Cherokee Trace Drive-Thru Safari, Jacksonville

I absolutely could NOT stop smiling! This place makes a zoo look boring. We had an incredible time! They gave us food to feed the animals & I bought some extra food because I'm a kid at heart, however, the amount they gave us would have been plenty. The animals are all so friendly & come right up to you. This is one of the best days of our road trip, by far! Absolutely go if you get the chance! You will not regret your decision!

We all had so much fun, we couldn't stop smiling. This is definitely one of the best safaris we've ever had. The animals are so calm and friendly. This is a must come place. No one of us regret driving 140miles here. It was a great trip!

What a nice little adventure. There are pros and cons but overall, i recommend if you’re in the area. I wouldn’t say it is worth a long commute if you’re driving for the sole purpose of coming here, however if you’re an hour away or so, I recommend. Pros: a decent amount of animal interaction, hands-on feeding of animals, the animals are lively and non-aggressive for the most part, there are certain areas for other cars to pass if needed, a gift shop and restroom in the “welcome center,” they give you one free bag of feed per paid customer, natural terrain that isn’t too difficult for smaller cars, hilarious donkeys, sweet llamas that like attention, Cons: a LOT of different varieties of deer… like other reviewers have stated, the vast majority of animals that are in this mini adventure are types of deer, not a big variety of other animals, for the money would’ve expected a longer “safari”, tiny gift shop with not much to choose from, workers there not very friendly or nice, bigger animals get in middle of road and don’t move at times, the restrooms were nasty but at least they had them available. The zebras were cute and friendly, the llamas were adorable, the camels were aggressive and stole a whole bag of food, so be warned, the big bird looks evil and is nosy, there are a few types that hop alongside your vehicle that are so funny and amusing. It’s not a mind-blowing experience but wasn’t all bad.

Such a fun place to visit! I’ve been several times and love it more with every trip there! It’s very well sized and gives you the opportunity to see everything without feeling rushed. The animals are both friendly and funny! They’re very personable and love coming up to your vehicle for pets and food! There’s also a nice little picnic area if you want to make a full day trip out of your visit!

So many animals! This was way fun, and definitely worth the trip. My son had a blast feeding the animals, and he is 12. I recommend coming at an off time, so you can do the drive through at your own pace.