Hours
Thursday-Saturday: 9 AM – 6 PM
Sunday: 1 PM – 6 PM
Closed Monday-Wednesday
Admission
Adults (16+): $9:00
Military/Senior (65+)/Students: $8.00
Children (3-15): $7:00
Toddlers (-2): Free
Location
849 Norris Road, Anderson, SC 29626
706-436-7249
ballyhoopettingzoo@gmail.com
@ballyhoopettingzoo
Fun for Everyone
Welcome to Ballyhoo Petting Zoo!
The Upstate’s favorite little zoo is getting a little bit bigger! Ballyhoo added 14 new species in 2022 and has big plans for next year.
Ballyhoo Zoo is an independently owned, USDA accredited zoo in Anderson, SC. Ballyhoo Zoo is now home to 30 species and counting. Among the new residents are Skippy the Red Kangaroo, Pokahontas the African Crested Porcupine, and Tiptoe the Brazillian Short-Tailed Opossum. We pride ourselves on providing a unique, educational experience that’s fun for everyone! Animal encounters are available daily and tickets can be purchased online or at the door.
Animal Highlight: Red Kangaroo
Admission Options
General Admission
Online or At the Door
Adults (16+): $9:00
Senior (65+)/Students: $8.00
Children (3-15): $7:00
Toddlers (-2): Free
group admission (20+)
Online Reservations Required 1 Week Prior
Adults (16+): $9:00
Senior (65+)/Students: $8.00
Children (3-15): $7:00
Toddlers (-2): Free
memberships
Valid though December 31, 2023
Family Membership: $138
Adults (16+): $48
Senior (65+)/Students: $42
Children (3-15): $28
Military + First Responders receive 20% off tickets + membership pricing.
Sensory-Sensitive Admission Option
We have early/late admission option along with individual encounters for our sensory-sensitive visitors at no additional cost. Please connect with us for special arrangements.
Our Animals
Hands-on encounters with soft, scaly, spiky, and slimy creatures!
We have over 150 animals of all shapes and sizes! We pride ourselves on providing a unique, educational experience that’s fun for everyone. We have several animal ambassadors that love special attention from the public. Many of our encounters are included with admission. One-on-one encounters with some of our unique exotics are available for an additional charge.
Encounter Highlight: Patagonian Cavy Corner
Animal Encounters
Free Encounters
Bunny Bungalows
Barnyard Roundup
Guinea Pig Guild
Giggling Baby Goats
Sheep Snuggles
Piglet Palooza
Degu Discovery
Dragon’s Den
Iguana Island
Cockatoo Tunes
$2 Encounters
Aviary Adventure
Emu Experience
Hedgehog Hangout
Opossum Odyssey
Snake City
Tegu Tales
Tortoise Time
$5 Encounters
Kangaroo Outback
Prairie Dog Plains
Patagonian Cavy Corner
Pony Pals
Caiman Cove
The Best Party Place in the Upstate
Make this party a year to remember! We offer flexible party packages that fit any price point with animal encounters included for all guests.
Education
A Place to Learn, Grow, and Explore.
We pride ourselves on providing a unique, education experience for all of our guests. Throughout the zoo there are plaques with information about our animals. These include information about where the animals are native, conservation status, diet, habitat, and more. We have several programs and packages available for further education.
Program Highlight: Field Trips
Field Trips, Programs, + Camps
Field Trips
Reservations Required 2 Weeks Prior
Adults (16+): $10:00
Senior (65+): $9.00
Children (3-15): $12:00
Participating
Toddlers (-2): $2
Infants: Free
Includes:
2 Hour Pavilion Rental
Farm Tour
Feed Cup for Each Guest
7 Paid Encounters
Programs
Reservations Required 1 Week Prior
Barnyard + Friends Toddler Group:
$10 for Parent + Child
Meets the first Friday every month. Includes story, craft, and animal encounter. Designed for children ages 2-5.
Saturday Safari Children’s Group:
$20 for Parent + Child
Meets the second Saturday every month. Includes booklet, patch, craft, and animal encounter. Designed for children ages 6-10.
Camps
Reservations Required 2 Weeks Prior
Future Zookeepers Summer Camp:
$200 for Parent + Child for 8 Weeks
Meets every Saturday throughout the Summer. Includes booklet, patch, craft, and animal encounter. Designed for children 6-10 and 11-15.
Farm Fresh Faith Bible School:
Donations Admission
Meets for 5 days during the summer. Includes craft, story, and animal encounter. Designed for children 3-15.
Military + First Responders receive 20% off field trip + program pricing. Members receive 20% off field trip pricing and 50% off program pricing.
Bring the Zoo to You!
Want the animals to visit your class, school, preschool, or daycare? Check out our new Zoo to You Mobile Zoo Program for packages and pricing
News + Events
Stay up to date on what’s new to the zoo.
In addition to our standard admission and programs, we have several special events and exhibit openings on the calendar for 2023. There is no additional charge to attend the events, although some extra activities may have a small fee. We have exhibit openings planned throughout the year which can also be found on our upcoming events calendar and New to the Zoo blog.
Event Highlight: Ballyhootenanny Fall Festival
Upcoming Events
Keep the Adventure Going All Year Long!
Want to attend all of the events? Purchase an annual membership! Family, Adult, Senior, and Children Memberships are available now through December 2023.
Accredited Facility
We are proud USDA Class C Exhibitor and follow all USDA guidelines for the care of our animals. This includes daily observation, special diets, exercise, exhibits, and veterinary care for each individual animal. All of our animals are named by our little helpers and very loved individuals at the farm.
We are also working on independent accreditation from the Zoological Association of America and Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Rehabilitation.
Reviews
Frequently Asked Questions
If your specific question is not answered below, please contact us and we will be happy to help!
Adults (+16): $9.00
Military, Senior (+65), Students: $8.00
Children (15-3): $7.00
Toddlers: Free
We are currently open Thursday-Saturday from 9 AM – 6PM and Sunday 1 PM – 6 PM.
No you do not have to purchase tickets in advance. We take cash and card at the door.
Yes we do have annual membership options! View Memberships here: https://www.ballyhoopettingzoo.com/tickets-memberships/
Most of animals are raised on the farm or donated through our animal rescue program. We currently have 80 animal rescues and counting. Our rescues vary from minor concerns to severe health issues that require ongoing treatment. We love all of our animals and make sure all rescues will be able to permanently stay at the farm or are 100% healthy before they will be eligible for adoption.
Learn more about our animal rescues here.
The farm is a 24 hour job. Animal welfare is our #1 priority and we spend a great deal of time and effort making sure our animals receive the highest quality care possible. We are a USDA accredited facility and take great pride in our Class C Exhibitor certification.
We typically go through about 4,800lbs of hay and 1,600 of grain every month feeding all of our animals. Each species has a specific diet and nutrition plan based on their heath needs, age, and weight.
We use Purina & Mazuri animal feed, supplements, and treats. All of our treats are hay-based and do not include excess sugars. This means it does not effect their natural diet and are completely safe for them to eat.
We designed the farm so pens were only accessible on one or two sides. Animals are not forced to interact with guests and can retreat to the back of their pens at any time. All of their shelters are also turned away from guests so they can rest in their barns or houses and not be bothered.
However, Our animals are extremely spoiled and love attention. This has not been a problem since we opened, even on the busiest days!
