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A Hands-on Safari Experience Without Leaving the U.S.

Are you looking for a crazy wildlife experience without leaving the continental United States? Established in 1968 as a humble roadside attraction with a few deer, fast forward 50+ years and West Coast Game Park Safari in Oregon is king of the jungle. 450 animals are available for viewing and interacting (most free-range), affording you a hands-on experience with 75 exotic species.

Family Values

The West Coast Game Park Safari is not only a great experience for the entire family, but it's very existence is rooted in family values. Ever since 1968, the park has emphasized the importance of conservation and education about these beautiful creatures. In 1972, Bob and Mary Tenney made it their mission to expand the walk-through area with improved treatment of the animals the primary intention. Upon retirement in 2009, they passed the park on to their son, Brian, who kept up the tradition. Several of these animals were born into this park through the extensive all-natural breeding program with the purpose of revitalizing endangered species—including the majestic snow leopard.

Make a New Friend

While all of these stunning creatures are available for viewing and photography in their respective habitats, many are roaming freely and available to be fed and pet by visitors. Purchase a cone of food from the gift shop, and you'll quickly learn just how friendly alpacas and raccoons can be. Whenever you come, you're guaranteed a remarkable and memorable experience with an assortment of animals!

How to Do It

80 miles south of Eugene in Bandon, West Coast Game Park is open seasonally . Various animals are brought out throughout the day to interact with the guests as "ambassadors." These may include Lexi, the Canadian lynx, Honey, the black bear cub, Catniss, the frisky African serval, or baby ferrets, skunks, opossums, foxes, coatis, and lambs from the nursery. Stop by for the unexpected experience of feeding a bottle to a baby tiger!

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Smith rock state park: birthplace of american climbing, oregon travel guide, about the author, kelly neenan.

Writer, occasional traveler, and cat owner.

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The Bandon Guide

The Comprehensive Guide for Bandon, Oregon

Safari Park

Over 75 different species of animals including lions, bears, elk, camels and chimpanzees are on display at the West Coast Game Park Safari, just south of Bandon.  Established in 1968 as a roadside attraction featuring a few deer, it has expanded greatly over the years into the booming operation it is now, while maintaining the up close and personal feel of its beginnings.  Visitors can roam freely throughout the park feeding and petting the tame and relatively docile animals while interacting with the more dangerous animals through cage bars and camera lenses. The habitats have been designed such that people can get a closer look than they would at other zoos.

Each day, the staff, some of whom have been with the Game Park Safari for over 20 years, present interactions with “ambassador” animals. These are the featured animals of the day, and visitors can experience them up close while learning about them and their natural environments. Ambassadors have included fascinating and typically inaccessible animals such as a caracal, baby black bear, bobcat, fox and skunk.

The staff assist visitors in interacting with other, typically more inaccessible and dangerous animals as well.  Humans of all ages are seen petting skunks, raccoon, and ferrets as well as young lions, leopards, caracals, bears, and tigers.

Visitors are encouraged to purchase food for the animals roaming free, and ducks, rams, donkeys, llamas, peacocks, goats, kangaroos, deer, and geese are not bashful about approaching them for a treat.  This gives the humans an opportunity to pet and feed them.

The staff have bred and hand-raised nearly all of the over 450 animals at West Coast Game Park Safari on site. They believe that it is important to educate visitors about conservation and extinction of animals, and they use the ambassador animals at the park to assist them.

No animal park would be complete without a gift shop. Visitors can find souvenirs such as figurines, stuffed animals, mugs and magnets to help them remember their visit, as well as memory cards and batteries for cameras. Small snacks and a soda vending machine are also available.

The park is wheelchair and walker accessible, and strollers and umbrellas are offered free of charge for the day. Humans of all ages are welcome, but dogs are not. The park recommends a nearby kennel for your dog.  Group rates are available, and tickets can be purchased in advance by phone.  

For those wishing to donate, the park is often in need of specific supplies for their variety of animals.  They are typically in need of items such as toys, bottles, and chains, but see their website for a current list.

The West Coast Game Park Safari is open nearly year round, and the days and hours vary with the season.

