Brevard Zoo
8225 N. Wickham Rd.
Melbourne, FL 32940
321-254-9453
The mailing address is Melbourne, but the Zoo is located in Viera for all practical purposes.
AT A
GLANCE: Brevard Zoo
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Parking
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The Brevard Zoo has a small
parking area. It fills up quickly,
with overflow parking on the entrance road to the zoo
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Amount of time needed
to peruse exhibits:
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60-90 minutes
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Amount of time needed
for gift shop
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20-30 minutes
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Dress code
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Dress
respectfully.
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Be sure to…..
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Bring bathing suits
for any children in your group.
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Nearby/other
establishments to visit
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Viera is a mid-size
city, with many fast food restaurants lining Wickham Road, the major street
that leads to the Zoo. Additional
shopping opportunities in the outside mall west of the Zoo.
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Walkability, general
downtown area / amount of traffic
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You will need a car to
get to the Brevard Zoo and its environs.
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Safety, in terms of
type and number of crimes committed in general area
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Generally safe, but
realize that this place can get busy.
Keep the honest people honest and lock your car.
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If
you find that you forgot sunscreen, insect repellent, or sunglasses, the gift
shop is to your right upon entering the zoo.
These items are stocked near the cash register.
Exotic, educational, and endangered are three words
that describe the Brevard Zoo, and everything the zoo does focuses on those principles. The Zoo recently welcomed two Visayan Warty
Piglets , which are a critically endangered animal, and cuter than you might
think.
The Zoo sponsors workshops to support and help restore the Indian River
Lagoon, the most biologically diverse lagoon ecosystem in the Northern
Hemisphere (per Wikipedia). Two recent
ones are “Adopt a Mangrove” and “Oyster Netting Restoration” workshops. I am caring for two mangroves in my backyard
from the former workshop, and they are named Juan Lucinda and Steve. When my mangroves reach three or four feet, I’ll
return them to the Zoo for placement in the Indian River Lagoon. Sustainability is another major word, as
shown by its workshops and Fair Trade items in gift shop.
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| Visayan Warty Piglets Photo courtesy of Brevard Zoo |
The Brevard Zoo is small and well-organized. Raised boardwalks lead you through the zoo,
which is also wheelchair and stroller friendly and has many benches for those
who would like to sit. As at the McLarty
Treasure Museum, the boardwalks protect a fragile environment. The Brevard Zoo offer activities for
visitors, so check their website for the train schedule or the hours for
kayaking, among other things. Visiting
the aviary is also great fun, regardless of age, gender or culture. It is temporarily located in the Wild Florida
section of the Zoo. Food for the birds
is for sale upon entering the aviary, but I have found that these brightly
colored birds are quite friendly and may even land on your shoulder if you stay
still. This is a good zoo for smaller
children, because of its compact size, and you’ll need 60-90 minutes to see
everything. The children will probably
welcome a chance to cool off, after they’ve walked through the Zoo. Remember to
bring bathing suits if you have young children with you. There’s a splash pad and a zero-entrance
pool, with a handy snack shop located not far away.
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| The mini gift shop, near the giraffes |
Now you’re ready for the gift shop, but first let me
give you some marketing insight: Did you
know that there’s a reason why you often pass bouquets of flowers upon entering
a grocery store? Stay with me. It’s a marketing tool that gets you to shop
“up” from your normal purchases, because research has shown that flower
bouquets put you in a frame of mind of purchasing items of higher quality. The Brevard Zoo uses the same concept at its
mini gift shop near the giraffe/zebra area.
They display souvenirs that you probably wouldn’t buy there, because
you’d have to carry it with you while you visit the rest of the zoo. Guess what?
The same items are on display in the main gift shop. Like many other Florida attractions, you exit
the Brevard Zoo through the gift shop.
Your first exposure to souvenirs planted the idea in your mind that you
need to do some shopping before leaving.
That idea is absorbed and held in your mind. You have been “warmed up.” You could look at it as another thing those pesky
marketing folks do to you, but I’d rather look at it as streamline my shopping
experience. I’ve seen the items and I
know if I’d like to buy them.
Ready to shop?
Let’s go. I like the physical
layout of the gift shop at the Brevard Zoo.
Many places
display children’s merchandise close to the entrance, which
can get crowded as everyone gathers to look at things. The Zoo has their children’s thing on the far
wall, which encourages families to move along once they enter. There are quality items: onesies, little sweatshirts, and stuffed
animals. Another thing I like about the
Brevard Zoo gift shop is that it additionally caters to the young shoppers. They have their choice of name plates,
personalized pencils, shiny rocks that are sold by the bag, and other unique
and quirky items that young folks like to buy for themselves. It’s a win-win situation for all
involved.
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| Children's clothing |
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They have a diverse selection of t-shirts, shot
glasses, and refrigerator magnets. This
could be one of
those times where you’d like something more substantial for
yourself or for a gift. You’ll find sassy
tank tops, exotic plants, and other quality items along the left side andtoward the back corner. Get some of your
holiday shopping taken care of, or at the very least, scoop up some stocking
stuffers. Be sure to look at the
merchandise stacked on the tables and cupboards to find t-shirts and coffee
cups.
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| T-Shirts |
The Brevard Zoo has a 3-part focus of being exotic,
educational, and protecting endangered species.
Everything they do supports one of those three things, especially the
merchandise in the gift shop. Do some
shopping here and support their mission.
You’ll not only look quite snappy in your new t-shirt and earrings, but
you’ll feel good knowing that you supported the environment in your own
way. You are the model of
sustainability.
*
Additional restrooms are located at the halfway point, in the same building as
the hot dog / ice cream place. The Zoo
train stops behind the building to collect passengers.*
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| Bench at Brevard Zoo |
There are a multitude of places to grab lunch along
Wickham Road. Pull out of the Zoo’s
entrance area and head east (turn right) to dozens of fast food joints. A word of caution: the eateries located near the Zoo tend to be
busier than those further away. If you
have a hankering for something more substantial than fast food, head west (turn
left) instead of east, onto Wickham Road, bypass the highway entrances and
exits, and head toward the traffic circle.
Don’t be afraid of the traffic circle; we’ll get through this
together. Stay in the extreme right lane
and it will lead you to Lake Andrew Road without getting tangled in the traffic
circle.
The Avenue Viera (www.avenueviera.com), an outdoor shopping
complex, is on to the east (right) of Lake Andrew Road. They have restaurants unlike the fast food
eateries. This is eventually where you
want to be, regardless of where you stop for lunch. The layout of this place can be confusing, so
you might want to drive around first to see what’s available. Please, please, I’m begging you to be
watchful of pedestrians and other drivers.
Everyone is focused on where they’re going with forgetting to watch for
cars. Parking is plentiful here.
It’s a good use of time to plan an entire day,
between the Brevard Zoo and the Avenue Viera.
You will not be disappointed with the shopping opportunities.
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