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Oakland Zoo
Rating Details »
Category: Zoos
Neighborhood: East Oakland9777 Golf Links Rd
(between I-580 & Mountain Blvd)
Oakland, CA 94605
(510) 632-9523
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
168 reviews for Oakland Zoo
When you become a parent, people tend to offer alot of advice. Generally advice is hit or miss, sometimes its good and sometimes its dismal.
In line at Target one early morning, someone felt implored to offer some Potty Training Advice after noticing the training pants and two year old in my cart. "Throw M&M's in the toilet and tell him to pee on them, it works like a charm!" Hm. Pee on M&M's? That's a bit vulgar, but hey I'll give it a shot.
So it took a month for me to get this kid to stop nose diving headfirst into the toilet in search of M&M's. Bad Advice, very very bad advice.
Last year after spending a very long hot day at the San Francisco Zoo I expressed some disappointment to a friend of mine over the opaque safety glass, so thick we couldn't even see the animals. I told her we would have seen Lions more clearly by staying home and watching TV. She told me to give the Oakland Zoo a try, safe cages but you can actually see the animals.
I was so glad I took her advice! The Oakland Zoo has almost as many animals as the San Francisco zoo, but its cheaper, easier to get there and oh wow you can actually see the animals here. Not to mention the fact that there is an entire ride section to satisfy the bored preteens and a petting zoo with sheep and goat. If they could only add Alpaca's to that petting zoo, this would be a 5 star experience.
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1. Bring binoculars - the other zoo goers were clearly envious and if I had been on my game, I might have even been able to make a trade for an iPhone...but then we would have missed the adorable faces of the lions slumbering atop the ridge and the grotesque baboon butts my husband tried to make me to see (um, no way, honey).
2. It's really not all that hilly. Or at least it didn't feel that way to me and I never exercise or even walk anywhere. Or if I do, it's at .05 mph since that's the rate of a toddler, preschooler, and elementary aged child trying to share a sidewalk. It seems like if you strategize your route, you can end up walking downhill more than not. My almost 3 year-old had no problems with the inclines that we did ascend.
3. Everyone was right about the food. It's decent and not as pricey as other places, but not worth paying for, especially when there are so many great picnic spots. If we had not spent the $30 on lunch for the five of us, we could have had money for the rides, which I actually wish weren't there because it sort of detracts from the zoo being about animals. And we went home with all three children crying. That would have probably happened anyway, though.
4. Everyone was also right about it being better than the SF Zoo. Sunny - check. Happy animals - check. Natural, spacious habitats - check. We really enjoyed the creative landscaping which was easily navigated by map. That and the smaller scope of the park lent itself to revisiting favorite animals or animals that had been hidden when we first passed by. In fact, we were able to see the tigers 4 times, and the last time, just as we were getting ready to leave, they came into full view, as close to us as they could possibly have come...one of them relieved himself (thankfully just pee, but it went on and on). I think this also happened because my husband prayed that it would, aloud (not the peeing part, the tigers coming into view).
5. We had kind of a special experience because we accidentally met up with one of the zookeepers (Lorraine) and she sort of us took us under her wing...for a few minutes, at least. First, she fed the meercats (sp?) which was very cool. Then she showed us the hyenas (who were sleeping) and said they were her favorite animals because they are actually very sweet (unlike the stereotype thrust on them by the Lion King--still like the film though). We also watched as she fed the green monkeys (whom I believe the term "zen monkey" originated from). My oldest was thrilled with the personal attention because she aspires to be a zookeeper one day (one day a week actually because she has other careers planned for the other days).
6. Something not to miss is the river otter feeding at 1:15. My middle child expressed her desire to be an otter while my oldest said she'd rather be human after my husband offered to feed her raw fish. Anyway, the otters diving for their food and chomping on it is like a 10 on the cuteness scale, right up their with the big cats rolling on their backs, the meer cats on their hind legs, the snoozing bobcat all curled up, the squirrel monkeys frollicking, and the green monkeys pawing at small objects.
7. I normally avoid petting zoos like I do large birds. I just send the kids in and hope for the best from the other side of the gate. But I actually ventured into this one because there was so much room--it was half out of doors, so that really helped (especially when one of the goats sneezed and passed gas at the same time). I liked the brushing rather than feeding approach, except that my son combed the goat and then his own hair. The pygmy goats were especially cute. I also liked that there was a roped off "retreat" area where the animals could go when they didn't feel like being petted.
