California Zoos, Aquariums, and Safari Parks

California Zoos and aquariums make an excellent destination for a day trip. Included on our list are large and small zoos & aquariums. California has some great places to view animals and sea creatures. If you have visited zoos or Aquariums, let us know in the comment section. And if we have left out any places, please tell us. Have fun visiting these fantastic California attractions.

California Zoos

San Francisco Zoo

From the moment visitors arrive, their experience begins, as a view into the African Savanna from the parking lot greets them before entering the zoo through a modern interpretation of a California craftsman bungalow-style building with ticket booths, restrooms, and a gift shop. Inside, the zoo is divided into regions, and exhibit highlights include a world-renowned lemur forest for five endangered species of lemurs from Madagascar, a soothing setting for a family group of western lowland gorillas, an Australian exhibit with its kangaroos and wallaroos.

Los Angeles Zoo

The Los Angeles Zoo played a crucial role in the successful conservation efforts of bringing back the California condor from the brink of extinction. Although the Condors are not currently displayed, visitors can learn about this native Californian bird near the front entrance of the Condor Education Center. The center offers a range of interactive activities for visitors to enjoy.

San Diego Zoo

Nearly 4,000 animals and a botanical collection of over 700,000 plants call the San Diego Zoo their home. For a one-of-a-kind zoo experience, you can opt for a Backstage Pass, which includes a private tour and reserved seating at shows. Keep in mind that visiting all the exhibits at the zoo requires several miles of walking. If you prefer a more relaxed approach, a 40-minute guided tour bus will take you through most of the park while you sit back and enjoy the sights.

Oakland Zoo

First opened in 1922, the Bay Area’s award-winning Oakland Zoo is a beautiful blend of animals, play areas, and rides for kids. It is nestled in the Oakland Hills, in 500-acre Knowland Park. Before arriving at the zoo, a plan is critical to making the most of the Oakland Zoo experience. The zoo is relatively large and has several exhibits, including its elephant exhibit, which has garnered worldwide recognition for allowing elephants to roam freely.

Sacramento Zoo

The zoo specializes in preserving exotic and endangered species and actively participates in numerous global conservation projects. It conducts various educational programs on its 14.5-acre property located in William Land Park, Sacramento, California, that are suitable for visitors of all ages. The zoo boasts an impressive collection of animals, including lemurs, zebras, red pandas, snow leopards, and many more.

Folsom City Zoo

The Folsom Zoo Sanctuary is run by the City of Folsom and was established in 1963. The main focus is ” promoting responsible and appropriate behavior toward all animals.” Even though the zoo is a sanctuary, it’s still an excellent place for a family day trip destination within an easy distance from Sacramento. And if checking out all the animals is not enough incentive to get your kids off the couch and into the car, there is always the train ride to seal the deal.

California Living Museum Bakersfield

The objective here is to care for injured animals and prepare them to be released into the wild. One of the best things about the zoo is that all the animal’s houses require permanent protection and cannot be safely released into the wild. All animals and plants are native California species, and the museum has been set up to educate the public. As well as the zoo, a wildlife rehabilitation center cares for between 300 and 500 animals annually.

Fresno Chaffee Zoo

The zoo’s mission is to provide a fun, unique, and up-close experience that strengthens the bond between people and wildlife, and there is no better way to see that than by visiting the Doris and Karl Falk Wildlife Education Center at the zoo. A trip to the Fresno Zoo is like taking a little mini exotic vacation right in the center of California. The Fresno Chaffee Zoo is open year-round, making any time a good visit.

Charles Paddock Atascadero

One of the popular attractions in central California is the Lake Park Complex in Atascadero. The complex comprises the Charles Paddock Zoo and the Veterans Memorial Tribute. Founded in 1955 by Charles Paddock, a park ranger who helped injured wildlife, the zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during the summer. The reasonable entry fees make for an excellent side trip to Atascadero.

Santa Barbara Zoo

Visitors to the Santa Barbara Zoo can enjoy a variety of activities. The Barnyard is home to domestic sheep that visitors can feed with specially formulated food. The Santa Barbara Zoo Carousel features hand-carved exotic animals. Giraffe feeding allows visitors to interact with the tallest residents of the Zoo. The Kallman Family Play Area is an excellent place for kids to run wild, and the Zoo Train circles the perimeter of the Zoo.

Santa Ana Zoo

There are many fun activities at the Crean Family Farm, including a miniature train ride. Children can pet various animals and learn about life on a farm. The Zoo at Prentice Park spans 20 acres and is the perfect size for younger children. We recommend allowing three hours for your zoo visit, giving you ample time to see all the animals and enjoy a train ride.

