The Sacramento Zoo is such a cute little zoo and a wonderful place to visit with young kids! One of the things I appreciated most was how much shade there is throughout the property. With Sacramento's hot weather, all the mature trees and shaded walkways make such a difference. It's also a smaller, manageable zoo, which is perfect for families with toddlers who don't want to spend an entire day walking around. Another huge perk is that parking is completely free! Even better, if you have a membership to a participating reciprocal zoo or aquarium, you can receive 50% off admission. It's a fantastic savings for families! There are also some really fun experiences beyond just walking around and seeing the animals. The zoo offers giraffe feedings, where you can get up close and feed the giraffes for an additional fee. They also have animal presentations, educational experiences, and special animal encounters. For little ones, there's a carousel, zoo train, and playground, which are great additions to the day. One of the coolest surprises was seeing the Himalayan monal, a colorful bird that has been associated with the inspiration for Kevin from Disney Pixar's Up! If your kids love the movie, it's such a fun connection to point out. The bird's beautiful, vibrant feathers make it especially interesting to see in person. I also love that the zoo offers seasonal attractions and special events, giving families even more reasons to visit. Overall, the Sacramento Zoo is charming, family-friendly, and easy to navigate. Between the beautiful shaded grounds, animal encounters, activities for kids, reciprocal membership discounts, and free parking, it's definitely worth visiting. It's especially nice for families with younger children who want a fun zoo experience without the overwhelming size of a larger zoo! read more

Not a huge zoo but I think that works out a bit better for a toddler. We came here (and got advanced tickets so the price was a bit cheaper than it would have been at the door). Plenty of parking but you made just need to walk a bit since there is a park there and 2 other smaller amusement parks but the parking is free, so hard to complain. For the most part, you can make a loop around the park and see everything that they have to offer, which is nice compared to having to map out your entire route and loop back to see stuff. Most of the animals were out which was nice and we got really up close with Greg the rhino and the Lion which was really cool. We missed the window for the giraffe feeding but that would have been cool to do. The only thing that I wish was free was the carousel but otherwise, I think it's a good place to spend with your toddler for an afternoon. read more

Would not waste my money here again. I spent $84 for two adults and two children. The cost alone just to get in is really expensive. There's not always animals in their habitat so we missed out on seeing a lot of of them. I took my nephews here for a learning experience. There was a Jurassic VR game system in the zoo. It was an additional eight dollars. I feel it takes away from the nature experience and does not belong in a zoo. read more

Sac Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Sacramento, California

I took my young niece to the zoo and had a so/so experience. The online ordering for tickets was easy, however, I must say the prices are kind of steep. There is only a $1 difference between senior and general admission. Not really a good deal. They have rotating prices too depending on when one buys their tickets. Sac Zoo is a well kept facility with friendly staff. There is a dinosaur theme throughout. I feel like we saw more dinosaur statues than animals though. It was hit or miss but we did get a glimpse of the lions, flamingos, zebra, giraffes and baboons. We finished the zoo in about an hour and a half. Happy to have this be open to the community but it's missing a little spark or engagement to keep it worthwhile throughout the park. Great gift shop with a variety of items and keepsakes for the kiddos! Tip: Plan to park on the street and walk to the entrance. read more

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Please do not waste your time coming here. It's expensive and for what they actually have to offer it is such a rip off. More than half the exhibits are just dinosaur animatronics- which fine they were pretty cool but I'm there to see actual live animals not sunburnt animatronics. The exhibits that were supposed to be for animals were mostly empty. Imagine my surprise when I see an exhibit for a possum and I get all excited over an empty enclosure. Ridiculous. The reptile exhibits were ok. Mostly empty as well, so essentially we paid to look at empty exhibits. The gift shop was cute but definitely child centered. No shirts or much merch for adults other than the jewelery and key chains. Overall a very dissipating experience . No animals and sad enclosures. read more

Sac Zoo - Sad and hot zebra. - Zoos Near Me - Sacramento, California

We visited the Sac Zoo with our grandson and it was an enjoyable day. Parking was free but very difficult in the morning, by afternoon it wasn't. We bought our tickets online for $23, they go up daily. They were $29 at the gate the day we went. We took our time and brought our own snacks. We stayed about 3 hours. The grounds are on the smaller side for a zoo but clean and beautiful with ample areas to sit and eat/enjoy the park. There is a small playground too There are touristy things to pay extra for if you wanted. Also a cafe and gift shop. I did notice that while the animals seemed healthy the enclosures they live in are too small. The giraffes can watch traffic! I had to take a star for that. read more

