Every time we go on vacation, we have to find a zoo. The Emerald Coast zoo did not disappoint. You…read morecan tell the animals are well cared for and the zoo grounds are extremely clean and well kept. This does not seem to be the norm with many small family run zoos in the US There is a large variety of animals some of which we've never seen in enlarged shoes and this is one of the few zoos we've been to where the animals are active and almost interact with visitors. While we were there, the lions that are penned together or playful and seemed interested in the humans on the other side of the fence. We fed the giraffes which include a young one who is very adorable. We also had a nice interaction with one of the zoo staff who was cleaning out the porcupine pen. She was very informative and was willing to answer questions about the porcupines and gave us some information about other animals that we would encounter in the zoo. Overall, it was a good experience and we would highly recommend the zoo to people who enjoy learning about animals or just want something different to do. On a fun note we appreciated that the signage told us the names of some of the animals like two emus named Karen and water buffaloes named fast and slow, if you're a fan of Veggietales, you'll get that last reference.

Great small experience zoo, this isn't your big zoo where they really push spending on you and…read moreeating places. 1/4 of it is designed for you to feed all sorts of animals and have an alpaca cut all the other animals off when feeding them lol. The giraffe feeding was fun and they have a great small display of all sorts of animals. If you want a quick 2 hours zoo and have some kind people to talk to where your time is yours alone. This place is perfect and local.

Not entirely a fan of the park itself, there just isn't much to see. Definitely time your visit so…read moreyou can watch the shows and interact with the sea lions, birds and reptiles, and dolphins or you'll be finished fairly quick, so stick around and get your moneys worth. With that being said, we actually visited so our 8 year old could swim with the dolphins for her birthday. Absolutely the most amazing experience! We lucked up and she was the only one for her time slot, so she got lots of dolphin attention. The trainer was incredibly kind and patient with her and answered all millions of her questions. So while the rest of the park is unfortunately a tourist trap, I highly recommend these programs!

Great place for a hands on experience with animals and trainers. Loved getting up close to animals…read moreyou man never see normally. My kids loved the stingray exhibit where you had the opportunity to not only touch them but also feed them ($5). The trainers did wonderful timed presentations on each animal throughout the facility. Loved hearing their names and the back story of how the animals came to the facility. The dolphin exhibit is large with a theater like stadium for shows. They offer swim with the dolphins experience for an extra charge. A concession stand and store for souvenirs also available.

New year's re-zoo-lution? More family time at the Gulf Breeze Zoo!…read more The zoo is impressively clean. The animals & their habitats are all very well-cared for. My 1 and 2 year old toddlers enjoyed the train ride (about 15-minutes long), the "feeding zone" (they fed the camels, giraffes, goats, and pigs). I was also thankful for the two playgrounds within the zoo. One playground is for the younger toddlers while the other is much taller for the older kiddos. The zoo also offers animal encounters for the giraffes, indian rhinos, hippo, sloth, alligator, and galapagos tortoise. I'm hoping to try the sloth encounter during our next visit. We had such a great time at the Gulf Breeze Zoo & look forward to returning!

A really fun zoo experience. We found so many animals that are fun to interact with and see. We…read morewere really sad to miss the ginormous bull. But we found a giant Koi on this trip and the new, reimagined bird area where you get to interact with so many birds is great! Bring a hat, wear your sunscreen, neck fans, and maybe even a SPF umbrella, but there is ample shade!

What a wonderful experience with amazing sightings of dolphins. The sunset made the experience…read moremagical. Our Captain Gene was fantastic and knowledgeable. Spend the money and book it today.

Awesome and so worth it. The unanimous highlight of our PCB trip. Braxton was the 'man' and took us…read moreto some great spots to see dolphins (lots of them) and clear waters to snorkel in. Mornings are best and boat ride was so pleasant. Everyone loved it!

