the safari six flags

Six Flags Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure: An Interactive Zoo Experience You Won’t Want To Miss

If you ever thought of going on a safari, here’s your chance— in NJ. The wildly popular Six Flags Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure in Jackson opens the weekend of April 1 and is teeming with over 1,200 exotic animals from six continents ready to greet you and the whole family. Drive your car down a winding path where African elephants, reticulated giraffes, and red rhinos pass by your window (and maybe even stop traffic) in areas that mimic their natural habitats. Ready to go? Scroll down for all the details for going on a wild adventure at Six Flags Wild Safari—no passport needed. ( Feature Photo Credit: Six Flags Safari )

The zebras show off their stripes during the Six Flags in New Jersey. Photo Credit: Six Flags Safari

All the animals at Six Flags Wild Safari Drive-Thru

Six Flags Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure is unique because you never have to leave your car. The drive-thru is separated into 12 sections to show how animals live in distinct natural habitats. You’ll have the opportunity to watch a Roosevelt Elk run in The Americas, see an ostrich peck at your window in Afrikka, or view an African Lion at rest in Kingsland. As you wind around the loop, slow down by Baboon Village. This fan-favorite is where you can watch this rowdy troop jump all over a large metal piece in their exhibit (this metal piece is actually from “Lightning Loops,” a Six Flags Great Adventure rollercoaster that was deconstructed years ago). And not to worry, the baboons are no longer allowed to jump on your car like they were years ago ( whew ).

See animals in their natural habitat from the safety of your vehicle. Photo Credit: Six Flags Safari

Here’s what to know about the Drive-Thru before you go

The Six Flags Wild Safari Park is a total of 4.5 miles of paved road, and the drive-thru timing depends on the animals’ behavior (if they are out and about) and the traffic since you drive through super slowly—but expect it to take at least an hour. To make the experience even better, you can download a guide for all the details on the animals and facts. During the tour, you will see gates with signs that say “checkpost” to guide you to where you are and what you will see. Safari team members are available at many of the gates to help you with anything you might need during your adventure. And the animals can be temperamental (especially in crummy weather), so be prepared that you might not always see specific species. Whether you’re planning to go for the day or even just a quick visit, you’ll want to purchase tickets online and reserve a time and date to go. Tickets start at $24.99 for adults and $19.99 for seniors and children under 48″. 

Six Flags Wild Safari Drive-Thru is only part of the park

If your family is still up for an adventure, New Jersey’s largest and most popular theme park, Six Flags Great Adventure , is right next door with rides, restaurants, and hours of entertainment. Six Flags Great Adventure’s main park has plenty of thrilling and tame rides for all ages and lots of special events planned for 2023. This Spring Break, visit Six Flags in New Jersey for Scream Break from April 8-15 for a frighteningly good time that includes some of the features from Fright Fest, like haunted houses, a scare zone, ghouls, and nighttime rides. If you’re thinking about going this summer, you’ll want to head over to Six Flag’s water park, Hurricane Harbor, and spend the rest of the day sliding and splashing on the lazy river and in the pools—a perfect ending to a day “on safari.” New this year, there will be lots of tamer options for younger kids, including a treehouse splash park and 7 new colorful slides that spin and whirl smaller riders. And good to know if you want to add this to your day— Six Flags Great Adventure and Hurricane Harbor require separate ticket purchases from the Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure.

Six Flags Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure 1 Six Flags Boulevard Jackson, NJ 08527 (732) 928-2000

Become an NJMOM Insider! For all the best things to do with your family around New Jersey, be sure to  sign up for our weekly newsletter delivered right to your inbox each week, and don’t forget to tag your photos #NJMOM  and  @njmom  for a chance to be featured on our social media.

About Author

Melanie Bodner has always had a love for writing, but now she has a new love…being a mom. Before having her kids, Melanie was no stranger to writing or working with children. She wrote for a local newspaper as a reporter and taught English and Dance in a public school. Now Melanie enjoys spending time with her kids, doing yoga, writing and decorating her home. Check out her Instagram @burlapbythebeach.

Related Posts

26 distilleries in new jersey to visit for cocktails and cheer, breweries in nj: 74 local craft brew spots to raise a glass, 45+ top new jersey wineries and vineyards, join the #njmom squad.

Sign up for the best activities, events + exclusive offers from our partners.

Key Information

The Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure is once again a self-drive attraction at an extra charge (although free to Six Flags Members and Six Flags Great Adventure and Hurricane Harbor New Jersey pass holders). Drivers go on safari through the 350acre park with its 1,200 animals from six continents including elephants, rhinos, tigers, giraffes and lions.  The drive takes between 1 and 3 hours depending on the pace of the driver.

