Overview

Wildwood Wildlife Park Zoo and Safari in Minocqua, WI wins the award for top interactive zoo. It’s like walking through a park with animals. It’s the only zoo that you are allowed to carefully and safely feed and pet many of the animals including goats, deer, and giraffes. When I first came to Wildwood Wildlife back in July 2018 I was surprised to find out the goats and deer roam freely around the zoo. The goats are at the entrance of the zoo that you go through to enter and leave. Within the goat exhibit there is a small bunny cage you can go in and hold bunnies. If you are not a goat person, I would highly recommend going straight to the bunny cage. Right next to it is the official entrance to the zoo to enjoy all the other animals.

It’s a smaller zoo, but it’s jammed packed between animals and experiences. Wildwood Wildlife is perfect for families with young kids or if you simply enjoy getting to feed the animals. You do need to be mindful of your surroundings as you can have a goat standing behind you trying to eat your purse or a deer running in front of you without warning. It’s like walking through a big petting zoo. The times I have visited it has taken me an hour to walk through. If you have kids that enjoy feeding and petting animals, your time will vary. Please enjoy this one-of-a-kind zoo.

Getting There

Tucked away in Northern Wisconsin Wildwood Wildlife is like a hidden gem. Their parking lot is limited, but free. Adult tickets are between ages 12 and up at $26.99, children’s tickets are between ages 2-11 at $17.99, and children under 2 years old are free. Their hours vary based on the season. During the spring and fall their hours are from 9:00-4:30 and during the summer 9:00-5:30. Being in Wisconsin it would be wise to dress according to the weather as their winters can be brutal in single digits while the summers can be around 60 or 70 degrees.

Noteworthy Animals

My favorite animal at Wildwood Wildlife is their Gibbons. They are vocal, loud, and active. You can hear them on the opposite side of the zoo. They put on a performance and the more people there watching, it seems  the louder and more active they are. They swing and scream and you can’t help but to be entertained. I can spend my whole zoo visit at the Gibbons. They also have a White Siberian Tiger that no other zoo has. An interesting fact that I learned is that the White Siberian Tiger comes from a genetic mutation. They are not meant to breed. It’s what makes Wildwood Wildlife unique because they are trying to help and take care of it.

Experiences

As I mentioned before, you can feed the goats and deer when you first enter the zoo. When you get your ticket, you can purchase “critter food” one bag for $5 and two bags for $8. They have giraffe feedings you can get a cup full of carrots for $5. If you are age 12 and under you need to be with an adult. It’s available from Memorial Day through Labor Day from 10:00-4:30. If the weather is below 50 degrees giraffes will be moved indoors for viewing only.

Their Budgie Encounter “parakeet encounter” is your opportunity to be swarmed by all kind of birds. You can buy a stick for $3 per person. Going in with a stick you are allowing yourself for birds to sit all over you including your head, shoulders, and hands.  If you are ages 12 and under you must go in with an adult. They are open from Memorial Day through Labor Day 10:00-4:30.

Wildwood Wildlife offers two kinds of train rides. First, is a Kiddie Train Ride. It’s $4 per person. Ages 2 and up requires a ticket and must be accompanied by an adult. You can buy tickets at the train station outside the zoo exist, gift shop, or the Hungry Bear Ice Cream Shoppe. Next, is the Safari Tram Ride. It’s $10 per person and a 30-minute train ride. Kids under 2 is free.

The William Gardner Education Center is your opportunity to get hands on learning. They are open at 10:00am daily. They have everything from artifacts, microscopes, snakes, lizards, insect displays, and much more.

What makes Wildwood Wildlife different is they have Adventure Boats (paddle boats) you can go out on the water.  It’s $5 a person and fun for everyone. Kids 12 and under must be with an adult. They are available from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Since you are on the water please dress accordingly and double-check the weather.

You can become a zoo member and get zoo benefits that includes: unlimited zoo admission from May through mid- October, 10% discount from the gift shop, 10% discount at all snack stands, $1 off train rides and adventure boat rides, discount zoo boo tickets, and a personalize membership card.  

Facilities

There are no restaurants or cafes, but they do have snack stands throughout the zoo. They have the Hungry Bear Ice Cream and Sweet Shoppe, Jumbo Hut that offers pizza, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, and more, and the Wild Bananas Snack Shack that has a variety of snack food. They offer wagon rentals for your little kids that need to have a break. Make sure you enjoy their gift shop before you leave.

Overall Impression

Make Wildwood Wildlife a fun family outing. Dress accordingly and enjoy all the experiences they have to offer. Feed and pet all the deer’s and goats you want if you are safe, careful, and respecting their boundaries. Enjoy the parakeets sitting on your head and take a trip on their adventure boats. You will not find another zoo like this. Enjoy!