Booked the overnight stay as a birthday gift to my...

Booked the overnight stay as a birthday gift to my SO and we had a blast and really enjoyed the animals we toured the property twice. The first was when we first arrived and in the public group, we got info on a large number of animals most had been rescued from bad conditions and nursed back to health by the efrc staff and many have unique traits/scars to talk about and tell their stories which the staff shares while making sure you dont get to close because some areas of the tour put you and animals within touching distance.

The second tour was the next morning where we got to follow a keeper around the secondary area where those close interactions are even more noticable and you have to dodge the cats trying to mark their territory. The cats in this area were generally in better condition when rescued so the stories arent as engaging but you get the chance to really pick the brain of the keeper and ask those harder questions. Plus you will see more of the behind the scenes action of feedings and other things needed to really take care of so many big animals.

The best part is the time you get to spend in you own private access area where at the time 4 enclosures housed 5 cats that you can watch and talk to some of them respond like house cats others just like the wild animals you would expect. We enjoyed sitting in the chairs and listening to the wild sounds rumble around the entire property until about 11pm and turned in for the night. The room is comfy and is part of the directors home so you arent ever really alone to try anything stupid like reaching into a cage although i did run back and forth playing hide and seek with the tiger and i believe i was always the prey.

A great overnight date for the price if you have an SO that loves animals and a great learning opportunity for a single day trip with the kids.