Looking for an animal adventure close to home? Look no further than the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo in Thurmont, Maryland. The 100-acre zoo is an easy day trip at under an hour from most parts of Loudoun. Enjoy a Safari Ride, live animal shows, petting zoo, and a huge number of animal exhibits.
The Zoo is divided into areas that represent the many habitats of the world. You can see bears, snakes, llamas, lemurs, monkeys, and more. There are over 450 exotic animals and over 300 species including amphibians, fish and invertebrates. You can grab a map of all the exhibits at the entrance. And your kids will want to see every single exhibit so plan on being there longer than expected!
With your admission, you will receive a feed cup for the petting zoo and fish food for the koi pond. These activities were both huge hits with my kiddos. There are several Live Animal Encounters scheduled throughout the day, which the kids really enjoyed as well. A trained staffer presents several animals in each show and allows participants to touch selected animals. It is a great way to get close to the animals, learn more about them, and maybe even feed them a snack.
The Safari experience was so much fun for the whole family. Tickets are $10/person for the safari and lasts about an hour. This was definitely the highlight of the visit. The kids were able to get up close and personal and feed many of the different animals we encountered on the safari. The safari is very bumpy therefore not for the very young, very old, pregnant, or anyone with injuries or pain issues.
Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo is open seasonally, with hours changing as the weather does. Check their website for times. The admission price changes as the seasons do as well and range from $10-$19. Children 2 and under are free.
Mac Mom Tips
Call ahead or check the website to confirm the exhibits you want to see, as well as the café and safari ride, are open. Some things are seasonal, weekend-only and/or subject to close so confirm to avoid disappointment.
There is a café to purchase food, but it is not open every day. We brought a picnic and enjoyed it in the clean, open-air pavilion.
There is a well-stocked souvenir shop that you will pass through coming and going.
A sturdy stroller is best as you will cover a lot of ground, some unpaved.
There are plenty of bathrooms, but only porta potties outside the main bathroom near the entrance. We found everything at the zoo to be very clean, but hand sanitizer is your friend for many reasons. There is a porta sink for hand washing near the petting zoo.
