What a pleasant surprise visiting this place was. Located on a lovely and spacious rural property, this well maintained facility has a large number of thoughtfully laid out exotic animal sanctuaries. The driving tour was very enjoyable and beautiful. In addition to seeing many different types of exotic animals, the gently rolling property has many beautiful trees and ample shade. We look forward to returning for a walking tour once the warmer weather subsides.

Fantastic. My son and I enjoyed a truly unique experience with Isiah and the animals at Carson Springs. We have visited many zoos and animal preserves across the country, Barry and Christine run a top notch facility, the animals are clearly loved here and it shows.

I highly recommend going here! It was such an awesome experience. The owner and employees (Isiah, Katie, Clayton ) were all very passionate. The animals were well taken care of. It was very clean and well kept. The employees do everything from taking care of the animals to cutting the grass. The tour was about 2 hours and very informative. If youre in the area I definitely recommend going here. It is definitely one of the better animal sanctuaries in the area and the ALL the money goes to the animals.

If I could give it 10 stars I would! I went to the drive through experience and it was AMAZING! The animals were behind fences but so close to the car! Most the animals were out, there were staff to answer questions, and the animals looked very well cared for (maybe even spoiled ) Great experience, will have to do it again sometime!

We did the walking tour. It is an hour but youll see so many unique animals! We went at noon on 9/5 so it was hot but we saw a lot of activity. The hyenas were playing, the jackal was playing and the lions were roaring. Definitely recommend. The walk is 1 mile.

We went here and had the best time. Everything was well organized for our 10 o’clock tour. They make it very user friendly with reservations by email. The animals are in VERY large enclosures with a great deal of greenery and you can tell they are cared for meticulously. A great way to be out and about and safe right now in the midst of our situation.

Very impressed with their drive-thru tour. Even though you werent allowed out of the vehicles, you could still get very close to the animals. Kids loved it too.

The guide was exceptionally knowledgeable about the animals, very friendly, and gave us time to really ask questions and observe the animals. The walk was easy and was a truly lovely way to spend the afternoon

A Great Place to go when you just want to refresh yourself but not a the best place I wanted

Was there for the drive threw for Halloween Amazing kid loved it. And will be back

What a refreshing and humane way to treat, view, and appreciate amazing animals. Carson Springs show us how animal should be treated, with reverence and respect, love and compassion.We took a day off of baseball to visit Carson Springs and it was a day the team of 14-year-young boys will never forget. Our guide Katie was both extremely knowledgable and patient (there were some silly questions as you can imagine given the group).We learned interesting facts about cats and then entire bunch is now forever fans of Henry the Hippo, who they even got to feed.If you are in the Gainesville area, this is a must-do. Groups of 10+ can book private tours. Otherwise tours are available on Saturday. ALL fees go to support these amazing creatures. Go and meet them yourself.

It doesnt get any better than this. Private tours, with passionate experts in the field will take you on an upclose experience with these wonderful animals. This place is amazing and you can tell they take great care of each one of its inhabitants.

My daughter and I absolutely love this place! We have done the group tours twice and the private tours twice and would recommend the private tour. It is definitely worth the money. Barry and Christine are amazing, along with everyone else there! The animals are amazing and you can tell how much they love their animals! They are well cared for! They have the oldest male Indian Rhino in the world, named Henry. He is just the sweetest! Him and Barry have a special bond! I could go on and on. Definitely recommend this place ️

We drove over an hour to get here. Then waited 25 minutes just to get in. Paid $30 to see 6 animals. It was so busy it took an hour to drive through and most of the animals weren’t even out. Waste of time.

Very nice time. Loved seeing the hyenas and jackals. Isaiah is a perfect guide, ask for him!

I agree with Samantha M’s review of Carson Springs Wildlife Conservation Foundation. They are rude and unprofessional. My husband and I called and sent emails to reserve a tour and got no response. So we assumed we had a reservation only to arrive and be told that the tour was at 10 that morning. They would not let us even walk around, and my husband was concerned about the tiger being penned I. A small Area. These people are the reason that the TIGER KING series has launched investigations into private zoos and sanctuaries. Be ware. Their behavior is rude, unprofessional and suspicious.

Fun place to visit. Very knowledgeable staff answer all questions. I enjoyed it 3 yrs ago!

It was nice we all enjoyed looking at the animals

I was really pleased​ with the size and all the animals they have there. They keep the animals clean and they look well taken care of. We spend the whole morning there. Bring your own lunch if you plan to eat there, they sell drinks but no food.

