Animal Adventures at Five Fun Inns

If you have been tempted to go on a safari, but you don’t want to leave America, here’s the solution! Leave your passport at home and take a wildlife adventure tour at a bed and breakfast in this country. Lions and tigers and bears are just a few of the crazy critters you can spend time with while staying in fun-filled accommodations.

Exotic Resort Zoo is a unique preserve in Johnson City, Texas with more than 80 different types of animals and several endangered species being given the chance to multiply on the 137-acre property. Take time for a guided tour and enjoy the hands-on petting zoo, or sit on the porch and watch kangaroo and wallabies amid 500 animals who roam freely. Frolic in one of the swimming pools with a waterfall or fountain and relax in the hot tub. Stay in an aromatic, cedar safari cabin overlooking the lake. Cook on the grill, then sit and roast marshmallows by the bonfire. Active kids love the playscape.

Blonde Bear Bed and Breakfast is close to the Arctic Circle on 21 acres of Alaska’s southern Kenai Peninsula. It offers easy access to salmon and halibut fishing charters, wonderful rugged scenery, and fly-out bear-viewing adventures. It is common to see wildlife including moose range, caribou herd and beluga whales. Proudly offering Alaskan Sourdough hospitality, enjoy cozy accommodations in a rustic setting with use of a canoe and barbecue grill. In the morning, linger over a hearty breakfast. At night, gather around the outdoor bonfire with a glass of homemade wine and local delicacies.

Menemsha Inn spans 14 acres with green fields, flowering gardens and moss-covered stone walls in Menemsha, Massachusetts. Visit the alpacas and ponies in the pastures throughout the property. Alpacas, similar to llamas, are gentle animals with a soft fleece that is shorn each spring and available as fiber arts yarn for purchase. The sweeping vista includes grazing sheep on green pastures rolling toward the sea, and the waters of Menemsha Bight and the Elizabeth Islands, accented with gliding osprey. Early risers catch a glimpse of wild turkeys, deer and rabbits who freely wander this side of the Island. Visitors return year after year, to get reacquainted with the locals and to enjoy this oasis of indulgent relaxation. A croquet, tennis and basketball court, fitness center, ping pong table, yoga and horseshoes are among the onsite activities. Gather in the lobby for cookies and lemonade each afternoon and munch on popcorn from the concession-style popper. Beach passes, towels, chairs and umbrellas are provided. A variety of accommodations include rustic country sea cottages, luxury ocean-view Carriage House and Tea House rooms and spacious vacation homes with abundant amenities and resort-like services.

The Social Goat Bed and Breakfast, in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, was once a working farm and homestead. Now this little farm in the big city sits on almost an acre with dwarf goats, cats, turkeys, chickens, roosters, goldfish and a koi pond. It graces the community surrounding Grant Park, home to Zoo Atlanta with giraffe feedings, wildlife encounters with elephants, komodo dragons, pandas, gorillas, orangutans, lions, zebras, meerkats, warthogs and many more. Enjoy southern hospitality and feel at home in an inviting setting. Stay in the Master Suite with Brazilian cherry floors, a sitting area, soaking tub and double-headed shower. The main house boasts a third-floor suite and second-floor guest room with a door to the balcony. A one-bedroom apartment in the Carriage House offers more room and privacy. Savor a continental-plus breakfast served in the dining room or on one of the covered porches.