For its intended purpose Luray Zoo is an excellent afternoon for the entire family. I had known the zoo had been there for a number of years. I had refused to visit because I know there are too many small zoos all over the country that keep animals captive only as a tourist side show. The Luray Zoo is different. The large animals and raptors are for the most part rescue animals. Either born is captivity or found in the wild injured. All seem well taken care of. My son had a great time. Mark the owner took time to answer all of his questions. All in all the whole family had a great time. Admission is reasonable and a well stocked gift shop is also reasonably priced. Recommended. read more

I would give zero stars if I could. The enclosures for the animals appear way too small. The grounds were unkempt and dirty. Overall, it was not a good experience and we were only there for about 10 minutes because the feeling of the place was depressing. I would absolutely not recommend this "rescue" to anyone. read more

I really don't understand how people give this place four or five stars. Yes, it's a rescue zoo but what kind of "rescue" zoo keeps their animals in small and inadequate cages and enclosures? If they really wanted to help these animals, they would donate them to a much larger zoo that could cater to their environmental needs. The animals look so depressed. The tiger just paces back and forth all day in the smallest cage ever. They don't even have anything for the tiger to do. As for the birds, it seems like a lot of their cages aren't even big enough for their wings to span out all the way. What a sad place. I don't see how it has made it this long. Probably because Luray Cavern tourists are bored and are trying to figure out what else there is to do in the area. Here's the awnser: nothing! read more

Loved the rescue zoo! What a great place to see the animals. The staff were awesome with the animals and I felt that it def. has it's purpose and place. Kind of like the SPCA of zoo animals. read more

Awesome place! Don't be deceived by the front, this us a spacious location with reptiles, mammals and birds. Family run establishment with individuals who are looking out for the best of each of their animals. It's worth it to do the encounter package! read more

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It's a small zoo, but far more interesting than the front would lead you to believe. All the animals are rescues, and the owners are there and clearly care a lot about them. The best part is the snake exhibit, with a large number of different species. read more

This awesome place is a rescue zoo and a great way to spend a couple hours in Luray. If you're lucky, you'll get a chance to meet Mark and Jennifer, the owners. They are amazing, magnetic and dynamic people. You will be amazed at the things you learn from them. They have animal shows and a petting area. They raised a family of monkeys and Jennifer can actually talk to them! The one and only Crocodile Hunter actually borrowed some of their snakes for his show! This is a definite can't-miss. read more

I like that the Luray Zoo is a rescue zoo for retired, unwanted, and abused animals. It has about 250 animals, such as monkeys, snakes, and farm animals. The zoo is privately owned. The admission price is currently $10 or less, depending on your age. I enjoyed feeding grass to some animals. The animals looked happy in their enclosed spaces. I give three stars because the zoo does not have as many animals as some other zoos have. read more

I TOTALLY RESPECT what this facility is doing and I understand it's a rescue zoo but actually rescue/take care of them. At least 4 cages without water in 92 degree heat. Left a turtle stuck in a big bowl of water that was obviously trying to get out but couldn't. Even after a person had said something to a team member about the situation. Definitely NO space for the animals IN their cages. a giant turtle in a small tank with no room at all. some of the goats were starving for food. However again, totally RESPECT what they are doing. But if you don't make a lot of money to support the business AND animals maybe give some animals to another rescue facility that can properly take care of them and build your way up. Also only two employees were seen doing absolutely nothing. If you want to rescue bigger animals, make sure you have size appropriate habitats. read more

Beautiful animals you won't see anywhere else close by! The owner is very intelligent, fascinating, and he clearly knows (and loves) his animals. Highly recommend! Come in and see the magnificent timber rattler and the black mamba! read more

What a wonderful experience! Even living around the corner, I truly appreciate this zoo for everything that it is. The owners are wonderful, and the staff truly cares about the animals. I would definitely bring anyone here! read more

