We recently visited The Lion Habitat Ranch in Las Vegas, Nevada. and it was easily our favorite experience with the kids around the famous city. Open since 1989; the habitat is home to rescues and surrenders as well as MGM’s famous retired Lions, Lions who have called the Ranch home since their original exhibits were closed in 2012. Since then, the animals have been living out their days with siblings here with some top-of-the-line care. And can be visited a few hours a day through a variety of different options, like tours, general visits, and feedings.
See The Full Detailed Video Below
Lion Habitat Ranch Visiting Information
- Website:
- Address:
- 382 Bruner Ave, Henderson, NV 89044
- Phone:
- 702-595-6666
- Email:
- keith@lionhabitatranch.org
- Dates & Hours:
- Summer hours are Thursday to Monday from 10 am to 2 pm. Last admission is at 1 pm. Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
- Winter hours are Thursday to Monday from 11 am to 3 pm. Last admission is at 2 pm. Closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
- Dates and hours of operations may change. We recommend calling them or checking their website beforehand to confirm their business hours.
- Price/Cost:
- Adult
- $25 – Non-Resident (Out of State)
- $20 – Local
- $18 – Seniors (65+), Military, Fire, Police, & College Student (with ID)
- Children
- Free – Ages 3 and under
- Free – One child age 4-14 with purchase of any adult ticket
- $10 – Extra child with non-resident adult ticket
- $8 – Extra child with local ticket
- Family Group Rate
- $60 – Non-resident for two adults and children under 14
- $50 – Local for two adults and children under 14.
- Free Birthday Pass
- One free general admission during the month of your birthday with a valid ID. You can redeem your ticket at their ticket booth on the day of your visit.
- Adult
- How much we spent during our visit:
- Total: $60
- $50 for two non-resident adult tickets and free admission for the kids
- $10 for one giraffe feeding
- We would like to note that The Lion Habitat Ranch gave us media access with a Behind the Scene Tour. The tour would have cost us $450.
- Total: $60
Extra info
- Parking:
- Free parking in their lot.
- Activities:
- See lions, tortoises, birds, ostriches, and a giraffe.
- Watch Ozzie the giraffe paint.
- Feed a giraffe (additional cost)
- Feed a lion (additional cost)
- Time spent:
- 1 ½ hours
- Booking/reservations:
- Best to buy your tickets in advance on their website.
- Places to eat:
- LucKi Thai Restaurant – 467 E Silverado Ranch Blvd #165, Las Vegas, NV 89183 – 3 miles away
- Aloha Kitchen and Bar – 8150 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89123 – 5.6 miles away
- Pet allowed:
- No
- Stroller friendly:
- Yes
- Restrooms:
- Flushable toilets.
things to bring
- What we observed:
- Best to arrive at opening to avoid crowds and the heat.
- Free viewing of Ozzie the giraffe painting session at 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 12:30 pm, 1:30 pm and 2:30 pm depending on their operational hours.
- The male lions can spray urine up to 15 ft across the walkway so be cautious. The lion near Ozzie’s area sprayed a couple people during the painting session.
- They also offer a Behind the Scenes Tour, Virtual Tour, and Feast with the Beast.
- Additional add ons: $10 hand feed a giraffe, $100 hand feed a lion, $150 two people hand feed a lion (split the food), $100 giraffe custom painting.
- Our 6 year old daughter was scared to feed Ozzie the giraffe but our 3 year old daughter loved it.
- Some of the retired lions were from the MGM exhibit.
- The animals here look happy, healthy and well taken care of by the staff.
- Clothing:
- Check the weather before you go. The weather can be changeable; layered clothing and closed toe shoes are recommended.
- What we packed:
- Snacks, water, Suds2go portable hand wash cap, hat, umbrella (shade) sunglasses, sunscreen, lip sunscreen, and insect repellent.
- You can get the links to all our travel essentials here: Travel Essentials | Califoreigners
- Where to stay:
- South Point Hotel Casino & Spa – 9777 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89183
- Ways to save money:
- Visit during your birthday month for a free entry.
- Event party rentals:
- Yes.
- School field trips:
- Yes.
- Gift Certificates:
- Yes, available online.
- Other places to visit in the county:
- *** Will Update Soon***
- Recommended itinerary:
- Breakfast
- The Lion Habitat
- Dig This
- Follow us on Instagram @thecaliforeigners, Youtube @Califoreigners, TikTok @Califoreigners
What We Said In Our Lion Habitat Ranch Video
For us, Lion Habitat was gracious enough to allow us in early for a private walkthrough and behind-the-scenes tour of their property to teach us about their mission and all the animals under their care. Our guide, Meghan, was amazing. She happily walked us through the property, stopping at each enclosure to introduce us to the animals and give us their backstories, quirks, and relations to the other animals.
Walking in from the entrance, everything starts at the emus and ostriches. These not-so-well-disguised dinosaurs energetically munched on lettuce while we learned about them. Before leaving that section, we were also lucky enough to hear the emu’s own personal bass drops and see one of the tortoises happily chomping on its breakfast.
The Lions
Right across from there is the Habitat’s most memorable Lion experience that completely blew us away. At the plexiglass right where they see the jeep, the kids got a close-up view of one of the most beautiful lions we’ve ever seen, named Swifty, happily snacking on a raised stage next to us. At 16.5 The old boy was mesmerizing to see at such a close distance and something we don’t think we’ll ever forget.
Not wanting to leave the jeep, we continued moving. Getting introduced to other lions and lionesses along the way. Learning about their behaviors and sticking around long enough to notice all their different personalities. Their relaxed demeanor and curiosity towards our visit was exciting. They looked healthy, happy, and alert, which is a pretty big difference from the other lions we’ve seen at the bigger zoos all over the world. Seeing how they responded to Meghan and her genuine love for the big cats was great.
Ozzy and the Birds
In between the cat enclosures, they also house birds who were surrendered to the habitat for care. These inquisitive animals live long lives and, unfortunately, make it to these sorts of habitats more often than not with care that lasts for many decades. Some of them said Hello, and we’re more than happy to take pictures with us in trade for their favorite rewards,
Moving along, you’ll see an entire side of the property dedicated to Ozzy, the giraffe. This gigantic boy is massive in person, coming in at 17 feet tall; he’s become one of the most popular animals on the property. As an aspiring artist, Ozzy’s also trained his trainers to give him additional veggies for his abstract brush strokes with a few light-hearted demonstrations during visitor hours. Ozzy’s appetite is big, taking down anywhere between 60-80 pounds of food a day. He enjoys feedings and is completely comfortable with his fans and neighboring lions.
Using a critical eye, Ozzy’s art is good enough to go into any of today’s modern museums; you can even buy one of his pieces in the gift shop located nearby.
Overall we really love what we saw at the lion habitat. The animals are truly amazing. They all look happy and well taken care of, and we’re really grateful to Meghan and everyone at the Lion Habitat for allowing us to come into film and learn about the amazing Lions in their care. Whether you’re just passing through or live in Vegas, we highly recommend bringing the kids out the see the Lions at Lion Habitat Ranch,
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