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

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This place is a great zoo with something for everyone. A great children's zoo and special events for the big kids (aka adults). Memberships are also great bargains. There is also the senior discount. read more

The Oakland Zoo is a beautiful, easy, uplifting place. The staff are kind, the animals are happy, and the size is manageable. There are lots of places for kids to play, benches in the shade, and nice paths to stroll around. The new free gondola to the California animals area is super cool and there are great views the whole way. The animal enclosures in the new area especially are state of the art. Food is expensive and just ok, but for showing friends from out of town the restaurant at the top of the gondola is still a great experience. I believe you can bring your own food too. Such a great zoo! read more

My daughter won't stop asking to go to this zoo. She loves all the animals and the merry-go-round. I love that it's not too big, it's close by, and that it's filled with rescue animals! Sometimes, you have to rely on good luck to see some of the animals like the lions, wolves, and bears, but it has happened enough times that I enjoy going there as well. I love that there's a play area in the upper zone with the gondola ride. The only things that aren't great are the limited food options at the cafeteria in the upper zone, and that parking can sometimes be a pain, but otherwise, this is a wonderful place to take your family! read more

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

Oakland Zoo - Black bear - Zoos Near Me - Oakland, California

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

Oakland Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Oakland, California

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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

Oakland Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Oakland, California

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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

Oakland Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Oakland, California

It's been so long since I've been here, and the zoo has definitely improved over the years. I took my family here on a Wednesday morning and had no problems finding parking, and the lot looked like it didn't fill up during the day as well, and we left around 4pm. There's to much to see here, and the zoo is very well-organized. We loved the gondola ride up to the California Trail. The lines went super quick, and the ride was comfortable and smooth. Plus, we saw camel and bison! How cool. Since it was Wednesday, we also participated in the trading card tables towards the end of the day - what an engaging way to get people excited about zoo animals and learning. My kids ate it up and asked for so many cards, then traded, and are still playing with them and learning about the animals. Plus, it was a great way for us to engage with the staff during our visit! There are so many animals to see here . The highlights for us included the giraffes, reptiles, house of bugs, and the tortoise. The kids enjoyed the petting zoo and wanted to interact with more animals (there were 2 goats out). We didn't have to wait long for anything during our stay. There are also lots of interactive activities throughout the park, and plenty of places to eat, snack, rest, and fill up water. I can tell that it was very thoughtfully designed. We did end up buying additional tickets to ride the train to see the wallaroos, which was fun. We're fans, and the kids want to come back! But only on Wednesdays because of the trading card tables. 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

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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

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The Oakland Zoo has been around for a long time and it is still pretty well maintained for its age. The new animal section, that you access through the gondola ride (included in the admission price) is fun and scenic. Going up and down in the gondola, you get a view of Oakland and beyond (on a clear day). Even though I am an adult, I find it relaxing and enjoyable to spend a few hours here, looking at the various animals and not thinking about the stresses of life for a bit. The staff are friendly and will happily answer any questions/concerns. Since I live in Oakland, coming to this zoo is more manageable than crossing the bridge to visit the SF Zoo. Overall, this is an affordable and educational activity for the entire family. read more

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

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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

Oakland Zoo - Gray Wolf exhibit - Zoos Near Me - Oakland, California

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

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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

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I haven't been here in ages, but I went recently, I really enjoyed myself and so did my child. We explored almost every nook and cranny of this place and will most likely return in a couple of months. If you're not afraid of heights, I would definitely go on the skyway. I'm not sure what it's called but you get a nice view of like what's around you. Great place for kids and adults. Rated E for everyone. 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

Oakland Zoo - Monitor - Zoos Near Me - Oakland, California

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

Oakland Zoo - giraffes - Zoos Near Me - Oakland, California

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

Oakland Zoo - Restaurant Balcony View - Zoos Near Me - Oakland, California

It's been quite awhile since the last time I visited the Oakland Zoo. My kids are grown adults now and for Labor Day I decided to take them. I was a bit disappointed. The river otter habitat was leaking water. It took some time before we were able to see the ONE river otter. We also saw ONE rabbit and ONE alligator. We visited the petting zoo. The goats looked sad but maybe that was due to the heat? It was a hot day in Oakland and there were A LOT of people today. Tickets were actually SOLD OUT when we arrived. They had us parking in the GRASS area. I was not a fan of that. Things have really changed since our last visit. The best things I saw were the giraffes today. Every other animal was in hiding or nonexistent. We were hot and tired so we did not make it to the new part of the zoo. Another plus was the people working there were super nice and friendly. read more

I took my wife and 5 year old daughter here on Mother's Day. We loved it! When you purchase tickets you need to specify the time of arrival (ex: 11:30 am). It's also recommended to buy the parking online as you save $. The first thing you need to do is get onto the Gondola. This is near the Zoo entrance and takes you to the top of the Zoo where the cafe is located. It's a relaxing and scenic 2 1/2 minute ride up. There is also a mini park with rides (ex: carousel) next to the zoo that is included! When you exit the Zoo you simply get stamped to come back inside. The highlights are seeing the monkeys and Chimpanzees. 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

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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

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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

Oakland Zoo - Bison - Zoos Near Me - Oakland, California

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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

