this animal park is absolutely a terrible for animals. the spider monkey is like a tall corn cage. little to no enrichment for these primates. they could easily plant a tree or bushes in the enclosure giving them enrichment similar to their native environment. the tortoise was worse. it is about 3-4ft in length. the enclosure is so small the tortoise can not move more than a foot. there is not adequate sun protection in its enclosure.there is no enrichment items available. read more

OMG this place was so much fun! All of the staff was extremely friendly love puff and cheetoh. read more

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Amazing place, the people are all incredibly friendly and know everything about the animals under their care. You can tell how well these animals are treated. They are all healthy looking and extremely interactive. They come right up to the bus on the safari. The guide was very informed and good at answering all questions as well as explaining everything as we passed. My favorite was Jumper. If you are ever in the area I highly recommend this place. I will absolutely be going back next time I'm in VA. Highlight of my whole trip. read more

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THIS PLACE IS AWESOME!!! We got to see, feed, & touch so many super cool animals. It's very hands on & interactive. The tour guide was very informative & did a great job with sharing her knowledge of the animals living there. It's reasonably priced & worth every penny. My husband was almost as excited as the little ones on the bus. He got to feed camels, a bison, & a giraffe, amongst others. I would love to go back & do this again in the near future. As I understand it, some of these animals are brought here to be rehabbed, then live out their lives in as natural a habitat as these folks can create. What a great endeavor for these folks to undertake. Rock on, Fort Chiswell Animal Park!! read more

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For a small local zoo we were impressed, don't expect lions and tigers but many field type animals, birds including zebra, emeu, lama, camel, giraffe, ostrich and more. Petting area and a short bus ride gets you close to the animals, allows you to feed most by hand at a small cost. Great for children and animal lovers of all ages. read more

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We stop in and what a great time our group of 9 had. Staff was so nice and friendly and the bus ride was a lot of fun. Puff the camel is so funny and knows how to get food! read more

Came across it on our way up to Bristol. Wasn't sure what to expect because I didn't do any research. I wanted to take time to rate our visit 5 Stars!!!! Super fun!! So unexpected! Friendly!! Will educate you, entertain you, and get you laughing!! read more

Fort Chiswell Animal Park - Feed a baby giraffe, camel, bison, .... so much more!! - Zoos Near Me - Max Meadows, Virginia

If you attend this park, which I will never do again, beware of Puff the camel. When you take the safari tour he is right there by the bus when boarding. If he sees you have food, whether it is in your hand or still in the bag, he will attempt to get it. He will go as far as sticking his whole head into the bus in order to get the food. When visiting the park I no sooner boarded the bus (7 seconds) when Puff stuck his head through the window attempting to grab the unopened bag of food I had sitting on my lap. The safari tour had not started. In fact, I was still in the process of seating my 5-year-old grandson. I did not see him coming. Unfortunately, Puff missed the bag and ended up biting my arm causing a bleeding cut. The pain was terrific. In quickly withdrawing my arm, I slammed my elbow into the seat causing nerve damage. I immediately went to the E.R. and over the next few weeks was seen by a neurologist. I incurred quite a few expenses. I did take the matter to court where I lost as the judge ruled that I assumed a risk when I went on the ride. I never felt that there was a risk of getting bitten within 7 seconds of entering the bus. That was not a risk I felt I had assumed. The judge also ruled that because there was a sign on the outgoing door warning me that I enter at my own risk, that the park was not liable. I never saw this sign as I went out the door quickly to catch up to my 3 grandchildren who had already exited the building. No one ever to told me to be sure and read the sign before entering the compound. No one also ever told me of the dangers I faced with the camel at any time. Puff's name was never spoken and I was never told how aggressive he could be. If they had done that I would have been on the lookout. The tour guide at the trial swore that she instructed me to place the food under the seat when I boarded the bus. I do not ever remember her saying this. Also, if I had the food to feed the animals why would I be placing it under the seat unless they knew the animal might do what he did. In conclusion, if you visit this park they will not be responsible for any injury that occurs. This animal is a danger to anyone who boards the bus and has food. Be especially careful with young children. I wouldn't want to see the same thing happen to any child as happened to me. read more

We went here for the first time today the kids had a blast! The animals looked happy and healthy and the staff was very friendly! Will return the next time we are in the area? read more

We brought the kids here and they loved it. Especially the birds talking to them. Feeding the animals on the bus tour was so much fun. And very entertaining with one of the camels....loved playing g game of "let me take all the food...and containers" lol. Kids had a great time. Will be back. read more

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Ricky (Driver) & Autumn (Guide where the best. Great place for families or children to visit. Very educational. Ricky (Driver) & Autumn (Guide where the best. Great place for families or children to visit. Very educational. Ricky (Driver) & Autumn (Guide where the best. Great place for families or children to visit. Very educational. read more

