Everyone knows California state is a center of entertainment, going from Hollywood to parks, beaches, and even Disneyland!
Amidst these attractions are a variety of zoos and mini paradises for animal enthusiasts who wish to visit California.
While you plan to visit Disneyland and explore the movie-making industry, do check out the multiple zoos!
Some of the popular zoos in California include the Charles Paddock Zoo, the Zoo to you, Oakland Zoo, the Santa Barbara, and the Applegate Park.
Let’s get into the list of the top 20 zoos you’d love to visit.
The Best Zoos in California to Experience Amazing Wildlife
1. Charles Paddock Zoo
Kicking off our list is the Charles Paddock Zoo, a small 5-acre expanse that nonetheless draws in visitors.
It is classified as one of the smallest animals in the state but contains over 100 animal species that find protection and a new home in the zoo.
The zoo is named after a county park ranger named Charles “Chuck” Paddock, who was the founder.
He first began by taking care of wild animals and slowly established a menagerie in 1959. The menagerie contained over 125 birds and mammals.
In 1963 the menagerie became a zoo named Atascadero Children’s Zoo. It became the Charles Paddock Zoo in 1980.
This community zoo is considered the best for species that come from West Africa, Indo-Burma, and Madagascar.
You’ll find both local and exotic species. There are also very rare animals, as well as some other activities like camps, classes, and even birthday parties!
2. San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo is found in the city bearing the name. It is specifically located in Balboa park, taking up 100 acres of land.
This is one of the most popular zoos both in California and the United States at large. Every year it gets over 4 million visitors, granting it the clear spot of the most visited zoo in the United States.
The San Diego Zoo was established in 1915 after the Panama-California exposition.
It was all thanks to a man named Dr. Harry M. Wegeforth, who had the idea of getting a zoo in San Diego after witnessing a roaring lion in the Panama-California exposition. In the 1920s, his dream slowly became a reality.
One unique feature of the San Diego Zoo is the cageless exhibition style, of which it is the pioneer.
It endeavors to place the animals in a recreation of their natural habitat, such that you might feel like you’re on a safari.
The zoo also has rare animals like clouded leopards, polar bears, and giant pandas.
3. Oakland Zoo
The Oakland Zoo is named after the city in which it dwells, and it is specifically located in the Grass Valley neighborhood.
Oakland Zoo is also one of the best zoos in California, highly recognized for its numerous services towards animals.
It is very concerned with animal welfare, animal care, and even the elephant care program.
Not surprisingly, the zoo is managed by a non-profit organization named the Conservative Society of California.
The zoo itself was established on June 6, 1922, by a naturalist named Henry A. Snow, and its first location was downtown Oakland. Several relocations after, it got to where it is today.
4. Applegate Park Zoo
The Applegate Park is a community space in which the Applegate Park Zoo is located.
It is a small zoo, but if you prefer small and cozy over large and crowded, the Applegate Park Zoo is the place for you.
There are around 75 rescued native mammals, birds, and reptiles in California.
Because it is set in a park, you can always organize a picnic with your family after getting your feel of the zoo.
You also have the opportunity to learn about the animals in their care and the best ways to protect them.
5. Santa Barbara Zoo
The Santa Barbara Zoo is located in Santa Barbara, specifically close to the ocean. It measures 30 acres, making it a very small zoo.
However, it is considered one of the best small zoos in the United States because of the variety of wildlife and exhibits, as well as many non-animal attractions like a Zoo train. The Santa Barbara Zoo was established in August 1963.
This place houses over 500 animals represented by 146 species, and because of the exhibits, the zoo draws in more crowds than you would expect in a small place.
One of the very attractive endeavors is an animal encounter program where you can meet and feed the animals in the zoo.
6. Happy Hollow Park & Zoo
The Happy Hollow Park & Zoo is a small 16 acres zoo and amusement park located in San Jose.
Just as the name implies, it is a happy place for families with children due to the many attractions, both from the animals and the amusement park.
The park was first opened in 1961, right after the planning that began in 1956. It got closed down in 2008 for some renovations but opened back in 2010 and has since been functional.
The attractive features include a puppet theater, a carousel and roller coaster, an education center, and even an animal hospital. Of course, it has animal exhibits too.
7. Monterey Zoo
The Monterey Zoo is close to the Monterey bay aquarium, another beautiful place you could visit.
It is specifically located off the Monterey Salinas highway. This zoo contains over 100 exotic animals, and these animals have a good relationship with humans because of the connection they already have with their handlers.
This makes full contact with the animals possible, usually on appointment.