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"Lots of animals," was the first thought that came to my mind when starting this review, but it is a zoo and this goes without saying... Anyways, I'm here somewhat frequently. Prices fluctuate. It's best to buy online in advance since the day-of price could be higher. Lately the price has been ranging from $20-$30, so I would definitely plan in advance if possible because who wants to pay $10 more per person for the same experience. (Tickets for children, ages 2-11, are less than the price of general admission.) There's a good variety of animals: Lions, Flamingoes, Zebras, Rhinos, Giraffes, Lemurs, Otters, and even Red Pandas and Okapi. They also have a reptile area. They currently have dinosaurs throughout the zoo through October. Parking can be challenging as it's close to two amusement parks. A fun attraction in Sac to take up an hour or two of your day. read more

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Went again today. Even better than before! New orangutan enclosure! Dinosaur animitronics everywhere and everything was clean and functioning well! Will definitely be back, got a membership (great value!) and would recommend to others! read more

Sac Zoo is a clean and easy to navigate zoo. It's pretty small, but we waddled around for 2 hours to see everything on a Saturday. The animal enclosures seem small to me but I'm positive the zoo and Davis' vet partnership makes sure the animals are happy and healthy! Tickets were $28 per person, purchasing a day before. I would recommend planning your trip in advance because it saves you $5-10 a ticket. I appreciate they allow outside food and drink, we were able to bring our own coffee and lunch which made walking around more enjoyable. This is a pretty versatile zoo for it being smaller. We saw all the animals during our visit between 9-12 and they recommend coming in the morning when animals are more active. Though there are lots of children and it's geared towards families, I would still recommend this for a couple's date or short outing with friends. Support the local zoo! read more

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This is a very tiny zoo, but great with small kids. It's very easy to visit the entire zoo, and all the animals are very close to one another. If you're pushing a baby stroller or have wandering kids, they can't go far. The ticket window price is steep for such a small zoo, so it's best to purchase your tickets online in-advance for a lower price. This zoo will only take at most a few hours to visit the entire establishment. Street parking is free, but you may have to park kinda far to find available parking, but it's a nice & safe walk to the zoo. I will return, if the zoo has some new animals or if friends/family with kids will want to visit. The Capybaras with their newborn babies were a nice addition when I visited in November of 2025. Just be sure to purchase your tickets online for a better price. read more

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Decent zoo, decent size, decent parking, and decent amount of animal variability. Keep in mind, this isn't as enormous as LA Zoo or as extravagant as San Diego Zoo, but also isn't as small as Folsom Sanctuary Zoo. On that note, we had a wonderful time with our 2 little girls! Kids will have an absolutely great time here. If you follow your kids' pace (they tend to be quick observers), you can view everything here in 1-2 hrs. Take your time, purchase a couple of silly juices near the entrance, stop by if there're any shows going on, enjoy your time outside the house surrounded by Sac Zoo's lovely animals, and a 1-2 hr visit can turn into a 4-5 hr adventure. Parking is quite limited nearby so come early and avoid the hustle and bustle. Best parking spot we found was the parking lot adjacent to Fairytale Town. The surrounding area felt quite clean and so did the zoo. Animal exhibits were well kept and although some environments were quite small, you can tell caretakers are passionate about these animals. Once we left around 1 PM, there were a good amount of cars struggling to find parking. The early bird takes the worm! Have kids? Highly recommended to bring a wagon. Perfectly fine to bring your snacks and drinks stuffed in your bags along with whatever you'd like to enjoy your day at the zoo. We purchased our tickets online for an assigned day, scanned them at the entrance booth, and started our fun without any hitches or delays! Truly appreciated the ease of this because entering similar places tend to be quite stressful and time consuming. If you plan to come here at least twice a year, membership is worth it. If you're like us and plan to visit once in a blue moon, purchasing for a one-time visit is well worth the price. Keep your expectations realistic and you'll have a wonderful time. To be quite honest, we kept our expectation bar quite low so we were quite content with what the Sac Zoo had to offer. Take your time, wear comfortable clothes and shoes, and absorb the beauty of nature! Highly recommended for all residents near and around the Sacramento area. Our 30-40 min drive from Roseville didn't disappoint! read more