8. I ran into an old friend from high school and college who it was a joy to reconnect with (it had been over a decade at least). She's in Livermore so I never would have seen her any other way. It was her daughter's first b-day so they were celebrating at the zoo.
9. Just go, already! But do hunt around online first, though, because I found a half off deal (actually a friend alerted me to it from a radio station).
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Nice if you want to wear the kids out walking up and down the hills. The animals are easy to see and the zookeepers are pretty accessible.
The kid section is nice and new so not bad.
The food is not good at all, but you don't come here to eat.
Oh, the rides could be better, but they are okay.
Pretty small zoo. You can see everything in about half a day. It has a nice flow to it, and you get a good workout if you walk the full zoo.
We will be going a few times a year once my baby reaches an age to enjoy monkeys
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I like this zoo. it is small and has a fun personal family feel to it, which is great when the only reason I go to the zoo is to entertain children! I took two 6-year olds and they had a blast. We went on a few rides and took the ski-lift over the zoo (which I highly recommend) and saw into the Lion's den and got excellent views of the Elk doing what elks do...It was also fun to swing around the top and laugh at the operator who had fallen asleep. I thought he was funny as he had set up a series of Star Wars toys that was entertaining to look at while making your turn into the descent of the sky-ride.
They have a cool deceased insect-room, and play areas for kids all around the zoo. The bear is really cute, and surprisingly small.
I would recommend this zoo to anyone who lives in the area. But if you are visiting California, I would say go down to SD for the zoo, or spend the day doing something else in the East Bay.
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Well, I actually don't like zoo so much. So I don't know whether you should check my review or not, but I think the zoo is kinda poor in animals. It is a pretty big zoo, but most of the space has no animal. It may be good for the animals, but it was boring to me.
There was one nice thing. It might be worth to ride the gondora. was nice.
But I always wonder why zoo makes me so tired. When I finshed the walk, I was damned dead. I'd rather watch animal TV program.
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After passing this place several times, I decided to give it a try.
The place is small... relatively speaking. If you are comparing it to the likes of the San Diego zoo, then you might be disappointed. With that said, don't come with outrageous expectations. What you get is pretty darn good.
Got the annual pass b/c it's so close that I anticipate coming again. Plus it comes with free passes, free parking and free tokens... what's not to like?
Place is clean, the set up is nice. I'll be back. =)
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Great place to bring children to. However its pretty small so if you're an adult I would suggest SF.
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With not having any children I've never had a desire to visit a zoo in my adult life- The only zoo I've been to is the S.F. Zoo during a field trip when I was a kid. So with some friends visiting from N.Y. with their 2 young boys gave us an opportunity to visit a couple Mondays ago.
I was very impressed, it is really nice. There is a mini amusement park to the right of the entrance with a merry go round, mini rollercoaster(I did ride it), a mini zipper, a few other kiddie rides and a train depot. The train takes you to the west side of the zoo with scenic views of Hwy 580 and partial view of Oakland and the Bay. Unfortunetly, the route doesn't give you much of a chance to see too many animals.
The zoo entrance fees are, Adults-$10.50, kids $7.00 and seniors $7.00 and parking $6.00. There are monkeys, snakes,giraffes,camels, lions, tigers and I didn't see any bears?? (maybe I just missed them), and so on. There is a sky ride which gives you a good aerial view of the east side of the property.
They have a gift center that sells hats, tshirts, toys,etc. The restaurant (if you want to call it that) has hamburgers, hot dogs, salads, sandwiches.... not very good.. but if you're hungry, you'll eat it.
Overall enjoyable, especially to see our god children have a good time.
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Ok, so disclaimer: I used to work here, but I promise I'm not biased. I used to think zoos were a place where animals were miserable and went to die. Then I took a tour of the Oakland Zoo and immediately applied for a job. All the enclosures are bigger than my apartment building- some acres wide. The animals actually smile, and they use only "protected contact" with elephants, which means no bullhooks and torture like circuses.
