Reviews of Salato Wildlife Center (Zoo)

Jeremiah Rinker

The price is reasonable and it is an educational for kids of all ages. It isn't a zoo so don't expect a large variety of exotic animals it is filled with local wildlife. It makes a nice day especially if you pack a meal and a fishing pole for trip.

Jason Falls

Good nature walk with some neat animal enclosures and interesting information plaques. Anytime you can see a bald eagle up close, it’s a good time. Friendly staff and plenty of place to picnic after your animal tour.

Allison Atkinson

A lovely and educational trip! Family membership is an amazing value and worth the drive.

Zeff Morgan

More to this than meets the eye. Nice facilities inside. Small zoo experience outside, but with a surprising number of animals including bison, elk, black bear, and an eagle. The very modest admission fee covers both the inside and outside facilities.

Michael Williams

Good place to take your kids and pack a fishing pole and your license if your an adult

Schyler West

Interesting little place with a good deal of diverse wildlife. Worth your time.

Renea Pennington

Awesome experience. Everyone should go at least once. Guarantee u will go back.

betty dexter

Very nice

Tish

Such an awesome place to visit! Family oriented!

Father_Daughter Reptiles

Nice place for good price. $5 for adults $3 per kid. See native venomous snakes, turtles and others like black bear, deer, elk turkey and bobcat. Two fishing lakes and hiking trails. As a reptile breeder I wish there more snakes/reptiles on display and hands on opportunities.

Danielle Leigh

It's such a great place for everyone! Between the animals and the nature surrounding you, it's an amazing place to be. Bonus: the bear is adorable.

himynameisbleach

Awesome little spot

Lady Mesz

Such an amzing place, I absolutely love coming here. Very family/kid friendly and reasonbly priced. Super well kept. Highly recommend, if you want a more quiet, personal visit, go during the weekday.

lannybuck52

It had been some time since I've been here but I love this place

Kerry Goodman

Beautiful place, very reasonably priced! Loved it!

Ira J. Bates

Inexpensive, excellent for kids. Features all animals found in Kentucky.

Nora Cardona

Awesome place for a field trip! Staff was very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. Great balance of indoor and outdoor activities. The birds of prey presentation was interactive and kept the students engaged.

Jeremiah Rinker

The price is reasonable and it is an educational for kids of all ages. It isn't a zoo so don't expect a large variety of exotic animals it is filled with local wildlife. It makes a nice day especially if you pack a meal and a fishing pole for trip.

RDB

Great area to fish! My son and I like going there. There are all kinds of wildlife there. 2 huge fishing spots, nature trails, enough shaded picnic areas, and quiet. Beautiful place.

JKmanMike

Great place to see local wildlife and to gave kids learn about nature that surrounds them in Kentucky. Interactive displays and even activities for kids to play around learning about fishing, bees, and other wildlife and conservation facts. Walking trails to see some animals as well. We loved it

Serenity Fain

It's a very fun and cheap place to go if you want to enjoy a hot day looking at animals. It is a bit hot outside but the range of animals and the care for them is amazing!

Michelle Clark

This place has so much to offer! There are plenty of trails to walk, lots of animals to see, special events periodically, knowledgeable people! You can even fish here!

Jason Falls

Good nature walk with some neat animal enclosures and interesting information plaques. Anytime you can see a bald eagle up close, it’s a good time. Friendly staff and plenty of place to picnic after your animal tour.

Kenny Holbrook

What a wonderful place for a quick educational getaway.

Linda Meadows

We love to go see the wildlife. Every time we take the kids they have a learning show and tell with an animal . Very informative and fun.

Dennis Hasty

Game farm is. Beautiful place to picnic, read, walk, fish. The salato center itself is very interesting.

michael watts

Great experience for kids to learn about Kentucky wildlife

Tiffany Howard

Great place for viewing a variety of animals.

Myster Tech

I love going there with my daughter she loves to learn about all the animals and to see them in real life takes the expierence to the next level

Angela Freels

Very educational and interesting. Great for kids! Lots of hands on and up close experiences, as well as outdoor trails and activities. Awesome place to learn about local wildlife while supporting the state Fish and Wildlife program!

