Wild Adventures

About Wild Adventures

Wild Adventures is a zoological theme park in Clyattville, Georgia, about five miles south of Valdosta. Kent and Dawn Buescher founded the park in 1996 on farmland outside Valdosta for around $10 million, starting as a small petting zoo called Liberty Farms D&L. The park is now owned by Herschend and has been managed by Donald Spiller since September 2025. Alongside its exotic animals, Wild Adventures combines roller coasters and other rides, the Splash Island water park, and an annual live concert series across a 166-acre property.

Unlike a standalone zoo, its animal collection shares the grounds with six roller coasters, numerous flat rides, and Splash Island, a Polynesian-themed water park that takes up 27 of the park's 166 acres.

History

Rides were added to the original petting zoo starting in 1998, and Splash Island opened in 2003 as the park's largest expansion to that point, built without much theming until a 2008 renovation gave it a Polynesian look. In 2004, the park's founders bought Cypress Gardens in Florida, which slowed Wild Adventures' own growth, and by 2006 the holding company had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Both parks were auctioned in 2007, and Herschend purchased Wild Adventures for $34.4 million while keeping it open throughout the proceedings.

Under Herschend, the park has continued to add, rename, and relocate rides through the 2010s and 2020s, including rides transferred from the closed Celebration City in Branson, Missouri, and from Fun Spot Kissimmee. Themed sections have shifted over time as well: Discovery Outpost was built for children in 2019 using repainted, renovated older rides, Oasis Outpost followed in 2023, and a Water's Edge area was created in 2025 around the park's Ferris wheel, renamed the Horizon Wheel.

Exhibits and habitats

The park's animal and ride areas are organized into named sections, including Discovery Outpost, Oasis Outpost, and the 2025-era Water's Edge, alongside older themed zones. Splash Island, included with general admission, covers 27 of the park's 166 acres and holds seven water rides, including a wave pool, a lazy river, and multiple water slides, some built as early as 2003 and as recently as 2011.

Animal highlights

The available source material for Wild Adventures does not include a species list or exhibit-level detail about which animals live at the park. Its own materials describe the park as home to exotic animals alongside its rides and water park attractions, without naming specific species or a total count.

Planning your visit

Published hours, current ticket prices, and parking details for Wild Adventures were not available in the source material used for this page. Splash Island is included with general park admission at no extra charge. Check current hours, ticket prices, and any seasonal closures on the park's official website before visiting.