The events here are fun. (I love Boo at the Zoo, and not just for the candy.) They have lions, tigers, bears, flamingos, ottters, all sorts of primates, and tons of little animals too. It's hilly, so bring your tennis shoes. AND, the skyride rocks! Best views of SF anywhere. And wild turkeys! Don't run them over, cause they will just cross in front of you when they feel like it.
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The Oakland Zoo is adorable! It's a fun and very cute place to hang out for the day. My favorite exhibits were the black sun bears, tigers, giraffes and the zebra.
It's a clean zoo with a lot of different places to go. Ended up getting a student price annual pass because it wasn't that much more than regular admission price + you get free admission tickets for other friends and cool special events to go to. The pass also comes with parking so you can save $6/visit.
Definitely will come back to enjoy the atmosphere and animals. Don't compare this to the SD zoo because theyre completely different. This zoo is a bit more local and personal. I love the SD zoo but I live in Berkeley and the Oakland zoo will keep me happy.
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I had not been here in AGES! I think the last time I was at the Oakland Zoo, I was still in my teens! LOL! Yesterday, I took my 3 kiddos there! How times change!
I have to say that I was seriously impressed with the friendly staff throughout the entire zoof, the cleanliness of the park and the primary eating area.
It's sad, that many people who were at the zoo were litter bugs and that many of the exhibits could really use a makeover and some repairs.
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Some days you just feel like being ogled by a vervet green monkey.
Plus: it's warm and sunny enough for lemurs to soak up their RDA of morning sun; if there were koalas here, they wouldn't shiver (unlike at OTHER zoos); and their zoo ambience is just right.
Nuff said!
Review is based upon a few visits to this zoo.
First visits were 4-5 star worthy.
Last visit...2-3 stars.
:(
My "fan" status will remain intact. You'll understand when reading
about the FUN-ky monkey below.
The star decline is due to the fact that the giraffe and meerkat
exhibits were completely closed...no animals because their
homes were being cleaned.
Those are my family's two favorite animals at the zoo.
The meerkats are such happy little creatures and so entertaining.
We missed them dearly.
Sadly, that issue made several groups/families unhappy.
We discussed the issue and wondered why the exhibit cleaning
process is done during zoo hours instead of off hours.
The elephant exhibit was being cleaned as well when we arrived
around noon on a weekday...no cool elephants for a loooooooooooong
time. We had to backtrack to their exhibit later and were happy they
were back in their elephant haven.
We did focus on the positive aspects after getting off our closed
exhibit pity-pots though. :D
The highlight of our visit was visiting one of the monkey exhibits.
One 'lil monkey came out from a hole and she/he (I'll call her a "she")
was carrying a mirrored makeup case in her mouth. She was showing
off and shaking her head showing us the case.
(her photo is posted!!!)
Yes, people stuff like that and magazines, etc. are toys for the
fun-ky-monkeys. Monkeys adore toys.
The monkey knew she was hot stuff. She walked a ways with the
case in her mouth and sat down. She then looked at her cute
face in the mirror and pretended to primp. OMG- what a riot!
The extreme amount of vegetation on the premises is beautiful.
The walking paths are kept in decent shape.
There are fabulous things to do a'la zoo for kiddos in the petting
zoo area.
Suggest getting a hard copy map because there are very few
signs directing you where the exhibits are located.
Check out the fun fotos...
see what we saw.
:D
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A great way to spend a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. The zoo is built on the hill so be prepared to do some hiking, but I think that makes the experience that more fun.
My two favorite spots had to be the giant fruit bats and the alligators. From the top of the water the alligators don't look to impressive. Around the corner you can see them through a window under the water level. At this level you can see how strong they are and It's absolutely terrifying.
For the Meerkat feeding be sure to stand near the brass statue. This is where the zoo keeper enters.
A totally pleasant little gem! Who would've thunk that Oakland had this to offer! - no offense Oaklanders - just saying that you hide your gems well. Right from the get go, the zoo is right off 580 - clearly marked. The parking ($6) attendant was cheerful and wished us a fun day! The entrance cashier tactfully asked if any over-55 tickets were needed - love those senior discounts - so I got two discounts for mom and dad. I hit the zoo store right away because I forgot my hat and it was perfectly sunny and breezy - got a real cute safari floppy hat for only $16.99!
