The Cameron Park Zoo in Waco is a fun zoo to visit, and definitely a must-do part of any daytrip in the area! My kids say the animals here have the most personality of any of the animals at the many zoos we’ve visited, and I think they are right! Razak, the orangutan baby, is just one of our very favorite zoo personalities!
Know Before You Go
Free Parking
There are two zoo cafes, but outside food and drink, other than water, are not allowed.
Strollers are available for rent at the zootique.
Pogo Pass
A Pogo Pass allows you 2 FREE visits to the Cameron Park Zoo! Click HERE for more information!
Asian Forest
We first visited the Cameron Park Zoo years ago to see their 2 Sumatran Tiger cubs, and although the cubs are now grown, it’s still our first stop. We love listening to them as they chuf around their enclosure, or call out to the lion in African Savannah exhibit.
Beyond the Tiger is the large Orangutan and Komodo Dragon habitat, and a fun, interactive exhibit for kids! We love the Orangutan exhibit because there is a fun enrichment item, a shower. If you stand under the shower, then baby Razak, who is very curious and funny, will often come over and pull the handle! He loves watching the kids expressions when they get wet!
The African Savannah exhibit houses lions, elephants, rhinoceros, giraffes and other african species! We loved watching the elephant, who came right up to the edge of her enclosure to wave at us!
We had more fun watching this funny rhinoceros, who was trying to scratch her belly on the rock behind her, and actually worked her way onto it, only to find she was balanced on her stomach and wasn’t able to touch the ground! She was a funny sight as she struggled there, with all four feet kicking in the air, but as soon as she worked herself down, she turned around and did it again!
The giraffe feeding station lets you feed the giraffes!
We were there to see the new baby giraffe, Zeke, on his first day on exhibit at the zoo, with his mother Penelope! He’s a doll and we can’t wait to watch him grow!
Enjoy watching all the African animals from high up at the Treetop Cafe!
Brazos River Country gives you a glimpse of animals that live here in Waco, and along the Brazos River all the way down to the coast. A large 50,000 gallon aquarium houses fish you would find in the Gulf of Mexico, and the Flower Garden National Marine Sanctuary, which lies 100 miles off the Texas coast. Flower Garden is named for the colorful coral growing atop salt domes. To read more about the Flower Garden National Marine Sanctuary, please click HERE.
Pass through an outdoor aviary filled with coastal birds, including brown and white pelicans, before seeing the large American Alligators on exhibit!
We all love the Cameron Park Zoo for their fun otter exhibit, which has a clear slide that goes through the otter’s water, and if you’re lucky the frisky otters will swim around the slide as you go down!
The Brown Bears are totally overshadowed by the flock of wild vultures that nest at the zoo! The birds don’t seem to bother the animals at all. Other animals in the Brazos River exhibit include ancient paddlefish, the largest snapping turtle I’ve ever seen and American Bison or Buffalo from the Texas Panhandle where the Brazos begins. See bats and other nocturnal animals at The Brazos at Night.
Grammy Nell’s is a fun playground to let the kids take a break and play. Animal presentations are given at the story stump.
Story Time
Join the zoo for their monthly storytime at the Ranch House. Dates are listed on their website.
Zoo Crew
Since my kids volunteer at the Dallas Zoo, I’m always interested in other zoo volunteer programs. The Cameron Park Zoo’s program is called Zoo Crew, and is from students from 14-17 years in age. For more information on this program, please click HERE.
Play
The Waco Mammoth National Monument is a 45 minute tour of the dig site of 23 mammoths and other “ice age” animals that appear to have been caught in a sudden flash flood. Click HERE for more information.
The Mayborn Museum on the Baylor Campus is one of our favorites, with many rooms for hands-on exploration, Texas natural history and the Governor Bill Daniel’s Frontier Village, with many old buildings to explore. For more information, click HERE.
Cameron Park is a wonderful park along the Brazos River in Waco. Hiking and biking trails, playgrounds, splash pads, disc golf and much more, plus scenic overlooks at Lovers Leap. Click HERE for more information.
Stay
BSR Cable Park is more than just a wakepark, with a long lazy river and 3 waterslides, including the Royal Flush! There are also cabins on the ground overlooking the cable lake and lemur island! Click HERE to read more.
Cameron Park Zoo
1701 North 4th Street, Waco
Click HERE to visit their website.
Keep Having Fun in the Texas Sun!
Michelle
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