FunKidsActivities
Wild Acres Hands-on Animal Experience - Reservation Required

Wild Acres Hands-on Animal Experience - Reservation Required

84 Our Rd, McHenry, MS 39561, USA

Overview

Category:Petting Zoos
Location:New Orleans, LA

Expert Summary

Detailed Insights

Wild Acres offers a highly engaging and educational hands-on animal experience, particularly noted for its passionate, knowledgeable, and friendly staff (with Mr. Cody and owner Cody specifically highlighted for their exceptional tours and dedication). The animals are well-cared for, and the grounds and enclosures are well-maintained, providing a beautiful sanctuary feel. Visitors consistently find the experience entertaining, educational, and worth the cost, often recommending scheduling a tour for the best experience.

Key Highlights

  • Staff is warm, welcoming, and extremely knowledgeable about the animals, suitable for all ages.
  • Specific tour guides, like Mr. Cody, are described as amazing, hilarious, engaging, and great with kids, making tours educational and fun.
  • Animals are happy, healthy, well-cared for, and entertaining (even the monkeys!).
  • Grounds are beautiful, well-maintained, and enclosures are very nice.
  • Owner, Cody, is passionate about wildlife and shares unique stories about each animal.
  • Special events are fun and add to the experience.

Standout Features

  • Exceptional, knowledgeable, and friendly staff, including the owners, who are passionate about animals.
  • Engaging and educational guided tours, often led by specific charismatic guides like Mr. Cody.
  • Well-maintained animal enclosures and beautiful grounds.
  • Opportunities for special events.
  • Animals are visibly happy, healthy, and entertaining.

Perfect For

Suitable for 'all ages' due to welcoming staff and engaging tours.
Excellent for school-aged children, as highlighted by a positive field trip experience.
Families generally find it a 'great family place'.

Ideal For

Families seeking an educational and interactive animal experience with knowledgeable guides.
School field trips looking for an engaging and fun learning environment.
Visitors who appreciate well-cared-for animals and beautiful grounds.
Families looking to make lasting memories with a unique animal encounter.

💡Pro Tips from Reviews

  • Definitely schedule a tour, as they are highly praised for their educational and engaging content.
  • Inquire about additional costs for specific animal interactions or experiences upon booking or arrival, as these may not be clearly communicated upfront.
  • Avoid visiting at night if concerns about visibility, unlit paths, and parking are a priority.
  • If you require wheelchair access or have strollers, be aware that paths may not be level or easily navigable.

Things to Consider

  • Lack of sufficient lighting at night on walking paths and in parking areas.
  • Walking paths are not level, posing accessibility issues for handicapped customers (e.g., wheelchairs, strollers).
  • Unclear communication about potential additional purchases required to 'experience' animals at different levels upon entry.
  • Overflow parking consists of thigh-high grass and lacks lighting.
  • No shuttle service provided from the distant parking on a hill to the ticket location.

Price & Value

Described as having a 'reasonable admission cost' and 'worth every penny'. However, parents should be aware of potential 'additional purchases that MAY be required to "experience" the animals at different levels' which could add to the overall cost.

Accessibility & Special Needs

  • Reported as needing 'level walking paths for handicapped customers,' indicating current paths are not fully accessible.
  • Parking on a hill and overflow grass parking could also be accessibility challenges.

🍎Food & Drink Policy

  • Not mentioned in the reviews.

🚗Parking Info

  • Parking is described as being 'on the hill' from the ticket location.
  • Overflow parking is a grass area with 'thigh high' grass and lacks lighting.
  • A shuttle from parking to the ticket location is suggested as a needed improvement, indicating a potentially long or difficult walk.

👥Crowd Levels

  • Not explicitly mentioned, but the reservation-required nature suggests managed attendance.

🛡️Safety Features

  • Lack of lighting at night in paths and parking lots was noted as a concern for safety/visibility.
  • No other specific safety features were mentioned in the reviews.

When to Avoid

  • If you or a family member requires level, paved, or easily accessible walking paths (e.g., for wheelchairs or strollers).
  • Visiting at night if you are concerned about poor lighting in parking areas and on paths.
  • If you prefer transparent pricing and want to avoid potential unexpected costs for animal interactions.
  • If you expect a formal, paved parking lot for all vehicles, especially during busy times.

Pricing/Package/Events

Photos

Wild Acres Hands-on Animal Experience - Reservation Required photo 1
Wild Acres Hands-on Animal Experience - Reservation Required photo 2
Wild Acres Hands-on Animal Experience - Reservation Required photo 3
Wild Acres Hands-on Animal Experience - Reservation Required photo 4
Wild Acres Hands-on Animal Experience - Reservation Required photo 5
Wild Acres Hands-on Animal Experience - Reservation Required photo 6

What People Say

What's Great

  • Friendly and helpful staff (mentioned in 10 reviews)
  • Fun and entertaining activities (mentioned in 5 reviews)

Areas for Improvement

  • Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 2 reviews)

Recent Reviews

The Hulkster

The Hulkster

6 months ago

Great family place! Super nice staff. Decent variety of animals. Reasonable admission cost. So why not 5 stars? Well let's take a look at a few improvements that would easily get a 5 star. ..Needs more lights at night. Needs level walking paths for handicapped customers. Need to be made aware of additional purchases that MAY be required to " experience" the animals at different levels when you enter. A shuttle would be nice from the parking on the hill to the ticket location... The over flow parking grass definitely needs to be less than thigh high. Lights in the lot would help. We lost a debit card could not find it. Nice facilities.. super helpful staff.

Carrie Holt

Carrie Holt

4 months ago

We have gone several times. The staff is warm and welcoming to all ages. They are also extremely knowledgeable about the animals on the property. The special events are fun. We will Definitely return.

Henry Rogers

Henry Rogers

7 months ago

This place is legit. Very nice enclosures and well taken care of grounds. The employees are very nice, especially the owners. Animals were very entertaining, although I think the monkeys were making fun of us. Definitely worth scheduling a tour, they do an incredible job. Quality establishment.

Kimberly Morris

Kimberly Morris

3 weeks ago

Five stars isn’t enough! My daughter and I went on a field trip to Wild Acres with her class today, and we had the BEST time. The tour guide, Mr. Cody, was absolutely amazing—hilarious, engaging, and so great with the kids. He made the experience not only educational but super fun, keeping everyone entertained while we learned all about the animals and where they came from. The staff was friendly and helpful, the grounds were beautiful and very well maintained, and you could tell the animals were happy, healthy, and well cared for. It’s clear the team at Wild Acres truly loves what they do. This place is a hidden gem and worth every penny. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to make fun, lasting memories with their family. We’ll definitely be back!

Alexandra Rodwell

Alexandra Rodwell

5 months ago

Such a beautiful sanctuary for animals. Cody, the owner, has a passion for helping wildlife and has a unique relationship and story for each animal on the property. Will definitely be back!

Contact Information

84 Our Rd, McHenry, MS 39561, USA

View on Google Maps

Opening Hours

Monday: Closed
Tuesday: Closed
Wednesday: 1:00 – 5:00 PM
Thursday: 1:00 – 5:00 PM
Friday: 1:00 – 5:00 PM
Saturday: 1:00 – 5:00 PM
Sunday: 1:00 – 5:00 PM

Quick Stats

Overall Rating
4.9
Total Reviews287
Recent Reviews5