Lion Country Safari, Florida opened in 1967,
in rural Western Palm Beach County.
At the time it was the first drive-through safari park in the country and introduced a new concept to animal lovers, “The Cageless Zoo.” The opening generated enormous interest on the part of residents, visitors to South Florida, and the media. The park developed into a popular and successful attraction.
Lion Country Safari was originally developed by a group of South African and British entrepreneurs who wanted to bring the experience of an African game park, then and now an expensive and time-consuming trip, to families who would otherwise not be able to experience an African safari. South Florida and Western Palm Beach County proved to be an ideal location for the park due to its year-round outdoor climate, plentiful land, a growing population and tourists who visit from all over the world.
Today, Lion Country Safari is home to over 900 animals in the drive-through preserve and in the Safari World exhibit area. Among the more notable species on display at the park are lions, white rhino, chimpanzees, zebra, and giraffe.
Safari World, the walk-through area of the park, has been developed and improved since the park opened. The restaurant and gift shops were among the earlier additions. The giraffe feeding; Ferris wheel; water sprayground; petting zoo; merry-go-round; boat rides; aviaries; bird, reptile, alligator, and squirrel monkey exhibits added over the years, have greatly enhanced the visitors’ experience at the park. The KOA Campground was opened in the 1980′s to provide overnight accommodation for visitors. Lion Country Safari has a four-mile drive-through preserve, over 200 campsites, 6 stores, 3 food outlets, a sewer plant, a veterinary hospital, an animal demonstration theater, gas station, and 170 employees who work to care for animals, and who maintain and operate the facility. It also offers a number of educational programs for school, scout, and tour groups, as well as a summer day camp.
In its 40th year of operation, Lion Country Safari-Florida is one of South Florida’s leading attractions and Palm Beach County’s largest tourist attraction. Hundreds of thousands of people visit Lion Country Safari every year to experience the thrill of eye-ball-to-eye-ball viewing of magnificent animals in a natural open environment.