The vision of a local man, Zootastic Park sends animal lovers on an educational, interactive journey with an ever-expanding selection of exhibits, attractions, and activities. Owner Scottie Brown and his family have spent over 30 years working with exotic animals and transformed their dreams into reality in 2009, when the zoo finally opened its gates after several years of construction. Zootastic Park is privately owned and operated by Mr. Brown with no federal or state funding.
Today, the zoo’s themed areas, such as Western Town, Safari Trail and the Barnyard Petting Zoo, let visitors explore reptiles, farm animals, and exotic beasts including antelope, birds, and tigers who go by the names Sasha and Jasmine. There’s even a playground and picnic area if you need to relax for a bit. The park offers something exciting for the kid in all of us and is one of the Charlotte area’s most educational and interactive zoos.
Zootastic Park also hosts or furnishes animals for special events and can provide an exotic feel for events including birthdays, weddings, and corporate gatherings. When winter rolls around, the zoo morphs into the Christmas Wonderland of Lights, with over 1 million lights through a 2 mile drive through, complete with an appearance from a Santa Claus who is clearly just a zebra wearing the sheep’s cast-off wool. They also have various other events through the year including an Easter Egg Hunt, Teacher Appreciation Day and more.
Through April, Zootastic is open for pre-season hours on Saturday 9 am – 5 pm and Sunday 1 pm – 5 pm. Regular season begins April 28th and they will be open Monday – Saturday 9 am – 5 pm & Sunday 1 pm – 5 pm. General admission is $6.50 for Children (2-11) and Seniors (65+) and $8.00 for Adults. Zootastic Park is located at 448 Pilch Road in Troutman, NC.
