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While the zoo wasn't the largest, each exhibit was spacious and thoughtfully designed for the animals. They were packed during the weekend and tickets were actually sold out. While I arrived on time for my reservation, they weren't too strict about timing. Make sure to download your tickets beforehand, as cell service was practically nonexistent. There was a grill station and several snack stands in the main area, along with a restaurant overlooking the city on the California Trail. Most options were standard American fare with nearly $20 price tags. The tropical rainforest primates were my favorite, as they had the most interactive layout. They swung across ropes and lounged in their hammocks. The reptile room was easy to miss but ended up being one of my favorite sections, as the creatures were surprisingly plump and active. Unfortunately, the animals along the California Trail were more elusive and the exhibits were spaced farther apart. The gray wolves were barely visible, while the larger cats were kept at a noticeable distance from visitors. Some pathways led to dead ends and could have been labeled better. The gondola was required to reach the California Trail and became a bottleneck throughout the day, especially around lunch when the restaurant drew more visitors and again near closing. There were also separate lines for strollers and everyone else. It might be a highlight for those who have never ridden a gondola, but personally, it felt more like an unnecessary delay. For the nearly $30 price tag, I found the Oakland Zoo well maintained and interesting enough to visit. I finished everything in about 2.5 hours, although I would add another 30 minutes for the gondola wait alone. Definitely arrive at opening and tour the California Trail before lunch to avoid the biggest crowds.
We stopped by on a weekend with the required reserved admission and parking. I'd heard great things about this huge zoo and my hubby hadn't been since he was a child! A lot more walking than we're used to, but thankful for the relaxing gondola ride, amazing food and all the neat animals we were able to see! Our 2 year old definitely had a blast, especially petting and brushing goats! I loved seeing the wolves myself! Oakland Zoo began it's journey in the summer of 1922 and is run by the non-profit CSC! Will be returning to see the rest of the mammals and reptiles we missed! Discount if you have a membership! SYOY! :-)
There's definitely a lot to see, just beware of the hills that you have to climb. It has a good mix of wildlife although the last time I went, the elephants were gone other than that there are bears and giraffes and birds and monkeys. I believe there are two sections of the park lower and upper there's even a tram that takes you to the upper part which is fun for kids I assume. In the upper part there's also a mini zip line type swing that kids can use. If you've been here once that's good, I've been twice so I don't think I need to go back for a while unless a friend with kids wants to go.
My first time visiting the Oakland Zoo. My boyfriend and I went here on a weekday thinking it won't be so busy. There was a lot of school children and I just realized we went on their Spring break. Lol. I took a lot of pictures. I was hoping to see wild cats like a tiger, lions, cheetahs, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, camels, and elephants. There were none. What happened to them? A zoo is not complete without these animals.
Our daughter had a field trip to the Oakland Zoo. They had two and a half hours to explore. With a group of four 6 and 7 year old girls to chaperone, I allowed them to decide where and what to do. We started on a search for penguins, who we learned were not on exhibit, so the next stop was snakes. From the entrance, there are various routes to begin exploration. There is a gondola, free of charge, to explore the zoo from an aerial level. The line was manageable with minimal wait. At the top, we discovered big cats, bears, a playground and two individual stall restrooms for the kids to use. For lunch and snacks, the girls made pit stops at tabled benches or simply sitting benches. There were plenty of sitting benches throughout the zoo to take breaks. Parking is in a spacious lot, yet availability was minimal to say the least. People circled looking for an open spot. This could be due to the numerous groups present from different schools and programs. The zoo is located right off the freeway with plenty of signage to assist with navigation. The staff was friendly and primarily found at the information booth, playground, food stands and gondola experience. The girls enjoyed themselves during the entire experience and fell asleep on the bus ride back to school.
We had a great time at the Oakland Zoo! If you're visiting on a weekend, my biggest tip is to get there right when they open. We arrived at opening and walked right onto the gondola with no wait. A lot of the animals were still waking up and weren't very active yet, but honestly I'd take that over standing in long lines and navigating huge crowds later in the day. By the time we were leaving around 12 pm, the gondola line was incredibly long. If riding the gondola is important to you, get there early. The zoo is clean, beautiful, and very family-friendly overall. My one complaint as a parent is that the changing pads in the bathrooms were surprisingly gross and felt unstable, which made diaper changes more stressful than they needed to be. Other than that, it was a really enjoyable visit, and we'll definitely be back.
