Central Florida Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Zoo and botanical gardens in Sanford, Florida.
The Central Florida Zoo spans 116 acres north of Orlando, featuring over 400 animals from 100 species alongside botanical collections and educational exhibits.
Founded in 1923 as the Sanford Municipal Zoo with animals donated by the local fire department, the institution relocated to its current location in 1975.
The Wayne M. Densch Discovery Center includes teaching spaces and a ZooLab where visitors learn about wildlife through hands-on educational programs.
The zoo welcomes visitors daily from 9 AM to 4 PM, offering animal encounters, giraffe feedings, and a miniature train ride through the grounds.
The facility maintains specialized breeding programs for endangered species while integrating native Florida wildlife into its conservation initiatives.
Location: Florida
Inception: 1923
Website: http://centralfloridazoo.org
GPS coordinates: 28.82780,-81.31620
Latest update: May 14, 2025 17:36
The Orlando area and its surroundings offer much more than theme parks. A thirty-minute drive from Walt Disney World, the Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral traces American space exploration history with full-scale rockets and Apollo mission exhibits. Nature enthusiasts will enjoy Gatorland, a 45-hectare (110-acre) animal park home to over 2,000 alligators and crocodiles, or Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales, a 100-hectare (250-acre) reserve famous for its 62-meter (205-foot) carillon tower and landscaped gardens. Downtown Orlando features various themed museums, from the Science Museum with its planetarium to more unusual collections like the International Drive Wax Museum. Families appreciate entertainment options such as WonderWorks, identified by its upside-down building, or Fun Spot America in Kissimmee, offering roller coasters and go-kart tracks. For quiet relaxation, Leu Gardens display 20 hectares (50 acres) of botanical collections, while Kissimmee Lakefront Park hugs the shores of Lake Tohopekaliga with its paved trails and fishing piers.
Orlando offers a wide range of entertainment and educational facilities. Walt Disney World Resort comprises four theme parks with various rides and shows. Universal Orlando Resort presents attractions based on film and television series. SeaWorld Orlando and Discovery Cove provide marine animal encounters with dolphins and manta rays. Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island documents American space exploration history through exhibits and tours. The city features museums, botanical gardens and shopping centers. Visitors will also find restaurants, golf courses and nature preserves throughout the region.
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