Sign Up For Your Free Account

About theme park tourist.

Theme Park Tourist is one of the web’s leading sources of essential information and entertaining articles about theme parks in Orlando and beyond.

We are one of the world’s largest theme park guide sites, hosting detailed guides to more than 80 theme parks around the globe.

Find Out More About Us...

Plan Your Trip

Our theme park guides contain reviews and ratings of rides, restaurants and hotels at more than 80 theme parks worldwide.

You can even print them.

Start Planning Now...

Wild Safari Drive-Thru to Open at Six Flags Great Adventure

While the theme park and waterpark remain closed, Six Flags Great Adventure is opening its Wild Safari Drive-Thru for guests to enjoy from the comfort of their own cars, complete with an advance reservation system.

The drive-thru safari is something I remember doing with my family when I was a kid, and it’s a great option for families looking for something to do, especially while we wait for things to return somewhat to normal.

Wild Safari Drive-Thru

From 1974 to 2012, the Safari experience at Six Flags Great Adventure was a self-guided tour that allowed guests to drive their own cars through exhibit after exhibit of animals. I can remember the thrill of seeing animals right through my window when I was a kid and even seeing baboons jump on top of cars!

In 2013, the safari was changed to the Safari Off Road Adventure. It became an attraction inside the theme park that guests rode through on an open-air truck with a tour guide, with a stop at Camp Aventura for up-close encounters and a zip line. Some of the animal exhibits, like the baboons, were fenced in for this experience.

Now, with the need for social-distancing, the drive-thru aspect is back, just using the same road and exhibits from the past 7 years. That means this new version of the Wild Safari Drive-Thru won’t have any baboons jumping on cars. That’s probably disappointing for kids and reassuring for the parents. Camp Aventura will not be open as part of the drive-thru safari., but should reopen when the attraction eventually goes back to being the Safari Off Road Adventure.

Wild Safari Drive-Thru Hours and Pricing

Starting May 30, 2020, the Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure will operate daily from 9am to 4pm (weather permitting). Reservations will need to be made in advance, and no guests will be allowed to enter without a reservation. The safari takes about an hour to experience and Six Flags says the safari will accommodate thousands of families per day.

Pricing for the Wild Safari Drive-Thru is $17.99 per person for single day tickets. Members and Season Pass Holders are free, plus one $9.99 Bring-A-Friend ticket. Kids aged 2 and under are also free. All guests, regardless of what type of ticket they have, need a reservation to enter.

The procedure will work like this: First, guests will purchase tickets for the Wild Safari Drive-Thru. Then, you’ll go to the reservation system to choose the date and time you want to attend. (You’ll need your ticket #, order #, or season pass/membership # to confirm you purchased tickets.) When your reservation is complete you’ll receive a confirmation. Print that, or show it on your device through your window when you arrive. Printed sheets will probably be easier to scan through the window.

Tickets are available for purchase now. Members and Pass Holders will be able to start making reservations on May 27, 2020.

A Self-Guided Tour

Your self-guided tour of the Wild Safari will slowly cruise along the 5-mile path as it winds through the 350-acre preserve. During the hour-long journey, you will have the opportunity to see 1,200 animals in simulated natural habitats. Some of these animals may cross the road, and at times you’ll have animals within a few feet of your vehicle. But rest assured that predators are fenced off from the road.

The one downside to the self-guided tour is that you won’t have a knowledgeable tour guide to point out the animals, give you facts about them, or answer any questions you may have. The tour guide was one of the highlights of my Safari Off Road Adventure experience at Six Flags Great Adventure last summer. You can brush up on the animals you’ll see and their habitats on the park’s website at  www.sixflags.com/safari . (a passenger could even have this open on a device to reference during your visit.)

Here is a list of some of the animals you can expect to see.

Wild Safari Drive-Thru Animal Guide

The americas.

• Fallow Deer
• Roosevelt Elk
• African Elephants
• White Rhino
• Grant’s Zebra
• Asian Water Buffalo
• Marabou Stork

Wild Plains

• Common Eland
• Ellipsis Waterbuck
• Dama Gazelle
• Scimitar Horned Oryx
• Reticulated Giraffe
• Red Ankole Cattle
• White Bearded Gnu
• Greater Kudu

Serengeti Grassland

• White Tailed Gnu
• African Lions

Black Bear Ridge

• American Black Bear
• European Brown Bear

Conservation Area

Set aside for native species to the NJ area such as birds, foxes, turtles and even the bald eagle.

