Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens
SuddenStay may earn a commission when you book through our links, at no extra cost to you. We only make money if you find a deal worth booking. How we make money
See live ticket prices.Current availability and options on Klook, so you can judge it for yourself.
Check tickets on Klook →
Our take
By Matt Spaulding, Founder and writer
This is the slower, cheaper half-day for when the theme parks have worn everyone down. Central Florida Zoo packs 350-plus animals into about 23 acres in Sanford: giraffe feeding, rhino and tortoise encounters, clouded leopards, cheetahs, and a large reptile house, plus a splash ground for when the kids overheat and a ZOOm Air ropes course strung through the trees. It's self-guided, and most families are through it in 2-3 hours. General admission covers the gate and the botanical gardens, and that's the scope of it: a compact regional zoo you can treat as a morning rather than a full day. A few things to plan around. In peak summer it runs 8am to 3pm, so it's strictly a morning trip, and midday July heat means thin shade and sleepy animals. The marquee extras (giraffe feeding, the train, the aerial adventure course) aren't in general admission, so budget for them separately if the kids will want them. And it sits about 35 minutes north of the theme-park corridor, so factor in the drive each way. It suits families with young kids, anyone who prefers actual wildlife to rides, and travelers who want one quieter, lower-cost day between park marathons.
Quick facts
- Best for
- Families with young kids, wildlife lovers
- Duration
- 2-3 hours, self-guided
- Where
- Sanford, ~35 min north of the parks
- Included
- Zoo + botanical gardens entry
- Costs extra
- Giraffe feeding, train, ropes course
- Summer hours
- 8am-3pm, mornings only
Where it is
3755 W. Seminole Blvd, Sanford, FL 32771 (Seminole County, ~35 min north of the Orlando theme parks)
Open in Maps →Ready to book?
Time slots and dated tickets sell out on peak days, so it pays to lock yours in before you go. Check current availability and pick your date.
Check tickets on Klook →Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens FAQ
How long do you need at Central Florida Zoo?
About 2-3 hours. It's a self-guided, roughly 23-acre regional zoo, so most families see everything in a half-day and treat it as a morning trip.
Does admission include the giraffe feeding?
No. General admission covers zoo and botanical garden entry only. Giraffe feeding, the train, and the ZOOm Air aerial adventure course each cost extra.
How far is the zoo from the Orlando theme parks?
About 35 minutes north, in Sanford. It's an easy drive, but plan on a car each way: the zoo sits off the theme-park transit corridor and isn't within walking distance.