I had somehow made it my entire adult life in the East Bay and had never been to the Oakland Zoo, so when my friend who has kids offered to take me with her membership, of course I had to! It's the perfect mid-size zoo with fun animals, some level of uniqueness, and manageable size to do in 2-3 hours or less. Came on a Tuesday around opening time 9:30am-noon ish, which in my opinion was the perfect time to come because the animals were so active, and we left right before it got super busy with young kids field trips. Honestly, I had a blast. You do have to pay $6 or have a ticket to ride the train to see the wallaroos and emus in the "Australian" area. Pros: - The animals were so active in the morning when I went. I heard a lion roar for the first time, got up close to the glass where a grizzly bear was playing in the water, the giraffes and meerkats were so cute. - Lots of places where you can take a break from the sun - loved that little telescope area where you can look at the bay and skyline - My friend let me borrow her "key" to learn other random fun facts about animals - The gondola was so cool haha I get the hype. It's fun to look down and see the animals from afar - You can get free parking if you're a teacher and bring your ID! - The volunteers were so knowledgeable and nice! - The little trading card concept is fun if you have kids too - lots of really cute photo-ops along the way if you have kids Cons: - can get SUPER crowded and loud when a bunch of kids come - since I think it's very popular for field trips or summer camps as expected. I also think I may have felt differently about it if I had to pay for my own ticket - so thank you to all my friends in the East Bay who have kids and memberships (I didn't realize it was such a common membership to have lol). - A lot of the "key boxes" were not functioning - give this zoo more funding lol! - In the summer if you go too late, it can actually get so full that they don't let any more people who don't have memberships Overall this was a great experience and I would 10/10 come again - it won't BLOW your mind, but if you enjoy animals, it's such an accessible place and honestly such a great local attraction to spend a couple hours at.
This place has gone downhill (like a lot of Oakland) in the years since I visited. Other than the new upper area, the facilities are dilapidated and have not been well maintained. Exhibits are awkward for viewing anything. They do a great job of hiding the animals and especially blocking the view for kids. Today... Lion, Tigers, Grizzly and Sky ride were closed. Elephants are gone. Another 10 exhibits were nothing visible. And the petting zoo was barely that.
Luckily it was not busy when I went Monday, last time we couldn't get in. The parking is usually plentiful. The first thing I do is to take the tram to see the bears, oh my they were awake n romping in the pool n grounds foraging for food, what a delight to see them, grizzlies, black bears n Sun bears, our favorites. Luckily the condors were flying too. Wolves were roaming a bit. We were a bit disappointed that mostly the bats were gone except2, lemur display gone , even the bunnies are gone. It's a nice place to walk around n see the plants too, good way to save the animals n get your steps in. The workers are always knowledgeable n friendly. It's clean n somewhat easy to get around. You never can predict what the animals are up to at any moment so hang around n watch. Nice dat out.
Spent the day at the Oakland zoo. We had an 11:30am reservation time, and we arrived at around noon. There was quite a bit of traffic exiting the freeway as the off ramp goes directly into the turn to the zoo. It took quite a bit of time to exit the freeway and get through the entrance line. After getting through the parking line they had staff out directing traffic into makeshift parking. We parked way out near the entrance in a grassy field. It was a short walk to the entrance, though it is uphill from here. Parking in this area isn't the best for handicapped parking - however it looked like there were other spots closer to the front that were for handicapped vehicles. I recommend purchasing tickets online in advance as they are still operating on ticketed time slots for entrance. I have heard great things about this zoo, but it was smaller than I expected. I loved the open concept of this zoo, a lot of the habitats had "moats" so you didn't have to look at the animals through a fence which was a nice touch. The map was a bit confusing when you are first trying to decipher which direction you need to go to get to the next area of the zoo. There is a gondola that will take you from "Africa" to the California Wilderness area - this is the only way you can access this area of the zoo. They also offer a sky lift for a price where that takes you up a ski lift over exhibits and then back down. It took us about 3 hours to complete the majority of the zoo, however to access Australia, you need to exit the zoo and enter the area where they have rides outside, purchase train tickets and take a train ride to where they house the Wallaroos & Emu's. We waited in line to ride the train for over an hour and it was only a 7 minute train ride there and back. Though you get up close to the animals, to me it was not worth the $18 ride and hour long wait. I really enjoyed seeing the Grey Wolf Pack in the California Wilderness area as well as the HUGE Grizzly Bears. My step daughter really loved seeing the Giraffes up close. We were bummed we couldn't see the Hyena. The Elephant enclosure is closed as their Elephant moved to a sanctuary and they plan to remodel this area before gaining a new Elephant or other animal in that area. Overall, this was a great zoo and a fun day trip for our family. It was a bit pricey as our grand total with parking was around $120 for 2 adults & a child.