Jackie Sellers

Great outdoor experience without going too far from home.

Nick Lewis

Excellent place to learn about animals native to Kentucky.

Brittany Rhynard

Great experience and just the right size for smaller kids. I wish some of the outdoor animals were closer but still an enjoyable place.

Blond Demon

Went on a feild trip here today it was fun please subscribe to my youtube channel Name : blonddemon

dennis handshoe

Great place to visit

Cat Eaton

Beautiful location with fishing lake, lots of geese and animals to look at. Nice place for a jog.

K.A. DaVur

As always, staff was incredibly polite. Great information and a nice place for the kids, especially for the price.

Brian Stephens

Went and spent some time with the wife here walking the trails and seeing the animals they have here. Had a grate time!

Robin Blankenship

I love this place. Everyone should visit here.

Fred Howes

Today, my daughter and I took three of my grandchildren to spend the day at Salato. It was wonderful, and by the time we were an hour into our day, I had decided to purchase a Family pass for each of my daughters and their families. We arrived at opening time and were able to see the Bobcat Training. We also were able to participate in the Wild Encounter Program and story time in which the children interacted directly and respectfully with Kentucky wildlife. In addition, we enjoyed time on our own and appreciated the information provided at each location identified on our downloaded map! We also downloaded activities from the Salato website to take with us for the visit. On the ride home, we each described a favorite part of the day, and the 4 year old cited one of those activities! We appreciated the level of environmental and educational awareness at Salato, and our plans are to promote this outstanding resource to other educators. The personnel at Salato also deserve special recognition. They are welcoming and knowledgeable, and interact especially well with their young visitors. Thank you Salato for a wonderful day. We are looking forward to visiting throughout the year! (posted by Debbie Howes)

Gabriella Rispoli

Awesome experience!!! There is a lot to do there and it is very inexpensive. Very educational and a fun outdoor activity

marta quintana morales

It is a great place for a (half) Saturday or Sunday with kids. It is not crowd so very enjoyable. A lot of animals to see, wildlife and educational activities. Also shelters to stay and to celebrate kids parties. Plenty areas to fishing. And good prices, $5 for adults and $3 for kids. I did not remember any place to buy food other than a drinks machine and water fountains, so make sure to bring you food to enjoy the day. Ah, you can hiking too.

Kathrine Hix

Loved this experience. It's not overwhelming and very beautiful and educational. The entrance fee isn't much and they have plenty opportunity for walking trails. All the animals were outside and playing and the streams were gorgeous!

Edmond Hieatt

Not what i remember it to be

Connie Lashbrook

Great place to visit. Took my 2 year old grandson for his 1st visit a couple months ago and he LOVED it. My only wish is that it would be open on Sunday for at least half a day. Can't wait to take him again.

Angela Schenk

This place is really a gem! I love taking my kids here better than the big zoos! They are able to get up close to most of the animals. It’s normally pretty quiet here unless you go on a day when school field trips are happening. The main building is full of native snakes, fish, bees and other reptiles. Then you walk outside on a nice paved walking path where you can go see larger mammals (deer, elk, bison, etc). There are also some hiking trails if you are feeling brave with the kiddos. My favorite thing about this place is the quail exhibit! Your kids will really enjoy it here and it’s way less stressful then a big day at a huge zoo and way cheaper too! You won’t regret stopping here for a day trip!

SHAWN NOW

Great place to visit. It's just too bad they charge admission now. Found it a lot cheaper to just go ahead and buy a yearly membership.

Tabitha Tracey

Fantastic time. So much to learn and enjoy.

Melissa M.

Amazing place. Great for the whole family. We went to the Halloween party and had a wonderful time!

Kimberly Pouder

Thanks for providing me with a wonderful, succinct brochure. All I needed to begin my rediscovery of what I still refer to as "The Game Farm.

Tricia Gleason

Very cool place to take the family. Not at all expensive. Animals seem well cared for and the scenery is beautiful inside and out

Trevor Coulter

A great family day destination.