Come for the animals, but stay in Bandon, just 8 miles to the north, for a while to enjoy the many shops, restaurants and of course the spectacular beaches.  A variety of hotel options are available to make your stay more leisurely. 

See The West Coast Game Park Safari’s website  or call 541-347-3106 for more information including hours, current ambassador animals, and admission prices.

West Coast Game Park Safari

Review Highlights

“ They brought out all sorts of animals to pet including an opossum , fox, ferret, lynx, bear cub. ” in 7 reviews

“ . The free-roaming goats, deer and llama s were pretty hilarious and the chimpanzee seems to know how to party ” in 21 reviews

“ You get to pet baby tigers, lions, lynx , deer, reindeer, donkeys, goats, sheep. ” in 9 reviews

Location & Hours

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46914 Hwy 101

Bandon, OR 97411

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About the Business

The West Coast Game Park Safari is proud of their ability to allow visitors a "hands on" experience with exotic and unusual animals. When visitors first enter the park gates, they will be immersed amongst hundreds of free-roaming animals for feeding and petting. They also have the freedom to walk the park to see 75 different species and over 450 animals up close. Visitors most often come away with long-lasting memories of their experiences in our presentation areas. Almost all of the park's animals have been hand-raised by Game Park staff and have grown up being handled by the public while they are young. Game Park Staff believe it's important for all of these animals to assist in educating visitors about the issues surrounding conservation and extinction. We consider these animals ambassadors for their species to you and your family, and hope that you find the interactive experience with our "family" as meaningful as we do. …

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201 reviews

So fun!!! Slightly nerve wracking but SOOOO FUN!!!! Looks a little sketchy when u first pull up... u walk thru a sliding glass door to a small "house" to pay for admission, u can get feeding cups (ice cream cones with kibble) & then u walk out the back. U have a small area before u are bombarded with goats, llamas, dear and other small friendlier but VERY EAGER animals that will walk with u trout the park. U walk thru a gate and try to feed the animals quickly because they will grab it right out of ur hands. Watch ur fingers, maybe pick up the small children. As u walk thru the park u get a great sense of the size of the bears, see video i attached. The animals appear to be well cared for, fed & treated with kindness. We are going back again!

See all photos from Katie M. for West Coast Game Park Safari

Went here once as a kid, and it was amazing at the time. This place should be shut down. All of the animals were skinny, showed signs of zoo psychosis (i.e. pacing back and forth, lethargic) there was feces EVERYWHERE, a DEAD RAT in the duck pond, and small fish bowl sized enclosures. The gift shop was full of SHEIN bags and they were just reselling their items. There was a mama deer who apparently had just given birth the same day and had blood running down her leg as was just running around with her NEWBORN baby. (In the second picture you can see it when you zoom in near the child's arm) When I told a staff member, they brushed it off like it was nothing. This place ruined my trip! I hope this place gets shut down and the animals find a better place to live out their lives!!

Mama deer and baby

Animals are instantly interacting with you. One goat even went into the gift shop and had to be shoed out. We got to pet a baby snow leopard and a large Bob Cat. No extra fees for the interactions. First time I had ever seen a three horned goat from the middle East. I did enjoy this park and the man who worked here that I met, seemed to genuinely care for these animals. He spoke about raising some from when they were little. Of course I wanted to take them all home, but some of the enclosure designs where the cats could go up into tree like structures gave me ideas for my little lions at home.

Currently researching who to call to get this place shut down. It was incredibly heartbreaking to see these animals in their poor health and way too small enclosures. No fresh water. Feces everywhere. Weeds and overgrowth everywhere. The 3 employees that I saw in the entire park were.......... Questionable kind of people.... The woman taking payment was very direct and rude about how much the park is suffering. It was truly bizarre to be honest. I am in disbelief this place is still going. These animals deserve so much better than this.

See all photos from Breanna L. for West Coast Game Park Safari

The lions were so skinny you could see their ribs. They seemed miserable and appeared starving :(

Our family of 5 enjoyed the park today. (2 adults, 2 teens and a 10 year old). Aside from the gift shop/entrance, everything was outdoors. We loved the experience and had a good visit seeing so many animals. I felt it was a bit spendy for entry but it's not an every day thing and I'm sure caring for the animals can be expensive so it's still worth it. The kids are already talking about next time we visit! We saw many petting zoo type animals like, goats, sheep, deer and llamas which were really fun to be around. Even while walking amongst the animals the staff kept the areas clean as they moved around the enclosures and habitats. We saw plenty of exotic animals which really enhanced the experience. The best part was being able to pet and hold a few animals up close. Today we pet a young bear and jaguar as well as an opossum and fox. We even got to hold a ferret! We will be back again. We really had a great time!