This trip was a little different for us than the last, with two little kids in haul! A few highlights: - the grizzly bears were putting on a show for bystanders. An absolute amazing experience! - staff members in the ride area were very friendly. Our toddler had a blast on the merry go round! - wear your walking shoes because it is a workout! Lots of uphill climbing to get your blood pumping! - they don't regulate outside food, so you can pack a nice picnic lunch! Cons: - only one stroller allowed per gondola ride, even though we folded the umbrella stroller up small. This meant my husband and I had to be split up and split the kids up to get up to the top section of the zoo. - once we got up there, the elevators were out of order. We either had to carry the strollers down multiple flights of stairs, or walk all the way back around to the beginning near the condors. Hopefully this is fixed next time we go! Overall a must stop for anyone within a 60 mile vicinity of the Oakland Zoo. It's a fun day trip for everyone, all ages!
Oakland Zoo was an unexpected gem when I discovered it a few years ago. Since then I've had the annual membership for my family. My daughter loves animals and my son loves going there to collect the trading cards. The animal exhibits here are larger than what you'll see at most zoos with lots of open space and interactivity. My favorites are within the California habitat area which features gray wolves, bears and mountain lions among other species. A must-visit if you're looking for a way to spend the day in the east bay.
I'm a teacher in San Francisco, and I'm always on the lookout for the best field trip experiences in the Bay Area. The Oakland Zoo has become one of our absolute favorites. Over the years, I've tried several of their educational options: the first year we booked a wildlife assembly (we were the only class there), the second year we participated in the ZooSchool program, and this year we explored the self-guided option. Each experience has been well-organized and engaging for students. In the past we never had time to ride the gondola or explore the zoo on our own so we never collected Zoo cards. My students this year loved collecting cards throughout the day, but what really stood out was an Oakland Zoo staff member who went above and beyond at the end of the day. He took the time to trade cards with my students and make the experience feel extra special. The Oakland Zoo is, in my opinion, far superior to the San Francisco Zoo in terms of both educational value and visitor experience. We'll definitely continue returning year after year. Highly recommend it for teachers, families, and anyone looking for a meaningful and memorable day at the zoo! I also attended glowfari for the first time last year and WOW! It is worth every penny. The decorations are up and it's looking EPIC this year.
2 months ago
While the zoo wasn't the largest, each exhibit was spacious and thoughtfully designed for the animals. They were packed during the weekend and tickets were actually sold out. While I arrived on time for my reservation, they weren't too strict about timing. Make sure to download your tickets beforehand, as cell service was practically nonexistent. There was a grill station and several snack stands in the main area, along with a restaurant overlooking the city on the California Trail. Most options were standard American fare with nearly $20 price tags. The tropical rainforest primates were my favorite, as they had the most interactive layout. They swung across ropes and lounged in their hammocks. The reptile room was easy to miss but ended up being one of my favorite sections, as the creatures were surprisingly plump and active. Unfortunately, the animals along the California Trail were more elusive and the exhibits were spaced farther apart. The gray wolves were barely visible, while the larger cats were kept at a noticeable distance from visitors. Some pathways led to dead ends and could have been labeled better. The gondola was required to reach the California Trail and became a bottleneck throughout the day, especially around lunch when the restaurant drew more visitors and again near closing. There were also separate lines for strollers and everyone else. It might be a highlight for those who have never ridden a gondola, but personally, it felt more like an unnecessary delay. For the nearly $30 price tag, I found the Oakland Zoo well maintained and interesting enough to visit. I finished everything in about 2.5 hours, although I would add another 30 minutes for the gondola wait alone. Definitely arrive at opening and tour the California Trail before lunch to avoid the biggest crowds. read more
2 months ago
We stopped by on a weekend with the required reserved admission and parking. I'd heard great things about this huge zoo and my hubby hadn't been since he was a child! A lot more walking than we're used to, but thankful for the relaxing gondola ride, amazing food and all the neat animals we were able to see! Our 2 year old definitely had a blast, especially petting and brushing goats! I loved seeing the wolves myself! Oakland Zoo began it's journey in the summer of 1922 and is run by the non-profit CSC! Will be returning to see the rest of the mammals and reptiles we missed! Discount if you have a membership! SYOY! :-) read more
19 days ago
There's definitely a lot to see, just beware of the hills that you have to climb. It has a good mix of wildlife although the last time I went, the elephants were gone other than that there are bears and giraffes and birds and monkeys. I believe there are two sections of the park lower and upper there's even a tram that takes you to the upper part which is fun for kids I assume. In the upper part there's also a mini zip line type swing that kids can use. If you've been here once that's good, I've been twice so I don't think I need to go back for a while unless a friend with kids wants to go. read more