Jaran Holder

It’s a great little spot and good for kids.

Kaytelyn Perry

Awesome place. Great for families or school trips.

David Stewart

Fun form of education on the wildlife if Kentucky.

DANNY NOEL

Great place friendly place go there a lot

DeRenda Harris

Plenty of animals and exhibits to view. Admission was only $5. Nice alternative to the zoo!

deadmeme_lover OwO

Fun sooooo many cool things to do and learn!

Gabriella Rispoli

Awesome experience!!! There is a lot to do there and it is very inexpensive. Very educational and a fun outdoor activity

Nellie Sparks

We had such a great time at Salato Wildlife Ctr. And plan on returning! Lots to explore and plenty to keep the kids entertained. You can also take a little hike on the trails while you are there! Very clean, friendly place to take the family! Highly recommend!

Caitlyn Mason

Loved the real animals of Kentucky, the entire outdoors part, and the volunteers who allowed people to meet and touch real Kentucky snakes. They have great walking paths with wheelchair accessibility to all exhibits. I was very impressed. The wildcats/bobcats were playing when we went and they were very enjoyable to watch.

Joyce Boyer

OMG wonderful. Great place to visit and take anyone any age pleasure to see all the habitat. Thank you.

Sherrie Barrett

Very educational

Mathew St.hilaire

Great time

Chase Starnes

Great place to bring the family. Very affordable as well.

Bobby Cook

Live the place wonderful scenery.

Shilirley Montgomery

Peaceful.

Josh Cheekz

Great affordable place to take the kids!

Tracie Naylor

Always fun with the Animals

Edward

Great place to take the kids! Very educational.

ky angler42718

If you are an outdoorsy type person in Ky or you are coming here as a tourist and want to know about the native wildlife you need to go here. Awesome selection of native wildlife in the great state of Ky.. they dont have every animal that lives here but they have a large portion. $5 bucks admission is small price to pay for what you can learn and see here!

Pam Holcomb

Wonderful, it was a beautiful day.

barbara rarrieck

Great place to learn things about wildlife

Tom M

Great place to take kids 6 and under. The exhibits could use some maintenance but overall not bad. They have a small but very interesting selection of animals

marta quintana morales

It is a great place for a (half) Saturday or Sunday with kids. It is not crowd so very enjoyable. A lot of animals to see, wildlife and educational activities. Also shelters to stay and to celebrate kids parties. Plenty areas to fishing. And good prices, $5 for adults and $3 for kids. I did not remember any place to buy food other than a drinks machine and water fountains, so make sure to bring you food to enjoy the day. Ah, you can hiking too.

Heather Rayl

With a variety of animals from Ky, this is a great place to go to learn a little more about the animals you'll find in Ky. With animals indoor and outdoor, this is an awesome place to visit on a nice summer day. They have a nice variety of animals ranging from snake's, turtle's, Bee's, Eagle, Elks, Buffalo's. They even have a cute fishing section for little kids to play. This place isn't huge, but to take your time and visit everything takes about an hour to an hour and a half. Before leaving also stop by the fallen police monument.

jerri brumley

So much to see and learn... Very friendly staff

J S

Great place for kids. The staff are always super friendly and helpful. The animals are all Kentucky-native species.

Kathrine Hix

Loved this experience. It's not overwhelming and very beautiful and educational. The entrance fee isn't much and they have plenty opportunity for walking trails. All the animals were outside and playing and the streams were gorgeous!

Matthew Jones

Very good spot to see all types of animals

VirDella Magee

Great fishing! My son loved it!! We will definitely visit again.

victoria baker

We loved this place

Linda Johnston

Nice place

Bill Rush

Nice, small zoo featuring animals native to Kentucky.

Violet Kenow

Good, clear trails. Nice informational signage. Good for a warm clear day.

Sherrie Powell

Great place to take kids of all ages. Entrance to the park is free but to tour the wildlife center is $5 per adult and $3 for children, well worth the small price. Very educational and informative about Kentucky wildlife.

