Such a fun outting with kids and I couldn't believe the price. This is a small zoo, but lots of fun. They have a lot of variety to the exhibits (many different animals.) I recommend it for a family day. Also adjacent are the paddleboats, paddle gold carts/bikes, snack shop, trails, and holiday set-ups (Easter egg hunts, carnival games, bunny pictures, etc.) It's really a great place to go with families, however the bathrooms aren't the cleanest (think park bathroom), so bring antibacterial wipes and hand sanitizer in case they're out. read more

So fun and so cheap to come here. 2 dollars for entrance and 5 dollars for parking. Bigger then I though and the kids loved the animals we saw. They also have a small petting zoo as well. Be warned weekends are very crowded so parking is going to be tough. read more

This place is a hidden gem. Tiny zoo and a tiny price. During COVID they have a one way path through and all the animals are easy to see. Even the camouflage critters are there, you just need to look and be patient. You're out of there in 20-30 minutes, depending on how long you linger. Extra special shout out to the staff!!! My daughter tripped and fell, scraping her knee and elbow pretty bad. One of the animal keepers heard her crying and came over right away to assist. She took us inside in the AC and provided some much needed first aid. Several other staff came through and were equally as helpful. Would definitely recommend it for little kids, because it is quick and easy to manage. San Diego Zoo is massive and costly. Irvine zoo pales in comparison, but once you know what to expect and it pony up the $2, it is a great detour while spending the day at the park. read more

Looking for something to do on my friend from Bostons last day in town, and not wanting to drive all the way to Long Beach for the Aquarium, I set out on Google to find something more local. This zoo popped up and I had never been. Never knew it existed actually. While I think the term Zoo is used a little loosely, this place is great! I thought Santa Ana Zoo was small, this is tiny. But dont discount this place for that. Its so cool. They have a bear, coyotes, mountain lions, bunnies, chickens, snakes, peacocks, goats you can pet... and so much more. My friend and I, two adults in our 40's cleared this place on a weekday in 30 minutes. It is $3 to park, and $2 to enter the zoo. So worth it! Also, this time of year Irvine Park is decorated for Christmas and we took another 30 minutes wandering around taking pictures with cute little props and whatnot. Definitely a fun place - especially for smaller children with the petting zoo area. read more

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Loveeeeeee! Came here three times already and they expanded their exhibits as well! Everything is super clean and it's only $2 entry!!! They also have a cute little petting zoo which the young ones enjoyed read more

This is a great zoo. The County of Orange deserves credit for making this zoo affordable, accessible and educational for all. We took our 4-year-old granddaughter, and she enjoyed the animals, the exhibits and the park. The zoo is clean and there are ample restrooms, rest spots, water stations, and hand washing stations. Food is available but if you bring your own there are many picnic tables. The animals are in large enclosures and look well cared for and have ample room and places to rest and get out of the sun and elements. Our Granddaughter loved the train ride. Parking was easy, it might be more hectic on the weekend but on this Tuesday it was easy. The fee to enter during the week is $2 per person and the zoo is large enough to be interesting but not so big that it is overwhelming. Perfect for younger kids. OC Parks has kept this gem up to date, relevant and very well maintained. read more

We visited today and were enjoying being outside and looking at all the animals. About 3/4 way through the marked pathway, my two year old grandson had to use the restroom. His dad took him and found a sign that said if you needed to use the restroom, this was your chance. He begins walking toward the restroom, only to be accosted by an employee who told him he wasn't allowed to go through there cause the pathway was only one way. Why have a sign posted at that spot then? He responded that his son was only two and needed to go urgently. They let him pass. Just two minutes later, another employee stopped us and asked if we had masks. We said we were outside and socially distanced so masks aren't required. The employee then said masks were required to enter. We reminded her that the sign clearly said masks were requested, not required. When confronted by the facts of being outside and socially distanced, and that the sign said they were only requested, not required, she admitted someone visiting the zoo had complained. Really?? This employee lied and made our visit unpleasant. We will not be back. read more

What can I say? I love this zoo. A whopping $2 gets you access to the perfect size zoo with a petting area, super friendly staff and a variety of animals. Recently visited with my two year old nephew who just had a blast and it was the perfect size for a little afternoon visit, unlike some other zoo's who require a whole day to visit. It's also located in the Irvine Regional Park which has so many other little areas to visit like the train, the lake, etc. Just the perfect makings for a fun afternoon. :) read more

This is definitely the best zoo in California. Can't beat the $2 entry. Although the zoo isn't as big as most others, here we can get very close to the animals, and the best thing is the petting zone where you can pet sheep and goats, and feed them. Very good for kids and family. read more