2 months ago
My first time visiting the Oakland Zoo. My boyfriend and I went here on a weekday thinking it won't be so busy. There was a lot of school children and I just realized we went on their Spring break. Lol. I took a lot of pictures. I was hoping to see wild cats like a tiger, lions, cheetahs, rhinoceros, hippopotamus, camels, and elephants. There were none. What happened to them? A zoo is not complete without these animals. read more
Our daughter had a field trip to the Oakland Zoo. They had two and a half hours to explore. With a group of four 6 and 7 year old girls to chaperone, I allowed them to decide where and what to do. We started on a search for penguins, who we learned were not on exhibit, so the next stop was snakes. From the entrance, there are various routes to begin exploration. There is a gondola, free of charge, to explore the zoo from an aerial level. The line was manageable with minimal wait. At the top, we discovered big cats, bears, a playground and two individual stall restrooms for the kids to use. For lunch and snacks, the girls made pit stops at tabled benches or simply sitting benches. There were plenty of sitting benches throughout the zoo to take breaks. Parking is in a spacious lot, yet availability was minimal to say the least. People circled looking for an open spot. This could be due to the numerous groups present from different schools and programs. The zoo is located right off the freeway with plenty of signage to assist with navigation. The staff was friendly and primarily found at the information booth, playground, food stands and gondola experience. The girls enjoyed themselves during the entire experience and fell asleep on the bus ride back to school. read more
We had a great time at the Oakland Zoo! If you're visiting on a weekend, my biggest tip is to get there right when they open. We arrived at opening and walked right onto the gondola with no wait. A lot of the animals were still waking up and weren't very active yet, but honestly I'd take that over standing in long lines and navigating huge crowds later in the day. By the time we were leaving around 12 pm, the gondola line was incredibly long. If riding the gondola is important to you, get there early. The zoo is clean, beautiful, and very family-friendly overall. My one complaint as a parent is that the changing pads in the bathrooms were surprisingly gross and felt unstable, which made diaper changes more stressful than they needed to be. Other than that, it was a really enjoyable visit, and we'll definitely be back. read more
I had somehow made it my entire adult life in the East Bay and had never been to the Oakland Zoo, so when my friend who has kids offered to take me with her membership, of course I had to! It's the perfect mid-size zoo with fun animals, some level of uniqueness, and manageable size to do in 2-3 hours or less. Came on a Tuesday around opening time 9:30am-noon ish, which in my opinion was the perfect time to come because the animals were so active, and we left right before it got super busy with young kids field trips. Honestly, I had a blast. You do have to pay $6 or have a ticket to ride the train to see the wallaroos and emus in the "Australian" area. Pros: - The animals were so active in the morning when I went. I heard a lion roar for the first time, got up close to the glass where a grizzly bear was playing in the water, the giraffes and meerkats were so cute. - Lots of places where you can take a break from the sun - loved that little telescope area where you can look at the bay and skyline - My friend let me borrow her "key" to learn other random fun facts about animals - The gondola was so cool haha I get the hype. It's fun to look down and see the animals from afar - You can get free parking if you're a teacher and bring your ID! - The volunteers were so knowledgeable and nice! - The little trading card concept is fun if you have kids too - lots of really cute photo-ops along the way if you have kids Cons: - can get SUPER crowded and loud when a bunch of kids come - since I think it's very popular for field trips or summer camps as expected. I also think I may have felt differently about it if I had to pay for my own ticket - so thank you to all my friends in the East Bay who have kids and memberships (I didn't realize it was such a common membership to have lol). - A lot of the "key boxes" were not functioning - give this zoo more funding lol! - In the summer if you go too late, it can actually get so full that they don't let any more people who don't have memberships Overall this was a great experience and I would 10/10 come again - it won't BLOW your mind, but if you enjoy animals, it's such an accessible place and honestly such a great local attraction to spend a couple hours at. read more
This place has gone downhill (like a lot of Oakland) in the years since I visited. Other than the new upper area, the facilities are dilapidated and have not been well maintained. Exhibits are awkward for viewing anything. They do a great job of hiding the animals and especially blocking the view for kids. Today... Lion, Tigers, Grizzly and Sky ride were closed. Elephants are gone. Another 10 exhibits were nothing visible. And the petting zoo was barely that. read more
2 months ago
3 months ago
