Dino Safari USA is a pop up dinosaur exhibit. Before you go, check out this Dino Safari USA review to learn about tickets, the audio tour & more.
For more posts about really cool attractions like this one, check out all of our attractions posts.
Dinosaurs are such a universal enjoyment. My brothers and I loved them when we were young. We saw The Land Before Time, and my favorite dinosaur was the Brontosaurus.
Cue my single-digit self’s meltdown when scientists discovered the Brontosaurus was actually an Apatosaurus, so bye bye Lisa’s favorite dinosaur.
Truth be told, that’s when I stopped thinking about them until a couple months ago, when my three year old nephew was visiting. He loves dinosaurs, so my brother asked me to ask him his favorite. I did. His reply? The Brontosaurus.
Oh, mine too. I said, ready to dish out the cold hard truth about our shared favorite.
But my brother stopped me.
Apparently, there was a study done in 2015 … and the Brontosaurus is back. It’s its own dinosaur again.
Maybe there’s hope for Pluto.
Speaking of dinosaurs (yes, there was a reason for all this), Michelle took her three sons to Dino Safari, a pop up dinosaur exhibit.
Her boys absolutely loved it.
If you’re been thinking about going, but you were unsure about it, she wrote us a full Dino Safari review to help you decide.
Take it away, Michelle.
Dino Safari Review
Affiliate links are included in this post and Drugstore Divas may make a small commission if you use them.
Attention dinosaur lovers!
I surprised my three sons (aged 12, 4, and almost 2) with a trip to the Dino Safari in Paramus, New Jersey. When I saw the ads on Instagram, I decided we needed a semi educational fun adventure.
I went on the Dino Safari website to check out the videos and pictures, then purchased tickets. I love that the ticket was by car load instead of per person.
We hopped in the car and drove to the Westgate Mall.
Once we arrived, there were no clear directions on how to get to Dino Safari, so we drove around the mall until I found it.
Dino Safari is completely walk through. When we went, it was drive through. It may be walk through when you go.
We meandered through the designated cones, seeing a few dinosaurs, before getting to the entrance. My boys were super excited to see these giant dinosaurs right outside their car window!
At the entrance, a staff member scanned the e-ticket while another asked how many children I had. I told the staff member three, so we were given three passports, three sets of crayons, and three plastic eggs.
You drive past a sign with a large QR code to scan for an audio version of the tour. It gives you the option to download the Dino Safari USA app on the App Store or Google Play. If you don’t want another app, you can listen to all 14 audios (in English or Spanish) via the website the QR code opens.
Just keep in mind that you’ll need to use either the app or the website for the audio, so you need a mobile device that’s able to do this. You can skip it, of course, but the audio is interesting and educational and adds to the safari.
The safari is sectioned into different parts of Pangea. Throughout the safari, there were signs with facts about each part of Pangea and the dinosaurs.
My 12 year old was in charge of following the passport, which contained a scavenger hunt for certain dinosaurs and other items located throughout the safari, like eggs, palm trees, and ferns.
At the end of the safari we are greeted by a giant T-Rex guarding its eggs and babies. In between, there’s a T-Rex nest where the instructions say to throw the plastic eggs. My boys loved that part. My 4 year old kept saying, “This is so cool! This is awesome!”
When we were exiting, there was a vendor selling various dinosaur related toys and candy. We purchased the dinosaur shaped candy (two bags were $5). Dinosaur stuffed animals, t-shirts, and onesies were also for sale.
These dinosaur shaped pop it fidget toys and this dino slime were available too. If you click those links, those are the exact items the vendor is selling, but for a lot cheaper. So you can buy those before you head into Dino Safari, then have them ready for your kids before you get to the vendor.
I asked if there was somewhere we could get out for some pictures. A staff member advised that there is a dinosaur outside the exit, mentioning that we could park and take some photos. We did that, and my kids were happy to be up close with a dinosaur.
Dino Safari has an option to go at night, which I’m sure looks cool because the dinosaurs are lit up. But, I thought that might scare my younger kids, so the midday adventure was perfect.
The best part is once we got home, my boys searched the bookshelves for our dinosaur books. They have really taken a liking to Dino Dana … and I’m grateful for a break from Blippi!
Dino Safari USA: Frequently Asked Questions
Dino Safari USA suggests average is about 40 to 60 minutes.
It took Michelle about half hour to go through the whole safari and then about 10 minutes for pictures.
Yes! Michelle said, “I loved that we had fun outside the house.”
On the weekends, tickets are $19 per person ages 2 and older. Military members, educators, first responders, and health care professionals are $16. On weekdays, tickets are $4 less.
Tickets can be purchased in advance. If you purchase tickets in advance, you purchase for a specific time slot (times vary per location). Do not arrive prior to your designated time.
It isn’t required, but it is recommended, that you purchase tickets in advance.
The locations of Dino Safari change often. As of June 10, 2022, Dino Safar is in the following locations:
Atlanta, Georgia
Boston, Massachuttes
Miami, Florida
Dino Safari is a rain or shine event.
Dino Safari Discount Code:
If you want to check out Dino Safari, but the cost is a little steep, it’s okay. We found a Dino Safari USA discount code.
Enter the code BMLALL10 for $10 off your cart total.
This code may be available for weekday purchases only.
Dinosaur Books:
If your kids are into dinosaurs, but you can’t make it to Dino Safari USA, check out these dinosaur books to hold you over until you get to Dino Safari.
- My Encyclopedia of Very Important Dinosaurs: Discover more than 80 Prehistoric Creatures
- How to Catch a Dinosaur
- Smithsonian’s The Dinosaur Book
- Danny and the Dinosaur (I Can Read paperback)
- We Don’t Eat Our Classmates
- Tiny T. Rex and the Impossible Hug
- Oh Say Can You Say Di-no-saur?: All About Dinosaurs (Cat in the Hat’s Learning Library)
Did this Dino Safari USA review help you decide if you should check it out? Let us know in the comments.