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I can't believe that I have lived in Sacramento for 5 years and I just recently visited the Sacramento Zoo! But I guess if you don't have children, why would you visit the zoo ;D ? With that said, the Sacramento Zoo is such a good spot to let those Little Ones explore and see the different animals. Seeing their face when they see an actual Giraffe, Rhino, Cheetah and all other exotic animals is seriously the cutest thing! The zoo is not that big, I would say you can see all the animal attractions within an hour to 90 minutes. There's also a cafe in the zoo that serves pretty decent food so make it a day event around lunch and grab a bite to eat. For the adults, they do serve alcohol so that's a plus *wink. read more

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Not the best zoo but it's something to take the kids too. If you have a membership or know someone with a membership, it's worth it, but otherwise it's a one-and-done type place at those daily ticket prices! Several of the animals weren't even out when we went but the kids still had a blast. The other attractions do cost extra, like the train, carousel, and face painting. Parking can be tough so definitely come early! read more

Sac Zoo - Baby capybaras - Zoos Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Nostalgic, even for Sacramento transplants! I love our sweet local zoo for its centralized Land Park location, access to walkable parking, and of course, the animals. Like many people, I have a love-hate relationship with zoos. On the one hand, I truly appreciate exposing my son to live animals even if it's a mock habitat. Unfortunately our tiny zoo just feels constricting for some of our animal friends so it's also tough to support zoos in general. On my most recent visit I was very impressed with the cleanliness, both inside and outside the habitats. There were zookeepers out and about as well as staff telling about the animals and affectionately calling them by name. Pricing was a bit of a sting, at $27 for an adult. I told myself it was for the animals and distracted myself as the very kind staff member swiped our card. Despite my moral tug-of-war, I left feeling grateful for the care these animals receive and hopeful that supporting this place still does more good than harm. I walked out with a full heart, appreciating both the joy it brings my family and the earnest effort the staff puts into caring for every creature! Thank you, zoo staff! read more

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Purchased our tickets on sale on Groupon! I love me a good deal! We came early at 915AM. Got parking not even a block away. Still plenty of parking available at that time. We got parking directly in front of the theme park. We wanted to be early enough to be able to feed the Giraffes, unfortunately we weren't that lucky because they didn't want to get fed. It was a windy day, Giraffes wanted to be in the sun. We stayed until around 12pm. We were able to walk around the zoo twice in the time we were there. Staff were really friendly and knowledgeable. Plenty of restrooms around the zoo. Food places. Their botanical garden was beautiful. We got to see Red Panda.. sleeping ofcourse. We tried out their VR experience. It was both of our first times and it was really cool (it's got me wanting to buy my babygirl one for Christmas.. we shall see what Santa thinks about that ) Upon leaving at noon, a lot of cars looking for parking. As soon as we left someone took our spot. Next time I definitely want to go to the theme park and check the park out across the street. Just a nice place to spend the day with your kids or loved ones! We'd definitely be back and recommend to anyone in the area or even planning a trip to the area! read more

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Lots of fun. Worth seeing at least once. The giraffes were our favorite. Buy tickets in advance and you get a discount. read more

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The zoo is nice, lots of different animals to look at, nice big cats though. I went here on a field trip with my grandson. They have a really good display of dinosaurs throughout the park. read more

Sac Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Sacramento, California

For some reason, I expected this place to be a little bigger. The entry fee is $10 per person, which isn't bad, but there honestly weren't that many animals to see. They had your typical giraffes, cheetah, and a red panda but there seemed to be more reptiles and birds than anything else. We also paid $4 per person for the train ride, but unfortunately, it wasn't really worth it. The ride was only about 3 minutes and basically just circled around the same area. Overall, I'm glad we got to experience it, but I probably wouldn't go back. It was still a fun little outing and something new to check off the list! read more

This zoo is not that big you can easily walk through it in a few hours. They have a train or merry go round for kids for an additional fee. Some food spots are available and there is a small park for the kids. Overall it's a nice place for the kids. read more