See all photos from Jeanine O. for West Coast Game Park Safari

This is one of the most depressing places for animals to live. The enclosures are dirty and small. The animals have open soars on them. It's clear that these animals are not happy. This place needs to shut down!

Please do not go here. The animals are in enclosures that are too small and are clearly very depressed. Most of the cats were pacing back and forth and had no enrichment. When you walk in and receive a "cone" with feed and an ice cream cone, animals outside will charge you and are very aggressive. A few of our small kids were jumped on because of it. You use the cones to feed a bear, but he barely wanted to get up for them. The monkeys just gave the wall and don't interact at all. All of the animals behavior proved that they did not enjoy being here. This place overall is just unethical.

So much fun even for our adult children! Can't wait to take the grandchildren some day'

The enclosures, for the animals are entirely too small! I let one of the staff members know that one of the deer was bleeding. She realized she would not be able to get to him since he moved to the back of the enclosure, and all the animals were eating so she said to me he'll be OK he's walking. He probably just got head butted by a goat. She didn't have any idea of how bad it was bleeding. It was nice that my kids got to see animals. I just wish they were happier. It was also nice that my children got to pet and hold animals. The lady in the front office was the rudest person I've experienced in a long time! I would recommend a completely different park I would not go here! I truly think they could do a better job.

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Plan your adventure.

There are limited spots available, call Guest Services at 541-679-6761 to reserve your spot!

Children 2 & under are FREE

While most of the encounters below are offered daily, booking ahead due to encounters filling up is always recommended. Feel free to call ahead to book or for more details at 541.679.6761.

Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your encounter. The times shown are the check in time, you will depart 15 minutes later for the encounter.

Because Wildlife Safari Enrichment Encounters include bused or open-air adventures through the park’s drive thru, regular drive thru admission is required when registering for any Enrichment Encounter activity.

Want to just have your group with the keepers and animals? You can make any experience a private encounter so you have more time for questions and to interact with the animals! It is $75 per adult and $50 per child for this exclusive experience.  

Red Panda Feed

Cost: $40 per Adult & $20 per Child

Offered Daily at 9:00am

Check in at 8:45am

Meet and feed some of the cutest animals in the world with this exciting up-close adventure! Head to the Red Pandas with our keepers as they introduce you to the stars of this meet and greet as you prepare to feed!

Hippo Encounter

Offered Daily at 10:00am

Check in at 9:45am

Hippos are the masters of both land & water and on this excursion, you’ll get an up-close view of our extraordinary hippopotami. Journey to their private home and have the chance to see these “rough and ready” animals receive their favorite treats! Meet Wildlife Safari’s hippos while you learn all about what makes them unique!

Cheetah Photo

*Comes with 2 4x6 prints, it is $10 to get additional printed photos

Offered Daily at 11:00am

Check in at 10:45am

Leave the fences behind as you get truly eye-to-eye with Wildlife Safari’s famous ambassador cheetahs! Learn all about Wildlife Safari’s incredible success as the number two cheetah breeding center on Earth, meet the eclectic cats and even pose for photos! You’ll get up close and personal with these incredible cheetahs and get a photo of yourself without any fences!

Offered Daily at 12:00pm

Check in at 11:45am

Journey to lion country at Wildlife Safari! Learn all about how the unique lion pride at the park interacts with each other. Observe family dynamics, get to know the lions and watch them train with behaviors that help them help us with their veterinary care! Lion 101 takes you on an on-foot journey to the land of the lions!

Giraffe Feed

Offered Daily at 12:45 and 2:00pm

Check in at 12:30 and 1:45pm

Hop on a caged Safari tour vehicle and journey to the heart of the park to meet up with the giraffes in the summer! In the winter get the chance to see our brand new heated barn where they enjoy spending most of their time! Learn all about giraffes as you feed them treats, watch them interact with each other and other animals, and more! At Wildlife Safari, you are captive, and they roam free!

