This Valentine’s Day, elevate your romantic celebration with the Wild at Heart Dining Experience at San Antonio Zoo—a one-of-a-kind evening blending culinary excellence, exotic ambiance, and the magic of wildlife. Treat your loved one to an intimate fine-dining experience featuring our resident hippos, Timothy and Uma, who will charm you with their majestic presence.
Set within the enchanting Africa Live! Hippo Viewing Cave, this event offers a romantic, candlelit atmosphere surrounded by the sights and sounds of nature’s most awe-inspiring creatures, including hippos and crocodiles. While enjoying the company of your special someone, savor a decadent four-course gourmet dinner accompanied by wine, live music, and fascinating insights about the care of our hippos from our expert animal care team.
New This Year – Arrive early to enjoy a complimentary mixer 45 minutes before your seating time at the Hippo Overlook & Patio. Savor delicious appetizers, sip on refreshing cocktails at the cash bar, and take in the stunning views of the hippo habitat while mingling with fellow guests.
This exclusive 21+ event offers limited seating to ensure a truly memorable experience.
Event Details
Date: Friday, February 14, 2025
Seating Times: 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. & 8:00 – 9:30 p.m. (Zoo closes at 5:00 p.m.)
Complimentary mixer in Hippo Overlook held 45 minutes prior to each seating time
Age Requirement: 21+
Seating Options & Pricing
Premium VIP Seating – $250/person (Limited to 6 guests per seating/12 total)
Located next to the hippo habitat windows for a front-row view.
Includes:
Cocktail Mixer with Appetizers
Pre-Fixe Menu
Champagne Toast
Chocolate Strawberries
Candlelight Seating
Musical Entertainment
Animal Habitat View
Hippo Front-Row View
To-GO Gift: Champagne & Dessert Bites
VIP Seating – $200/person (Limited to 9 guests per seating/18 total)
Located near animal habitat windows for an immersive dining experience.
Includes:
Cocktail Mixer with Appetizers
Pre-Fixe Menu
Champagne Toast
Chocolate Strawberries
Candlelight Seating
Musical Entertainment
Animal Habitat View
Standard Seating – $175/person (Limited to 17 guests per seating/34 total)
Located inside the Africa Live! Hippo Viewing area.
Includes:
Cocktail Mixer with Appetizers
Pre-Fixe Menu
Champagne Toast
Chocolate Strawberries
Candlelight Seating
Musical Entertainment
Reservations
Spots are limited for this unique dining experience! Secure your place today by visiting sazoo.org. Celebrate love with an unforgettable evening of elegance, wildlife, and memories at the Wild at Heart Dining Experience.
WILD AT HEART GUIDELINES
Seating & Service Times
- Seating will begin promptly at 6:00 p.m., and then again at 8:00 p.m. All guests are asked to arrive approximately 45 minutes prior to their scheduled seating time – to enjoy a cocktail mixer prior to dinner. Please also allow ample opportunity for parking and walking into the Zoo Grounds.
Dietary Restrictions & Allergies
- If you have a specific dietary restrictions or allergens, please contact [email protected].
Always Drink Responsibly
- All guests must present a valid I.D. in order to consume alcohol at this event. San Antonio Zoo follows all TABC guidelines & restrictions, and reserves the right to refuse service to anyone displaying signs of intoxication, raises a potential harm to other guests, or to the animals and their habitats.
- For more information, please contact [email protected].
- Reservations are required and must be made online ahead of the dining experience.
- This experience is for guests 21 and up only. Guests must present an ID at seating tie.
- Check-in starts 30 minutes ahead of the seating time.
- Overall program lasts approximately 1.5 hours.
- Refunds are not available for no-shows or without a minimum of one week notice.
- San Antonio Zoo reserves the right to cancel or modify the experience due to inclement weather, animal health, and/or safety concerns. In the event of cancellation, efforts will be made to reschedule you for a future date.
- Animal experience(s) are subject to change and/or cancel due to animal availability.
- No service animals are permitted during the experience.
- Standard seating guests will be seated based on table availability.
- VIP seating is subject to availability inside the venue.
- Upgraded and additional wine bottles will be available for purchase.