Always a fun time at the Sac Zoo! The dinosaurs are a fun edition for the little kids. My niece thought the long neck was real and tried feeding it a leaf lol. We came early to beat the heat. We brought our sandwiches and plenty of water. We also came for community day so it was packed but a great deal at $10/tix. read more

Lions, tigers and bears oh my, where are they? I didnt see a male lion didn't see a bear or a tiger. They had possums tho. Also saw some birds and monkeys an alligator. The most beautiful thing I saw was a big RHINO!! That mf looked majestic soo amazing. The service was trash I ordered some food payed 30 bucks for 3 chicken strips some fried and an icee. Was never informed that the souvenir cup I had was able to get free refills. I only knew because when I was leaving I heard another employee tell another customer. To go on everything you had to pay with a credit card on the spot, wish they had a more convenient way to get on the little rides. I would be back because it's so convenient to get out the house with my daughter. Buy your tickets ahead of time to save on the entrance fee. I paid 15 bucks two weeks ahead. The day of was 22 dollars. It wasn't horrible but it wasnt the best, it was just ehhh but my daughter liked it. I would suggest to bring ur kids here and dont go on ur first date here haha read more

There are indoor and outdoor tables. Parking at the zoo was challenging on a Saturday morning, but did find spots in the overflow lot. The zoo is very manageable in around two hours. Especially love the close-up look at the lions. I wanted to highlight the Kampala cafe, specifically the garlic Parmesan french fries. They were delicious, hot and fresh and a large portion. For the price, it was a great value. Ordering is possible online, through a kiosk in the café or with a cashier. read more

Sac Zoo - Garlic Parmesan fries and chicken tender kids meal from Kampala cafe - Zoos Near Me - Sacramento, California

This was our first time here and it definitely won't be our last. From free parking, to affordable tickets, to hands on crafts and so many animals to observe- it was a fun family day! The bathrooms were clean, the animals were taken care of and there was so much to see and do. read more

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My family and I have season passes for the zoo. Unfortunately you still have to pay for the train and carousel, but they aren't much and worth the extra cost. I like the Giraffes and Jaguar. My children like the Zebras and Lions. When we went today there was a Capybara family and they were really cute. Definitely will keep coming back. My kids love the place and its not too big to walk around in an hour. I wish they had more food options. We always have to drive somewhere else for food and parking can be hard to find sometimes. read more

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100% recommend if you're a parent or simply wanting to go to a zoo! My toddler loved every corner of the zoo. Most animals were there and parking was easy to find. The workers were very kind and helpful. I witnessed a child drop marbles at the gift shop, and as the mom began picking up, a worker kindly said she'd pick it up and not to worry. As a mom of 2, workers that understand accidents like that are appreciated! I also noticed that they had alcoholic beverages available and had adult-only events which is definitely on my to-do list! read more

Sac Zoo - Animals - Zoos Near Me - Sacramento, California

This is a nice little zoo at the park. We went when the zoo opened at 9 AM, which was great because there weren't a lot of families and it was still cool outside. We went in June so it was summertime. It was also cool because all the animals are waking up and getting ready to eat breakfast, so you got to see them act little bit different than just standing around. Some of them are making noise to get the food or running around which is very interesting. Parking was a lot easier to find when you go at 9 AM because no one is at the park. When we left around 1200/1230, there was a line of cars around the parking area, and everyone was searching for parking. We felt so blessed that we did not have to deal with that. The zoo is right across from fairytale land so I think a lot of people use this parking area and park for parking. There are a lot of people that just come to the park to hang out. Ask for the price, I think it was a little expensive for the size of the zoo. The activities that were offered were also minimal so to charge $25 per adult and $19 per kid was a little bit high. I think that kids three and under should be free instead of us having to pay for for a two year old. They charge for kids that are 2 to 11 years old. Or they need to offer more activities that are interactive. The main interaction that they had was to feed the giraffes, which was five dollars for two pieces of food, which was a little branch of leaves. We did one and had my two kids shared were ages three and six and they really had a good time. That was probably the highlight of the trip for them. We saw everything and took a really long time where we were waiting for things to come out and drawing pictures of them and we were there from nine to about 1230 and sat down for an hour lunch. So I think this is about a half day trip a whole day. Food wise, we bought french fries which was $8.99 and it was really really good! We brought our lunch so we didn't buy anything else which was a bit pricey for our Taste. But no one gave us a hard time that we had our own lunch in the restaurant and only bought french fries and we took our time eating there, which was a nice little break. The one thing I do like this, there isn't as many hills! We went to the San Diego zoo and the Safari parking. There's so many hills that had made the zoo unenjoyable, and all the animals were so spread apart that my kids lost interest. The exhibits are smaller here which is sad, but it was a lot more enjoyable for my children. Definitely recommend this as a little trip if you have the money and time. Just go early!!!! oh yeah, the service was fine. We didn't interact with many of the staff so we don't really have comments but the ones we did seemed pretty nice and the one that did a show for the parrot was really informative and answered questions. read more