Elephant Encounter

Offered Daily at 1:30pm

Check in at 1:15pm

Bus down to the elephant barn and meet some of the Wildlife Safari elephants closer than anywhere around! This elephant adventure will allow you to meet an elephant, pose for photos and maybe even take home your own elephant artwork! Wildlife Safari elephants remind you to never buy ivory!

Offered Daily at 2:30pm

Check in at 2:15pm

Get up close with one of Wildlife Safari’s big cats and learn all about their unique behaviors! Depending on who is feeling most like showing off, you 'll see our tigers, lions, or cheetahs and learn about the important role that ambassador animals play in spreading the message of big cat conservation!

Offered Daily at 2:45pm

Check in at 2:30pm

With Big Bear at Wildlife Safari, you have the opportunity to hop onto a safari open air truck and journey to the heart of Bear Island! Learn all about mighty bears at Wildlife Safari, what makes each of the bears at the park different and toss them treats! Help keepers provide the bears with their daily diets and work toward mimicking their natural wild behaviors.

Cost: $40 per person

Offered Daily at 5:45pm

Check in at 5:30pm

Ages 10 & up

Get closer to the king of the jungle than you ever thought possible! Journey into their huts where they sleep at night and assist Wildlife Safari lion keepers in preparing and feeding them their diets. Learn all about lions, their habits, their food, listen to their deafening carols and more as you get within inches of the most fearsome creature in the jungle- ONLY at Wildlife Safari!

Meet the most vibrant of all the tigers up close. Give them their dinner and you might just hear a tiger chuff! See them off to bed and learn all about the Sumatran Tigers, from their stripes to what keeps them up at night! Experience what many only dream of at Wildlife Safari!

It’s time to ring the dinner bell! Watch the keepers call them in to eat and meet our bears cubs up close and learn all about these amazing creatures! Our keepers will tell you all about them, from their sleeping habits to the very diets you help provide them. No matter your age, our bears love to show off their eating habits around anyone.

Rhino Boma Adventure

Cost: $40 per Adult

Currently Unavailable with our Boma Renovations Ongoing!

Head down to the rhino boma and meet a rhino up-close! Learn all about one of nature’s most impressive animals while they eat their breakfast and their keepers do a training session with them. You might even get the chance to feel how tough they are! They are shy though, so quiet voices are required.

Tiger Training

Currently Offering Big Cat

Get up close and personal with one of Wildlife Safari’s tigers and learn all about their unique behaviors and the important role that ambassador animals play in spreading the message of big cat conservation!

Hibernating Bear

Available in Winter

This “whispers only” encounter is a keeper-guided chance to go into the bear den and see them during their winter torpor. Keepers will explain what happens during the bear’s hibernation and share other fascinating details about their lives.

Pachyderm Pedicure

Cost: $60 per Adult & $40 per Child (Must book in Advance)

Offered Fri-Sun at 11:30am

Check in at 11:15am

Take a ride down to the elephant barn and meet some of the Wildlife Safari elephants closer than anywhere around! This unique elephant adventure will allow you to meet an elephant, watch them get routine footwork done and even get the chance to touch their foot! The adventures not done there, you’ll get to hide tasty treats in the yard and then watch as the elephant go into the yard to search!

Cheetah Stroll

Cost: $75 per Adult & $50 per Child

Offered at 10:00am

(Must book at least one week in advance - call to schedule)

* Suggested to wear long pants, closed toe shoes as this is a 30 minute walk on a slightly rugged trail

This is a unique opportunity to meet one of our ambassador cheetahs, take a photo without a fence, and let them lead the way for a walk around Safari grounds. With one on one time with our keepers, learn about our ambassador program as well as our cheetah breeding program!

Offered Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Saturdays at 3:30pm

Check in at 3:15pm

Make your way to the Gator House in the Safari Village and learn all about our alligators. With this encounter you’ll learn all about these reptiles from their keepers, and then get up close and personal and get the chance to feed them when you go inside their house!

