remaining places where you can experience the traditions of the American West from the moment you arrive. There are a variety of activities available at this 8,500 acre slice of countryside paradise, such as fly fishing, trap shooting and hatchet throwing, but the highlight for animal lovers is horseback riding. An experienced horse wrangler will pair you with a horse that reflects your ability and personality, and you can ride as often as you want throughout your stay.
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary – Kanab, Utah
Although this organization has multiple locations throughout the United States, their sanctuary in southern Utah is the largest of its kind. On any given day, it is home to up to 1,600 dogs, cats, birds, bunnies, horses, pigs and other animals. One of their primary goals to create similar no-kill shelters in order to take the entire country to no-kill by 2025. There are volunteer options at Best Friends to to help care for the animals, work with the staff and ready animals for adoption. You can even volunteer to foster one of their animals while helping the staff find their forever home!
Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge – Assateague Island, Virginia
Wild ponies have inhabited this island off the coast of Virginia for hundreds of years. These small but sturdy, shaggy horses have adapted to their environment over the years by eating dune and marsh grasses and drinking fresh water from ponds. You can watch them gallop across the shore while walking or biking on the island’s many nature trails, or stop by during the summer to watch the annual “Pony Swim,” where members of the local volunteer fire company round up and swim approximately 150 ponies from Assateague Island to the neighboring Chincoteague Island.
Elephant Nature Park – Chiang Mai, Thailand
This elephant rescue and rehabilitation center in Northern Thailand is home to over 100 elephants, many of whom were rescued from cruelty and neglect. The park offers half-day and overnight excursions where you can learn about each elephant’s individual histories while watching them interact and play in the surrounding rivers, custom built pools and mud pits. If you’re feeling brave, there is also an option for a guided tour where you have the pportunity to prepare food and get to know the elephants while feeding them.
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy – Isiolo, Kenya
For the adventure of a lifetime, look no further than the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in northern Kenya. This 93,000 acre property has one of the highest wildlife densities in Kenya, including 12% of the country’s black and white rhinos, and the world’s single largest population of Grevy’s zebra. Guests at any of the conservation’s 10 luxury cottages and tents can choose from a variety of activities, including bird watching, horse or camel riding, game drives and guided walks.
Pig Beach – Big Major Cay, The Bahamas
Swimming with pigs in the ocean? That is one experience that you simply cannot miss. Pig Beach gets its name from the Exuma pigs and piglets, which happen to be the island’s only inhabitants. This popular tourist destination is only accessible by boat, so make sure you book a boat tour to the island in advance. Don’t forget to bring some fresh fruit to feed to the pigs; you might make a new best friend!
Espiritu Santo Biosphere Reserve – La Paz, Mexico
Espirito Santo Island is arguably one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet. This island off the coast of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur is home to 32 registered species of reptiles, 98 species of birds, several species of marine mammals and 16 endemic species of flora and fauna. If you’re looking for an unforgettable experience, check out one of the park’s 10 points to practice snorkeling or diving. You might run into some sea turtles or sea lions while exploring the area’s natural reefs!
Diamante Eco Adventure Park – Carrillo, Costa Rica
This oceanside adventure park is rated on Trip Advisor one of the top outdoor activities to do in Costa Rica, and once you see what it has to offer, you’ll understand why. Diamante Eco Adventure Park is not only home to the longest dual action zip line in the country, but also an animal sanctuary with the largest variety of species in one location. The habitats, which include a world-class butterfly observatory and a plethora of large cats, monkeys, birds, frogs and reptiles, are designed to provide a natural setting for the animals while allowing guests to view and learn about key aspects of biology, ecology and natural history of the animals. There is even a 30 foot free fall Quick Jump you can try, but watch out for the crocodiles in the water below you!
Jigokudani Monkey Park – Yamanouchi, Japan
Since its establishment in 1964, this wildlife park is one of the most well-know places to see one of Japan’s beloved animals – Japanese macaques, or snow monkeys. Here, you can watch with these animals up close as they bathe in the hot springs of the Valley of Yokoyu River and play in the snow. Winters in this area are extremely harsh, so make sure to wear something warm!
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary – Brisbane, Australia
Located just outside of Brisbane, Australia, this sanctuary is home to over 130 koalas, making it one of the largest koala sanctuaries in the world. If you have ever dreamed of hugging a koala, Lone Pine is the perfect place for you. You can book a “meet and greet” where you can get up close and even hold this iconic marsupial. The sanctuary also offers a night tour that allows tourists to view some of Australia’s most iconic native nocturnal wildlife.
Giraffe Manor – Nairobi, Kenya
Have you ever dreamed of having breakfast with a giraffe? At this exclusive boutique hotel in the capital city of Kenya, that dream will become a reality! This historic manor house gets its name from ts resident herd of Rothschild’s giraffes. Rothschild’s species of giraffe was once highly endangered, but Giraffe Manor has long been part of a breeding program that has successfully grown their numbers in the wild. If they happen to poke their long necks into the windows while you’re enjoying your morning or evening meal, make sure to give them a little treat!
Kangaroo Sanctuary – Alice Springs, Australia
This 188 acre sanctuary located in the Northern Territory of Australia has a simple, yet important motto – animals come first. Since the establishment of the Baby Kangaroo Rescue Centre in 2005 and the sanctuary’s inception in 2011, their mission has been to educate and encourage people to rescue and care for kangaroos and other wildlife and animals. All of the kangaroos, who were either orphaned baby kangaroos or rescued adults, are raised and cared for by the owner of the sanctuary and other wildlife carers until they are ready to be released back into the wild. Since kangaroos are nocturnal animals, the sanctuary offers sunset tours that allow you to see them just as they’re waking up.
Pushkar Camel Fair – Pushkar, India
The Pushkar Camel Fair is an annual camel and livestock fair held every November in the town of
Pushkar in northern India. What originally started as an event for trading camels, horses, cows, sheeps and goats has turned into the town’s largest tourist attraction, with an estimated 400,000 attendees per year. Here, you can see thousands of camels dressed up, paraded, shaved, entered into beauty contests, raced, and even made to dance!
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