Now - for the zoo itself - small and hilly so if you have seniors with you be prepared to take your time on the uphills - but there are tons of benches and sitting areas with shade - so no problemo. All the animals were lively and alert. The zebras, giraffes and elephants were thoroughly enjoying their greenery. I had never seen hyenas before - there are two here. The fruit bats - OMG - freaky being so close to those huge see-through batty wings and the sleeping ones wrap themselves nice and tight and hang upside down - made me think of a smoke house for some reason, you know, hanging smoking hams. . .
Didn't get to see the lions - they were hiding, but the giant tortoises made up for that. They made me hungry the way they enjoyed chowing down on their grub. There are colorful birds, pot belly pigs, chimps, meerkats and a bunch of other animals. Not sure if this was part of the zoo but on our way out all along the hillside there were hundreds of goats eating the tall dried grass!! Have never seen so many goats and it sure made for a good picture - too bad I was driving and couldn't get it.
Is this a big city zoo with big city exhibits and big city prices - no. This is a small, clean, happy animals, reasonably priced zoo well worth the drive from anywhere in the bay area. So glad we visited - and will definitely come back.
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I hardly cross over this side of the bridge...I fear for my life..lol
But oakland does have this zoo for good promotion. very clean and you can tell that the animals are taken care for.
Alot of hills in this zoo..so its a nice good walk..overall..if your in town...make your way here..you wont be disappointed.
I figure that I'd take the time to write a review about not only the Oakland Zoo, but some of the fucking idiots who write reviews about places they didn't even visit.
About the zoo...
This a pretty cool place to spend a day. The zoo is a good size for the family without being overwhelmed about trying to cover the miles and miles of terrain at other zoos. Why would you expect the Oakland Zoo to be anything like the SD Zoo? They are very different organizations...frankly I think calling it the "Oakland" Zoo might hurt the reputation a bit...it's a cool place.
They have a good collection of animals that are well cared for...I'd rather see a smaller collection of well-cared for animals than a shitload of neglected animals.
The keepers will often take the time to answer questions about the animals under their care and try to maximize the educational aspect of the zoo. Isn't that kinda what it's all about anyways?
The landscape is pretty nice....the food is egh, so bring your own.
About the idiots that write reviews about places like the Oakland Zoo who clearly have not even been...
Roni. L. - pull your head out of your ass. How many elephants? You are helpless. How many tigers? Ask for a map next time if you don't see one...the signs are more than adequate for someone with an IQ above 50. Please stay in Canada...your mom at the Calgary Zoo misses you.
S.B. - You can practically see the Children Zoo from space. Fail.
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I grew up in Oakland and to see that the Oakland Zoo is still running is great!.
Good prices. I took my niece there and we had a lot of fun.
The Employees were very good and nice people.
I would go back there any day with friend and family.
Maybe to even do a birthday party..
Good job Oakland!
I had a good experience here in Oakland. IT is better the SF Zoo. THe weather was great when we went and it was during the fall season. Sunny and cool. Furthermore, it seemed more natural. The animals didn't seem like they were caged up. THey had room to roam around. We have a daughter and she enjoyed it so much. It was really kid friendly atomosphere. I just wished they had more animals there.
Ok just to clarify - The zoo itself was fun. Nice grounds, well taken care of animals. I'm happy that there were things for even the littlest visitor (14 month old) could enjoy. Staff, however, could DEFINITELY stand to be more attentive and more courteous to visitors.
SERVICE (helpfulness/friendliness of staff) - 2 stars
ZOO ITSELF - 3 stars
My best friend and I took my 14 month old and her 2 year old on a Monday. It wasn't too hard to find and was fairly easy to find parking. What put me off right away was that the parking attendant took my money and didn't tell me where to go. There's lots of turns and other places to park so I kept driving fairly aimlessly, looking for anything that resembled a zoo entrance.
Got to the front gate and I was pleasantly surprised. The entrance is nice and clean. Paid our admission and again, all she did was take my money. No welcome greeting, no map, useful information, NOTHING!!! We didn't do the zoo key thing because 1. I didn't know about it since the attendant didn't say ANYTHING and 2. our kids are so young that it would have been information over load. Instead, we read the cards and simplified the info for them. LOL. I'd like to try the zoo key thing when my daughter is older, though.