Capybara Painting

Cost: $30 per person

Offered Fri-Sun at 2:30pm

Take a stroll down to the capybara habiat in the Safari Village and learn all about our charismatic capys! With this encounter you’ll learn all about these rodents from their keepers, and then watch them create a personalized painting for each guest!

Remember, animal encounters and free activities are subject to change, so be sure to book your encounter as early as possible. Please contact Guest Services at [email protected] or 541.679.6761 for more information and for scheduling.

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There’s A Wildlife Park In Oregon That’s Perfect For A Family Day Trip

Mikayla is an avid reader and writer with a passion for Oregon's waterfalls, mountains and small towns. Contact: [email protected]

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Are you on the lookout for a fun weekend activity the whole family will love? Consider checking out West Coast Game Park! Located near the Oregon Coast, this one-of-a-kind wildlife safari is a blast for the young and the young at heart. Check it out:

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West Coast Game Park is located at 46914 U.S. 101, Bandon, OR 97411.

Have you visited this wildlife park before? Share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments below!

For more one-of-a-kind attractions in the Beaver State, check out our previous article: Few People Know That Oregon Is Home To This Incredible Geyser .

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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About our Park

          Established in 1968, The Deer Park started off as a small roadside attraction with just a few deer. 4 years later, the park was acquired by Bob and Mary Tenney, who transformed it into The West Coast Game Park Safari. Over the years the Tenneys expanded and updated the park, while maintaining the up close and personal interaction with the animals that is a mainstay of the park.

          In 2009, Bob and Mary retired, turning the reins over to their son, Brian. Brian has carried on the family tradition of updating and renovating the park, always for the betterment of the inhabitants. The pride the Tenneys have in the park is evident in the care and treatment of all the animals, which we consider “family” members. The animal habitats are designed in a way that allows a more close up look than most zoos are able to provide. Over 450 animals and 75 species are available for viewing and photographing by park visitors. The park is known for its all-natural breeding program from which many endangered species have been born.

          Most of the year round employees have been with the park long term, some as many as 20+ years, making this a consistent, knowledgeable group of people caring for each and every animal. Each summer seasonal help is hired, quite a few of which start working at the park during high school and continue to work summers up through graduating from college.

          The West Coast Game Park Safari is proud of their ability to allow visitors a “hands on” experience with exotic and unusual animals. When visitors first enter the park gates, they will be immersed amongst hundreds of free-roaming animals for feeding and petting. They also have the freedom to walk the park to view and photograph the larger, more exotic animals up close. Visitors most often come away with long-lasting memories of their experiences in our presentation areas. Almost all of the park's animals have been hand-raised by Game Park staff and have grown up being handled by the public while they are young.

          Game Park Staff believe it's important for all of these animals to assist in educating visitors about the issues surrounding conservation and extinction. We consider these animals ambassadors for their species to you and your family, and hope that you find the interactive experience with our “family” as meaningful as we do.

          On behalf of Brian, the staff, and our animals, we welcome you to our park. Enjoy!

Brews and Buffalo Safari

Winos and rhinos safari, twilight safari, private safaris.

Take your safari experience to the next level of luxury with one of our Ultimate Private Safaris! Reserve any one of these specialty adventures to experience the Sonoma Serengeti from your own private vehicle with a guide whose sole responsibility is you! Whether you’re just looking to take your exploration a little deeper or you’d like to add a little wine-country class to the affair, we’re here to meet your needs!

Check out our many options below and when you find the one you like, follow the link to book your reservation today!

The Ultimate Private Safari!

Let’s start with the basics. Each safari in this category comes with one of our custom vehicles reserved solely for you and your group, and the adventure develops from there!

• Ultimate Private Safari
• Photo Safari Workshop
• Talk Nerdy to Me!

The Classic Safari follows a set route, but with the Ultimate Private Safari, you’re in control. With a vehicle reserved solely for you and yours and a highly-trained safari guide at your beck and call, take your excursion off the beaten path. Whether you’re a group or family needing social distance, or simply a lover of the wilds looking to maximize time with a favorite animal, the Ultimate Private Safari is the option for you.

For families with children under the age of four, the Ultimate Private Safari can be a great option. While we have age restrictions on the Classic Safari, our private excursions are exempt.

