Love calm zoo! It's a local treasure that should be thoroughly enjoyed by Bakersfieldians - where…read moreelse can you see black bears enjoying cake and presents on a regular basis or enjoy the train on loop or the little park inside. It is one of my 3 year olds favorite places in town. We went Saturday morning and spring mid morning is the perfect weather for calm. We pack lunch for the trip or long drive home. And Take our time walking around doing all the areas and then concluding with the train. Calm's got small town charm with a little extra and is a regular joy for our little family. Excited for their future expansion!

Not the biggest or cleanest zoo, but it was decent for $12…read more The parking lot was just a dirt field, but since there weren't many guests, it felt like we had the whole zoo to ourselves. The entrance led through a gift shop that doubled as the admission counter. Most of the merchandise wasn't themed, with just a few flimsy labeled magnets available. The zoo itself was dusty and had lots of feathers, bird droppings, and spider webs throughout. Staff were few and far between, but the ones we encountered were friendly. Unfortunately, several animals had been removed from their enclosures due to illness or ongoing construction. Still, the animals that were there were surprisingly lively. The reptile exhibit was on the smaller side, but the creatures were active. The turtle area was my favorite as they were some of the most energetic turtles I've ever seen. Coming right at opening gave me a chance to watch them eat. The birds were also impressive, some of the largest I've seen in California. It was entertaining to watch them squawk and fly around their large cages. Near the exit, there was an air-conditioned aquatic exhibit that was easy to miss. The staff member at the touch tank was very knowledgeable and eager to share fun facts and the history of the animals. Sadly, their seahorses had passed away, and they're currently waiting on donations to replace them. I spent about 45 minutes walking through the zoo twice. There wasn't a café or kid-friendly attractions, so I'd recommend eating beforehand or bringing your own snacks. The zoo would definitely benefit from a deep cleaning. For $12, it was a fair experience, though it doesn't really compare to larger zoos like the one in Fresno.

I have a fear of most animals ........ I visited Animal Tracks for the first time last Sunday. And,…read morenow my fear is gone. The volunteers, Stacey + Nadine their resident yoga teacher immediately made me feel very welcomed and safe, and being there amongst these docile, beautiful sweet animals really healed me and actually made me feel kind of like I was on a natural high for a few days. Still sort-of coming off of it. I'm so happy that I went. It was an extraordinary experience and I can't wait to go again. I never thought I wood feel safe amongst large exotic animals roaming free around me, but it was pretty much the safest I've ever felt thank you to everybody at animal tracks for creating such a beautiful positive experience for everyone that came last weekend. Great yoga class, gift shop and tour. Highly recommend this to anyone, especially if you think you might be afraid like me you'll see you really are not.

My friend brought me here for my birthday, and as a huge animal lover, I was really excited to…read morevisit! This is a small, cute animal sanctuary, and while it's definitely on the smaller side, I think that's where donations can really make a difference. There's so much potential for this place to have more space and continue helping even more animals. The staff was absolutely wonderful...friendly, welcoming, and very knowledgeable. They shared stories about the animals with us, along with some interesting wildlife facts, and I really enjoyed learning more about the animals we were seeing. The only thing I would have really loved was more interaction with the animals. But I completely understand that they're wild animals, so that's not always an option...and honestly, a girl can dream, lol! One thing that really stood out to me was how happy everyone seemed to be working there. You could genuinely tell that the staff cares about the animals and enjoys what they do, and I think that says a lot about the organization. We had a great experience and I would definitely recommend stopping by if you're in the area and looking for a quick, fun visit. Just keep in mind that it is a smaller sanctuary, so if you're able to, please consider donating! Your support can help them expand, care for the animals, and continue the wonderful work they've been doing for many, many years. Such a sweet place with people who clearly have big hearts for animals!

Adorable farm with friendly animals. You feed them fresh chopped fruit and vegetables, not just dry…read morepellets. Very organized sections and places to sit. They have lots of snacks to buy and fresh delicious lemonade. Very friendly and welcoming staff.

We had the most wonderful time and spent way longer than we expected because of how much fun we…read morewere having. Truly a one of a kind experience especially with little kids. The animals are so gentle and sweet and the staff were really kind. We will be returning before the fall season is over to have another visit since the 1st visit was such a hit. So happy we stumbled upon this gem of a place while searching for a pumpkin patch.