Upon entering the zoo we saw there were flamingos. Nice areas, there were again lots of turns and ways to go. There were useful signs and we headed straight for the Children's Area. Our kids liked playing with the big tomato frogs and they absolutely LOVED the goats and sheep. Even my 14 month old enjoyed roaming around and wasn't scared of the animals.
We ate at the cafe near the entrance. The food was just ok; same like what you'd expect at any attraction. The employees however were NOT FRIENDLY or COURTEOUS AT ALL! I ordered some curly fries and I asked how big was the small and in reply I got a very nasty eye-roll and the clerk pointed to some sample sizes. My friend asked for whole milk for her son and the clerk was also very nasty to her, saying they served only reduced fat milk. On the plus side, our food came quickly but we had to eat standing up because there were no available seats in the a/c indoor eating area.
Walking around at 12-3 was fairly hot, most of the animals were either resting quietly or weren't too visible. I was pretty bummed not to see any tigers (napping? had other appointments?), but the 2 year old with us LOVED seeing all the giraffes, meerkats, lions, elephants and zebras. I liked that there were plenty of shady places to sit and relax. Like other Yelpers said, the place is VERY hilly (similar to UCSC if you've ever been there LOL!) so after pushing strollers + baby bags uphill it was nice to have a place to rest.
There were also sky basket rides and a train which we didn't do because of our little ones. Also just outside of the zoo were other rides (carousel, flying rocket looking ride, other stuff I couldn't really see) that our kiddies were still too young for, so we didn't do them. I like that it's so close by, though.
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I wasn't impressed. There were lots of dead ends and everything seemed uphill. We're SF Zoo members and got 50% off, but no map. There weren't very many animals. By the time we got to the kids area, my kids said they wanted to go home! They do have lots of benches so I was able to nurse my baby in peace while the kids ran around near me.
They do allow outside food and drink which is a huge plus.
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Yay! I went today for the earth day celebration and I've never seen this zoo so freaking packed!!! Ahh how I love Oakland Zoo and for the first time I was able to see the Lion's! Woot Woot.
I finally figured out why the Lions are never around to view. They do not like cold weather! With today's nice temperatures and a full clear sky with the sun blaring down, the Lions and all the other animals were out in full force. Even a bunch of baby ducks..
(@_
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This is a small zoo but its perfect for a nice stroll and it only takes a few hours to view everything. That's especially nice when you are walking around in the sun or with a group, kids, and its just the perfect amount of time before getting too tired and or bored!
So I upgrade you to 5 stars!
PS.
The earth day celebration was very cute. They had booths all over and it brought me back to the little kid days as I walked around checking out everything and had a blast doing it!
O
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(m) ^ ^ (m) ))
____("") ~~~ ("")________FUN___ FUN___FUUUUUUUUN!!!!!!!!
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/28/2008
By no means is this THE best zoo I've ever have visited. However, the ZOO is actually nice, well… Read more »
I haven't been to Oakland Zoo (or any zoo, for that matter) since my age was in single digits, so when my BFF was instructed to spend a day there observing primates for an anthropology course, my son and I were more than stoked to tag along.
The layout of the zoo was a little confusing, or maybe I'm just old as fuck and no longer accustomed to walking up and down steep inclines under an unforgiving sun for hours on end. Seriously, I don't know how my parents did it: all those years of taking us to Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm, San Diego Wild Animal Park...
It seemed like a few sections of the zoo were either under construction or not yet built. Also - maybe it just happened to be the time of the day that we were there, but it didn't seem like there were that many animals for us to see. But in all fairness, it was a really hot day. I guess I'd want to hide somewhere in the shade too.
Overall, this zoo was more of a 3-star joint for me, but it deserves one extra star for the unexpected entertainment value. I grew up here in the Bay, and I used to work for nightclubs out in SF, so I thought I'd seen it all... and then I saw a rather portly woman in capris and a halter, pushing a tandem stroller uphill in bright neon orange stiletto platforms, all while cursing someone out on the phone and never missing a beat.
I hate orange, but even I found that inspiring.
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I'm very glad that we have something like this in the east bay and just about 10 minutes away from my home. SF is not the only city privelidge to have everything.