Luckily it was not busy when I went Monday, last time we couldn't get in. The parking is usually plentiful. The first thing I do is to take the tram to see the bears, oh my they were awake n romping in the pool n grounds foraging for food, what a delight to see them, grizzlies, black bears n Sun bears, our favorites. Luckily the condors were flying too. Wolves were roaming a bit. We were a bit disappointed that mostly the bats were gone except2, lemur display gone , even the bunnies are gone. It's a nice place to walk around n see the plants too, good way to save the animals n get your steps in. The workers are always knowledgeable n friendly. It's clean n somewhat easy to get around. You never can predict what the animals are up to at any moment so hang around n watch. Nice dat out. read more
Spent the day at the Oakland zoo. We had an 11:30am reservation time, and we arrived at around noon. There was quite a bit of traffic exiting the freeway as the off ramp goes directly into the turn to the zoo. It took quite a bit of time to exit the freeway and get through the entrance line. After getting through the parking line they had staff out directing traffic into makeshift parking. We parked way out near the entrance in a grassy field. It was a short walk to the entrance, though it is uphill from here. Parking in this area isn't the best for handicapped parking - however it looked like there were other spots closer to the front that were for handicapped vehicles. I recommend purchasing tickets online in advance as they are still operating on ticketed time slots for entrance. I have heard great things about this zoo, but it was smaller than I expected. I loved the open concept of this zoo, a lot of the habitats had "moats" so you didn't have to look at the animals through a fence which was a nice touch. The map was a bit confusing when you are first trying to decipher which direction you need to go to get to the next area of the zoo. There is a gondola that will take you from "Africa" to the California Wilderness area - this is the only way you can access this area of the zoo. They also offer a sky lift for a price where that takes you up a ski lift over exhibits and then back down. It took us about 3 hours to complete the majority of the zoo, however to access Australia, you need to exit the zoo and enter the area where they have rides outside, purchase train tickets and take a train ride to where they house the Wallaroos & Emu's. We waited in line to ride the train for over an hour and it was only a 7 minute train ride there and back. Though you get up close to the animals, to me it was not worth the $18 ride and hour long wait. I really enjoyed seeing the Grey Wolf Pack in the California Wilderness area as well as the HUGE Grizzly Bears. My step daughter really loved seeing the Giraffes up close. We were bummed we couldn't see the Hyena. The Elephant enclosure is closed as their Elephant moved to a sanctuary and they plan to remodel this area before gaining a new Elephant or other animal in that area. Overall, this was a great zoo and a fun day trip for our family. It was a bit pricey as our grand total with parking was around $120 for 2 adults & a child. read more
11 months ago
This trip was a little different for us than the last, with two little kids in haul! A few highlights: - the grizzly bears were putting on a show for bystanders. An absolute amazing experience! - staff members in the ride area were very friendly. Our toddler had a blast on the merry go round! - wear your walking shoes because it is a workout! Lots of uphill climbing to get your blood pumping! - they don't regulate outside food, so you can pack a nice picnic lunch! Cons: - only one stroller allowed per gondola ride, even though we folded the umbrella stroller up small. This meant my husband and I had to be split up and split the kids up to get up to the top section of the zoo. - once we got up there, the elevators were out of order. We either had to carry the strollers down multiple flights of stairs, or walk all the way back around to the beginning near the condors. Hopefully this is fixed next time we go! Overall a must stop for anyone within a 60 mile vicinity of the Oakland Zoo. It's a fun day trip for everyone, all ages! read more
10 months ago
Oakland Zoo was an unexpected gem when I discovered it a few years ago. Since then I've had the annual membership for my family. My daughter loves animals and my son loves going there to collect the trading cards. The animal exhibits here are larger than what you'll see at most zoos with lots of open space and interactivity. My favorites are within the California habitat area which features gray wolves, bears and mountain lions among other species. A must-visit if you're looking for a way to spend the day in the east bay. read more
I'm a teacher in San Francisco, and I'm always on the lookout for the best field trip experiences in the Bay Area. The Oakland Zoo has become one of our absolute favorites. Over the years, I've tried several of their educational options: the first year we booked a wildlife assembly (we were the only class there), the second year we participated in the ZooSchool program, and this year we explored the self-guided option. Each experience has been well-organized and engaging for students. In the past we never had time to ride the gondola or explore the zoo on our own so we never collected Zoo cards. My students this year loved collecting cards throughout the day, but what really stood out was an Oakland Zoo staff member who went above and beyond at the end of the day. He took the time to trade cards with my students and make the experience feel extra special. The Oakland Zoo is, in my opinion, far superior to the San Francisco Zoo in terms of both educational value and visitor experience. We'll definitely continue returning year after year. Highly recommend it for teachers, families, and anyone looking for a meaningful and memorable day at the zoo! I also attended glowfari for the first time last year and WOW! It is worth every penny. The decorations are up and it's looking EPIC this year. read more
