Have you seen a buffalo at The Dallas Zoo? How about a bear?
No? Well, you’ll find those two animals, as well as many others at Frank Buck Zoo!
Where in the world is Frank Buck Zoo?
Frank Buck Zoo is located in Gainesville, Texas. It might seem like a long way away, but for our Dallas Moms Blog friends living in the northwest part of town, who might not be able to take advantage of Heather’s beloved Gentle Zoo across town, it’s less than an hour away, right up 35.
My favorite things about Frank Buck Zoo
- It’s inexpensive. Adults are $6.50, while children 1-12 are $4.50. Seniors (55+) and active military are $5.50. Parking is FREE!
- Giraffe feedings! They happen every day at 10:30 (weather permitting) and you can take part in feeding one of their two giraffes. Each piece of food is $1.
- There’s a petting zoo! A small section of the zoo gives you the opportunity to buy handfuls of food to feed the goats. Don’t forget to bring your quarters!
Photo credit: Trent Hamilton - No map needed! The zoo is basically set up in one big circle. Once you’ve made the big loop around, you’ve seen it all. It has a great set up to keep the traffic moving, but the best part is that there’s hardly any traffic! You don’t have to worry about dealing with crowds at Frank Buck Zoo!
- Two playgrounds! When you finish up with the animals, you can take your pick between the large (really awesome!) playground or the toddler playground, right outside of the zoo gates.
Photo credit: Trent Hamilton
How to Make the Most of Your Frank Buck Zoo Experience
Go early! The gates open at 9:00 am now and when we go back, I plan to be there as soon as they open. I want to enjoy the zoo a little before the 10:30 giraffe feedings, which I can’t go to the zoo without doing now. 😉
By the time that’s over, it’s the perfect time to head out of the park to enjoy the playground (or playgrounds) 😉 and have a picnic lunch. Yes, make sure you bring a lunch because other than packaged snacks and bottled drinks in the gift shop, there’s not a concession stand for guests to buy lunch.
Also on the outside of the zoo gates, you will find the Frank E. Schmidtz miniature train available to give you a fun little ride around the park. Keep in mind, they accept cash only and they are not run by the zoo, but rather the Gainesville Parks & Recreation Department.
All of this activity is the perfect recipe for an amazing afternoon nap for your little ones and you can enjoy yourself some “me” time! It’s a win-win. 🙂
So, if you’re looking for a fun little zoo experience for your kids and maybe even yourself, you MUST take the trip from Dallas to visit Frank Buck Zoo in Gainesville. You can also learn more about the zoo at www.frankbuckzoo.com and like their Facebook page to keep up with everything they have going on.
