San Diego’s Lions Tigers & Bears Exotic Animal Sanctuary Kicks Off Holiday Season With Special Events

Lions Tigers & Bears, San Diego’s only accredited big cat and bear sanctuary, is welcoming guests to spend the holidays with its residents exotic animals. The animal rescue and education facility has released its holiday schedule, celebrating Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas with enriching animal activities during their limited-capacity, special visits.

Lions Tigers & Bears guests will encounter retired circus animals, exotic animals formerly used for inhuman photo and petting opportunities and abandoned, illegally owned big cats, all who’ve been rescued and given forever homes in wide open habitats.

Visitors will observe in awe as these majestic creatures celebrate with feasts and activities of their own during each holiday-themed visit.

Treat Yourself To Lions Tigers & Bears Pumpkin Bash

Pumpkin Bash | Saturday, Oct. 31, 10AM

A new trick-or-treat tradition that involves wide open space, wild animals and a worry-free activity, Lions Tigers & Bears welcome visitors to come in costume to watch as rescued animals devour their Halloween treats and dig into stuffed pumpkins during this special guided visit. Member: $30 for adults and $15 for kids, nonmember: $60 for adults and $35 for kids.

Thanksgiving Turkey Bash | Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 28 at 10AM

After families enjoy their turkey day, another feast awaits. Big cats and bears have a holiday feast of their own – including turkey and stuffed pumpkins – during this special twist on a Saturday educational visit. Member: $30 for adults and $15 for kids, nonmember: $60 for adults and $35 for kids

Christmas With the Animals | Saturday, Dec. 12 at 12PM

Experience holiday cheer galore at Lions Tigers & Bears’ Christmas With the Animals, a special afternoon at the sanctuary. The main event: watching the animals open their Christmas gifts. Member: $40 for adults and $15 for kids, nonmember: $60 for adults and $25 for kids

“Our holiday-themed visits are the highlight of the year for our guests and resident animals,” said Lions Tigers & Bears Founder and Director Bobbi Brink. “We welcome the public to experience these holiday festivities in a safe and exciting way – it’s a great outdoor family activity, with plenty of space. While visitors see tigers splash in and out of the pool regularly, it’s extra special to see the lions leaping into the pool once a turkey is involved or to see the bears meticulously unwrap their Christmas gifts.”

BOOK NOW!

These activities are limited capacity, and the sanctuary requires families to reserve their space in advance.  All proceeds benefit the rescued animals, providing food, enrichment, habitat maintenance, veterinary care and more. The events will happen rain or shine.

Book online here or call 619-659-8078.

Lions Tigers & Bears is enforcing guidelines ensuring a safe sanctuary visit, including limiting group sizes and requiring face coverings and a 6-foot physical distance between visitors, volunteers and staff.

About Lions Tigers & Bears

Lions Tigers & Bears is a federally and state licensed 501(c)3 nonprofit rescue facility dedicated to providing a safe haven to abused and abandoned exotic animals while inspiring an educational forum to end the exotic animal trade. Lions Tigers & Bears is a NO CONTACT, NO KILL, NO BREED and NO SELL facility that allows the animals in its care the opportunity to live out their lives with dignity in a caring and safe environment. Lions Tigers & Bears is one of the few sanctuaries in the United States with the highest level of accreditation from the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries and the American Sanctuary Association.

The exotic animal rescue nonprofit, led by Brink, has coordinated rescues for more than 600 big cats, bears, wolves and other exotic animals across the U.S. in need of permanent refuge and lifetime homes at reputable sanctuaries, including Lions Tigers & Bears. Guests can book visits, become a member, host events or stay the night at White Oak Wild Nights, the onsite, private two-bedroom luxurious retreat. For more information, visit here.

See you there….and stay healthy, San Diego!

Share This Post
The Latest
The Craving is ThereSanDiego's weekly guide to what's worth eating and drinking in San Diego right now. Every Tuesday, we surface new restaurant openings, standout happy hours, limited-time menu specials, and upcoming food events across the city - so you know what's happening before everyone else does.
San Diego’s craft beer scene gets its own festival, and it’s about as local as it gets. Capital of Craft Beer Fest is taking over...
Buddy Guy 90 Concert Tour
Experience the legendary Buddy Guy live at the San Diego concert, celebrating his incredible journey through electric blues music.
Sails and Ales Beer Fest at Kona Kai San Diego
Sails & Ales Beer Fest is back for its sixth year, and this time it’s bringing sunset views, local brews, and a whole lot more...
9/11 Memorial Stair with Rincon Fire Department
110 flights of stairs is not an arbitrary number. It is the height of the World Trade Center towers, and this year a group of...
Birch Aquarium Red Octopus
Witness the transformation of red octopuses at Birch Aquarium, a rare opportunity to see them thrive after hatching from eggs.
Recently Featured Restaurants
City Tacos has been a San Diego staple since 2014. What Gerry Torres is building next makes it look like a warm-up. El Punto at...
Zuma has spent nearly 25 years taking over the world – Hong Kong, Istanbul, Rome, Miami, Madrid, and more. Now they’re open in San Diego,...
Doug and Lara Hamm spent years traveling through the French Riviera, Greek Isles, and Amalfi Coast. By The Sea is what happened when they decided...
Little Italy has a new dinner spot, and it’s one that makes the whole evening feel like an occasion. Maranello just opened at 2101 Kettner...
Moniker General is coming downtown, and honestly, it makes all the sense in the world. The coffee and cocktail concept that helped shape Liberty Station...
Little Italy is getting a new coffee spot this summer, and it’s coming from one of the neighborhood’s most respected kitchens. Cloak & Petal –...