In addition, the Monterey zoo also comes with an educational program package meant for both children and adults, where you’ll learn all you need to know about animals.
Some tours and exhibits help people know the importance of conserving animals as well as the dangers of extinction.
8. Fresno Chaffee Zoo
The Fresno Chaffee is located in Roeding Park, which itself is in Fresno city. It measures 39 acres, joining it with the other small ones on this list.
The zoo was first established in 1908 with a set of animals that consisted of two bears and up to 50 birds.
In 1929, it officially became the Roeding Park Zoo with a few animals before changing to the Fresno Zoo in 1985. It got its current name in 2006.
The Fresno Chaffee Zoo is home to over 200 species of animals and birds.
Many elements draw in a lot of visitors, including Stingray Bay, the Valley Farm, Sea Lion Cove, African Adventure, and Ross Laird’s Winged Wonders Box Show.
As for animals, be prepared to see giraffes, lemurs, elephants, African lions, elephants, etc.
9. Living Desert Zoo and Gardens
The Living Desert Zoo and gardens are large, measuring around 1,200 acres. It also receives a good number of visitors, getting up to 500,000 a year.
This is a place you’d love to take your family to. It was formerly known as the living desert museum, and it is located in Palm Desert, Riverside county.
It was established in 1970 as a 360 acres space known as the gardens of the Low Desert—Colorado Desert. In 1974, there were only a few animals, namely the kit fox, tortoises, lizards, and two bighorn sheep.
The expansion continued throughout the years, and as of 2021, it has become the big, highly visited Californian state.
In the living desert zoo and gardens, you get to see both plant and animal species.
For the latter, there are over 500 animals represented by 150 species. If you’ve ever wanted to see desert animals and plants up close, this is the place to be.
10. California Living Museum
The California Living Museum is located in Bakersfield, California, going by the acronym CALM.
Animals in this museum are usually natives of California, and you may not find any foreign ones.
This museum was created in 1983 with the major aim of educating people about wildlife. It also served to protect injured animals. It became open to the public in 1986.
CALM measures only 14 acres and houses over 80 species. These animals are always unique in the sense that they are injured and cannot survive in the wild.
There are usually animals on exhibit, including the open black bear exhibit, Cats of California, and the Birds of Prey exhibit.
11. Sacramento Zoo
The Sacramento Zoo is located in the city of Sacramento, specifically in William Land Park.
It measures around 14.3 acres, adding up to the already increasing list of small zoos in California.
It began as the William Land Park Zoo on June 2, 1927. At that time, there were only 40 animals gotten from various local parks. The name was later changed in 1970.
The land was only 4.2 acres when the zoo began, but now it is at 14.3. There has also been a substantial increase in the number of animals, going from 40 to 400.
These creatures are usually natives of California and are endangered. There’s a wide range of animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish.
As a contribution to society and welfare, the Sacramento Zoo offers educational camps and school trips.
12. San Francisco Zoo & Gardens
The San Francisco Zoo & Gardens is located in the city for which it was named. It specifically lies between the Pacific Ocean and Lake Merced.
The San Francisco Zoo is currently managed by the San Francisco Zoological Society, a public institution.
The famous Koko the gorilla that adopted a kitten and mastered sign language, was born in the zoo.
This zoo was first named the Fleishbacker Zoo after its founder Herbert Fleishbacker.
The very first animals included two zebras, two spider monkeys, five rhesus monkeys, and three elephants. It has since become the San Francisco Zoo, one of the largest in the United States.
The zoo houses over 2,000 animals, represented by 250 species. The price to enter is quite affordable, and if you’re looking for a place to go without having to break the bank, the San Francisco Zoo is one of the best places to get to.
Examples of animals you can get are snow leopards, zebras, lemurs, kangaroos, and gray wolves.
13. Micke Grove Zoo
The Micke Grove Zoo is a 5-acre small space located within the bigger Micke Grove National Park.
The zoo was first established in 1957 in Lodi, California, but the foundations were laid in 1938 when the Micke family donated land for the project.
It remains a small settlement but now accommodates a lot of animals. The creatures in the Micke Grove Zoo are usually endangered and unreleasable.
They include raptors, tortoises, and lemurs. There are also birds and even a snow leopard. There are over 170 animals, and they represent 17 species.
14. Sequoia Park Zoo
The Sequoia Park Zoo is located in the city of Eureka and is operated by the city itself.
Like many others on the list, the zoo sits within a park that has many other places you could also visit after your time at the zoo.