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It's been years since my last visit to the Sacramento Zoo. My daughter went on a school field trip this and afterwards she decided seated to go again for her birthday! We got there when it opened. We found parking immediate close by. The line wasn't that long at all. We had bought tickets in advance online so we got cheaper entry fees and it was super quick to get in. We visited the gift shop first! Then started our way around the zoo. We stopped half way through to get some snacks (churros & garlic French fries). Everything was super yummy! We spent a little over 2 hours walking around and taking pictures. We had a great time!!!! read more

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The orangutan exhibit is finally back at the Sacramento Zoo. In last three weeks, I went on the field trip to the Sacramento Zoo during the summer semester in Meristem. read more

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What an amazing experience at this beautiful little zoo! It was so easy to get around, both from the frequency of maps all around the place to help guide customers, and from the guiding posts all around as well! For only $30 there was a nice variety of animals and information about said animals to enjoy and learn about! For a roughly 15 acre zoo there was an amazing amount of variety! Lions, rhino, reptiles, birds and more! The cafe, while having Outrageous prices for All of their drinks! At least had acceptable priced food while also having it taste good! All in all, an amazing and very fun experience! Definitely highly recommend a visit, especially with family and friends! read more

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I love the Sacramento zoo. My family and I went on a community day. The website can give you more information about that. It's only $10 per person on community days. If it's going to be a hot day make sure and go as soon as they open if you want to see the animals out and about roaming. They sleep and hide in shade when it's too hot. We ate the food their too and it is worth the price. They give large portions. Remember to keep in mind that the prices are a little high but the money goes towards the zoo and the animals. You are basically helping to donate to the zoo and the animals. They have train rides that are $4 per person. Get there early if you don't want to stand in line for the train. The merry go round is $3 per kid and free for adults. I can't wait to go back. read more

Sac Zoo - July 3, 2026 - Zoos Near Me - Sacramento, California

It was a nice little trip to see some animals. However the Zoo is fairly small and did not feature many animal staples (no lion, tigers, gorillas). The orangutans were also not in their location. On the bright side, the parking layout is easy to find and they have a red panda/river otter/Caiman . Overall, there are better zoos that have more animal exhibits . The facilities were clean and the price was fair, I just think there are other Zoos that equate a full day trip. We slowly walked the Zoo and complete the tour in 2.5 hours. read more

We love Sac zoo! My family loves it so much we decided to get passes this year. I think the price for the passes are definitely worth it. I have a one and five year old and this zoo is the perfect size. My five year old loves the reptile exhibit and the dinosaur exhibit they have right now! The meerkats are also definitely a hit. I was so excited to see the capybara also. The zoo is very clean and well kept. The workers are very friendly and very knowledgeable also. We have had nothing but great experiences at the Sac zoo. read more

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This zoo is small but they have many animals to check out. Feeding the giraffes was pretty cool. The staff that work there are very knowledgeable! Also got to see the alligator eat. read more

Sac Zoo - Guinness - Zoos Near Me - Sacramento, California

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The recent chilly weather had my little family ready for a sunny outdoor adventure. We checked the weather forecast and Saturday showed Saturday being our best chance for a sunny skies. My 3 year old was very excited to visit the Zoo for the first time & we decided (per our friend's recommendations) to head to the Sacramento Zoo! We purchased our tickets online two days prior as pricing is higher if you get them the day of. Children under the age of 2 are free! They also offer a lower price for Active duty/Veterans. We arrived around 11am and to my surprise there was a good amount of people but it was not overly crowded at all. We saw some pretty cool reptiles, Giraffes, Flamingos, Lions, Squirrel monkeys & the cutest Red Panda amongst many other animals. If your kiddo likes to walk this is totally doable but if they get tired the zoo does have strollers you can rent. We had a great time! Parking is extremely tight however it was free. read more

