Last Updated on May 5, 2026 by PorchLightReading
Family travel guide to visiting Eudora Wildlife Safari, South Carolina. Including what to expect and helpful travel tips you’ll want to know before you go!
It was getting close to our youngest daughter’s birthday and every year we look for fun activities to do as a family.
Horseback riding, waterparks, zip lining. Things that are new and and maybe a bit out of the norm. So when I presented a few different options she immediately said she wanted to go to the Eudora Wildlife Safari Park in South Carolina!
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- Table of contents: Eudora Wildlife Safari South Carolina
- What to expect
- Drive through experience
- Animals you might see
- Will my car get scratched
- Tips for visiting Eudora Wildlife Safari with kids
- Best times to visit
- Frequently asked questions
- Things to do nearby
A few days before our trip we began to get ready for our big day. The plan was to pack in all her favorite things starting at 7am and to keep the fun going all the way to bedtime.
That included birthday balloons, a special car ride breakfast, an amazing day at the safari park with picnic lunch, and a family movie night with Chinese take-out.
Oh ya, don’t forget about the cake, ice cream, and presents. We were going to have a gigantic family fun day that did not stop!
Eudora Wildlife Safari South Carolina
Eudora Wildlife Safari Park is located in Salley, South Carolina and is home to over 300 animals! It’s about two hours from Charleston and only an hour from Columbia, SC.
- Over 300 animals!
- 3 Mile drive through safari
- Approximately 45 minute driving tour
- Wagon tours available (book online)
- Safari walking tour and giraffe feedings
- Petting zoo and food trucks
- Annual passes available
Living in Summerville, it took us just about an hour and 45 minutes to get there but was well worth every minute with the amount of fun we had on our family day tip.
So put on some good music and make an entire day of it! Pack snacks for the road and start early to beat the lines, because you have a lot of adventure in front of you.
What To Expect at Eudora Wildlife Safari, SC
If you’re looking for a unique family day trip in South Carolina, Eudora Wildlife Safari is one of those places that feels a little different from your typical outing.
Here, it’s a bit more laid back and truly is a one of a kind experience that brings you up close and personal to over 300 exotic animals.
Kids and adults alike will love feeding these big ol’ softies from the buckets and be in awe of how large they truly are!
It may be a little off the beaten path, but this family adventure will have you making slobbery memories that you’ll talk about for years to come!
Drive Through Experience
The first thing you’ll see at the end of the dirt road is a large wooden sign that says “Eudora Wildlife Safari Park.” This sign is the start of the 45 minute drive through adventure and where you pay the entrance fee. (Drive through safari map)
You’ll also want to purchase a few feeding buckets, at least one per person, at the entrance for the full experience.
As you drive in you’ll notice that the animals are so excited to greet you and receive a little snack! For us, the water buffalo was the first to say hello and he said it while sticking his giant head through the car window and showing us he big ol’ tongue!
It’s a slow start as each car makes its way through the entrance but these exotic animals have learned this is a great place to get a few snacks and can sometimes cause a traffic jam. The Eudora Wildlife staff is great at helping to get you moving and will direct traffic when needed.
Along the way you’ll head down a rolling hill and pass some beautiful palmetto trees, all while feeding the animals from the bucket. You’ll head into the forest and loop back around where some other smaller animals like to hang out.
On our journey we even saw a few babies following closely behind their mama in the woods.
Wagon Ride- Book online in advance and experience a wagon ride tour. This unique experience is a great way for everyone in the family to enjoy their time feeding animals from the buckets and learning a bit more about the park and the animals that live here.
Walking Safari- As you exit the drive-thru safari you’ll see another area to explore on foot! You can park in the lot here and check out the food trucks, souvenir shop, parakeets, a petting zoo, and pony rides.
Be sure to follow the road a bit further on foot to find the safari walking tour that brings you next to the giraffes and picnic area.
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Also next to the giraffes are the main (flushable) restrooms, an important point to take note of since there are porta potties near the food trucks, and you might miss these restrooms if you’re unfamiliar with the park. (Park map with restrooms)
Animals You Might See
Along your journey you’ll spot some beautiful exotic animals to include water buffalo, zebra, emu, camels, ostrich, and zebu just to name a few. (List of animals at the Eudora Wildlife Safari Park)
The Texas longhorn with it’s giant horns will have you holding your breath and looking in awe all at the same time while you hope he knows exactly where his horns are!