Just got back from this place earlier today,and i have to say this is one of the best animals/zoo experience i have ever had. First of all this is a rescue zoo and people have to understand that these guys have no fund whatsoever from government.They pay all the expenses from the zoo fees and the small gift shop at the entrance and occasional sponsors.With that said the animals are really well taken care of,i saw the gators and tiger feeding and it was good meats,so they actually spend good money on it. The petting zoo area was awesome with deers,goats,an actual emu,camel,potbelly pig,and a couple of huge yak and they are so friendly. there's some reviews out there about this place being cruel to animal because of the small cages,but i think mark(the owner) did a good job with using the space and shades from heat.This zoo really gave these animals 2nd chance at life.Some of these animals are really old,injured and unwanted and whats better than giving them a loving people who takes care of them. There's a few must see animals here that you should check out.Most of the snakes are amazing and resourceful.The alligator turtle i have NEVER see anywhere else before is as big large lawnmower is a gift from the late Steve Irwin himself and predicted to be around 150 years. i could go on and on about this amazing place but i will tell you one last thing,DO NOT JUDGE THIS PLACE BASED ON THE ENTRANCE.It is quite small but it is a wonderful zoo and to learn about animals.DEFINITELY RECOMMENDED. :D read more

Luray Zoo - The huge aligator turtle - Zoos Near Me - Luray, Virginia

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Although I appreciate that they rescue animals, the exhibits are entirely too small! I felt sorry for all of the animals, not much of a life. They did have plenty of hand washing stations which was good. The guy that sold us the tickets was wearing mask, as he should. But there was an other man with a young child(girl) behind the counter when we left & neither had masks, unacceptable! This zoo needs much larger and more natural exhibits for all of the animals. Basically pretty depressing. read more

My boyfriend and I spent an afternoon here and had a really great time. We listened to a venomous snake demo from Mark and I learned enough to diminish my fear of snakes in the wild. The collection of animals was very diverse, and the petting zoo included goats, llamas, rheas, emus, donkeys, and a female deer. There was a staff member in the petting zoo who answered questions and watched over the animals as visitors interacted with and fed them. A highlight of the visit was seeing a mother wallaby with a tiny baby in her pouch. As we were watching her in her enclosure and admiring a Kookaburra in the neighboring space, Mark came by and shared some of his knowledge with us. Since I am a bird lover, I think that the parrots could have used a few more treats and toys. I agree with another post that I saw that said that the zoo's structures could use some TLC, but I also saw construction happening as I was there, so maybe they are already on it. You can tell from talking to Mark and the employees that the facility is well-run and that the animals are cared for. If you want to see big changes, donate your time or some money to the zoo! Here's their Amazon wish list: http://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/2AXZ583KO5P36/ref=cm_sw_su_w read more

So after spending a morning at Luray Caverns, which was absolutely breathtaking, we decided to spend some time exploring the area and came across the Luray Zoo, which is a rescue zoo that is funded primarily through entrance fees and host shop sales. The owner, Mark is obviously very passionate about his animals and shared some of his personal thoughts about snakes and his orphaned animals. As previous reviews have indicated -- this a small facility and not fancy, but inside you will perhaps see one of the finest snake and reptile exhibits that would rival any zoo. This impressive array at the beginning of the entrance leads into a small outside area featuring a eclectic assortment of animals, including a tiger, various monkeys (loved Bella) and birds. The family really enjoyed learning about each animals journey to the Luray Zoo. Beyond that section was a small petting zoo. I recommend buying some feed from the gift shop area, as the goats really loved being fed by us. The family loved the Bennett Wallaby -- and it inspired us to learn more about the differences between them and kangaroos. Circling back through the main area, Mark was absolutely delightful. Once you realize how dedicated he is to his Zoo, having built all of the enclosures himself, while running a small business with limited help -- it inspired us to give more, including buying more merchandise from the gift shop. Seeing someone so dedicated to saving animals was the cherry on top to a totally awesome day in Luray! read more

We stopped here on our trip and were a little concerned by the cost of the admission based on the appearance on the outside of the zoo. But we were very wrong. The zoo is very well maintained and there are plenty of animals to look at. The animals seem happy and well loved by the people at the rescue. My son loved feeding the goats at the petting zoo. The were super friendly and a little aggressive (well some of them). Thankfully it was a feed them through the fence situation. Very nice zoo. read more

Amazing collection of venomous snakes, this is a privately owned animal rescue, animals are well loved, cared for and feed. We meet the rascal goat who was a escape artist. The owner very graciously took the time to answer our questions. The bengal tiger loves him, he found the eagle for us, woke the cobra up! He has the only female condor privately owned in USA. The little monkey gave us a show:) read more

