Best Zoos & Wildlife in California
7 zoos & wildlife in California
Zoos, safari parks, aviaries and wildlife experiences.
Editorial oversight by James Morgan. AI-assisted, human-edited. Our editorial standards
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San Diego Zoo
San Diego, California
A world-famous Balboa Park zoo where giant pandas are back on view.
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Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens
Los Angeles, California
Meet newborn gorillas and orangutans and ride a carousel of 64 hand-carved animals.
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San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Escondido, California
Open-range safaris in Escondido where you watch African and Asian wildlife roam vast enclosures.
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Oakland Zoo
Oakland, California
Ride the gondola up to the California Trail and meet native wildlife above the Bay.
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San Francisco Zoo & Gardens
San Francisco, California
A conservation-focused San Francisco zoo set among lush gardens by the Pacific coast.
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Orange County Zoo (Irvine Regional Park)
Orange, California
A small, kid-focused zoo of southwestern wildlife set inside 495-acre Irvine Regional Park.
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Santa Barbara Zoo
Santa Barbara, California
Watch giraffes and penguins against an ocean backdrop at this seaside Southern California zoo.
More about zoos & wildlife in California
California has 7 zoos & wildlife we would happily take our own kids to. Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens is the one most families start with. Meet newborn gorillas and orangutans and ride a carousel of 64 hand-carved animals. Oakland Zoo is the other name that comes up again and again. Ride the gondola up to the California Trail and meet native wildlife above the Bay. Orange County Zoo (Irvine Regional Park) rounds out the pick of the bunch. A small, kid-focused zoo of southwestern wildlife set inside 495-acre Irvine Regional Park. Also worth your time: San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, San Francisco Zoo & Gardens and Santa Barbara Zoo.
Published prices run from $2 at Orange County Zoo (Irvine Regional Park) up to $60 at San Diego Zoo. 2 of the 7 listed here quote a starting price. The others vary by season or by what you add on, so check before you travel.
The zoos & wildlife on this page are spread across San Diego (1), Los Angeles (1), Escondido (1) and Oakland (1), so it is easy to pair two into one trip.