Lake Tobias Wildlife Park

We are up on vacation from Texas and went here on a whim. I can not say enough good things about this place. We paid $ 38.00 for 3 people which was for every attraction there. All the animals were out. The place was clean and the employees were very polite. A ride on the safari tour is a must. You don’t have to buy it, but like i said we only spent $ 38.00 and that was with the safari tour. Well worth the stop if your looking for something to do while on vacation. I will most definitely go back again and again.

I went here with my boyfriend cause we saw about the safari ride. we loved it so much! the staff was great, we went around 3oclock because we knew that’s when the kids were heading home for the day. So there wasn’t many people anymore. We went on the safari ride and it was only 2 other families and then us so we were able to hop all around the tour bus to feed the animals. amazing experience, you won’t find any other safari rides like this one where you are able to interact with the animals so much.

If your looking for something to do with the little ones at little expense I definitely recommend. Small and well kept. Overall I enjoyed it. Go for the safari ride and definitely buy the cracker treats for the animals.

I will start this to say there are very few animals and very few shaded areas.
Surprisingly I had more fun than my 3yr old. Mostly because it was hot and she wasn’t impressed by the selection. I think we were all expecting a little more for 39 $. It was VERY clean. I mean you could sit your but on the actual toilet with your child clean. Moms, you know how important that is.
Another thing. As a black conservative family. I found it offensive that the STAFF were staring at us. I mean openly gawking. At one point I shrugged my shoulders after I caught the girl staring at my family 3 times. It’s very rude. Maybe they don’t see too many family’s of color. But I’ll say it makes you feel like you’ve got cow dung on your cheeks an no one will tell you.
Another thing was the prices for the food was pretty cheap and the animals seemed pretty well taken care of. Which was impressive.

This is a really cute animal attraction — worth the drive for a few hour trip. Plan accordingly as this location has nothing else going for it. Lake Tobias is the attraction as the town has nothing and it’s really off the beaten path. I couldn’t see spending the whole day here as it’s not that large which I feel is part of the appeal. It’s just big enough to take a toddler before the moodiness/​boredom sets in.
There’s lots of interaction between you and the animals and I will say the animals here are livelier and seem happier than any other zoo I visited. The safari tour is worth the additional expense, our favorite part of the ride was interacting with the buffalo. I can’t think of any other attraction where the buffalo come up to you and actually want attention for you — almost in a way like a dog does. Who knew such a large intimidating animal could be capable of such affection?
On the downside I didn’t see a gift shop and the food choices were limited, as were the hand sanitizer and the lot is uphill, grassy and full of ruts, but still worth the trip!
PS: There’s also coupons available if you can get your hand on a Harrisburg visitor’s guide!

We did both the one-​hour safari bus tour and the approximately 20-​minute petting zoo. The safari did not have as many exotic animals as bigger safaris, such as The Wilds in Ohio, have, but the cost was fairly low, and I enjoyed seeing the many animals, including cows, deer, and ostriches. I had purchased two packages of crackers, and I ended up not using all of them, because not all animals would eat them. The weather in the summer was very sunny on the open-​top bus, the ride was sometimes bumpy, and kids in nearby seats sometimes invaded my space. The animals looked happy to roam around on acres of land. At the petting zoo, I got to pet animals such as goats and camels. The caged zoo had fenced-​off areas that could be a bit bigger and more entertaining for the animals such as bears and lions, but the spaces were comparable to what other zoos have, and the animals looked healthy. Overall, I got a lot of good photos, and I had fun.

We took one of my good friends to Lake Tobias for her birthday and we all absolutely loved it. The safari drive is really amazing and interactive and you get a chance to pet a feed elk, buffalo, deer, and more. This is honestly a wonderful place to take family, friends, or a date, or really anyone who loves animals.

Pros:
Admittance price Is good,
Animal variety is very good
Cons:
° The loose gravel throughout the park is a bitch if your pushing a stroller, wheelchair or wagon.
° Very little shade. The animals are protected, but for humans there’s very little.
°The goats love to nibble. Ladies, Be careful if your wearing a sundress or anything flowy.

I was a little disappointed considering all of the great reviews for Lake Tobias. We did opt for the safari, which was probably the best part of the experience. A lot of different animals came right up to the bus so it was neat that they got so close. I wasn’t a fan of seeing all the animals that were caged around the park. Many of them were in enclosures that resembled nothing of a natural habitat. Just a fairly small fenced in slab of concrete. I left a little depressed for the visibly agitated lion.
I did like that they had plenty of playgrounds around for the kids. Besides that and the safari ride though, the fun stopped there. I probably wouldn’t frequent the place again. I’d rather just pay a premium price to see these animals in a more appropriate setting.

For the price and location this was a great day at the zoo. The Safari Excursion is well worth the slightly higher price as you travel in safari-​type jeeps (buses) where you can touch & interact with the animals. Be sure to buy crackers/​wafers from the shop before boarding the bus so you can feed them to the animals. Approved crackers sold at the park only please, no outside food allowed for the animals’ safety.
We took my 7-​year d niece who had a blast, and the rest of the adults had a fun day as well. Not huge, easily done in an afternoon, bring a picnic & eat along the lake where you can feed the ducks. If you like fishing, you can catch/​release at the lake for $ 3. Bring your own rod. Kids fish for free.

My bf and I go here once a year. It’s an awesome place for kids, adults, anyone really! Very affordable, it’s like $ 20 for 2 people and that price includes admission to their park, the petting zoo, the reptile inclosure, and the safari ride. It’s not a state funded zoo, it’s independent and family runned. On the safari they tell everyone about the history of the park, which is cool.
There’s tons of animals! They have tigers, lions, bears, zebras, camels, and tons of monkeys in cages. There’s a bunch of different types of grazing animals in the safari park which you can feed. And goats, ponies, and other farm type animals in the petting zoo. I love it here and can’t wait to go back in 2015

This safari /​zoo combination is quite off the beaten track, but I found it to be worth the drive getting there. Admission is extremely inexpensive, considering that you can get both the safari and zoo experience for less than $ 15, and buying the animals popcorn or biscuits wasn’t too much extra money either. You really do get to see a lot of different animals on the safari, and a lot of them will come up to you, especially if you have the food. It is the perfect opportunity for shots of wildlife, and the safari guides are generally very informative. As you walk around the zoo, you can also feed a lot of the animals with the same food, so the interactivity carries on throughout the park. Definitely one of the best values around.

One of the most well kept private zoos I have ever been.
The prices are very reasonable, if not UNDERpriced in comparison to other public & private zoos.
While arriving, you receive a map of the park when you pay for your tickets: $ 6 per person over 3 years old to enter the zoo; $ 12 per person over 3 if you add the ‘safari,’ which is a school bus with the top cropped off to make a convertible.
The safari doesn’t include any predator animals, so no need to worry about being in a ‘convertible’ bus. You ride around the scenic countryside and view herds of elk, buffalo, water buffalo, emu, deer, antelope, different breeds of cattle, alpacas, etc. The bus driver/​tour guide stops at each herd, which then you can hand feed popcorn &/​or crackers that you can purchase at the concession stand that is right next to the line to wait to board the safari bus. It is definitely worth the $ 6.
The park has exhibits featuring lions, tigers, bears, ostriches, zebras, different breeds of monkeys, birds, prairie dogs, mini horses, etc., etc.
The park has a reptile & exotic animal building, which houses snakes, parrots, monitors, turtles, alligators, a SLOTH!!!, etc. They have a small python that they allow visitors to pet/​hold.
There is a petting zoo where you can pet baby goats, deer, sheep, camel, etc.
This place is excellent for all ages.

Very cool little zoo in s beautiful location in Pennsylvania. This zoo is well kept, and the animals appear to be well kept too. Our family did not take the Safari tour but only the zoo side of the Lake Tobias experience. Regardless this was well worth the money, and is a lot of fun for a day trip.