This is a nice, small Zoo. They have a diverse collection of animals and reptiles. It is hilly, so traversing the grounds may be challenging for some. There is also an aerial ride and an enclosed Gondola that provide a "bird's eye view" of the animal enclosures. It is a nice 2-3 hour outing for your family. The Zoo offers a special glow-in-the-dark experience, focused on the children's area during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. It opens at 5pm and has a separate admission fee. read more
Of our two Bay Area zoos, Oakland Zoo is by far the best. SF Zoo is so much more convenient for me, but it feels cramped, there's less to see, and leadership has been severely lacking in ways that put staff and animals at risk. (There have been some really good feature stories on this, in addition to all the reporting on recent controversy with the now ex-CEO). At Oakland Zoo, there are so many animals to see, the animal habitats are so extensive, and the conservation message is conveyed really clearly. My kids also love the gondola! The only thing I don't like is the pay-extra area just outside with rides, which seems like kind of a crock. We went to Glowfari for the first time last night and it was amazing! My advice for those who want to go on the earlier dates is to buy tickets as soon as they go on sale. I logged on the second they went live for non-members and was 57th in line. It was worth it! And bonus--despite the park being really busy with even more young kids than usual, and despite the late hour--the bathrooms were clean! read more
The Oakland Zoo is a pretty great zoo experience. We really enjoyed ourselves on a July weekday visit. Sections of the zoo-- Tropical Rainforest African Savanna Children's Zoo California Trail (via a gondola ride, free with admission) Wild Australia (via a train ride at extra cost) Rides area (pay for tickets, adjacent to the zoo) What I liked-- -Nicely maintained with a lot of big habitats to see so many neat animals -Foliage or covered areas provided nice shade -Multiple viewpoints to look at animals -Lots of seats/benches available -Encountered staff who shared information -Cool gondola offered a peaceful ride with lovely scenery to enjoy -Awesome views of the bay from the California Trail section -Play areas for kids (the California Trail play area was especially fun) -Hand sanitizer bottles widely available -Cool animal statues & different cut outs for cute photo opps -The (extra cost) train ride goes into the Wild Australia area to see a few animals up close, gives nice views of the bay, & offers looks down into parts of the zoo Be aware-- -Like any zoo, the chance of seeing animals out & active will depend on timing -Inky re-entry stamp didn't dry & smears -Elevation differences require some uphill walking on some paths -The Reptile/Amphibian Room was stuffy & muggy The workings-- -Reserve & buy tickets in advance online. Price for admission is variable depending on the day/entry time. We showed our online parking payment proof at the entrance window. -Parking was a little dicey, we got lucky finding a spot while people circled. -Outside food & drinks are allowed to be brought in, but no plastic lids & straws. Water filling stations are scattered throughout. -Women's restroom experience near the entrance was very busy, so supplies ran low/out. The restroom at the California Trails section was less busy, nicer, & better maintained. read more
Here is advice for Glowfari, which starts in November and lasts until January: - It's awesome. It's definitely worth it. The lanterns are meticulously designed and painted, and many have animatronics. There are a huge number of lanterns. - Skip the train ride. The lanterns along the train ride can all be seen when you drive up/down the access road, and it's not worth the very long wait or $6 ticket fee. - Go at the earlest time slot; Both parking and the zoo get more crowded as the night goes on. - When you enter, immediately take the gondola to the top and check out the lanterns up top. The return line for the gondola gets super long later in the evening. - There are strollers everywhere. It's a great family event. read more
1 year ago
I've been to my share of zoos and this one is pretty close to the top. It's not San Diego Zoo but it's perfect for us. Since purchasing a membership, I've now been twice. (But I've been 3 times since I also went last year during glowfari.) I recently went with my work family which includes little kids. I didn't realize you can purchase these keys at the gift shop and at most enclosures, you put the key in and listen about the animals. It definitely gets the kids excited about moving throughout the park. Plus, many zookeepers (or they might be volunteers) hand out cards to the kids on different animals. Look out for those while you're visiting! The kids on my visit collected at least 4! Plus there are several play areas for the kids and they are super fun including a zip line. The key is going first thing when the animals are more active. Plus we were lucky that the weather was very cloudy with some sprinkles. The animals loved being out since it was nice and cool. When it's hot, they tend to go find a shady spot and sleep. Not to mention, when you come early, less people to deal with. We took the gondola up to the top right away and we had most of the place to ourselves. So what did we see that day? Everything! Jaguar, mountain lion, lions, tigers, bears, giraffes, meerkats, baboons, wolves--and all of them were up close. It was a great visit. They have a nice food establishment at the top but be prepared to spend big money. If you don't want to lose your entire paycheck on a meal, you are allowed to bring food in which is what we did. If you're coming here for the first time, I highly recommend getting the membership. 1) You don't have to worry about timed tickets. Members can come whenever. 2) Members don't have to pay parking. 3) After your second visit you've pay for your membership so it's totally worth it. read more
