Fort Chiswell Animal Park 276-637-6754 569 Red Hollow Road Max Meadows, VA 24360 jt@fortchiswellanimalpark.com Hours: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 10am - 6pm Monday - Thursday 10am - 4pm Last bus tour leaves one hour prior to closing Hours are weather permitting Ticket Prices Adults- $10.00 Children (12 and under)- $8.00 Children under 2 are free Fort Chiswell Animal Park provides a rare opportunity to interact with animals from six continents. Nestled in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, it's a place where you and your family can reconnect with the amazing world of nature. The petting zoo and display area is a delight for all ages and the adventure begins when you board the Safari Bus. Your tour guide will enhance your experience as you travel through the Outback and come face-to-face with animals from around the world. If you'd like to feel an eland's horns, touch a zebra's stripes, or smell a bison's breath, Fort Chiswell Animal Park is the place to be! Bring your camera to capture your wild encounters and don't forget your "zoo chow"--you'll need it to appease the ostrich! Fort Chiswell Animal Park also welcomes Birthday Parties, School Groups, and Church Outings. Call ahead to schedule your group and receive the group discount with a group of 15 or more. Reviewed by: Ashlee VanMeter Fort Chiswell Animal Park offers a real up-close experience with a whole variety of animals. They have animals as familiar as friendly goats and as exotic as zebras and wildebeests. As we turned into the park and pulled up the drive, blackbuck antelope ran along the fence line of the front pasture. Inside, there was a gift shop, concession stand, and the ticket counter as well as three friendly rabbits and a lazy ferret. Be sure to buy a bag of "zoo chow", most of the animals will eat right out of your hand. The safari bus leaves at the top of the hour, and the goats in the petting zoo are happy to entertain you until the bus arrives. While we waited, we watched capuchin monkeys eat oranges and strawberries. They love to play catch with anyone who has a peanut to toss. There was a mama llama and her baby, both were happy to walk up to us for a scratch on the head and a handful of zoo chow. The two East African crowned cranes stood gracefully by the pond, they were both a little camera shy. The goats, on the other hand, were not at all shy. They would sit beside you on the bench and follow you around like puppies. There was a sweet old white shaggy dog that kept watch over all the animals in the petting zoo. When we boarded the safari bus Harvey the dog got in line to go along for the ride. We were immediately greeted by Humphrey the camel who stuck his head in the windows looking for a snack. Humphrey is gentle, but he will try to steal your whole cup of feed-so hold on tight. As the bus slowly pulled away, the persistent Humphrey followed along with his head still inside the windows. The ostrich approached next, they were curious and poked their heads inside the windows. Heidi, our guide, introduced all of the animals as we encountered them. The most exciting thing that day was the newborn eland that was less than a day old. He was wobbly on his long legs when he tried to stand. Further into the park, we met Cody the American bison. He was raised by people after his mother died giving birth and he is very sociable. Cody was the funniest to feed because he would open his mouth, stick out his long black tongue, and let you pour the food in. The zebras saw Cody getting all the food, so they approached the windows and very carefully accepted any offers of zoo chow. Once they had gotten their fill, we moved on to the pond where dozens of turtles were sunning on a log. Behind them, in what looked like a giant mud puddle, were five water buffalos. They were too busy mud bathing to visit with us and eat. On our way back, we stopped to let a family of pot-bellied pigs cross the path, the babies were adorable. The safari bus tour lasts about twenty to thirty minutes. Afterwards, we walked around the park and looked at the other animals. The male wildebeest was in time-out for picking a fight with the zebras. There was a fallow deer with big velvety horns about four feet long and several little wallabies poking their heads above the tall grass. The Fort Chiswell Animal Park is an enjoyable destination for all ages, although children get especially excited about the animals. The tour bus guide shared funny stories about the animals as well as educational information. The park is open most of the year and has a live nativity in December before closing down until March. There is a picnic area open for use and they also host birthday parties. If you're hungry afterwards or just want some ice-cream, stop by the Burger Express on your way out. It is off of 52 South, look for it on the left if you're heading back towards the interstate. The seasonal four berry sundae is surprisingly good. The trip to the Fort Chiswell Animal Park takes just under half a day, including drive time, and is a great way to spend the afternoon. Directions: From Hwy 100 North (Wysor Hwy.) take onto I-81 South towards Wytheville, travel 9 miles. Take exit 80 and turn left onto 52 South Travel about 1.5 miles on 52 South and look for Fort Chiswell High School and the Fort Chiswell Animal Park billboard on the left. Turn left at the billboard onto Red Hollow Road. Travel less than a mile and the Fort Chiswell Animal Park is located on the right. Estimated Drive Time: 25 minutes