We knew the sanctuary would be closing soon and we wanted to make sure to visit before their last day. We were able to buy tour tickets online in advance with a credit card. The instructions said to arrive at 10:30 for the 11:00 tour. We arrived at that time, but had to wait outside on the parking lot for about 20 minutes until the staff opened the doors. The line for restrooms was pretty long by that time, but everyone got through it prior to the tour - overall there was some waiting involved for the first tour of the day. We definitely enjoyed the tour and learning about the animals. There were three tigers on the tour. We got to learn about each of them in terms of their backstory (how they ended up at the sanctuary), habits and personalities. You are pretty close to the animals if they choose to remain near the fence (there is a double fence between the tour and the animals). We also had the opportunity to ask questions. Some of the little kids seemed bored during the tour - it isn't very interactive and you have to stay quiet for the animals' sake. At the end was a gift shop with souvenirs and refreshments. This area was very popular with the kids. You could also see and touch things such as big cat claws and footprints to compare the size of the tigers to your house cat. read more

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We stayed nearby at Postcard Cabins (tiny cabin glamping) so we decided to finally visit Crown Tiger Sanctuary since we were so close. When you arrive you check in at the welcome center/lodging check in area. When everyone has arrived that have booked tours, a guide begins the tour beyond the gates. Due to the anxiety of one tiger, strollers are not recommended. It's a short walk literally down the hill to the education center and back. You can see the distance from glancing past the gate. You walk along the cages to the education center and walk back by the cages for any last looks and questions. It's a slight hill so coming back up is fairly easy unless there are any mobility issues. Small children in our tour group did not give a rip about the tigers and preferred to run and play in the dirt. The tour only shows the tigers in their caged habitats and a small education center. The tour is around 45 minutes, which includes a lot of talking (education by staff). Therefore it may not be the best destination for a drive in to show small kids. My child is 8 and that seemed a good age to be worth the tour. The tour guide was fantastic and it was evident how much they care about the tigers. I think it's a wonderful resource to check out and support. read more

They had rooms available so they allowed us to rent overnight last minute. Checking was easy. We had Tiger Pointe 6. It was very spacious. There was plenty of room to have more than 2kids like if one sleeps in a pack'n'play. (Not sure they can provide extra bedding). We booked the 10am tour which probably would have been cooler if it didn't start storming because the Tigers were reluctant to enter their space. We really enjoyed our stay. The overnight is a must! Just a 15min drive to American Custard for dinner or dessert. Just a 15min drive to River Rapids water park if you want to Stay all day. Not sure what to do about breakfast, bring it or there's Kozy about 20min away. We ate some cereal on our balcony enjoying the view. read more

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This is a very special place to me! We've adopted Izzy for several years! You can be a big cat parent too! Visiting these majestic animals is easy! General tours are available Thursday through Sunday at 11, 1, and 3 and $10/person. As a true big cat sanctuary, Crown Ridge does not buy, sell, breed or trade any of the cats. They believe the cats deserve to live the rest of their lives in a healthy and caring environment. read more

I visited back in 2018; did a second visit in March 2022 where my spouse and I stayed overnight - so I wanted to share lodging thoughts. There are 3 buildings one can stay in (Tiger Den, Tiger Pointe, Tiger View Lodge). We stayed in Tiger View Lodge because it is the only building where you can see the tigers from inside the building. Highly recommend. Our room was large, comfortable, had a private bath. There are 2 patios; one overlooks the tigers, the other overlooks the countryside. The lodge has several shared rooms; kitchen, dining room that flows into living room with fireplace, room with billiard table flows into room with TV/games. Very spacious. Building has 4 bedrooms. My photos tell the story. read more

Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary - Billiard Room - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ste. Genevieve, Missouri

A small tiger sanctuary with big goals and a great cause. There are only 4 tigers so keep in mind you might not see a lot of action depending on what the cats are up to. We got a really good view of Gracie. She was beautiful to look at. We did also see Izzy, Thor, and another tiger from a distance. Just go into the tour knowing this ahead - it isn't a big sanctuary like some others because they focus strongly on the 4 they do have. The habitats are really nice, I saw tons of enrichment opportunities for the tigers. The tigers looked happy and relaxed, mostly chilling around the place, rolling around on the ground. The entire facility was very clean and well-kept. The tour guide was super knowledgeable and happy to answer a million questions. We had a great time learning about the tigers. We got there right at 3pm and were still able to do the tour because it wasn't busy on a Sunday. We also tried some fizzy izzy root beer. It is delicious! read more

A beautiful ACCREDITED sanctuary for abused, neglected, or unwanted tigers only a short drive south from St. Louis in quaint Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. The five tigers who call Crown Ridge their forever home have come from zoos (where they were well cared for) as well as from horrible conditions (road side "zoos" and the infamous Tiger King site). At Crown Ridge, they have found peace, love, and their forever home. The facility is smaller than other sanctuaries which allows you the opportunity to more closely observe the tigers which is great if you're traveling with children. (Side note: PLEASE check out the accreditation status of any place you visit! Unlike CRTS, there are plenty of pseudo sanctuaries out there! Never go to a place that allows unsafe animal "encounters.") The staff are very knowledgeable, hard working, and friendly. They take their time to answer any questions you might have. To further support their work, Crown Ridge also offers on-site lodging. Beautiful vistas, clean accommodations, and tigers! What's not to like! read more

We came here while we were in the St. Louis area. The surroundings are beautiful; the sanctuary and its associated facilities are tucked away in wide, rolling hills with amazing views. As far as we could tell from our tour the animals are happy and well taken care of, and the facility is properly accredited and licensed, but the animals are clearly just a gimmick to help draw visitors to the rest of the Crown Ridge conglomerate (restaurant, vineyards/winery, overnight cottages, etc). That said, we did try a bottle of their Fizzy Izzy root beer (named after one of the tigers) and buy a painting "painted" by Alexis, the resident lioness. It was a nice enough tour of their handful of cats, but I'd recommend going to a a dedicated sanctuary. read more

Very happy to spend the money to help the cats. That being said, it's definitely not what I'd expected. There are only 3 cats, 2 females, and one male Siberian tiger. The tour guide was sweet and knowledgeable, but it turned out be a walk past their habitats with a few facts about tigers. After walking past the habitats, you get a sample of Izzy root beer and a glimpse at the small gift shop. Honestly, I would have preferred to just donate the money of the entrance fee. read more

What a wonderful way to spend the day. We went on international tiger day and even though it was hot we truly enjoyed every minute. Recommend to everyone of all ages and plan on going back in the near future read more

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We had the early bird tour today at 10:00 am. Our male tour guide was the best! He was very knowledgeable and seemed to thoroughly enjoy his job. It was a fantastic tour full of much information. read more

We went in pretty much dead of winter--snow and ice everywhere.. That being considered we really enjoyed our tour. It isn't overly time consuming this is a partial day trip at most. The root beer is a nice touch. I'd like to try the restaurant or stay in one of the cabins. I commend what they are doing and if your interested go. It might be slightly overpriced but dang the things I've wasted more on... This is a good cause and nothing else like it near by. read more

I had an amazing time but I cannot find on the website a painting that the Tigers did