B Bryan Preserve
Guided and self-driven safaris near Point Arena ending with a hand-feeding of endangered Rothschild giraffes.
Hours not posted — call ahead before making the drive.
Along Highway 1
Leg times are driving estimates along Highway 1.
South to north along Highway 1: Stewarts Point Store, then ~5 min to Sea Ranch Lodge, then ~15 min to Gualala Downtown, then ~25 min to Point Arena Downtown. B Bryan Preserve is the venue on this page.
Nearby
Within a short walk
Arena Market & Café · Franny's Cup & Saucer · Izakaya Gama · Little Green Bean Roastery · Sign of the Whale · The Record
A short drive
- Cove Coffee 1.1 mi W
- Point Arena Pizza 1.1 mi W
- Pier Place 1.1 mi W
- Pelican Bluffs Trail 1.2 mi S
Preserve
B. Bryan Preserve is a working conservation ranch on the Mendocino Coast, not a roadside zoo. Founded in 1998 by Dr. Frank Mello and his wife Judy on family land in Mississippi, the operation relocated to a 110-acre property in Point Arena in 2004. It's an accredited related facility of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and its mission is breeding and genetic conservation of African hoofstock — staff describe the herds as Species Survival Plan participants working to bank a century of genetic diversity in case wild populations collapse.
The preserve houses about a dozen species in large, near-natural enclosures: Grevy's and Hartmann's Mountain zebra, Rothschild giraffes, Roan, Sable, and Greater Kudu antelope, plus Cape buffalo, addax, Nile lechwe, Somali wild ass, and bontebok. Both zebra species are endangered or critically endangered — fewer than 2,500 Grevy's zebra remain in the wild — and Hartmann's Mountain zebra were legally hunted as agricultural pests until 1997, then nearly wiped out by a 2006 anthrax outbreak before an emergency vaccination campaign saved the herds. Guides share this history during the tour, which is timed to daily feedings and ends with the signature moment: hand-feeding, and if you're willing, "kissing," a giraffe.
Tours run by reservation only, in a handful of formats: the 10:00 AM self-guided Car Safari (about 45 minutes, $25 adult / $15 child) sends your own vehicle along a mapped route past each enclosure, while the 3:30 PM Land Rover Safari (about 75 minutes, $35 / $20) puts a guide at the wheel of a vintage open-air Land Rover, stopping so you can get out for a closer look. A private VIP tour ($350 for up to eight) adds behind-the-scenes glimpses, and on the first Saturday of each month a limited giraffe painting session ($100, ages 10+) lets a giraffe "paint" a canvas you take home. Every format ends with the giraffe feeding — and giraffes are the one animal here used to close contact; the zebra and antelope keep their distance and aren't for petting.
Before You Go
- Dress for coastal weather — fog and wind roll in fast this close to the Pacific; bring a jacket even in summer, and expect mud on the ranch roads in winter
- Wear comfortable closed shoes — you'll be walking on ranch terrain, not pavement
- No dogs, ever — not even left in your car during a Car Safari; the rule has no exceptions for size, age, or service status
- Restrooms are limited — use facilities before you arrive if you can
- Tours run rain, wind, or shine — only a major Pacific storm cancels
- No RVs or motorcycles on the Self-Guided Car Safari
- Reservation only, no drop-ins — the gated property is only accessible during a booked tour window
- Arrive 10 minutes early; guides don't wait for late arrivals out of respect for the rest of the group, and there are no refunds or rebookings for a missed departure
- Cancellation: Land Rover and Self-Guided Car Safari tickets can be cancelled up to 3 days ahead for a refund minus a $5 fee; Private VIP and Giraffe Painting tour payments are non-refundable and non-changeable once booked
- All ages are charged — there's no age exemption, including infants
- Book directly through the preserve's website; popular afternoon and weekend slots can fill, so reserve ahead of a Mendocino Coast trip rather than planning to book on arrival
- The first-Saturday giraffe painting session is a distinct, limited-capacity add-on rather than part of the standard safari — book it separately if you want it
- Tours are not described as stroller- or wheelchair-accommodating in available sources; call ahead if mobility is a concern
What visitors say
- The giraffe feeding is the universal highlight — visitors across multiple written accounts single out getting a giraffe to take food (or a "kiss") directly from their hands as the moment they remember most
- Guides are knowledgeable and personal — reviewers and local press describe staff who know each animal individually and clearly care about the conservation mission, not just running tours
- It doesn't feel like a zoo — the large, near-natural enclosures mean animals can be distant from the road at times; some visitors find this more authentic, others find it means less guaranteed up-close viewing outside the giraffe stop
- Worth the detour — travel writers consistently frame it as a surprising, worthwhile stop on a Highway 1 trip rather than a gimmick