Great place to check out for animal lovers. Very nice facility and experience. Knowledgeable and friendly staff. Great thing they are doing for the animals! Definitely worth the drive!Dont take the review photos to heart(not all tours allow you to physically interact with animals)

While we made the best of our experience, this place was lacking in a few areas. The flyer stated that we would be provided with maps, we were not. The flyer also stated that there would be special showings for different animals. While there were showings, there was nothing given to us that stated when these showings would occur. Instead we would see a flock of people running to a particular exhibit, and that is how we knew something was taking place at the time. The staff that were stationed at random animal exhibits were of little help. We asked multiple staff members about the times of the showings and where certain exhibits were located. None of them could provide us with information. One of the staff members was carrying an animal, to what I could only assume was one of their timeless showings, and when myself and other patrons attempted to only take pictures, she was very rude and rushed us away from her. No one tried to get too close nor did any of us attempt to touch the animal. However, she acted as though we were doing something forbidden by attempting to get a picture or show our children the animal from a safe distance. The hippo exhibit was a bust, as well. Since we werent provided with the times of any of the showings, we were unable to view the hippo. We tried to see the animal at one point, but it was so far away and hidden that it was impossible. Now had we knew the time of the showing...My family and I drove from Jacksonville to attend the Grand Opening event, and sadly we will not make that trip again for any future events that they might hold.***I do not see an option to reply to the owners response. If there is an option, I apologize. I will add my response to my original review.From the owners response, I gather that had we not attended their Open House and paid more money, we may have had an entirely different experience. My apologies for mistakenly saying hippo instead of rhino because that was, after all, the real issue. As for the schedules and maps, it is funny that we were not the only ones walking around asking about them. We held conversations with many other visitors that also must have missed them at the entrance. Maybe for future open house events, the maps & time schedules could be handed directly to the visitors like the wrist bands were upon payment to enter. In regards to the tired animal we saw in passing, that is understandable. However, the womans attitude is not. There were many ways that she couldve responded to myself and the other guests, but she chose to go with the rude route. Thanks for your response. It has really enlightened me on why our experience went the way that it did.

Had an amazing tour today! Isaiah gives a great, informative and non rushed tour and it is the closest you will get to these animals almost anywhere. Will definitely be coming back again!

Lions and tigers and pigs and rhinos...oh my! Great educational tour and lots of wildlife to see!

An asolutely amazing experience!

Visited with my Dad and younger sister and we absolutely loved it. Staff is very knowledgeable (shout out to Katie!) And they clearly love and care for these animals. Great selection of animals with nice facilities and a cute gift shop. Would 100% come back again for such a wonderful experience

Absolutely amazing! Very knowledgeable staff. Owners that care about the well being of the animals. We were there when it was raining and one of the co-owners rushed with a bucket of umbrellas to the group. We went on the Saturday 10am tour but I can see us returning. Knowing our money went to the nonprofit well being of the animals made the price more than worth it. The animals looked very well cared for.

We booked a private tour and were not disappointed. Our guide, Ellie, was knowledgeable and hands on. The facility was top notch and the animals were incredible to see! Would recommend to anyone looking for an educational experience led by passionate people.

We took our family this weekend for my grandsons 2nd birthday and they had so much fun. Its very refreshing to see animals healthy and happy...keep up the good work we will be back .thanks

Outstanding. Once in a lifetime experience. This is a total hidden gem - whatever your weekend plans are, cancel them right now and contact this organization about a tour.Tours consist of a guided stroll around the grounds, stopping at various habitats/enclosures for a wide variety of wildlife rescues or animals maintained for conservation-oriented breeding programs. Keepers who personally work with the animals give the tours, and can answer questions ranging from personal experiences with the animals to questions about current research into what is known about the biology and conservation status of each species.The keepers are knowledgeable, extremely friendly, and deeply dedicated to care of their animals and the mission of the foundation. The animalsare clearly well cared for, and as tours are not conducted daily, they appear undisturbed by the presence of visitors.Thank you to Matt and Katie for an awesome tour, and to Barry and Christine for putting together such a great facility!!

The owners and staff are amazing with the animals here. It was clean as were the animals

Included in the price is a two hour tour, conducted by one of the staff (all very knowledgeable, and fun). They share stories about how the animals came to them, some sad and some funny. They tell stories of the animals while theyve been with the foundation, how theyve been cared for, and details about the various animals. Theyre also share their knowledge of conservation efforts and current status. The foundation itself is actively involved in conservation efforts to save endangered animals.

Friendly, Informative people that run this wildlife sanctuary. Very committed to well being of these beautiful animals.

We took 2 first grade classes (28) 6 and 7 year olds and had a great time. Matt was our tour guide. He was extremely knowledgeable and kind. The facilities were clean. We highly recommend this place!

It was so eye opening towards animal abuse in the entertainment world and the lack of Florida legislation. Great animals and a great tour. Highly would recommend.

Such an amazing place! I am so glad sanctuaries like this exist for these stunning animals.

Barry, Christina, and our guide Isiah were all wonderful. Every staff member we came in contact with was friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly cared deeply about the animals. We held a lemur, fed a rhino, and snuggled tiny pigs! Each animals story was explained thoroughly, it added a great personal touch. Their enclosures were very well kept and spacious. Just an overall great place.