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This Zoo had a lot to offer, many sights to see! Overall a great experience for my little family! read more

Oakland Zoo - Monkey Sitting Pondering Life - Zoos Near Me - Oakland, California

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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

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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

Oakland Zoo - Bison cliff - Zoos Near Me - Oakland, California

Honestly I think this is one of the best zoo/museum memberships in the Bay Area, especially if you are living in the East Bay. The Zoo is well kept, has interesting/unique attractions such as the Gondola, and has both exotic and local animals species to see and learn about. The Landing Cafe up top also has some of the best views of the Bay you can have and the food there is constantly changing/delicious. Super nice to go even just for an hour or so before closing to go for a walk with your kids. The playground up top is fantastic for the little ones to explore and run around in. Just be mindful on long weekends or holidays that it can get PACKED. As in backing up onto the freeway packed, get there early! Or if you have a membership you can get in earlier. We love this zoo and would highly recommend this for any family in the Bay Area. read more

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This is my favorite zoo in the Bay Area! It's so beautiful nestled in the outdoors in the Oakland hills. So many different animals and a wonderful gondola ride that takes you to experience wolves, bears, and bison. The zoo is very clean and practices sustainability. I also like that they have ticketed times when purchasing online tickets to help manage the experience and not feel overly crowded. read more

Oakland Zoo - Jaguar - Zoos Near Me - Oakland, California

2nd time here You have to go to the website and buy your tickets for the specific day and time slot . If you are an Oakland resident you get a discount Adult tickets are $25 Parking is $13 This zoo has a lot of hills so be prepared especially if you are pushing a stroller There is a little cafe/restaurant one near the main entrance and one on the other side of the zoo You need a ticket for all kid rides Train ride is $3 Carousel ride is $3 No more elephants at the zoo But there are lots of little play areas and it's really kid friendly I would recommend coming here and experiencing it for your self read more

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I don't love zoos, and this zoo is no exception. But I will try to be objective. Tickets: buy them online, along with parking. They have time slots that you will need to select, and that is a good thing. The car line getting into parking was about 15 minutes long, and I fretted about it being too crowded. It was okay after all. The tickets are a little pricey, but I imagine that caring for animals is pricey too, so if you like zoos, probably becoming a member would be better. The enclosures are mostly thoughtful, blending the animals' needs for living without stress and people's desires to see animals. The lemurs had a good enclosure (no sightings at 1, but we returned at 4 and saw a few). I felt sorry for the giraffes, lions, and the chimpanzees, but what do I know. I did feel like it was too easy to throw or drop stuff into enclosures. One lady had a big bag of peanuts like in a 1950s cartoon. No. Not much visible staff. The gondola was absolutely thrilling and gorgeous. The new top California area was very well done. The wolves seen from above were wagging their tales and looked like dogs that they are. Bears were lounging in hammocks living life. We had good fries with an amazing view. We have two big boys--my 13 year old was the oldest kid I saw--but we had a fine time staying nearly 4 hours. read more

Oakland Zoo - Meerkats on the lookout for danger. - Zoos Near Me - Oakland, California

We love the Oakland Zoo. Their Glowfari event is magical and goes through the end of January, but just visiting the zoo during the day is great too. A few things to note: *you need to buy tickets with a timed entry in advance. Usually cheaper to do that as well, then risk them being sold out when you arrive. *you should pay for parking in advance as well Plan for a few extra minutes to get in and park - they are sometimes backed up. This zoo is set on a mountain and is surrounded by beautiful views. It's spread out so prepare to walk and some uphills as well. They have a gondola that you take up high for some of their exhibits, I would do this as early in the day as you can. The exhibits are designed well with seating, etc since some animals require a bit more wait time to appear. They have a shop and some rides as well, although when we were there this week they were all closed due to an earlier power outage. read more

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We had a disappointing experience and, unfortunately, would not recommend visiting. From the outset, interactions with staff felt dismissive rather than guest-oriented. Most questions were redirected to the website, which is impractical in a live setting--particularly for families managing young children. We arrived just one minute past the gondola cutoff, and there was no clear or visible signage at the ride indicating strict timing policies. Despite there being no line or crowd, we were turned away without any flexibility or attempt to accommodate. The explanation provided--that it "wasn't busy"--was difficult to reconcile given that tickets for the day were sold out. When we politely asked if any accommodation could be made, the response felt unnecessarily rigid and lacking in basic hospitality. What was most notable, however, was the presence and conduct of management. After being turned away, we moved toward the carousel area to salvage the experience for our son, who was understandably disappointed. At that point, multiple staff members--including management--positioned themselves nearby and appeared to observe us rather than offer assistance (photo attached). The interaction felt disproportionate and unwelcoming, particularly in what is meant to be a family-friendly environment. Additionally, a number of exhibits had limited or no visible animal activity during our visit, which further impacted the overall experience and perceived value. At this level, guests expect a baseline of organization, communication, and hospitality. Unfortunately, this visit fell short across all three. We've had far more seamless and welcoming experiences elsewhere--particularly at the San Francisco Zoo. Visited: March 30, 2026 read more

Oakland Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Oakland, California