We visited the Gulfarium in Fort Walton Beach and absolutely loved it! There was so much to see,…read moreincluding sea turtles, stingrays, penguins, alligators, sea lions, dolphins, and many other amazing animals. One of the things my hubby and I loved the most is that the Gulfarium also serves as a rehabilitation center for marine life. Many animals are treated and released back into the ocean whenever possible, while others that could not survive in the wild are given a safe and caring home. We saw a sea turtle with two missing flippers, which was both heartbreaking and made us happy at the same time since it wouldn't stand a chance to live in the wild. We watched both the sea lion and dolphin shows, and they were great. It was so nice to see that the trainers genuinely care about the animals. The animals were rewarded with plenty of treats, attention, and affection throughout the presentations. My favorite part of the entire visit was seeing the manatees. I had only ever seen them in pictures before, and I completely fell in love. They are such gentle, peaceful, and beautiful creatures. I could have watched them all day!

Here's an updated version with your added feedback included:…read more We visited Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park in Fort Walton Beach and really enjoyed the self-guided walk through the park. We saw stingrays, dolphins, penguins, manatees, turtles, crocodiles, pelicans, snakes, lizards, frogs, and many other animals. Even though we missed the scheduled shows, there was still plenty to see and enjoy at our own pace. One of the best parts was learning that they care for many rescue animals and help rehabilitate and release them back into the ocean when possible. It was great seeing a place focused on marine animal rescue and conservation. The park was family friendly and easy to walk through, with lots of close-up animal encounters. The reason for 4 out of 5 stars instead of 5 is that some of the animal habitats and viewing areas were not very well maintained. A few tanks had noticeable algae buildup, which made it difficult to clearly see some of the animals. Overall though, we still had a good experience and would recommend visiting if you are in the Fort Walton Beach area.

This was an amazing experience to pet these wolves, they are sweet gentle creatures who return…read morekisses for some belly rubs. Unfortunately it is saddened they are going through some legal issues with the new owner. Let's hope they win the battle and these wolves don't lose their homes or even their lives

Incredible!!! The staff are fantastic with all creatures and patients with all humans. These…read morewolves are living in their own environment and allow us to engage with them freely. They are intelligent, strong, independent and affectionate. Most of all, they are curious. The staff keep everyone safe and the entire event is exceptionally well organized. I highly recommend this event to anyone who cares about animals.

An interactive, fun experience for families that have young children. I even noticed preteens…read morehaving a blast. Unfortunately, for myself and my family we were sold on this idea of a pretty cool pirate ship that tours the island of Destin. Not at all with this ship does. This cruise is solely intended to entertain children while you explore a small area of the waters for example passing crab Island starting just a short distance away from Harbor Walk. We were lucky enough to see a dolphin take a quick flip above water, but if you blinked and missed it, which some people in my group did, then you missed it but it's not advertised as part of the experience so for those of us that saw it, we were lucky. I do find that there are many dolphins and you get to see them probably any day you're on the water. The ship is exceptionally clean, and I loved the laboratory facilities. Not your typical tiny bathrooms that you find on a boat. We did order the fast on boarding Tickets, which I did not feel were necessary. No one asked us for it and when we got to the ship, we were instructed to walk to the front just like everybody else and had to wait for one family to board ahead of us as they only board one group at a time. In my mind that family did not have a fast on boarding, however, who knows. We were not asked for the Pass and there was no line or sign to indicate what side to stand on if you had a fast on boarding. Maybe this is more valuable during peak season but definitely not now.

We had a great time on the cruise! Brought the family to Destin and my girls wanted my grandson to…read moreexperience a Pirate Cruise like they did when they were little. It was outstanding. The staff were all helpful and entertaining to all onboard that I saw. Interacting with as many guest as possible. Cracking jokes, dancing with the kids, training them to be a "Pirate". I would highly suggest this place for more than just the cruise. They are outstanding believers in Jesus Christ and also support missions. I am sure your family would enjoy everything about it.

Amazing place - definitely worth the visit. Call ahead to book a private tour and you're be glad…read moreyou did.

If you love big cats(Panthers, Mtn Lions) down to the smaller ones(Bobcats, Serbals, Jaguarundi's)…read morethen this is MUST SEE!! It is very well run and all the volunteers are very knowledgeable about the cats and facility as a whole. The owners(Bertie and Jim) are the sweetest people you will meet and they treat you like family from the time you enter the facility. You will not be disappointed.