Just did the after hours discovery tour with the owner(Mark). This experience was awesome. He knew every aspect of each animal and taught our family so much about the various species of animals. Learned so much about the various reptiles, birds, monkeys, cats, etc., that we never knew. A great learning experience. So worth the money. He is much more than a zoo keeper. He knows the history of each animal both before and after they came to his care. Some of the animals have been there for decades. read more

Wonderful Luray Zoo is a rescue but who will rescue the animals from Luray? One of the most depressing places I have ever been. The animal enclosures are way too small. In the reptile house the snakes and such are in small tanks without any sanctuary, nothing to climb or hide under. There was a wallaby in an enclosure that was about 3-4 feet in diameter. He looked so depressed. The enclosures looked liked they hadn't been cleaned in sometime. The only animals there that looked like they were thriving were the goats and that is probably in thanks to the patrons buying feed. I would not recommend, even my granddaughter who is 12 left there depressed. read more

It is a small rescue zoo that is right off of the main road. Perfect for families, adults, kids, everyone. Very unassuming from the outside and amazing inside! Our family, including 2 and 5-year olds, loved our entire experience. Greeted by the passionate owner when we arrived. Wide variety of beautiful and exotic reptiles - vipers, cobras, python, rattlesnakes, iguana, bearded dragon, snapping turtle, alligator turtle. Outside, the porcupines, birds, lemurs, monkeys. It was sad to learn that the beautiful tiger recently peacefully passed away, was a part of the family and the empty enclosure was still in tact memorializing the magnificent animal. Missed the alligator feeding, but happened upon a snake show by the owner who shared a lot of fun facts and gave the audience ample time to interact with and hold the snake. We will be back! read more

I'd rate this place somewhere between a 2 and a 3. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and go with a 3. We purchased tickets from the front desk person who was absolutely no help. After paying, I wasn't sure if we needed tickets, where to go, etc. He just stood there and looked at me while I waited for whatever came next. When nothing happened, we walked around the store, not sure what we were supposed to do. He finally realized we had no clue what was going on and gave us general directions. Not very helpful or friendly, that's for sure! I agree that a lot of the animals looked very sad in their enclosures. Some were happy for the attention, while others simply didn't want to be bothered. There was an area for shows, but nothing was going on. Workers were busy cleaning and no one was really available for questions. The goats were by far my favorite part. They tend to stick to the feeding areas, but sometimes wander around the facility. After we fed them, they followed us everywhere, probably hoping for more food. I can appreciate that the money goes back into the zoo so I'll overlook the high admission cost (for what it is), but the unfriendlessness of staff and overall depressing state of the "zoo" make it unlikely we'll go back. read more

Excellent little zoo! The staff were friendly, passionate, and knowledgeable. They certainly are doing an amazing job with what they have, rescuing these beautiful animals. Great for all ages, especially the petting zoo. Def don't visit Luray without going - plan on spending about 1.5 to 2 hours or so. To be honest, we enjoyed it more than the Caverns! read more

We took our first trip to Luray Caverns this past weekend and on our last day there we visited the Luray Zoo. We really liked it. They have a lot of reptiles when you first go in, especially snakes, then outside they have a porcupine, monkeys, a tiger, a petting zoo where the goats get out and run around, especially if you buy food for them, and then other animals like a peacock and falcon, We met the owner, Mark. He was very down to earth and talked to us for a while. read more

Neat little zoo. Great reptile collection and petting zoo. Staff friendly and enthusiastic. Well worth the time.

I absolutely love this place. In all fairness I am a huge fan of snakes. And they have by far the best collection I've ever seen. The staff is very friendly and the owner is great. He's gone out of his way to talk to us everytime we are there. This is a rescue zoo and as such, it is a small zoo. But they still have an impressive collection of animals. I can not recommend this place enough. It's a must see if your near Luray. read more

The animals look well taken care of, the staff were knowledgeable and extremely friendly. Also one of the staff members saw how interested we were in the animals and brought us little animals to pet and interact with like a baby owl and a porcupine! He was wonderful. I definitely recommend coming here especially since it's a rescue zoo. read more

Today we went to the Luray zoo and we had a great time, the only down side we had was the tiger had just passed away. That is actually what we came there for. But we were looking at Bella one of the monkeys and that was the funniest thing ever, she would run up and body slam the cage door. The first time we saw it it definitely scared us. She also curled up in her little blanket and was adorable. Then when we went to the Goats they were super cute. read more

