If zoos are not your thing, this place is not for you. Zootastic is located in Troutman, North Carolina, right off of interstate 77. They offer a drive thru zoo, a walk thru zoo, a few rides, animal encounters, and a well-stocked gift shop. During the holidays, they offer a drive thru light show that is well worth the drive!

They are currently open year-round, outside of Tuesdays. Their days and hours change so be sure to check their website out before you visit. Current 2023 pricing is $17 per adult and $15 per child ages 2 to 11. The pricing is really not bad but, there are other items throughout the park that cost additional, like food for the animals.

The Drive Thru

When it is not filled with holiday lights, the drive thru is full of various animals. This is our kid’s favorite part of going to Zootastic. You get to drive your car through a long road and see tons of different animals. They come right up to your window looking for food. If you have a super nice car, be careful, some have horns.

During the holiday, the whole drive thru is filled with beautiful lights. It is one of our favorite places to visit around Christmas. They do such an amazing job of decorating, and you get all the added benefits of a zoo experience.

The Walk Thru

After you go through the drive thru, you end at their main building. This building is where you can start a normal walk thru zoo experience. They have a ton of exotic animals, a few rides, a snack shop, and a gift store. You can pay for animal encounters too. The giraffes are by far our favorite. You can feed them carrots and they are super cute!

Zootastic is open rain or shine. On rainy days the drive thru works out great. There have been times that they even have food trucks on site, serving funnel cakes. Overall, it is a fun family experience, and the kids always find it fun.

Be sure to check out the post on how to keep your child safe in public, if you are going during a busy time. It does get packed during peak times!

-Kristy M., Mommy to Many