Fun place to take families and groups of youth for outings! The animal exhibits are educational and the park is clean. Parking is for the most part easy to find on weekdays. The prices are very reasonable! The staff is friendly and knowledgeable! read more

Man this place costs $2 to get in and $5 to park. It's not a full blown "where are the elephants?" Kind of zoo. But enough to have a good couple hours to check out some of which I think are like local/native animals to the area. This will be the best $2 you've ever spent so check this place out. read more

The other day, I met a bear. A great big bear Oh way out there He looked at me I looked at him Then I walked away The other day I met some lion's Some great big lion's Oh way out there. I looked at them They looked at me Then they splashed away The other day, I met Coyotes Two of them Oh way out there I looked at them They looked at me Then they ran away The other day I met a bear, some lion's and coyotes way out there. The other day I met them all That's right my new buddies, Mr Bear who was a lazy lounging bear. Some really cool mountain lions having a water day fiesta and A pair of cute coyotes who I know can't be trusted. All these animals native to California and native to many of the biking trails near by. I was fascinated by these beautiful creatures. Not only did I make new friends but I visited the beauty salon of the goats and was able to bring 30 kids with me to brush their hair. There were birds of prey, a couple of owls and slithering slimy cold blooded snake's and a few other creatures. The OC zoo located in Irvine park, a perfect place to chillax with your friends, family or take a field trip. The zoo houses a variety of creatures and habitats. Nothing spectacular or super duper exciting but it's fun. They have an interactive self tour activated by your Cell phone. Lots of informative signs to self educate on each species. I've been here a few times with my friend and her son and twice on a field trip. A okay. My students who are all 5, turning 6 say it was fun too. read more

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Fun place, just not in a holiday weekend. Driving in was a mess. But a lot to do once you're in.

This was a great zoo, good variety of animals for the kids. Not too huge and plenty of informational signage and digital tour (audio). The entrance was only $2 and they give you a coupon for a free entrance when you sign up. The only knock I have against this zoo is that it does not have a bathroom inside, the zoo is surrounded by a park and you have to use those restrooms. They have a petting area and you can even feed the goats. read more

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It's pretty amazing that this little zoo has more to see than the Santa Ana Zoo which is much bigger. Admission is also cheaper at $3/person. It won't take you more than 30 mins to walk through the entire zoo area if you only stop about 10 secs at each exhibit. If you pause to feed the animals at the feeding area you can give yourself 40-50 mins and you'll be done. Situated inside Irvine Regional Park, the zoo might cost close to nothing, but parking will set you back $5/car. read more

Orange County Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Orange, California

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Fun zoo but amazing park and all for 4 dollars?!? literally the best place to be with pretty views and fun stuff to do

Don't let the FIVE STARS fool you... this is not a huge zoo there aren't a lot of animals and you couldn't spend more than 30 minutes here (which is good because the bathroom is out of the zoo) Here's why I like it (and why our special day class goes often). First, it feels enveloped in shade. For being in the middle of Irvine Park, it never feels excessively hot and never loud, with rarely more than three dozen people at a time. There aren't any monkeys, but there is a black bear in a huge area (so you don't feel too sorry for him) and the highlight is the pair of mountain lion cubs who once in a while come up to the gate or play with their big ball. You can thank me later for not making a testicle joke. And the goat petting area is cool because they provide petting brushes, supervision, and a picture chart with their names! Be sure to pet Rocky, Hillbilly, Goat-R-Done, and Bleatbox. (OK I made up some of those). And, most of all, it's only $2. That's practically nothing. Unless you're the paperboy from "Better Off Dead" "I want my $2!" read more

Orange County Zoo - Tortilla soup - Zoos Near Me - Orange, California

Ventured here today - it's the first day of opening since covid started so we caught it just in time! Only paid $2 for admission per person. One way direction through the zoo and got to see so many cool animals. Maybe took us 30 minutes or so. Fun and affordable for all ages! read more

Perfect for little ones!! I have a 11 month old whose attention span is next to nil. I'm not even sure if he would be able to really notice half the animals in the zoo. TBH sometimes I can't even see those reptiles camouflaged into the display. This zoo is only $2 and it is teeny tiny but really easy to go through. There's a little petting zoo inside as well which is great for young children. The whole zoo probably provides 1-2 hours of entertainment because there aren't that many animals but the ones that are there are great for teaching and viewing. There was a black bear, lion, birds, snakes and lots more, all the classics! This is a perfect zoo if you're looking for something local and easy, and not too expensive! Also, I saw on the flyers that they have story time during the week days so if you're local, this might be worth checking out! read more