Oakland Zoo is a gem of the East Bay and I like to come visit every now and then. It's a mid-sized zoo where you can see everything in under 2 hours. My first stop is always to ride the gondola to the upper portion and get an amazing view of the Bay. I was pleasantly surprised to see the grizzly bears so active and playing as last time they were far away and resting. One qualm is that some of the enclosures, you can barely see the animals...or they may be hiding altogether. But there were enough of other animals to see like zebras, hyena, meerkats, baboons, lions, etc. to have a satisfying visit. This zoo is on a hill, so be prepared for some incline and wear good shoes. And if it's sunny, I suggest bringing an umbrella for shade. I didn't get to try their cafe or food and brought some snacks and fruits instead. read more
We love this zoo. Buying the membership was one of the smartest things we did for our toddler before she started school. She quickly learned the animal names and grew such a love for animals. We used to visit twice a month and it was such a treat for the family. read more
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Thanks for the 5 star review Asal! We appreciate all the support and…
3 months ago
3 months ago
Wonderful way to spend a day. I have a membership so I can go year-round just to see my favorite animals and have a lovely walk through the beautiful. So grateful to have the Oakland zoo in our backyard, providing the opportunity for so many people to see these amazing animals. My favorites are the chimpanzees, gibbons, siamangs, buffalo, lions, wolves, mountain lions, bears, meerkats, giraffes, leopards and tigers! The conservation work is first class and their veterinary hospital has helped save so many animals that they have rehabilitated! Grateful for the Oakland zoo and the work they do! read more
7 months ago
This was such a fun zoo. Went a little late, but that was just fine. I got to see a mountain lion group get fed as an enrichment activity. I saw probably like 75% of the animals at the zoo before they closed. Ended the day off watching the chimpanzees get their lettuce food. Such a lovely lovely day. I saw way more than I thought I would. I have also been reminded how teeny tiny humans are compared to these big old animals. read more
I had the opportunity to visit the zoo today after a very long time. The updates that have been completed are very nice. The gondola ride was fun and the restaurant at the top had decent food. Thete is definitely something here for everyone to enjoy! read more
3 months ago
This Zoo had a lot to offer, many sights to see! Overall a great experience for my little family! read more
Highly recommend! Kid-friendly environment: The zoo is a great place for families. California Trail: This area is a popular attraction, showcasing native California animals. Gondola ride: The gondola is mentioned as a fun experience and really relaxing. Food: Typical zoo food. I brought my own lunch. The zoo is considered a great place to visit, not just for locals but also for tourists.q read more
How do You Zoo? Founded in 1922, the 100-acre Oakland Zoo is run as a non-profit and houses over 850 native and exotic animals. They are also AZA (Association of Zoo Animals) accredited. The Good: *Membership pays for itself in two visits and you get free parking. *Fantastic views on the way up to the zoo along the hill *Tram ride (free) to the California side of the zoo was fun. *Great little "restaurant" in the CA area that has lots of food options beyond greasy pizza. It's pricey but it is what it is. *Loved the variety of animals here *If you have young kids this is a great place to bring them, as there's tons of play areas for them. *Animals look well cared for with large spaces *Glowfari Christmas light display during the season. The Meh: *We found this out the hard way, but they still require timed entry reservations for non-members, and unfortunately, we were already en route when we found this out. -_- So their evil plan worked and we bought a membership. *They charge for parking unless you're a member (see above) The Ugly: *That train ride is cool but kind of a joke. It goes by so fast and we didn't see one animal, except for Lou the Emu being a PiTa and not allowing the train to enter the area. It was pretty funny, tho, but don't bother with it unless you have a kid who's really into trains. Conclusion: Maybe the best zoo in the Bay Area, as we slightly preferred it over the SF Zoo. read more
This zoo was a fun place for my friends and I to wander and yap. We were sad Kaya was not there yet. Really love the gondola ride that is free. We spent 3 hours here. Super family friendly and stroller friendly. Saw a lot of families who brought their own lunches. We snagged some watermelon lemonade that was 10.50 for a cup, quite pricey but super quenching. read more
1 year ago
It was my first time to Oakland zoo and it was such a fun time! We went around 1pm on a Saturday, it was pretty hot and luckily some animals were very active! Favorite exhibit was grizzly bears, wolves, giraffes, we went to 3 different bear exhibits and they were all so cute. Definitely take the sky ride! We took it and were able to see sleeping lions resting underneath the shade further back in their exhibit. If we didn't take the sky ride, we definitely wouldn't have been able to see them. It also has great views of the bay! We also did the train ride- this one took a bit long to get on as there were so many families and large parties. This is the only way to access wallabies and emus. It was fun to see emus up close- but maybe would skip if you're short on time and the train line is too long. Definitely would come back again to enjoy the park- who doesn't love animals? read more