Sac Zoo - Rawr. - Zoos Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Its been many years since coming back to sac zoo. It appears that the zoo has been slower, less people possibly on weekdays which is great for us. We love see the giraffes and flamingos. My 7yo was excited to see the capybara and red panda the most. Walking around yo see all the animals etc. went smoothly and quickly. Always nice to bring the kiddos to learn about the animals and where they came from. read more

Sac Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Sacramento, California

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The Sacramento Zoo is an incredible interactive animal experience for the entire family to enjoy! Visitors can feed giraffes, view lions and jaguar training, along with alligator, turtle and cheetah feedings. Built in 1942 and currently on 14.3 acres near William Land Park, there is so much to do and explore I was so excited to see the flamingos! Their exhibit reminded me of my many trips here as a kid in the 90's, mesmerized by their pink hue and how they all flocked together. The Zoo Market offers 10% off to members. You'll find plenty of animal toys, shirts, hats, and everything else Zoo related. Rental of strollers are avail and so are snacks and refreshments. Very helpful employees cleaned and maintained the grounds and shops efficiently. The restrooms were the cleaner Service was great, food was hot fresh and delicious. Salads, sandwiches, yogurt, pizza, fries and kids meals with chicken tenders or burgers. Good value for the quality of food and the fast service. We finished our visit with both a mini train and an animal carousel ride. A great fun experience for our 2yr old, she had a blast and I'm sure you will too! read more

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We liked this zoo and spent an afternoon there. It's considerably smaller than our local zoo (Oakland Zoo), but it certainly interested us for the afternoon. We didn't get bored and probably spent a few hours there. We bought tickets online in advance, so the pricing wasn't too bad. Not cheap, for sure. To save money, we brought our lunch and snacks and water, and we had no trouble finding seating areas to eat at. There's also a children's play area with a play structure, though note that it is more for the toddler and preschooler age group, not older kids. My 10 year old still wanted to go in though and helped little kids play. The zoo seemed clean and well kept. Some of the animals were a little hard to see because the glass wall had sun glare. But on the other hand, because of the glass, you could get closer to some of the animals than at other zoos where you are separated by a moat or larger space. We splurged on the giraffe feeding, which is completely overpriced for just handing a couple leaves to a giraffe, but still worth it for proximity to such a cool animal. We were most excited about the capybara (world's largest rodent), which we haven't seen at a zoo before. So we took home a stuffed capybara from the gift shop and still love it months later. Did you know the children's author Stuart Gibbs researched capybaras? Check out his Funjungle series for middle readers interested in mysteries at a zoo theme park. But I digress... Overall this is a nice zoo, and I would go back. read more

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The zoo itself was quite small, but featured lots of animals espically lemurs and a few big cats. We went during the $10 admission day.

I LOVE this zoo! I am so happy it is close by. It has been my favorite family membership of the year! The harsh reviews don't understand how special it is to explore the world of animals comfortably. This zoo is walkable (SD and Oakland may be the bigger destinations but they can be exhausting. I couldn't visit them weekly as I do with this one. It is perfect for families with younger children), the animals are SO close (this makes the experience all the more exciting. You don't have to enjoy the animals from afar. The lions and cheetahs are almost always right up against the glass and rhinos, giraffes, and zebras almost seem like they're walking right beside you. The encounters like feeding the giraffes is such a cool experience. I highly recommend! And the food at the cafe is leagues above other zoos including the ones mentioned above. There may not be as many options but the cafe is worth a stop! This zoo is also incredibly clean and there are adorable and fun attractions (for small additional fees) like the carousel, the train, and the VR booth. There is so much fun to be had! read more

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It's a small zoo. They've got lions, giraffes, jaguars. Unfortunately in the winter most animals were hiding. The lion seemed kinda angry, as he was roaring which was fun to see especially with a baby. The best part is probably the reptiles here. You can try to spot them in their glass. You'll be done with this place in 1-1.5 hours. For $27 pp? Not worth. read more