Driving home to New Jersey from Tennessee and found this place off I-81 and I do not regret it! The animals are very friendly and have plenty of room to roam around. The animals are very used to people and are very receptive to being pet and fed. The staff is great and knowledgeable! While waiting for the safari bus, you find yourself in the petting zoo with alpacas, llamas, deer, a tortoise, goats, monkeys, and birds, all of which are comfortable with you and easy to feed. The bus takes you to visit some of the larger animals, including zebras, bison, water buffalos, emus, and a camel named Puff. Puff is EXTREMELY outgoing and will take you by surprise with his boldness around people. Puff was rescued from a circus where he was starved to keep his humps from getting too large and he couldn't be in a better home now. I highly recommend stopping by and spending an afternoon with the animals when you're traveling along I-81. 5/5 stars!! read more

Fort Chiswell Animal Park - Llama in the petting zoo - Zoos Near Me - Max Meadows, Virginia

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This place goes on my top ten best experiences EVER. I am from CT and on a road trip with friends and we came across this safari park and petting zoo, where you can see, pet, and feed amazing animals! I pet a goat, a bison, a camel, an ostrich and so many more rare creatures I've only seen on tv! It was only $12!! The staff was genuinely HAPPY to see us enjoying ourselves and nothing seemed to burden them. The guide speaking and the man driving were full of useful and personal information about each animal and I was almost moved to tears by the opportunity to be so close and able to touch these magestic creatures! It is so far away from where I live, but I will absolutely be returning some day! read more

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We went on a Saturday and loved the staff and how much information they have about the animals. The camel when you first enter the bus is the sweetest and we got a good laugh from him. We will be back. read more

The animal park is the hidden gem at Ft Chiswell. You don't drive your vehicle (no dented hoods) you'll be driven in a modified school bus. You can buy food to feed the animals and that money goes to help support the park. It's a true family day. read more

If you only have time to visit one place in the area, make sure it's this safari. It was by far the best experience I had! For $12 you take an interactive bus tour where you get to see, pet and feed ($5 for a bag of animal feed) many exotic animals. There's also a petting zoo outside the gift shop where you can feed and pet animals while you wait for the tour. read more

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This place is awesome and a must if your are anywhere in the area. We started our visit walking around feeding the animals as we waited for the bus tour to come back. One monkey was extremely active looking for food, eating the peices of the watermelon he liked & spitting out the peices he didnt. Eventually finishing and playing with a big ball. I could have watched him for an hour alone. The Walabes were a little shy and we were only able to get a glimpse of one really hopping around. The deer and lamas were very friendly allowing us to feed them by hand and pet them. The two goats laid there waiting to be pet by those who walked by. Then the bus arrived to take us around. I expected to be able to feed some of the animals but definitely was not prepared for Puff, the Camel. If he saw you had food he came in the bus for it. After following us for quit some time he finally had his fill and rested in the barn. They had plenty of land for the animals to enjoy and it felt like were well cared for. read more

I love this place! Went with family, kids included, & everyone enjoyed it! There's a petting zoo area with animals that aren't very common. Then you can take a safari bus ride around the farm & camels, bison, wildebeest, zebras & more walk up to your bus window and you can feed them. It's a great overall experience for the southwest VA area! Not many people know about it so its not very busy, but it deserves all the attention it can get! read more

Fort Chiswell Animal Park - Can't get more unique than that!! - Zoos Near Me - Max Meadows, Virginia

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Oh my goodness! This place is awesome! We stopped here en route from Ohio to NC and it was so, so worth it! The petting zoo is great, animals are well socialized, loved that we could feed the giraffe for free on the way to the bus safari. The bus safari was amazing. The tour guide was a sweetheart and was funny. My kids loved her info! And the animals were so fun! The camels were particularly a hit and the ostriches were VERY brave! Also loved the water bison and piggies. We had a blast. We will definitely come by again when we're in the area. Stop reading this review, reroute your GPS to go there, and have fun! (You can thank me later...!) read more

This place is a must to stop by if you are in the area. Very relaxed and welcoming atmosphere. Take the the time to ride the bus tour. The animals on it are interactive and entertaining. Varied animals and great tour guide as well. If you are lucky you will see babies. read more

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Love this place! I have been twice now and look forward to visiting again. The animals appear happy and very well cared for. It is currently $12 admission and $5 for a sack of feed. I loved feeding the animals from the bus! read more

Today was our first visit. The staff are extremely friendly. The animals were great. All of them were very friendly. The entire experience was great. We live on a farm and love seeing exotic animals in this type of environment. It's definitely on our radar to visit again. read more