Have you ever pet or fed a kangaroo? If not then consider making your way to Horse Cave, KY off I-65 for Kentucky Down Under.

This hands-on zoo is one-of-a-kind. We’ve been to numerous animal sanctuaries and this one was just phenomenal based on the kangaroos alone.

They do have other animals, exotic birds, horses, goats, some reptiles and lemurs, plus a cave on property. But the stars are the roos situated in the back portion of the park. Pay $1 a cup for some granola giblets the roos just love and you’ll fall immediately in love with these furry creatures.

Before you go you’ll want to save on admission.

Regular at the door cost is too high in my opinion, but I’m a cheapskate. (I understand their reasons for the cost, it’s just not something I’m willing to pay)

Cost $25.95 for adults ages 14 and up and children are $15.95. That would be $99 and change for our family of five to visit.

Thankfully KDU is on Groupon. Right now the rate is higher than I paid. Watch their Groupon page for it to drop as low as $40 (which is what I grabbed, for 4 people). You can also snag savings via special ‘local’ Groupon coupon codes that usually pop up once a week.

The current price is $59 for 4, which is still way better than at the door price.

Go here to check them out on Groupon. Also don’t forget to shop through ebates.com to earn cash back on your Groupon purchase, which means your admission is technically discounted even further.

Tips for your visit:

    1. Take water and snacks. They do have a concession stand, but the kids were so into the animals they didn’t eat. But the warmer months may call for more water.
    2.  Once you enter the park, you’ll have to climb a steep hill to get to the petting area, cave and more. It’s steep enough that I mention it in case you have someone in your group that might need assistance. They do have golf carts for rent at the main visitor center.
    3. The cave tour takes about 30 minutes and is worth the time invested. We had a great guide. There are narrow passages and steep steps. You’ll leave from the gift shop area. Don’t skip it, it’s short and worth the break from the animals.
    4. Get there early. The earlier you get there the better experience you’ll have with the kangaroos. KDU opens at 9 a.m. The roos are alert, hungry and energetic early in the morning. They’ll eat your food, hop around and explore. Starting around 11:30 or noon they get full and sleepy.
    5. Don’t miss the animal shows with Mick their animal curator. He’s friendly, informative and great with the kids. If the crowds aren’t too big you may get to pet some of the animals.
    6. You can feed the animals as many times as you would like but don’t forget you’ll need cash it’s a $1 a cup.
    7. Don’t miss the penny machine in the main visitor’s center. You’ll need 50 cents + the penny.

PROS:

I really can’t say enough about the kangaroos and the cave. Both were so much fun. Also the staff were friendly and helped me avoid the huge field trip groups.

CONS:

The huge field trip groups. Although we did avoid most of the crowds we did have to interact with some of them.  There were some brats at the animal show that kept throwing rocks and the teachers/parents in charge just ignored them. I can’t stand bad behavior from parents or kids especially when others are trying to enjoy something, they paid for.

This isn’t a mark against KDU it’s just a warning. Be prepared for large groups since it’s field trip season.

 

Note: No affiliate links for Groupon.

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