Didgeradoo Pass

• Red Kangaroo

Tigris Asiana

• Bangal Tigers
• Siberian Tigers

Baboon Jungle

• Anubis Baboons

Safari Safety – Know Before You Go

To ensure the safety of guests, Six Flag team members, and animals, the Wild Safari Drive-Thru experience will be contact-free. All tickets will need to be purchased in advance via an online reservation system . Tickets will not be available at the gate, and guests without tickets will not be permitted to enter.

• SLOW – 5 mph speed limit
• Maintain space between your car and others
• Animals always have the right of way
• Remain in your vehicle and on paved roadway at all times
• Windows and sun roofs must remain completely closed
• Convertible tops must be closed
• No pets, including service animals, are permitted inside cars
• Do not feed or touch the animals
• No smoking or littering
• No parking or stopping, other than yielding to animals
• All vehicles will be screened by Six Flags Security prior to entering Wild Safari
• No items are permitted in pickup truck beds or in vehicles with open storage
• Cars, SUVs and consumer pickup trucks only permitted – no buses, RVs, box trucks, commercial vehicles, pickup trucks larger than a consumer pickup allowed
• Plan ahead – no restrooms, food, or gasoline available (only portable toilets at entrance and exit)
• Enter at your own risk

Personally, we’re looking forward to making the drive to the Wild Safari Drive-Thru. It will be great to take a little road trip. In addition to planning how to handle our food and restroom stops, we’re putting together some accessories to bring in the car to enhance the experience. Here are some of our ideas:

• printable animal guide (we’ll share ours once we finish it)
• scavenger hunt
• safari bingo
• booster seats to help little ones see
• camera to take photos
• safari coloring books

You can find more information on the Wild Safari Drive-Thru, including the answers to frequently asked questions, at https://www.sixflags.com/greatadventure/attractions/safari

Sharing is caring!

By using this form you agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Six Flags Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure

• Air-conditioned vehicle
• Bottled water
• Not wheelchair accessible
• Stroller accessible
• Confirmation will be received at time of booking
• Most travelers can participate
• This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
• This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 6 travelers
• All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.

Similar experiences

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Six Flags Wild Safari Drive-Thru Adventure provided by Etreker Travel

10 of America’s Best Water Parks

Make a splash at these fun-filled oases.

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

Whether you’re four or 40, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of zipping down a waterslide on a hot summer day, feeling the rush of adrenaline that comes with every twist, turn and drop, then plummeting into a shallow pool, climbing out, and doing it all over again. Waterparks are some of life’s most nostalgic places, where sore feet and sunburns are the mark of a day well spent.

From innovative theming to record-breaking attractions, here are 10 of America’s best waterparks.

Universal’s Volcano Bay | Orlando, Florida

Schlitterbahn New Braunfels | New Braunfels, Texas

Claiming the title of “World’s Best Waterpark,” the Schlitterbahn park in New Braunfels, Texas, packs more than 51 attractions into 70 acres. The name nods to the area’s German heritage, with dedicated sections housing slides, coasters, rivers and pools interspersed through natural landscaping.

Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park | Orlando, Florida

No one does a theme quite like Disney, and Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park is no exception. Telling the story of a legendary storm that struck a tropical island, the focal point of the park is a shrimp boat stuck on top of Mt. Mayday. The surrounding 56 acres are filled with waterslides, a surf pool and the kid-friendly Ketchakiddee Creek playground.

LEGOLAND California Resort | Carlsbad, California

Bare feet and LEGOs finally go hand-in-hand at LEGOLAND California’s waterpark. Interspersed with the park’s waterslides and wave pools are activities like the “Imagination Station,” where kids (and let’s be honest, adults) can build bridges and dams with DUPLO bricks, build a boat to race or build a LEGO raft in the lazy river.

Noah’s Ark Waterpark | Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

Wisconsin Dells may be known as the “Waterpark Capital of the World,” but one rises above the rest with an impressive record: it claims “America’s Largest Waterpark.” Noah’s Ark Waterpark is often a pioneer in water rides, introducing a glowing slide this year (Chameleon) to enjoy alongside the world’s largest king cobra slide (Raja) and the country’s first nearly vertical looping slide (Scorpion’s Tail).

Six Flags White Water | Marietta, Georgia

Six Flags Over Georgia has a dedicated water park onsite, Six Flags White Water . As its name suggests, there are plenty of adrenaline-inducing rides like the tropical storm-themed Typhoon Twister or the ultra-tall Dive Bomber with a 90-degree drop. For casual park-goers, Six Flags White Water also has a wave pool and lazy river.