Will My Car Get Scratched
It is important that you understand the risk of visiting a drive through safari and that they are not liable for an any scratches or damages.
We decided to take our older vehicle for that exact reason. Sometimes accidents happens, so we left our nicer car at home and took the one we wouldn’t be as upset about.
With that being said, it seemed that the animals were all very use to vehicles and we personally didn’t have any problems with any animals scratching the paint.
We did, however, need a car wash from a fair amount of mud and slobber!
Wagon Ride Tour- Leave the car in the parking lot and enjoy a wagon ride tour! A tour guide will take you around the park and tell you about the animals that reside here.
It’s a great way to experience the safari without having to worry about any scratches. (Be sure to book online in advance.)
Tips For Visiting Eudora Wildlife Safari With Kids!
Eudora Wildlife Safari is a little off the beaten path, which means you should definitely come prepared. A day before your trip you should pick up your favorite snacks and supplies for a picnic lunch in the park.
- Get there right around opening or later in the day
- Purchase extra feed for feeding the animals on the safari
- Pack hand sanitizer and baby wipes for easy clean up
- Use the restrooms in the park before you start your safari drive
- Bring snacks and drinks for the car ride
Be sure to also grab some hand sanitizer and baby wipes to keep your hands nice and clean. We also packed a couple of sheets to throw over the kids lap to help with animal slobber and crumbs.
When Is The Best Time To Visit
In our opinion, the best time to visit Eudora Wildlife Safari Park, South Carolina, is earlier in the morning before the heat of the day begins.
You’ll want to remember that during the duration of the safari drive through, the windows will be down. Some vehicles are better with air conditioning, but personally ours wouldn’t be able to keep us cool.
You also want to take into consideration the time of year you’ll be visiting. Fall, spring, and winter are a lot cooler and the high heat and humanity won’t be an issue. The only thing you’ll need to think about is the line to get in as it can get a bit backed up as the day progresses.
- In the summer, start early to beat the heat.
- Fall, winter, and spring are great times to visit.
- Going early helps you skip the line and it’s a bit nicer weather wise to have your windows rolled down during the cool of the mornings.
- Going later in the afternoons allows the line to clear, but check the weather that it won’t be too hot and humid to enjoy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Of course everyones experience will be different but we had a great time visiting the park. You can easily spend a couple of hours here and it’s a fun family activity that is fairly priced. If you love animals and unique experiences, this place is a must visit.
Yes, you can purchase animal feed at the safari drive through entrance.
Typically the drive through is about 45 minutes, but that will depend on the amount of cars ahead of you and if there is an animal traffic jam. Plan to spend anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour on the drive through.
You know your children best, but I’d say that toddlers to adults have the best time feeding the animals on the drive through. Some animals can be a little large and intimidating for smaller children so be sure to keep that in mind.
Along the drive through safari you do stay in your car the entire time. However, there is a walk through safari you can explore after you park your car in the main parking lot.
Yes! Admission is good for one day and you can go through the drive through safari multiples times by showing your ticket. Just keep in mind that it can take 45 minutes or longer depending on how many cars are in front of you.
Things To Do Nearby
Normally this is the section that I can personally tell you all the places that we’ve explored nearby! However, this place is a little tucked away so the list is a bit small.
- Nona and Pops Coffee & Ice Cream- Just a short 15 minutes down the road you’ll find this amazing little coffee and ice cream shop. A perfect special treat after a fun day visiting the animals.
- God’s Acre Healing Springs- 30 Minutes south of the park is God’s Acre Healing Springs. A local spot to fill up a few gallon jugs for fresh spring water to take home.
- Healing Springs Country Store- Next to the spring water area you’ll find a little country store with a deli and local goods.
Although it was a fair amount of driving for our little family activity, we honestly had a great time! We made sure to start early by having breakfast on the road, brought plenty of toys and activities for the car, and made the entire start to finish day one big adventure.
It was a birthday celebration our daughter won’t soon forget! One filled with snacks, movies, a ton of animals and a little bit of slobber. A unique family experience and another year of celebration. We’ll see you on our next adventure.
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