Living Desert Zoo

The Living Desert Zoo is 15 miles southeast of Palm Springs, California. This 1,200-acre exotic learning center provides the perfect environment for adults and kids to experience the majesty of wild animals and exquisite desert gardens in a stunning natural setting. One of the park’s more unique features is an authentic replica of a village in northeast Africa known as the WaTuTu—mud-walled huts with grass-thatched roofs. The Living Desert is one of our list’s most interesting California Zoos.

California Aquariums

Aquarium of the Pacific Long Beach

The Aquarium of the Pacific is a highly sought-after tourist destination in Southern California. Its indoor and outdoor exhibits include galleries featuring aquariums, a giant kelp forest tank, the Lorikeet Forest, the Shark Lagoon, and the Seals & Sea Lions area. The Long Beach Aquarium proudly displays over 12,000 sea creatures.

Birch Aquarium La Jolla

The Birch Aquarium is located on a hilltop site that provides a panoramic view of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus just off the Pacific Ocean. Popular attractions include a 70,000-gallon kelp tank forest and Tide Pool Plaza, an exhibit about living tide pools. The Birch Aquarium was established in 1903 to conduct marine research in the local waters. The researchers found so much information that they outgrew the laboratory in a boathouse at the famous Hotel Del Coronado.

Sea Life Aquarium Carlsbad

The Sea Life experience is a family voyage to the depths of the oceans, presenting the wonders of the underwater world to them in a fun and educational way. The two-story aquarium has over 36,000 square feet filled with ocean displays. The main attractions at Sea Life Aquarium are the Lost City of Atlantis, a 200,000-gallon ocean display featuring sharks, rays, and tropical creatures swimming through a LEGO® excavation, as well as a 35-foot-long acrylic tunnel allowing guests to view all the sea creatures up close.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is primarily dedicated to showcasing its extensive collection of sea creatures. With over 35,000 individuals belonging to more than 550 species, the aquarium offers nearly 200 exhibits and galleries for visitors to explore. Some must-see attractions include the stingray touch tank, the open sea exhibit, and the crowd-favorite sea otter playground.

Aquarium of the Bay San Francisco

The Aquarium of the Bay collection boasts an impressive variety of nearly 200 aquatic creatures, including sharks, skates, sea rays, octopuses, jellyfish, rockfish, flatfish, eels, and sea stars. Located in the Fisherman’s Wharf area of San Francisco, the aquarium is a popular attraction among visitors.

Steinhart Aquarium San Francisco

The Steinhart Aquarium is a captivating attraction within the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. It offers a visual treat to visitors with its fantastic collection of aquatic animals, ranging from penguins sharks, and stingrays. The aquarium boasts a magnificent 200,000-gallon coral reef gallery, a 100,000-gallon tank showcasing the Northern California coast, and dozens of other tanks displaying diverse aquatic creatures.

Cabrillo Marine Aquarium San Pedro

Cabrillo Aquarium has a good selection of exhibits and fish tanks that exclusively display Southern California marine life. The aquarium started in an abandoned Cabrillo Beach bathhouse in 1935. Lifeguard Bob Foster would display his collection of ocean artifacts to the delight of visitors to the beach. Cabrillo Aquarium is never crowded, and the staff is always helpful and friendly.  Admission is free.

Roundhouse Aquarium Manhattan Beach

The Roundhouse is open every day, and there is no admission fee. You can find touch tanks and aquariums with starfish, octopuses, and other sea creatures. Additionally, they have some fascinating displays showcasing Southern California’s marine life. While there may not be much to see here, if you are already visiting the beach, you might want to stroll to the end of the pier to check it out.

Santa Monica Pier Aquarium

Kids under 12 enter the aquarium for free, while adults pay only a nominal fee. The aquarium features touch tanks and displays of fish and sea creatures from Santa Monica Bay. Plan for about 30 minutes to explore.

California Safari Parks

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

San Diego Zoo Safari Park is in a secluded inland valley near Escondido, California. Lions, tigers, giraffes, rhinos, hippos, and gazelles roam freely with each other in something in a natural environment.  Visitors board a Safari Trolley (included with admission) and take a two-and-a-half-mile tram tour around the park. A flatbed truck safari is offered at an extra cost for an up-close look at the animals.

Safari West Wild Animal Preserve

Safari West African Wildlife Tours guests can take a three-hour tour led by an experienced guide. You climb aboard a Safari truck and head out onto the bumpy roads of the preserve. All animals are fenced off; feeding is prohibited, but photography is encouraged. After your jeep tour, you continue on foot to the lower compound. Here, you walk through the aviary, which houses an international bird collection. Guests can stay overnight at the wildlife preserve in an authentic safari tent. Santa Rosa, California.

Bryan Preserve Mendocino County

Bryan Preserve is located in Southern Mendocino County.  The wildlife facility preserves two kinds of zebra species and several antelope species. The 1.5-hour tour starts with a quick informational overview in the barn, where you will see different types of taxidermy antelope. This gives you an immediate appreciation for the diversity of antelope species. Then, it is off into the fields to see the feeding.

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