Michael Carpenter

Awesome place to take photos.

John McClain

Nice place to go with the family

Alisa Greenwell

Beautiful sanctuary

Sarah W.

Very large wildlife center with very pretty views of the animals.

Josiah Corkins

Great place to learn about the wildlife in KY. I do remember a time when there was no charge but even now the price is more than reasonable. Family of 6 was a little over $20 and we could gave bought an annual pass for $35. There are plenty of fish and wildlife employees around to ask any questions you may have. Something I always forget about until I'm there is the fishing pond. I did notice this time that they have poles for rent but it was pretty hot out while I was there so I didn't do it.

James Pitcock

Absolutely love this place! My 4 year old and I visited and it was only 5$ for everything. Loved it so much we've been back 3 times in the past week and got the yearly membership. Very clean,organized,the animals look great and well fed,and the staff is super nice.

Bill Charlton

Salato is a nice place to learn about Kentucky's wildlife. Although not a large zoo with exotic animals, it has examples of native animals in natural habitats. As well as an education center. There are so a couple of small lakes that can be fished. Picnic tables are available but no camping.

Jennifer Simpson

This place is awesome. My kids really enjoyed it. Pricing is great and we even bought season passes. It is full of educational information and wildlife.

christina fightmaster

We have a great time everytime we go. Great staff, neat animals and walking trails. Fun for the whole family

Brigid Young

Truly Fascinating!!! Had a wonderful time exploring all of the exhibits including the outdoor animals! There is also a fishing lake and lots of picnic area!

JL Teachey

view a variety of Ky native wildlife, including live animal programs, it's affordable and family oriented.

Jennifer Harris

Great place for kids (and adults) to explore nature. A hidden gem.

Robert Srodulski

Wildlife nature center. Indoor and outdoor. Fish, snakes, turtles, buffalo, elk, birds. Some interactive displays. Short walks. Grandkids liked it. Reasonable fees.

Allison Patterson

This place was great! I have a one and a three-year-old, it was a blast for them. The bear, elk, bison, Wildcats, turkeys and the Wildlife Center exceeded our expectations and provided a day of fun for the kids for a very economic cost. If you are looking for something to do in Frankfort or just outside of Lexington, this is a great place to explore!

a s

Great place to go, very knowledgeable and friendly staff. Love taking my young ones here.

Mark Ross

Positive and educational. Good place for kids to learn about Kentucky wildlife.

Fredrick Tyler

The trails are magnificent! I just wish that maybe there was a bit more to see.

Anthony Peevyhouse

This is a great place to take the kids or enjoy a relaxing day by yourself with nature. The price of admission is very fair and I will definitely return.

Jeanette Appleton

Wonderful for family's to go to for the day peaceful place to go and watch the animals or sit by the lake

David Watts

Great place to take children to learn about the different animals in Kentucky.

Marti Woodward

Cool for kids

Steve Dominick

This is a nice, inexpensive way to get the kids outside and exploring all of the wildlife that Kentucky has to offer. The bobcats were a big hit with our family!

Samer Ziady

Great place to learn about wildlife and ecosystems in Kentucky. There are both indoor and outdoor exhibits, all with great information. Plan to spend about 2 to 3 hours if you want to visit all the exhibits.

Rose Hedget

I love walking around there looking at the animals with my boyfriend and my grandchildren

Randy Arrowood

Great place to bring a child.

Rita Yanders

great place to go

Josiah Corkins

Great place to learn about the wildlife in KY. I do remember a time when there was no charge but even now the price is more than reasonable. Family of 6 was a little over $20 and we could gave bought an annual pass for $35. There are plenty of fish and wildlife employees around to ask any questions you may have. Something I always forget about until I'm there is the fishing pond. I did notice this time that they have poles for rent but it was pretty hot out while I was there so I didn't do it.

Tony Englert

Beautiful sunny day to enjoy the last day of the season!

Heather Cannon

Perfect

Elaine Elzey

We enjoyed the sites here. It was a nice walk with our native animals within site. With a show put on by the bobcats.

