Bee City Zoo & Honey Bee Farm
Cottageville, SC
- Admission
- $19
- Accreditation
- None listed
not accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Everything below is directory information drawn from public sources and the zoo's own site.
Animals at Bee City Zoo & Honey Bee Farm
14 confirmedMammals10
Jkasvi ( talk · contribs ) · CC BY-SA 3.0Hedgehog
Kuebi = Armin Kübelbeck · CC BY-SA 3.0Goat
Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0Brown Lemur
Thomas Fuhrmann · CC BY-SA 4.0Giraffe
Giles Laurent · CC BY-SA 4.0Capybara
Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0Ring-tailed Lemur
John Torcasio · CC BY-SA 4.0Kangaroo
Charles J. Sharp · CC BY-SA 4.0Tiger
Feathers & Fangs from visitors
What people who've been to Bee City Zoo & Honey Bee Farm say
A Feather is something this zoo does well; a Fang is something it gets wrong. Left by people who've been, and read by us before they appear.
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About Bee City Zoo & Honey Bee Farm
Bee City Zoo & Honey Bee Farm is a hands-on interactive zoo and working honeybee farm at 1066 Holly Ridge Lane in Cottageville, South Carolina. The zoo's website describes it as family owned and operated and says the family started Bee City more than 30 years ago.
According to the zoo, the founders started the business out of a love of honeybees and a passion for educating people about why bees matter. The facility operates as both a bee farm and a zoo, and it produces products from honey and beeswax. The zoo is not accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Exhibits and habitats
The zoo's website says visitors can hand-feed monkeys, ringtail lemurs, alpacas, deer, goats and sheep, and pet bunnies. It lists wallabies, antelope, tigers, binturong, serval cats and giraffes, along with snakes and birds and farm animals including miniature horses, donkeys, turkeys and chickens.
The zoo also offers an interactive experience in its nature center, which has its own hours: Fridays from 11 AM to 4 PM and Saturdays from 10 AM to 5 PM, with the note that the schedule may vary.
The zoo also posts scheduled giraffe observation windows: Wednesdays through Fridays from 11 AM to noon and 2 PM to 3 PM, Saturdays from 10 AM to noon and 2 PM to 4 PM, and Sundays from 11 AM to 1 PM and 2 PM to 4 PM.
Conservation and programs
The honey side of the business is described on the zoo's site as Bee City Honey, which it describes as pure raw honey that is not heated. Honey can be purchased online.
Other offerings listed on the website include private animal encounters with baby and ambassador animals, a safari experience, birthday parties, field trips, memberships and a cafe. Encounters are booked through the zoo's reservation system.
Planning your visit
As listed on the zoo's website, the zoo is open Wednesday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM, Saturday from 9 AM to 6 PM and Sunday from 11 AM to 6 PM. The website states that the zoo is open all year and posts holiday hours on a separate page. Ticket details, including military and senior rates and a ticket option that adds the safari, are on the zoo's website, and tickets can be bought online. The website also states that all animal food must be purchased at the zoo.
The zoo's website places it near the Edisto River, three miles north of Givhans State Park on Highway 61. The phone number is 843-835-5912, and the website also has a message form.
What we haven't confirmed
Everything above came from public sources. These specifics we haven't stood behind yet:
- Founding year
- Parking
- Safari experience details
- Conservation partnerships
Bee City Zoo & Honey Bee Farm compared with nearby zoos
How Bee City Zoo & Honey Bee Farm lines up against other zoos in the same state. We don't have coordinates for it yet, so these aren't ranked by distance.
| Zoo | Admission | Hours | Size | AZA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bee City Zoo & Honey Bee FarmThis zooCottageville, SC | $19 | Wed–Fri 9 AM – 5 PM; Sat 9 AM – 6 PM; Sun 11 AM – 6 PM; closed Mon & Tue (except holiday dates). Closed Easter (Apr 5) and July 4 in 2026. | — | No |
| Brookgreen GardensMurrells Inlet, SC | $25 | Daily 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM; gates close 30 min before closing. Site also mentions extended hours Wed & Sat until 8:00 PM (season not specified). | 9100 acres | Yes |
| Charles Towne LandingCharleston, SC | $12 | 9 am – 4 pm | 664 acres | No |
| Greenville ZooGreenville, SC | $15 | Spring/Summer (Mar 7 – Nov 2): daily 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Fall/Winter (Nov 3 – Mar 6): daily 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Last admission 4:00 PM. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Day; annual maintenance closure Feb 2 – Feb 13. | — | Yes |
Distances are straight-line. A dash means we haven't confirmed that detail yet, not that the zoo lacks it.
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Bee City Zoo & Honey Bee Farm: common questions
What are the zoo's hours?
As listed on the zoo's website, Wednesday through Friday 9 AM to 5 PM, Saturday 9 AM to 6 PM, and Sunday 11 AM to 6 PM. Holiday hours are posted separately.
Can visitors feed the animals?
Yes. The zoo says visitors can hand-feed animals including monkeys, ringtail lemurs, alpacas, deer, goats and sheep.
Is there more than a zoo on site?
Yes. The property is also a honeybee farm, and the zoo sells raw honey and beeswax products.
Where is the zoo located?
At 1066 Holly Ridge Lane in Cottageville, three miles north of Givhans State Park on Highway 61.
Can animal encounters be booked?
Yes. The zoo lists private encounters with baby and ambassador animals and takes bookings through its reservation system.
Something wrong here? Tell us — we correct in place, with a dated note.