Splashin’ Safari | Santa Claus, Indiana

In a town called Santa Claus, a holiday-themed amusement park just makes sense. Navigating through Holiday World park sections with themes like Halloween and Fourth of July will lead you to Splashin’ Safari, a sprawling tropical park with nearly 50 attractions, including the world’s longest water coaster. Holiday World and Splashin’ Safari promise value, with one ticket admitting entry to both parks and free soft drinks and sunscreen offered throughout.

The Boardwalk at Hersheypark | Hershey, Pennsylvania

The sweetest waterpark around, the Boardwalk at Hersheypark is the waterlogged counterpart to the adjacent candy-inspired amusement park. Challenge your friends at the world’s longest mat racing slides, get an adrenaline rush on a watercoaster, or opt to float down the (more than) 1,300-foot lazy river.

Great Wolf Lodge | Multiple Locations

We’d be remiss not to mention the largest chain of indoor waterparks in the country, Great Wolf Lodge . Contrary to most others on the list, these parks stay open year-round for aquatic adventure no matter the weather. From California all the way to Massachusetts, guests can enjoy wave pools, slides and lazy rivers all day long, then retire to their resort-style accommodations without ever leaving the property. 2023 will welcome two new properties: Great Wolf Lodge Maryland and Great Wolf Lodge Poconos .

Cowabunga Bay | Multiple Locations

There are two outposts of Cowabunga Bay , a retro surfer-inspired waterpark in Las Vegas and Draper, Utah. Skip the strip and head to the Nevada location, where more than 25 attractions like body slides, racers and an all-dark tube slide add to the thrill. The Utah counterpart has 11 colorful slides and a dedicated area for little adventurers.

@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-o9j0dn:before{margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-right:0.625rem;color:#ffffff;width:1.25rem;bottom:-0.2rem;height:1.25rem;content:'_';display:inline-block;position:relative;line-height:1;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}} Travel

11 Ways to Protect Yourself From Travel Scams

11 U.S. Amusement Parks That Are Free to Enter

The Best Caribbean Resorts for Families

Best All-Inclusive Resorts Where Kids Stay Free

The Best Alaska Cruises

Universal's Epic Universe Will Live Up to Its Name

25 Fun Girls' Weekend Getaway Destinations

Inside Vrbo's Vacation Rentals of the Year 2024

20 Best Places to Visit in April

20 Surprising Disneyland Freebies

The Best Family Vacation Ideas

Six Flags Great America in Gurnee opens for 2024 season

A new ride called "sky striker" will debut at the six flags great america later this spring, by nbc chicago staff • published april 19, 2024 • updated on april 19, 2024 at 6:31 am.

Note: The video in the player above is from a previous report.

The "Thrill Capitol of the Midwest" will open for the 2024 season this weekend

Watch NBC Chicago local news and weather for free 24/7

Six Flags Great America , in suburban Gurnee, opens for the 2024 season at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 20, according to the park's website.

According to the park's website, hours of operation for the theme park are 10:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and 10:30 a.m. - 7 p.m. Sundays. It will open for some weekday hours beginning Friday May 10, with daily operations beginning the week of Memorial Day.

Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter here.

A full look at the early season calendar for Six Flags Great America can be found here.

This year, a new ride will debut at the park, with construction already underway .

The new attraction called "Sky Striker" will swing riders back and forth on a massive pendulum through the sky at speeds of 75 miles per hour -- while 172 feet off the ground.

Rockford named nation's top housing market by Wall Street Journal

Northbound Dan Ryan ramp to westbound I-290 shut down for shooting investigation

"As you swing through the clouds you will also spin, adding even another dimension to this maximum-thrills experience," according to the Six Flags Great America website. "This first-of-its-kind ride for the park creates a freefall sensation like no other."

The new attraction will be located in the park's "County Fair" section, located near the historic American Eagle roller coaster while replacing the land formerly occupied by "Dare Devil Dive," a skycoaster freefall attraction that required an additional fee to ride.

A spokesperson for Six Flags Great America told NBC Chicago the ride is scheduled to open later this spring.

On top of Sky Striker, Six Flags Great America boasts a whopping 15 roller coasters, the second-most of any park in the Midwest, only trailing Cedar Point.

The park, at 1 Great America Parkway in Gurnee, is approximately 45 miles north of Chicago.

This article tagged under: