Sponsored post – Hershey Entertainment and Resorts hosted us for a behind the scenes tour as one of the 2021 Sweetest Families. All opinions are my own.
ZooAmerica is a wildlife park with over 200 animals. The zoo consists of 11 acres and is located between Hersheypark and The Hershey Company.
The zoo is accessible from Hersheypark when the amusement park is open. Your Hersheypark ticket includes access to ZooAmerica. Keep in mind that Hersheypark’s hours may differ from ZooAmerica’s hours.
Accessing ZooAmerica from Hersheypark
In order to access ZooAmerica with your Hersheypark ticket, you must enter from Hersheypark. There is a bridge to the zoo in the Kissing Tower Hill area of the park, which is close to the Triple Towers.
Some animals at the zoo are viewable from the monorail ride at Hersheypark. The monorail ride narration gives information about the zoo. The monorail ride can be accessed from Music Box Way in Hersheypark.
The animals at the zoo are all native to North America. The zoo is laid out by the different regions of North America: Southern Swamps, The Great Southwest, Eastern Woodlands, Big Sky Country, and Northlands. There are both indoor exhibits and outdoor exhibits.
Animals at ZooAmerica
Since the animals are from throughout North America, there’s a wide variety from bears, to otters, to mountain lions, to wolves. The indoor exhibits feature an alligator, snakes, spoonbills, a ringtail, an ocelot, and more.
Find the full list of animals at ZooAmerica here.
Many of the animals at the zoo are rescued after they were injured or otherwise unable to live in the wild. The zoo is also an AZA-accredited zoo. The zoo participates in species survival plans, to help with population management of animals to ensure healthy and stable populations.
ZooAmerica Camps
ZooAmerica features day camps for children in the summer and during winter break. These camps allow children to get an up-close view of the zoo operations, they also have animal encounters, enrichment activities, and crafts. During the winter, reindeer visit Hersheypark, and some of the winter camp sessions visit the reindeer.
ZooAmerica Behind the Scenes Tours
ZooAmerica offers three types of behind the scenes tours when the zoo is closed to the general public. For these tours, they must be scheduled in advance, and the tour fee includes same-day admission to the zoo before or after your tour.
The early bird tour includes feeding some of the animals their breakfast. There’s also a photography tour and an after-hours flashlight tour.
Tips for Visiting Zoo America
- ZooAmerica is open year round. There are some indoor exhibits, so winter visits can be a great time to see the animals active.
- Parking is free at ZooAmerica, but keep in mind that entry is not permitted into Hersheypark from the Zoo entrance. If you enter the zoo via Hersheypark, you can exit back into the park.
- ZooAmerica is included with your Hersheypark ticket, but only when you enter via the park.
- You may bring packed lunches and coolers. There are picnic tables in the zoo. There are two seasonal (summer) concession stands, but it’s best to have food plans in case the food stands are not open.