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Not worth a trip from San Diego. Like most people, I had free tickets to this place ( the normal price is $2 so free isn't that big of a deal). I found it a bit odd that there were no bathrooms inside the zoo ( not even a blue chem-can). Good luck finding a public restroom in the main park outside either. This actual zoo is small and can be completed in about 15-20 minutes.The mountain lion exhibit is noteworthy. The good news is that while the zoo was a letdown, the Irvine regional park was quite fun. You can rent bikes and spend the afternoon exploring the massive park area. read more

Orange County Zoo - Deer - Zoos Near Me - Orange, California

Fun place to take your kids. They have also added a new area with new animals. They have mist-sprayers for when it's hot and benches to rest. The price for the entrance is not expensive. read more

Orange County Zoo - Zoo time! - Zoos Near Me - Orange, California

The cutest little zoo that is bigger than expected. Only $2 to get in! Parking at Irvine Regional Park is $3 on weekdays and $5 on weekends. Credit cards accepted for both parking and zoo. Lots of cute animals to observe and wonder what they're thinking about (probably food). There are animals of all sizes: big ones like mountain lions, black bears, burros, and mule deers; medium-sized ones like island foxes, ocelots, bobcats, and coyotes. Then there are smaller cute animals like the beaver and collared peccaries (these two are our favorite!) They have large birds like the turkey vulture, redtailed hawk, golden eagle, bald eagle, great horned owl, and barn owl. I also like the children's zoo section, where you can pet/brush goats, look at fluffy rabbits and a pot bellied pig. read more

Orange County Zoo - Collared Peccary (Adorable!) - Zoos Near Me - Orange, California

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City and zoo founders prioritize money over animal welfare, lacking respect for nature. Animals in small cages, most animals seemed healthy, should be released back to the wild or sent to sanctuaries where they can roam freely in more land. Mixed species cause illness. OC zoo traps the animals in cages till they die. When you go pay those $2 dont walk in so excited to see them remember that they are trapped forever now because the city thinks they know best. Animals look depressed, anxious trying to find a way to escape and they are going crazy in there. The zoo in santa ana same thing. The animals sit there till the day they die. Don't support this. Instead use your voice and ask them to send these animals to a proper environment where they can thrive. Kids are screaming being loud they don't even teach parents to walk in with respect and to tell their child that these noises cause the animals to stress. read more

Well I would first off say this isn't really a big zoo, cost is great for $2 to walk in and see some animals. But you need to pay $5 (weekends sat - sun) to enter the park in order to get to the zoo. You can literally walk this whole zoo and see all the animals in maybe less than 45mins. It's great for kids to see the petting zoo side where you can feed the goats and rabbits. Overall cool great place & budget friendly just to walk and see some amazing animals. read more

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Perfect place for a 15-30 minutes quick tour while visiting the park. My son has ADHD and he is an impatient boy. But he love this place and even wrote an short essay about why it's a good idea to bring kids to the zoo in the evening. Lol. read more

The Orange County Zoo is within Irvine Regional Park. The admission is $2 for those 3 and up. Entry into the park was only $3 on a weekday. This zoo is perfect for little ones who can't last a whole day at a larger zoo. It houses smaller animals like Gilla Monsters, Barn Owls, Rattlesnakes, and Lizards. In addition, larger ones such as Bears, Coyote, Mountain Lions, Bald Eagle, and Burros, call this place home. They do offer special petting and feeding times, so ask or grab a brochure on your way in. There's even cell phone audio interpretations, a place to feed the goats, and a petting zoo. It can be completed in under an hour, with ease. Strollers are allowed and easy to manuever inside. read more

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It is a really small zoo. Unless you live in the area, I would not recommend making a trip here. I walked around it in less than 30 minutes. Most of the animals are located behind fences so sometimes it is hard to see them. Also, most of the animals are native to North America so no elephants or giraffes here. For small kids with a short attention span, this would make a nice zoo. read more

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Our first time and my kids enjoyed it! We went during their zoo-tacular event (halloween) and spent around 2hours to explore the zoo. It's a cute small zoo. First time to see a black jaguar! Friendly and accomodating staffs! read more

Orange County Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Orange, California

They take your money knowing there's nowhere to park and they don't refund you. My husband and I drove around for 30 minutes and then had to leave because we couldn't park. Before we left we asked the parking attendant for a refund and he said they gave us a "warning" before we entered. We never got a warning! If there's no parking then stop taking everyone's money!!! Such a damn scam. NEVER AGAIN. read more

