☰The Wilds

The Wilds is a 10,000-acre open-range wildlife conservation center about 30 miles south of Zanesville, built on reclaimed strip-mine land. Safari tours in open-air vehicles take you through habitat where white rhinos, Bactrian camels, African wild dogs, giraffes, and several species of rare deer roam at something close to actual scale. It's run as a serious conservation operation by the Columbus Zoo, not a roadside attraction, and the animals here are part of international breeding programs for endangered species. Book tours in advance; they're not available year-round.