We have been to Lake Tobias probably 20 times over the last 15 years. It is a great place to take your own young kids and family that may be in from out of town. It is not very large and could use a few more animals, but it is still a few hours of entertainment, as long as you take the safari ride. There is a pretty good reptile show as well. I have never met a person who didn’t enjoy a trip here. We always like the petting zoo as well, though the last time we were there small kids were abusing the young goats and the teenage help didn’t know how to handle this. Most of the employees seem to be older teens or college age adults. It is great that there are hand sanitizer machines all over the park as well.
Even on a crowded day, Lake Tobias is not hard to enjoy. The safari ride is pretty exciting and we have almost always gotten to feed a few animals while on it, no matter what the time of day. How often do you get to pet an elk and bison! It is bumpy and hot on a summer day so be prepared. The animals all seemed to be well cared for as zoo’s go. The entire zoo gets really hot on some summer days, so it is suggested you go when it is cooler.
We started going here when there was only one parking lot. Now there are four as of 2014. I am not sure what took people so long to discover Lake Tobias as it has been around for about 50 years. I have to admit I enjoyed it more when it had less traffic and was a little quainter. Plus the prices were great then. One of the negative comments I will give to it is that the pricing is getting too high for me (and probably for others). Others have said it is cheap and perhaps it is to some. But I wouldn’t say it is a cheap day for a family anymore. It is currently $ 12 per person to get in and that includes anyone over 3. That includes the safari which you basically really have to do if you are there. You can find coupons though in various papers. Some will consider this cheap. To me it is worth $ 10 maximum per person. Call me cheap! You can fish there also if you have a license. I don’t know if that has a cost or not. Hopefully they won’t raise prices every year as they seem to have done the last few years.
We have eaten there many times as it is hard not to get hungry. The food is so so and the buffalo burgers are average at best. There are really not enough tables there for the crowds they now get. Every table had a boat load of flies at it and it was disturbing to eat. It was like this every time we have been there. The eating area needs a definite improvement. It was not the cleanest area and we only found one clean table. Several tables are less than 3 feet from garbage cans, increasing the fly output. The food was not cheap, but not that expensive. The buffalo burger is overpriced for sure. The personal pizza was the size of a large personal cookie. Ridiculous. You can bring your own picnic food it seems as there are other picnic tables around the parking lots (which are obviously dusty). Most of the time they are taken, on a busy day. We have yet to get one to sit at, except for off season.
For those who have never been here, you can buy crackers and popcorn to feed the animals on the safari. Do so. You buy the items at the snack counter before going on the safari. There are no signs, or not many, that tell you this is an option. The safari is much better when you can feed the animals. Hint: Most of the small deer types like the popcorn more than the crackers. The elk like the crackers though. To experience it all get both food items (try not to consume the popcorn yourself).

This place is great for $ 12 a person. We took the safari tour and walked the grounds where there is a nice petting zoo and many other animals on display. We did not eat here but the food seemed reasonable in price. This place is clean and the children enjoyed every minute. This place cares about their animals and how they are represented! I will be coming back.

What an awesome zoo/​safari park. Loved it and more importantly, so did my then 22 months old toddler. This place is not crowded with people like at a regular zoo, which gave him the confidence and us the piece of mind to wander. The safari ride is a must-​do. It’s not exciting per se as the animals are really nothing too «wow-​ish», but interesting nonetheless (especially to our toddler). The tigers and bears exhibits were beautiful! This place is just wonderful and was worth every penny.

Great place for the price and then some. The ride in the open air bus was a real treat for my 3 year old and us too. Granted they are not really the hard to find «exotic» animals, but Bison, Elk, Emu’s, Water Buffalo and more were wonderful to see up close.
Park is very clean and all animals are treated well and can be seen with minor obstructions.
Will be coming back.

I LOVE ME SOME LAKE TOBIAS!!!
I’m in NYC… and I’ve been to many zoos around the world… but my co-​worker, who also grew up in Central PA… just reminded me of Lake Tobias, and I was FLOODED with so many awesome memories from childhood!!! Animals eating out of our hands, wrapping up warm to be outside, hay… such awesomeness.
Definitely a great spot for a wonderful family outing!!!

So after the kitsch induced fun of the Millersburg Ferry it was time for the main event of the day’s excursion at the Lake Tobias Wildlife Park.
You would think that something with Wildlife Park in the name would either be wonkishly boring or crappy and run down but surprisingly Lake Tobias is neither.
Upon entering the parking lot and exhibit area the first thing that strikes you is how clean the place is. Everything is spotless including the buses used for the Safari Ride as the driver cleans them thoroughly after every trip.
The Park itself is split up into essentially four different parts:
1. A petting zoo with it’s fair share of goats, a small pony or two, and various other critters running around trying to get you to feed them the special feed crackers that you can buy.
2. More traditional zoo type exhibits that include prairie dogs, lions, various reptiles, etc.
3. Picnic tables and a few different children’s play areas that are by the gift shop/​food stand and out in the main parking lot.
4. The Safari Ride where you are transported in a school bus with the roof cut off into a huge open Serengeti like environment where large herds of Deer, Watusi, Scottish Highlanders, Elk, Bison, and various other larger animals of the like all hang together and are very friendly to the point of being able to feed them and touch them during the various stops that are made to explain the different species.
Current hours are 10am-​6pm Monday-​Friday (May-​Oct) with the Park closing an hour later on Saturdays and Sundays. (May-​Sept)
They do have coupons galore in the local Entertainment Book, Harrisburg-​Hershey Visitors Guide Book, and the Kids Stuff Book. Admission prices are currently $ 6.00 p/​p for admission and $ 5.00 p/​p for the safari tour bringing everything to a total of $ 11.00 p/​p if you do both.
(And why and the hell wouldn’t you?)