This zoo is the best. Amazing animals, clearly loved by their handlers, and the owner and everybody there were awesome. I love that they are a rescue for animals that are unwanted. It's so heartwarming to see the animals find a good home. I went to Luray for the caverns, but this was the highlight of my trip. read more

Great place! They are doing a wonderful job taking care of otherwise neglected animals. We have been to a lot of fancier zoos, but in Luray, the animals were more active and engaged than any others we've seen. Don't expect something like the national zoo, but go in with an open mind and you'll see they do a great job at what they do! My family especially loved the reptiles, and we all loved Bella and Mr. Blueberries! read more

This is an amazing little zoo. All the animals are rescues, meaning they have come from people's homes who couldn't have an exotic pet, or from other zoos or even in the wild where they needed a home for the pets. We got to talk with the owner, who was very knowledgeable and welcoming. Watching the monkeys play was a highlight, as was the petting zoo! Do not let the outward appearance or the cost turn you away, it's worth it and the money helps to rescue more animals! read more

My fiancé and I loved our trip here. All of the animals are rescue animals and seem comfortable and well-fed. There is a tiger, porcupine, a huge buzzard, a mountain lion, capuchin monkeys, and many other animals. In the morning you can watch the monkeys eat their breakfasts of fresh fruits and it's so cute! Definitely recommend. Make sure to check out the huge alligator turtle in the reptile room! He was donated to the Luray Zoo by Steve Irwin himself! So cool. read more

What a cool place! Took our 2 year old there and she loved everything about it! She loved going "through the alligators mouth" to get inside. It was really interesting to see each of the rescue animals stories. Bella the macaque was by far our favorite animal! She greeted us with a smile and showed us all of her tricks each time we passed by her. The goats were fun to feed and one followed us around almost the whole time. The guy whose path we crossed several times (Mark, I'm guessing) was very knowledgeable and friendly. He kept his distance until we asked questions and then responded with lots of interesting facts. After reading the other reviews, I was prepared for a lecture or rudeness but received the exact opposite! Perhaps it was because we were respectful of the animals and their homes. Our 2 year is very excitable and energetic but when she screamed, we reminded her that screaming would scare the animals and she quieted down. We spent probably 2 hours there and only left because it started raining. We will definitely go back if we're in the area again. read more

I have been coming here for 20 + years and have always enjoyed my time here. Today was the first time my wife has been with me and she enjoyed it greatly! It was so neat to see someone seeing this all for the first time. The park is a very intimate time and it's best to take your time and enjoy the multiple facets available. I will always be a patron of this establishment. Mark truly does a great job taking care of all the animals and when you speak with him you know he loves what he does and that this isn't a job for him, but a way of life. read more

This is a small zoo right on 211 outside of town. What is good about visiting here is that it is a rescue facility, so the admission money is going towards saving these animals. Nice reptile house and a cool selection of other animals, including a bengal tiger that the owner talked to us about. The owners are friendly and will tell you about all of the animals. The only thing I would mention is that when we went, fewer animals where there because of the cooler weather. Probably better to go when the weather is warmer, in the summer. read more

Worth a visit. My 3 yr old son loved it. Stayed about an hour. Lots of snakes. The owner is animated.

They do a great job for a rescue zoo. They treat their animals as their family and take very good care of them. Our time at the zoo was very nice. The staff was super friendly. read more

We visit zoos whenever we get a chance. I have seen some small zoos that literally leave you sick to your stomach. This place is not one of them. I am very impressed by the diversity of the collection and the condition of the animals. It is obvious that they are well taken care of. The staff that we interacted with were friendly and helpful. While the grounds were not as "polished" as the bigger zoos, the animals more than made up for it. The reptile collection is quite diverse with animals that you do not normally see in US zoos. While it will be a while before we get back to the area. We will probably visit again when we do. read more

How can you not be amazed by these wonderful animals? I've never been so close to a tiger. and I got to feed a baby wallaby!

The animals seem to be clean and healthy, and there are a fair number to see, but there's very little space for them, and there doesn't seem to be enough stimulation for them. A number of the snake cages had absolutely nothing in them but the snake. Notably, when we were there today, the entire reptile area smelled like sewage. It was really nasty. read more

Not really a true zoo, but great for the area. Have been on several of our wedding anniversaries to LZ which is about 35 miles from us. The staff is always friendly and helpful. The zoo keeper is very knowledgable. The animals seem to enjoy their life there. It's actually a nice get away in Luray. read more