Very clean and very cool animals! Staff was very knowledgeable. Great experience.

Katie & Barry where unbelievable guides. They pulled out all stops to engage the wildlife during our tour to help our group get the best looks possible. Pair that with the fact that they treat very well care of all animals in captivity. Would highly recommend.

Nice experience here. Great variety of wildlife to see.

I have gone to two of the open house events here. Their volunteers are so nice, the owners have a true passion. You get to see these animals SO close up!!! And a great representation of big cats!

Loved it. Lots of wild animals. Face painting. Food at festivals. Fun.

What an amazing place to visit. Even though the group was large, you were given plenty of time to view the wildlife. Well worth going to as the money goes to take care of the wildlife. They have a great selection to view and photograph. Make time to go here.

This place is great!!! We came here for a homeschool group field trip & the kids had so much fun. The kids loved Gator the tiger showing off for them. Our guides were awesome & answered all our questions. Thank you so much for letting us see your amazing animals. We cant wait to see the new rhino coming to Carson Springs Wildlife.

The whole place is very well kept and people are very professional and delightful. It was a pleasure coming here. Highly recommend taking a visit with family and friends.

Our family greatly enjoyed our tour of the refuge. The tour was on foot, and we were able to get very close to many of the rescued animals. The whole setup was very accommodating of small children, allowing them to have a unique animal experience while safely separated by the enclosures and the fences around the viewing areas. The staff was friendly and the owners were even on hand, greeting and interacting with visitors.Be careful of the directions provided by GPS navigation systems; ours led us to a locked gate on a dirt road. The actual entrance is on the main road, has a sign, and an automatic gate. Use he directions on the website. Drive slowly and follow the signs once through the gate.

My wife and I went for their open house. We had a great time!

Fantasic place, Ive never seen animals so well taken care of. The staff was friendly, professional, and very knowledgeable. Family friendly and I would recommend the private tour...an up close look and experience.

My husband and I stopped at Carson Springs as the first stop for our honeymoon, and we could not be more pleased. It was an unforgettable experience. Emily and Alex led us through the sanctuary and allowed us to have time to spend with each animal. As a teacher, I loved how the information about each animal was shared with us as well as the back story.We cannot wait to return! I have so many stories to share about these magnificent creatures. Make sure you schedule a tour so you can go and meet Gator, Sugar Bear, Sammer, Dexter and countless others, and even Cricket and Mike the barn cat. We will definitely be back to meet Henry who will be there soon.

This is one of the best places to see big cats Ive ever been! Everyone is knowledgeable and friendly. In addition to big cats, they have pigs, lemurs, a rhino, and various birds. Definitely take the time to visit!

Informative, fun tour led by knowledgeable staff. The animals are healthy and well cared for. Donations go directly to animal care; this is a very reputable foundation. Worthy of a visit, great for adults and children. Carson Springs is one of Gainesvilles hidden gems.

Great for middle school field trip! This is our third year going and the kids love it! They talk about it all the time.

Downhome food and nostalgia. Cili dogs, grilled sausage, and more. Authentic.. Craving a Philly cheese steak. This is the place to get one. Eat in or take out. Come as you are.

Great rescue place for animals and wonderful guided tours. $25 donation strongly suggested and well worth it

Super cool wildlife sanctuary. Lions, tigers, cheetahs, a rhino, leemers, hyenas, jaguars, so many animals! The tour guides are extremely knowledgeable and have legitimate bonds with these animals.

Amazing selection of animals, and staff who care dearly for them. Highly recommend! Worth the trip.

Loved it here. The animals are obviously very well cared for, and the staff is quite knowledgeable. If you can, go for the private tour. We did this on our second visit and it was totally worth the extra money.

The animals here love the owner. This place loves the animals and its obvious.

Simply PERFECT!! Excelent attendace for handicapped people. Love it!

Awesome little place. Henry the rhino is a favorite. Lots to see on the tour!

Our school had an awesome time!!! The tour guides were great and they kept the children interested in the tour. I would recommend everyone to visit Carson Springs!!!

What a hidden gem! I brought a group of 20-30 adults and toddles and we had the best time!!! The staff was friendly and knowledgeable.

It was very cool to see animals I never saw before, but the bug bites on my leg are horrible. I have more than 10 bites. If you go, make sure you got bug spray

Carson Springs is a beautiful, large facility. The staff is very knowledgeable and well spoken, and the animals are healthy!

Loved that the animals are welled cared for and provided for. Thank you for all you do.

Awesome experience, friendly staff, and the animals were very well kept.

Awesome experience with animals

Love this place

Just a bit hot in the summer. Beautiful place! A real treat.

Great time very educational and informative

Nice place to visit and take children to see the animals

Amazing place!! Go when you can!

Worth it

Whats not to love about this place