Pricing Details

To book, please call Reservations: (707) 566-3667 (800) 616-2695 [email protected]

The Private Photography Safari Workshop is focused on getting you in the right position to capture unique images of our African animal and exotic bird collections. Your private vehicle, driven by a highly-trained safari guide and photographer will enable you and your photography group to customize the route to catch the light and get the best angles and compositions. Photo Workshops are usually set in the early morning or late afternoon to take advantage of optimal lighting and animal behavior. Come catch golden hour with the herds on the hill!

The Private Photo Safari Workshop is recommended for both solo photographers and groups including up to eight photographers *(max of 2 photographers per row including roof seats).

To book, please email:

[email protected]

Every Safari is an adventure in wildlife conservation and a treasure trove of biological and ecological science. Our dedicated guide staff are highly-trained and eager to teach, but to really take things to the next level, reserve a “Talk Nerdy to Me!” safari. Led by one of our trained biologists or another specialist from our Research, Education, and Conservation (REC) Department, these safaris are for those most curious of minds…

Every “Talk Nerdy to Me!” safari is different, with the topics of discussion and the route of exploration dictated by you. Curious about evolutionary science or biogeography? Want to know more about what’s happening to these animals in the wilds today? Turn your safari adventure into a first-class educational opportunity.

The “Talk Nerdy to Me!” safari is perfect for people with a driving interest or academic background in natural sciences.

Sippin’ Safaris of the Sonoma Serengeti

These custom excursions take our Ultimate Private Safari and add a touch of wine-country class. Going on safari can be thirsty work and here in Sonoma County, there are more than a few wonderful ways to sip your way to satisfaction. Whether your tastes run to reds and whites, or if you’re more of an IPA fan, we’ve got just the thing for you. Check out our amazing food and beverage adventure options below!

• Winos & Rhinos
• Brews & Buffalo
• The Royal Winos & Rhinos

A true Safari West classic, the Winos & Rhinos Safari Adventure is a proven crowd-pleaser. You haven’t truly experienced the Sonoma Serengeti until you’ve sampled some red and white amid all that rugged and wild. On this unique tour you’ll head out to explore Safari West in the company of a talented guide who will introduce you to some of the most amazing animals in the world, and some of most incredible wines as well!

Once your party arrives at Watusi Overlook, you’ll take a break, pop some corks and sample some choice vintages. Snack on fruit, cheese and other small bites as you sip your way through the selections. With a guide versed in vino and the beauty of the Mayacamas Mountains spread out before you, you’ll experience the utmost in Sonoma County serenity.

Sonoma County isn’t only a haven for the grape-lovers among us but also at the center of a craft-brew renaissance! Our Brews and Buffalos Safari Adventure was designed around the idea that sipping a cold one while exploring the Sonoma Serengeti may be the most relaxing way to experience Safari West.

On this private safari, you’ll enjoy the undivided attention of your very own guide as you explore our collection. Upon arrival at the Watusi Overlook, your guide will shift gear from one passion (wildlife) to another (beer!). Enjoy some delicious snacks and a sampling of a rotating selection of brews from several Sonoma County and California breweries.

The new Royal Winos & Rhinos Safari Experience takes adventure to a luxurious new high. A traditional wine tasting becomes a full wine pairing as you enjoy some of the finest vintages available. Each sample is carefully paired with artisan treats like prosciutto wrapped melon, smoked salmon on toast points, or crab cakes with lemon aioli!

After guiding you through our amazing wild herds, your talented safari guide will lead your taste buds on an adventure all their own. A discerning mind deserves to experience a wildlife adventure like no other, and a discerning palate deserves the Safari West Royal Winos & Rhinos experience!

For details and reservations, please contact our Group Business team: (707) 566-3650 [email protected] .

Twilight Safari Dining Adventure

For those discerning diners among you, we’re proud to offer two twilight dining excursions. Each of these amazing offers artfully combines exploration of the Safari West preserve with a private dining experience tailored to you and up to seven guests (with options for even more in some cases). Celebrating a graduation, engagement or another festive occasion? Treating some valued friends to dinner? Simply select the dining experience you like best and let Safari West handle the rest!

Availability dependant upon seasonal weather.

