After a long drive across Arizona this was the perfect stop to stretch our legs and explore before heading to our hotel for the evening. We weren't sure what to expect only that it had been recommended to us by a friend. When we arrived at Bearizona Wildlife Park we were greeted at the drive through window by an amazing employee, with who we communicated that we would like to begin our adventure at the Wild Ride bus tour. At this time she got on her walkie talkie and asked the bus to wait for us. To find customer service of this level now days is unheard of so anytime I experience it I have to praise them.
The Wild Ride follows the same path as the drive-through area you can take with your own car. So if you are uncomfortable driving your own vehicle through you can hop on the Wild Ride and sit back and relax. There are a couple of advantages you get by taking the Wild Ride. The entire ride includes an educational tour by one of the parks employees which gives you a great orientation to the entire park. I found the best part of taking the Wild Ride is that I could take pictures of all of the animals through an open window. When you drive your own car through your windows must be closed for a large amount of time. The Wild Ride is also included in your admission to the park so it really all depends on how much time you have to spend in the park.
Our Wild Ride ended just in time for us to hurry over and catch the Raptor Free Flight Program. As we have seem dozens of Raptor shows in the past I was not too excited about this part of our visit. Jaxon chose the very last row in the back because he wanted to be able to see the raptors fly over our heads. As we sat there and they repeatedly explained the safety rules for attending the show. I was not prepared for our next experience as we listened and watched a Harrison Hawk take flight and head directly for our heads I actually ducked out of pure reaction. It was an amazing show and my personal favorite moment of our entire visit.
We then walked the remainder of the park on paved paths that took us past a wide range of different animals from the area. The animals were some of the most active I have ever seen even during my early morning visits to our local zoos.
As we strolled through the path we came to a large building that housed a gift shop and a well themed restaurant that I wish we had saved our appetite for. The only picture I took is below, and it does not do the area justice. We quickly passed through on our way to the outside patio that over looked the jaguar exhibit. If I ever have the opportunity to return I will plan to spend a leisurely lunch or dinner here enjoying the atmosphere.
As we were exiting the restaurant area Jaxon caught an exciting opportunity out of the corner of his eye. A women was walking around conducting a meet and greet with a resident Bearded Dragon. For children to have the opportunities to meet animals up close, see all the details they would otherwise miss in the wild and ask questions about the animal is such an educational experience. Not having to fight for a spot near a stage just to be lost in the crowd is so much more meaningful to a young child. I truly wish more wildlife locations would incorporate this in their visits.
Once we returned to our car we decided to take the scenic route and drive the entire wildlife park in our own vehicle. After taking the wild ride it just was not as exciting as I expected. As you drive through the animals are separated by fences and gates. Periodically throughout the drive they have stations set up for employees to be able to monitor the situation and make sure all the guests are following the rules. The one advantage to driving your own vehicle is you are able to stop inside some of the enclosures to watch the wildlife. As the bears are extremely active and mischievous you are not able to stop but must constantly be driving forward within their enclosures.
We have been to a couple drive through wildlife parks during road trips and by far this location had the most variety of activities offered. It was a nice combination to be able to take a bus tour, catch a show and stretch our legs all in one location. The animals were extremely active even in the afternoon sun which was wonderful. So many times I find myself at a zoo in the afternoon wondering why I didn't come first thing in the morning so that I could actually see the animals and not another empty exhibit. After a long drive this truly was our oasis waiting to entertain our tired minds.