The park contains a playground, a coast redwood rainforest, a duck pond, and gardens.
The Sequoia zoo is the oldest in California, founded in 1907. Since its conception, the Sequoia zoo has always been a home for mammals, exotic birds, and hoof stock.
They successfully allowed for 100 years of free entry before including a fee in 2008.
The Sequoia is home to about 200 vertebrates and 100 invertebrates, all categorized into 54 species.
The zoo’s mission remains “to inspire wonder, understanding, and respect for the natural world by providing fun, rewarding, educational experiences that encourage meaningful connections between animals, humans, and our environment.”
15. Orange County Zoo
The Orange County Zoo is located in the city of Orange and is found within a large 477-acre Irvine Regional Park.
It was founded as the Irvine Park Zoo in 1985, though there were animals on the site before the founding of the zoo.
The zoo houses mainly animals that have been injured, orphaned, or have some other reasons not to get back to the wild.
Some examples are the opossums, black bears, kit foxes, and the great horned owl.
All the animals and plants in the zoo are natives of the southwestern region of the United States. One very special package the zoo offers is cell phone audio tours.
16. Zoo to You
Zoo to You started as an initiative to give abandoned animals home, and it has since grown to become a highly visited space.
It is considered one of the best zoos in California, complete with different packages that enhance the visiting experience.
Zoo to you can be linked to Paso Robles-based Conservation Ambassadors status.
The latter makes these abandoned animals ambassadors and organizes outreach programs for schoolchildren to get a look at these animals.
17. Big Bear Alpine Zoo
The Big Bear Alpine Zoo is located in a small Californian city named Big Bear Lake. There are only two alpine zoos in the United States, and the Big Bear is more prominent.
To find the place, look for the Bear Mountain Ski Resort. This Alpine Zoo has a collection of species that can’t be released and stay there permanently.
The Alpine Zoo originally began as a safe space for injured animals but has since become a zoo. Its purpose hasn’t changed, however.
Since 1959, the Alpine zoo has been in the business of rehabilitating alpine wildlife, and it hasn’t stopped.
It offers a temporal home for those who can be released and a permanent place for animals that can’t get back to the wild.
18. Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is a 133-acre zoo located in Los Angeles, California. It is owned by the city itself, both the facilities within and the animals.
The very first zoo, which was an “ancestor” of the Los Angeles Zoo, is the Eastlake Zoo opened in 1885.
It soon morphed into the Griffith Park Zoo in 1912. After the closure of the Griffith Zoo, the Los Angeles Zoo was established in 1966.
Many exhibits draw in around 1.8 million visitors every year. Some examples are the botanical garden, the Chimpanzee of the Mahale Mountains, the Elephants of Asia, and the Campo Gorilla Reserve.
This zoo is home to over 2,200 animals and birds, all categorized under 270 species. Of these species, 58 are endangered.
In the botanical gardens, you’ll find around 7,000 plants that fall into 800 exotic species.
19. Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary
The Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary is found in the city of Folsom, and just as the name implies, it is both a zoo and a sanctuary for animals.
What differentiates the Folsom City Zoo from other zoos is the way the animals are regarded and treated. For example, the Folsom Zoo doesn’t sell, trade, or breed its animals.
1963 was the year the Folsom Zoo gave sanctuary to its first animal. In 2002, the zoo was given its full name Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary, because of its goal to rescue animals and give them a home.
Most of the animals in the Folsom Zoo are natives of North America. These animals include lions, bears, tigers, mountain lions, sheep, coyotes, parrots, and eagles.
20. Santa Ana Zoo
The Santa Ana Zoo is located in the city of Santa Ana, specifically at Prentice Park. This place gets around 270,000 visitors yearly, making it relatively common in California.
It is operated by the city, and it stays in Prentice Park because the park’s owner Joseph Prentice donated land for the zoo.
This donation happened in 1949, the same year the zoo began to be constructed. It slowly moved from there to become what we know today.
The Santa Ana Zoo currently houses around 350 animals representing 120 species.
Amongst these species, there are some endangered ones like the golden lion tamari, the cotton-top tamarin, and the white ruffed lemur.
Just like every other good zoo, the Santa Ana Zoo has exhibits like the rainforest, the Tierra De Las Pampas, the Crean Family Farm, and the Colors of the Amazon Aviary.
Conclusion
Most people think only of Hollywood and Disneyland when they plan a vacation to California, but there’s a lot more you can find in the state.
Animal lovers like you can benefit from a visit to the best zoos, both large and small.
Our list is a good place to begin, and you can always get more information on their websites.
