News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
From: Michelle Rushing
Zoofari Parks
Corporate Marketing
(850) 380-3113
Virginia Safari Park Opens March 7 for 2026 Season
Park Returns to USA TODAY 10Best Safari Park Ballot after 2025 Top 10 Finish
Natural Bridge, Va. (February 9, 2025) – Families eager for a spring outdoor adventure can roll down their windows and come face-to-face with hundreds of free-roaming animals when the Virginia Safari Park opens for the 2026 season on Saturday, March 7, barring inclement weather.
After earning a Top 10 finish in the 2025 USA TODAY 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards for Best Safari Park, Virginia Safari Park has once again been nominated in the 2026 USA TODAY 10Best Safari Park category.
“Being named a USA TODAY 10Best Safari Park last year was especially meaningful because it came directly from reader votes,” said Rick Mogensen, park director. “As we begin a new season, we’re excited to welcome families back and offer the kind of hands-on, memorable wildlife experiences that make a visit here unlike any other.”
The Virginia Safari Park, always a perennial favorite, has once again been nominated as one of the top safari parks in the United States in the 2025 USA TODAY 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards.
“We’re thrilled that 10Best recognizes the Park’s commitment to provide exceptional visitor experiences, whether through the safari feeding experiences, from our unforgettable animal encounters in the Safari Village to our extensive conservation efforts,” said Mogensen.
Voting is open through Monday, March 9 at 11:59 a.m. Eastern. Readers can vote once per day at https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/virginia-safari-park-natural-bridge-virginia/.
Virginia Safari Park features three miles of drive-through wildlife viewing, allowing guests to observe and feed hundreds of animals roaming freely in a natural setting from the comfort of their own vehicle. Wagon rides are available on weekends, offering another way to experience the safari. Animals include elk, bison, ostriches, zebra and a wide variety of deer and antelope—many of which are rare or endangered.
The Park’s Safari Village, a walk-through zoo area, is home to tigers, penguins, giraffes, a kangaroo walkabout, a large budgie feeding aviary, primates and more. Virginia Safari Park is also the only place in the United States where visitors can see the rare king cheetah.
Opening Details
When: Saturday, March 7
Times: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with the last vehicle out by 5 p.m.
Price: $28.95 for adults, $21.95 for children and $26.95 for seniors
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About Virginia Safari Park
Virginia Safari Park is a 180-acre drive-through wildlife adventure featuring more than 1,000 animals from around the world. Conveniently located just off I-81 at Exit 180/180B, the Park is open daily March through November beginning at 9 a.m.Visit www.virginiasafaripark.com for tickets, hours, events and updates.
About Zoofari Parks
Zoofari Parks – through its Virginia Safari Park, Gulf Breeze Zoo, Alabama Safari Park and Texas Zoofari Park, is dedicated to wildlife conservation through public education, captive breeding programs, habitat preservation, and providing financial aid and assistance to projects in the field. Funding for conservation programs is made possible through the continued support of zoo guests. Conservation is fundamental in our daily operations and visitors are encouraged to join us in making a difference on this journey.
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Photo credit: Virginia Travel Corporation
