Global Wildlife Center in Folsom: A Northshore Safari Day for Families

Most families visiting New Orleans spend their animal time at the Audubon Zoo and Aquarium. For something completely different, head north across Lake Pontchartrain to Folsom, where the Global Wildlife Center lets visitors ride through a large open preserve where exotic and endangered animals from around the world roam freely. Instead of looking at animals behind fences, you ride among them on a covered wagon, and they come right up to say hello. Here's how it works and how to plan the day.

What Is the Global Wildlife Center?

The Global Wildlife Center is a wildlife preserve in the rolling pine country near Folsom, on the Northshore. Its herds include species from several continents — giraffes, zebras, bison, camels and many more — living in open pastures and woodland rather than individual enclosures. The center describes many of its animals as exotic, endangered or threatened, and it supports the Global Wildlife Foundation, a nonprofit focused on conservation of threatened and endangered species.

How the Safari Tours Work

You don't drive your own car through the preserve. Instead, visitors book a tour:

• Wagon tours. The classic experience: guests ride in a canopy-covered wagon pulled through the preserve, with a guide explaining the animals along the way. Riders can touch and feed animals from the wagon, using feed sold by the center.
• Private tours. Smaller groups can book private tours, in which guests are shuttled to the animals in a rugged off-road vehicle with a guide.
• Parties, encounters and field trips. The center offers safari parties, birthday parties, animal encounters and school field trips.

Tour options, schedules and booking requirements change by season, and the center sometimes closes for special events or maintenance. Book on globalwildlife.com in advance, especially on weekends and holidays, and check for closures before you leave.

How It Differs From a Zoo Visit

The experience is very different from a day at a city zoo, and it helps to set expectations. At a zoo, you walk at your own pace from exhibit to exhibit and choose how long to spend at each. At the Global Wildlife Center, the tour sets the pace: you ride with a group, the guide decides where the wagon goes, and which animals you see up close depends on where the herds happen to be that day. In exchange, the encounters are far more personal — animals walk right up to the wagon — and the open landscape gives a real sense of how these species live in herds. Many New Orleans families do both on the same trip, the Audubon Zoo one day and the Northshore safari another.

Feeding the Animals

Feeding is the highlight for most kids. When the wagon stops, curious animals approach, and you can hold out feed for them. Giraffes leaning in for a snack are a memory children don't forget. A few tips:

• Follow your guide's instructions on how to offer feed safely.
• Keep hands flat and fingers together. Big animals have big tongues.
• Stay seated in the wagon. Animals are large and move unexpectedly.
• Bring hand wipes. Feeding is messy, and there's a lot of animal slobber.

Getting to Folsom From New Orleans

Folsom is roughly an hour north of New Orleans in normal traffic. The usual route crosses the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway to the Northshore, continues through the Covington area and then heads north on rural highways into the piney woods. There's a toll on the Causeway; on our bookings, it's disclosed as part of your quote before you confirm.

Traffic matters. The Causeway can slow during weekday rush hours, and Northshore roads get busy on weekends. Leaving New Orleans mid-morning on a weekday, or early on a weekend, usually works best. Our Folsom car service page covers the area, and our MSY to Covington route page covers trips straight from the airport to the Northshore if your family wants to start the trip with the safari.

When to Go

• Spring and fall are the most comfortable seasons, with mild temperatures for riding in an open-sided wagon.
• Summer is hot and humid; book the earliest available tour, and bring water and sunscreen.
• Winter can be pleasant, but dress in layers — the wagon is open-sided, and mornings can be chilly.

Animals are often more active in cooler parts of the day, so early tours can be especially lively. Rain can affect tours, so check the forecast and the center's updates on the day.

What to Bring

• Sunscreen, hats and sunglasses
• Water for everyone
• Hand wipes or hand sanitizer
• A light jacket in cooler months
• A camera or phone with plenty of storage
• Snacks for the drive

Car Seats and Family Logistics

If you're traveling with young children, request car seats when you book. Infant, convertible and booster seats are available on request. Tell us the children's ages so we can prepare the right seats.

Choosing a vehicle depends on your group:

• Lincoln Nautilus: up to three passengers, good for a parent and two kids.
• Chevrolet Suburban: up to five passengers.
• Lincoln Navigator: up to six passengers.
• Mercedes Sprinter: up to thirteen passengers, ideal for extended families, birthday groups or several families traveling together.

Remember that car seats take up space, so mention them when choosing a vehicle size.

Visiting With Toddlers or Grandparents

The safari works for almost every age, but a few details help with the youngest and oldest members of the family. Wagon rides are bumpy in places, so hold toddlers securely on your lap or beside you, and bring a small snack and a favorite toy for the wait before departure. If you bring a stroller, ask the center ahead of time how strollers are handled during the wagon ride. For grandparents or anyone with limited mobility, ask the center in advance about boarding the wagons and accessible options; a private tour may be more comfortable. Being dropped off right at the entrance, rather than walking from a distant parking spot, also makes the start of the day easier for everyone.

Turning It Into a Full Northshore Day

A safari tour takes a couple of hours including check-in, which leaves time for more Northshore stops. Families often add lunch in Covington, a walk in downtown Abita Springs, or time at a Northshore park. If you'd like to make several stops, hourly service keeps the same vehicle and chauffeur with you all day, so car seats stay installed and nobody has to repack.

Looking for more ideas for kids in New Orleans? Our New Orleans with kids guide covers family-friendly activities across the city.

A Good Fit for Birthdays and Groups

Because the center offers birthday parties and group bookings, it's a popular destination for celebrations. Coordinating transportation for a group — especially one with several young kids — is much easier with one vehicle. A Sprinter keeps everyone together, with the cake and party bags riding along.

Booking Your Safari Day

Book your tour with the center first, then book transportation around your tour time. We'll plan the pickup so you arrive with time to check in. Rates are flat and confirmed before you book, with tolls and gratuity disclosed up front. Sedans and SUVs can be cancelled free up to 3 hours before pickup, and Sprinter vans up to 12 hours before. Call (877) 609-1919 or book online.