I am currently a zoo member and love the Oakland Zoo! This review is for the overall zoo experience (not including dining experience at the zoo). STARS (stand out qualities) -Great variety of animals that are well taken care of and have a lot of space -Trading cards are given out by some staff and docents -Location is well maintained and clean, including bathrooms -Staff and volunteers are professional, friendly and helpful STAIRS (areas of growth) -More cards passed out by docents and staff TIPS -Membership seems to pay off after about 3 or so visits and has a lot of perks (newsletter, special events, store discount and more) -Special events that are an additional charge include an animal feeding, veterinary hospital tour and Glowfari read more
4 months ago
9 months ago
Never knew there is such a good zoo out here, I've been to San Diego zoo and couldn't find similar to this one. Oakland zoo is very cool zoo, so many animals you could see up close , my 3 year old son loved it, we saw all the animals out in action and very clear view, my son loved baboons and chimpanzees, we will be coming back here for sure! read more
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More info about Oakland Zoo
9777 Golf Links Rd
Oakland, CA 94605
Sequoyah, East Oakland
Directions
(510) 632-9525
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http://www.oaklandzoo.org
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Ask the Community - Oakland Zoo
How much are the rides in the zoo?
The train was 2 tickets per person. Hope this helps.
Anyone know if they have any discount if I have the WIC card?
They do not provide a discount for the WIC card. They provide discounts for those using SNAP benefits and for Oakland residents.
Hows parking security, are hoodlums roaming around?
It's ALL the way up the hill and there's a parking attendant at the bottom of the hill you have to pass. I would say it's safe; however, I never leave anything in the body of my car (because you know...it's still the Bay). Better safe than sorry!…
Can we carry stroller (Chicco bravo) with us on gondola and train ride?
Just wanted to add that a double side-by-side/wide stroller will not fit on the gondola and you will have to leave it in the stroller parking area. But, I was able to fit my UppaBaby Vista with the bassinet on the bottom without a problem.
Are there EV charging station at the zoo?
Charging stations are being discussed, but for now there are no stations available.
We purchased for 3 pm. Can we come at 11?
No, our reservation system is in place to stagger crowds and alleviate parking congestion. We ask that you please arrive at your designated time.
Do you have to print the tickets or can you show them on your phone?
No, printing tickets is not necessary
Does the Wonderfold w4 fit into the gondola?
Every model's different. We normally ask larger carts and double wide strollers be left in our stroller parking location across from the gondola station near giraffes, but you're allowed to attempt to bring it on and if it doesn't work, our Gondola…
Are there dedicated lactation spaces available here?
We do not currently have lactation spaces available.
Does the Oakland Zoo participate in the discounted tickets for the museums for all program with food stamps?
Oakland Zoo does not participate in this program.
Are there lockers to store your food and belongings?
Unfortunately, we do not have lockers.
Can I take a cooler for my families water and food... cooler especially?
Yes, you can bring a cooler. We allow guests the opportunity to bring in their own food and drinks.
Can we visit there without buying tickets on Saturday? We have free admission tickets gifted by our friends.
Thank you for your inquiry, Stella. Our in-date, free admission tickets should be stamped for approval, have reservation required messaging on it with directions to follow, and a code to utilize. Additionally, after reserving your free tickets, you…
What time does the train start? Can't find information on the app or website
Train rides fall under the standard "Ride" Schedule, i.e.: M-F 11:00 am-5:30 pm & Weekends/Holidays, also 11:00 am-5:30 pm (last tickets sold at 5:15).
Can you bring your own drinks, snacks or food? Also, I know this question was already answered but…
Monique, you are more than welcome to bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks. Stroller wagons are also welcome. Keep in mind, depending on size, you may not be able to fit it in a gondola leading up to the California Trail, but you can park it…
Do you have to be there at your reserved time?
Arriving at your reserved ticket time makes our staggered entry system more efficient at reducing crowd congestion, but we do offer a grey area before and after your designed time to offer all guests easier entry. We want you to have a wonderful…
Do you need reservations if you just want to go on the rides? Also how much are the rides?
You shouldn't however you might have to pay for parking
Is there electric wheelchair/scooter available for rent?
Thank you for your question, Debbie. Yes, the zoo offers electric scooters for rent. They are first come first served. Rental cost is $30 without a deposit and can be found at our gift shop next to our main entrance.
Review Highlights - Oakland Zoo
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