David Elkin

Our grandchildren love animals. A great way to spend some time with them.

Cece Long

We took our 5 year old out to walk with animals. Unfortunately it's raining today but the folks there made it work. We did miss seeing the animals. Thank you so much Salato Wildlife Cener.

Wes Hopper

Was Memorial day, rentals for tables were available but the animal areas were closed. Was still a good time. We've gone here for our son's b'day party for many years. I've deducted a star because both last year and this, we had to look for a grill cover. We weren't able to find one this year so had to use a larger one from the shed next door. It was oversized. Also, the grill plates were falling apart.

James Pitcock

Absolutely love this place! My 4 year old and I visited and it was only 5$ for everything. Loved it so much we've been back 3 times in the past week and got the yearly membership. Very clean,organized,the animals look great and well fed,and the staff is super nice.

Misty Loman

Best place to enjoy nature..lakes stocked regularly and clean..

James Morgan

Absolutely wonderful and informative

Bella I'va

This place is not like an ordinary zoo. This is beautiful place to visit

Allen Dobbs

Great place

Beth M P

Great outdoor experience for the entire family. Friendly and knowledgeable personnel.

Missy Graves

Love this place!!!! I have lived in KY my entire life and finally got to take all five of my kids to see this awesome place!!! Would like to go visit again when it isn't so hot, but even with the high temps it was totally worth it!!! Admission was very reasonable, cheap in fact, even for our large family!!! Our favorite part was the Black Bear enrichment, where they fed the black bear berries and things from a paper sack and he had to get it out of the bag himself.

Johnie Hamrick

Lot of good stuff but they won't let you eat it!

Dashanera Brumley

No animals we're out

Tana Allen

My kids love it there! And me too

Lorie Howard

Great family outing.

Jesse Cathey

Great people great sites

Firecracker gigi

It was an incredible experience of up close wildlife, and the staff are more than happy to answer any questions about the center.

Linda Sellards

Wonderful place need to gobeautiful

Breana Higgins

I’ve gone here since I was a kid and loved bringing my nephews here. Some things have been added which is nice but as nature may go, I was sad to see the dragonfly marsh pretty much dried up. That was one of my favorite spots as a child. Great place to go to see some interesting animals and learn a lot.

Jeffrey Anglin

Loved the animals

james carstarphen

It's beautiful out here

Danielle Pruitt

Great place to bring the whole family. It's small enough to get in and out in a couple of hours and cheap enough not to break the bank. You can hike the trails, picnic or hang out at the pond for free. The facilities are nice and the people are very helpful.

Robert Bwambale

Awesome fish and wildlife exhibition!

Traci Melgar

Neat hidden gem

Misty N Tj Smith

Great place

Daniel Tierney

Made a day trip up to Frankfort from Owensboro. We came there for something else but SO GLAD we stopped at the Salato Wilfdlife Center!!! It was an amazing place for our daughter. She loved the bears out front and then someone brought out a snake which she REALLY LOVED! Can’t wait to go back! We even got to have a little educational time with a Raptor encounter!!! Such a great asset for the Commonwealth!!

Russell Woods

One of the best places to visit in Frankfort. The nature center is very unique, both the indoor exhibits and outdoor exhibits. You can also experience a quiet walk through the woods on the hiking trails.

Stacey Smallwood

Great little center/zoo/aquarium of local wildlife. Does have interactive exhibits for the kiddos. Small pond for insect, bird viewing. Short trail for hiking. There are public restrooms at the main entrance. Picnic areas for a bring yourself lunch. Great place for an educational and fun afternoon.

Nicole Templet

For 5 bucks this place went above and beyond. the volunteers brought snakes out for me to pet and were well informed about the animals at the locations. a must see for everyone

Caleb Mason

Great place to learn about local wildlife and nature. Indoor and outdoor viewing animals. Well worth the money.

Phil Eken

Always a fun day trick or treating with the animals. Even on a rainy day!

Ian Tallon

Great education for anyone is interested in Kentucky wildlife. Good live animal exhibits and a wonderful trail.