The regional park is huge and has numerous bbq locations if you want to picnic with the family etc... I think I've seen at least 10 different family reunions and huge parties going on. There is so much to do here like the zoo, bike rentals, water activities, train rides, pony rides or simply relax under a huge shaded tree. The entry is only $5 and the zoo is only $2 per person. read more

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We loved it! It's small, but full of shade and the exhibits are real close up. Very cheap, $2/entry for ages 3yo+. I used a Mother's Day coupon for free entry, made me happy. =) Nice volunteer staff at the crafts table, and my kids got to see an owl up close. And touch a beaver, huhuhuhuh. read more

I called Marcy Crede-Booth to book a school group tour for a group of children with disabilities. The date I had asked for was available but for whatever reason she recommended we do a self guided tour. I call back later that SAME DAY to go ahead and reserve the tour and I am sent to voicemail. I call again 4 days later and leave another voicemail and still hear nothing. I call again the following week and leave yet ANOTHER voicemail and still nothing. Conveniently, she contacts me back 3 weeks later and tells me we can't do a tour there now because it is fully booked. So you're telling me in the time that you were ghosting me, you had time to book group tours for other kiddos? I feel like this is very unprofessional and discriminating against individuals with disabilities as Marcy chose to ghost me instead of offering any type of accommodations for my children. I called the Santa Ana Zoo and they were MORE than happy to accommodate us. Thank you Santa Ana Zoo!! read more

No one answers .... This is my 3 rd time calling and no one answers .. if people want to come to the zoo you should answer your phone call

Wonderful place! Low cost, well-groomed animals, helpful staff! The children were happy! I recommend to everyone read more

Orange County Zoo - Zoos Near Me - Orange, California

If you have never been or are in the area it's a must visit! Been coming here for 25 years, now with my kid and friends. Great every time. And the new big cat area is a must! It's so well built and so educational. And for just 2 bucks! read more

Excellent zoo . For 2$ you can visit this zoo and look at some animals some not even shown in either zoo. It's not a lot and unlike Los Angeles Zoo you don't need a reservation. Highly recommanded if you visit Irvine Regional Park read more

Orange County Zoo - Animals - Zoos Near Me - Orange, California

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For the price, you can't really beat this place. $2 for adults/kids, $5 parking. Kids under 2 are free. Overall this is more of a place for 2-5 year old toddlers. You'll finish seeing all the zoo in 1 hour tops, but lets be real, that's the right amount of time for a toddler. I'm gonna keep it real -- this isn't the greatest zoo in the world. I'm mostly coming here cause it's dirt cheap. I haven't found a cheaper petting zoo in the OC area at $2 a person (most of them run $10-$15 a person and that's already a huge rip off). I can spend $10 here and (to feed the pets is a quarter) and I'd save 10x more money than going to a petting zoo. The zoo itself is really small. Picture a petting zoo (goats, sheep, small rabbits), but the zoo also has lizards, snakes, birds, brown bears, mountain lions, and bobcats. If your kids are still awake -- the park itself is nice as there are train rides ($6 per person, sign on their website for BOGO free) if you want to do that too. Playgrounds are there obviously too. TIPS -$2 per person, kids under 2 are free. -No bathrooms inside Zoo. -Recommended for 2-5 year olds. Anything older - prob won't be interested. read more

Perfect place for little legs! It's a small zoo and it's very easy to navigate around here. The best part... It's not that expensive & it's so CLEAN! Get a map and a scavenger worksheet at the entrance! After you complete the scavenger hunt you get to choose a patch. The scavenger hunt is really awesome. Very educational for the entire family and it's fun for the kids! Perfect for strollers as well. Wide walking area. And clean. There is a petting zoo to the left as you enter and a handwashing station to the right. You can buy some pellets to feed the goats. And there are brushes that you can use to brush them as well. Look up times when the feed the mountain lion! And check their website for special events. read more

Orange County Zoo - My favorite animal at the OC Zoo. - Zoos Near Me - Orange, California

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If I had to summarize my experience I would say that going here is better than not going. LOL. The zoo is pretty small but it's only $2 per person so you can't expect that much. They have a beaver, mountain lions, prairie dogs, etc. I recommend going just to go. There's a petting zoo where you can feed goats, sheep, and other farm animals. read more

They never answer the phone shame on them for doing this We need to call and ask if it is open and what is the prices but no answer for a straight 2 hours read more