• Savannah Overlook Dinner
• Treetops Dinner

The Savannah Overlook Dinner is a fan-favorite and a long-time offering at Safari West which includes an early evening private safari aboard a specially reserved vehicle. One of our dedicated safari guides will cater to your every need as you and your guests explore the Sonoma Serengeti. As the day begins to come to a close, you’ll pull up near scenic Watusi Lake to find that your table is ready. Sit down and enjoy a specially crafted meal prepared by chef Rob Kubacak. Sip a glass of wine as you are treated to five-star service and scenic views of the wildest wine country. Enjoy the beauty of the Mayacamas Mountains with our expansive savannah experience. Reserve your Savannah Overlook Dinner today!

Base price of $3200 for up to 8 people; $400 for each additional guest with a MAX of 30 people total.

This dining experience caters to groups of no more than eight and includes a dinner presentation on the viewing deck of Treetops Aviary. After a private safari of the Safari West preserve, your dedicated guide will escort you to the viewing deck where you’ll find dinner awaits. Chef Rob Kubacak and the Savannah Café team proudly present a culinary experience like no other. Enjoy your meal and company as violet turacos and trumpeter hornbills flit and flutter in the warm, evening light. It’s dinner in paradise!

Base price of $3000 for up to 8 people; $300 for each additional guest with a MAX of 10 people total.

Find a hidden wildflower paradise at Camassia Natural Area in West Linn

• Updated: Jun. 28, 2024, 3:30 p.m. |
• Published: Apr. 19, 2024, 7:00 a.m.

Camas lilies and other wildflowers bloom at Camassia Nature Preserve in West Linn, a 26-acre natural area managed by international environmental nonprofit The Nature Conservancy. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

• Jamie Hale | The Oregonian/OregonLive

It doesn’t look like much at first – a small, gravel parking area at the end of a neighborhood street in West Linn, a couple of signs in the trees – but soon the splendor of Camassia comes alive.

Officially known as the Camassia Natural Area , a 26-acre nature preserve is home to more than 300 plant species, including wildflowers that bloom in April and May and turn the grassy plateau into a colorful display.

Managed by international environmental nonprofit The Nature Conservancy, the Camassia preserve is tucked away in plain sight, bordered by Interstate 205, West Linn High School and quiet neighborhood streets. If you didn’t frequent the area, or didn’t know to look for it, you might never find it.

Walking distance from downtown Oregon City, the preserve can also be counted as one among many easily accessible outdoor attractions in the area, alongside the McLoughlin Promenade , Newell Creek Canyon Nature Park and Mary S. Young Park .

And though Camassia is nice any time of year, there’s nothing like the spring.

Shortspur seablush wildflowers bloom at Camassia Nature Preserve. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A boardwalk trail through a boggy forest is found on a side trail. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Trillium wildflowers bloom in the shade of a conifer. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A fawn lily blooms in a wooded area on a side trail. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

A hazy view of Mount Hood is found on a viewpoint at the edge of the preserve. Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

On a recent visit in the middle of April, the meadows and forests of the preserve were a rainbow of wildflowers. Pretty white trillium flowers and fawn lilies bloomed in the shade of conifers. Purple camas lilies and pink sea blush flowers filled the grassy meadows. Yellow blooming Oregon grape filled the spaces in between, beside giant blue-eyed Mary, little yellow violets and many delicate white blossoms.

A half-mile one-way loop trail circles the preserve, running on boardwalks, dirt trails and rocky paths. Several short offshoot trails lead to other corners of the natural area, leading to the high school, other neighborhood entrances and neighboring Wilderness Park. It’s worth exploring them all, if only for a short distance.

You could tour the whole place in a matter of minutes, but you’re better off taking it slow, observing the many different species and the lovely, intricate ecosystem that they call home.

To find the Camassia Natural Area, take Oregon 43 south from Portland for 10 miles to West Linn. Turn right onto West A Street, then go right onto Willamette Falls Drive. In .2 miles, turn right onto Sunset Avenue, and in .1 miles turn right onto Walnut Street. The parking area is at the end of the street. If full, find a place to safely park being mindful and respectful of the neighbors.

-- Jamie Hale covers travel and the outdoors and co-hosts the Peak Northwest podcast . Reach him at 503-294-4077, [email protected] or @HaleJamesB .

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