Lyn C

Great place to learn about animals and plants. Great staff very kid friendly

Rayna Buntain

Love this place!

sean wismer

My family loves this place

Edward Burns

Was a great little place to visit, However the signs at each enclosure was directly eye level with my 3 year old, she hit her forehead at least 2 times. The signs could be lowered just a bit for our little ones.

Michael Pullen

Bring the kids, this is great

Janet Martin

I was here for a training. Not a lot to see, but that's not the reason I was there. The two headed copperhead snake was pretty cool.

Kitty Ebner

Absolutely the best. Great animals and great care for them. Great exhibits. The grounds are clean.

W.K. McGaughey

First snow fall of the season hike

Poppa Bear

A great place to visit to see nature in the city.

R xBigmacnchezx

Open Saturdays fun place for family

E armster

good price for its size. very educational! small but beautiful scenery! had lots of carpenter bees! even tho they don't hurt you... we were still running from them lol.

Eric Williams

Get up close and personal with wildlife being rehabilitated. Nice grounds with great description of animals and proper habitat surroundings

Matthew Goeing

Good for a half day with the kids. The focus on local wildlife is nice.

Royce Gaines

Beautiful day clean and pretty Lake but no fish other than that it was a great day

danni Baldwin

Great family time

Breana Higgins

I’ve gone here since I was a kid and loved bringing my nephews here. Some things have been added which is nice but as nature may go, I was sad to see the dragonfly marsh pretty much dried up. That was one of my favorite spots as a child. Great place to go to see some interesting animals and learn a lot.

Denise Lewis

REALLY peaceful place to be. Very informative and fun staff! Great place for the kiddos!

Jon Rollins

Packed with Kentucky wildlife. It is not necessary a hiking area but rather a small area with lots of fantastic close up viewing of the local habitat. The kids loved the 2 headed copperhead!

Kathy Gorman Archer

Great place for the entire family. Knowledgeable about KY wildlife and fish!

Erika Larson

The mammal, fish, bird and reptile exhibits are very good. They have a fairly wide selection of species to view. It was a treat to get that close to bobwhites and observe their behavior. The elk and bison were also worth making the visit.

Bethany Sallee

Nice place to take your kids that's in Frankfort that's because we don't have anything else and now they're charging you for it that's the bad thing I don't think they should charge for it and used to be free since there's nothing else to do in Frankfort for the kids

Jigga FIRE

Great place to visit. I highly recommend it if your into wildlife and the environment.

Elizabeth Scott

My son loves the under ground fish tank. Plus it's really good catfish fishing in the first pond. The second pond is good for trout and bluegill. The animals around the walk path are always so lively when we go. The bear and the buffalo are my personal favorite. The inside had tons of neat things to check out. Lots of cool activities for the kiddos. Tons of tables and grills for picnics. The walk paths are really easy. Not to steep going either way. There is alot of geese and with that comes geese poop. It's everywhere. Like, I mean EVERYWHERE. It's not hard to avoid though. Over all this place is a five star in my book!

Teresa Douthitt

Love walking, salato ctr just nice place serene.

Larry Burke

We went for their trick or treating event, but my son was more interested in the nature exhibits more than the candy. We plan on visiting during spring break next.

Nicole Florence

Great place. Went for the first time in hunting and fishing appreciation day. Kids had a blast.

Ben Briggs

Awesome setup and great experience for my family will definitely be back

Laurie Lawrence

I really like the wildlife center

Caroline D.

What a great place! So much wildlife, nature and learning. The staff seem so happy to be there!

Jon Ott

Get a family in for under $15 or $35 for an annual pass. Not a place I'd go to as much as the zoo or a nice park but a good day trip for my daughter and it supports fish and wildlife. They have a selection of regional wildlife to see. They seem well cared for but you can tell some of them are stressed. The bear paces a day as does the wild cat. The eagle seems uneasy but that's the nature of captivity. The staff let the kids get up close and personal with some reptiles which my daughter loves. In short it's worth the visit.