I'm so sorry I can't remember the name of our tour guide (we came on mother's day at 4pm). She was…read morefantastic! I bought the tour for my family and it was SO WORTH IT. We got to feed the lemurs and the porcupines (my favorite), and the pet giant tortoises and Sid the Sloth (my mom's favorite). The entire tour was SO educational and it was obvious that these animals were being looked after my experts who knew all about them and their needs and reasons they could not be released/re-released into their natural habitat. I learned so much about each animal. It couldn't have been any better. Highly recommend this tour, because what better way to support this kind of sanctuary with your money?

Decided to go somewhere local today as a family. Scored some tickets on Groupon! Amazing!!! They're…read moreopen M-S 10AM-5PM. Staff is very friendly. We followed the path and saw some animals. My daughter was so excited. They had a reptile zone. Saw bald eagles! Through out the walk way there are plenty of benches under trees. They have a seating section where you can have picnics & bring your own lunch! Over all we enjoyed the wild life center very much. We would return.

A very well run animal sanctuary with a suprising assortment of animals to see. Various small…read moremonkeys, birds, snakes and reptiles. A couple of tigers, civit cat, a cuatamundi (sp?), a cougar, even a bear. Your kids will love it. Knowledgeable staff is there to answer your questions.

I finally had the chance to visit this place after discovering it a while back, and it was an even…read morebigger experience than I expected. It's definitely out in the desert, but that makes sense, they need plenty of space to safely house and care for so many different animals. All of the animals looked healthy, well cared for, and comfortable in their habitats. The admission price was very reasonable, and the Extreme Feed experience was absolutely worth it (just keep in mind it's for ages 18+). I know it can feel a little sad seeing animals in enclosures, but learning more about their backgrounds helped put things into perspective. Many of them can't survive in the wild, and this sanctuary gives them a safe, protected place to live with a staff that clearly cares about their well‑being. Overall, it was a meaningful and memorable visit, and I'm glad places like this exist to give these animals a second chance.

Well outside of the residential areas of California City, this nicely managed visitor center is a…read moresimple trailer in a small parking lot that can hold 20-30 cars. Dirt road most of the way but it is clearly maintained. The foot traffic only areas are nicely designated with graded dirt paths lined on either side by rocks that show you where to walk and where not to walk. Signage is tastefully sparse but informative. There are also little kiosks along the way with pamphlets. They also have some docent guided tours. Didn't see any titles but I guess sometimes they avoid people. Anyway, it was a nice flat ground hike with desert scrub bushes, Joshua trees, insects, lizards, etc. It's not "touristy" but if you like wildlife preserves this is worth the trip. It will only cost you the drive.

Desert Tortoise Natural Area is open most of the year. It is all natural and beautiful. You may or…read moremay not see a tortoise, they are free and don't come when called. Parking is free and on some days visiting is free. You take Highway 14 (for most travelers) and keep going to California City, which is a sleepy little town. You will see the sign for the Natural Area, take that for a few miles and you will find the Tortoise Natural Area. On the weekends there are tour guides. I like the weekdays and to go on my own. It is a beautiful walk and whether you want to walk just a bit or several miles you can. The area is flat. It is never crowded and in the distance you can see the amazing Sierra Mountains. It is just lovely. It does get very hot in the daytime, it is in the middle of the Mojave Desert, so wear sun screen and bring some water with you for the walk. Have fun.

It gets 2 stars for caring for the animals. Sadly the location only had 9 cats today, our tour was…read more25 people and the cats were not very active. The grounds have seen better days.. I can see how this was beautiful back in the day. Nice sculptures around the property I would have given more stars if it weren't for the "Director" Chris. He was very rude when we pulled in, made distasteful remarks and although he led the Q&A afterward, he was very self centered and smug. Not really answering the questions from the attendees. Sadly this location is very worn out and tired.

I agree with the prior review of Pam. Except I would give no stars if I could. I went to the tour…read morewith about 25 people and the director, Chris was not too friendly to say the least. He is more interested in bragging about himself and his book instead of educating the group about the animals. He is also rude. I recommend just contributing if you want, and not wasting your time. Immediately upon entering, you are requested to sign a release of liability. There are only two Outhouse toilets to use which were disgusting. You are told once you walk into the gate, there are no restrooms for the two hour tour. You will only see a few sleeping tigers. We only saw 5 tigers, two of which walked around. It was blistering hot and they offered cold water bottles at the end of the tour. We had to listen to Chris' boring stories for over an hour in extremely hot weather. The tiger tour was less than an hour which was less than the boring stories of Chris. I DO NOT RECOMMEND. The place is run down and appears to almost be closing. There were only 8 tigers there. You are better off staying home and watching Youtube videos. It is 3.5 hours I will never get back!!!!!