I can't believe I haven't been here until today! It's so close. 15 min. drive away and I find myself in a well thought out zoo.
For a zoo of this size, it has a variety of key animals that you expect and want to see -- giraffes, various apes, elephants, otters, flamingos, zebras, bears, bats, lions and tigers. Its relatively small size is a big plus for me. You get to see everything in a couple of hours. It's small enough that the toddlers and adults don't get too tired. The petting zoo is very nice, because there is no feeding. At the SF zoo, feeding is allowed and that makes the goats extremely aggressive. These goats at the Oakland zoo were very gentle and calm.
The giraffe exhibit was one of the highlights for us. You could get pretty close to them, and there were lots of them. I did feel little bad for them, because the enclosure seemed too small.
I think we were the only people that came without children. The on-site restaurant looked like your typical zoo facility -- burgers, hot dogs, fries, etc. The drinks are overpriced. My husband bought a cup of coffee, and he said it was terrible -- bitter and watered down.
As you walk past different animals, you get a breathtaking view of the residential Oakland.
This place is a winner, and I will be back!
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Yesterday, I got the invite to spend my Sunday at the Oakland Zoo with my family and I'm really glad I went. Why? Because my 3 year old nephew was in tow and that little guy is an animal watching machine!
That little guy climbed up the monkey cage railing to warn them that no monkeys should be jumping on the bed. He taught me how to speak both Macaw and Lion by giving me a first hand demonstration. He even made plans with the tigers to hangout another time.
As for me, I was just impressed the the sheer size of these animals! I know giraffes are tall and tigers are huge cats, but to see them before you makes you wonder how we happened to come out on top.
In any case, my nephew and I agree that this place is a must see, whether you're a animal watching machine or just a regular tired uncle like me.
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They should really rename this place the stroller zoo because if you dont come here with a couple of little ones in tow, you will really stand out. Ive never seen this many people with strollers anywhere...except maybe 24th street in Noe Valley.
Well now I have an 11 month old in a stroller, and my niece and nephew came to visit last weekend. After doing some research decided the oakland zoo would entertain 3 kids and 4 adults as an after lunch activity. You can get through the whole zoo in a couple of hours and see a variety of animals. They also have a kiddie ride area, but we didnt get to try the rides because they were closed.
The zoo is also a bit hilly so the adults get a little workout, which is a good way to work off all the wine you drank the night before visiting with your relatives.
Overall a good time for all and worth the trip to Oakland.
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wooooooooooooooowwwwwww.....
I go waaaaay back with this place.
I remember being like 6 years old and taking summer classes in the little stinky classroom they had....
I remember getting dragged onto the little dipper and crying my eyes out and they had to stop it.....
I remember wondering if we could flatten pennies by putting them on the little train track and having the train roll over them(didn't work).
and then like 25 years passed and I didn't go until we got a membership for my daughter.... and ...
woooooooooowwww that place has changed.
So I haven't to the SF Zoo(obviously, I haven't been eaten, have I), but with the Oakland Zoo being literally 10 minutes away, I don't need to risk life and limb(yes, its RIGHT off the freeway so you can't get lost in the bad part of oakland unless yer an idiot).
The Sun bear is pretty cool... and in general its a pretty healthy walk around the different parts of the zoo. Give it a shot... it's nice to see the zoo change and come back into its own after so much bad press back in the day. Go Oakland!!
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We're not in San Diego anymore, toto..but this zoo is, in my opinion, more stable/overall way better than the SF zoo.
It's pretty small (which is a plus and a minus because you get through everything in a few hours but....you get see everything in a few hours. I dunno how you feel about that.)
I didn't even bother checking out the food prices, 3 dollars for a bar of ice cream though(i have priorities).
The animals are usually awake and walking around so you can actually see them and there are various viewing areas to catch a better view around the (usually) spacious housing areas. The animals didn't look too depressed and they weren't crowded into too-small synthetic habitats, which was nice.
The park itself is VERY kid/family friendly with play areas for kids and activities. it also has tons of ramps (which makes it handicap-accessible, also a bonus).
This is a plus, but may also be a HUGE negative if you hate kids...the inside insect/reptile rooms smell like DIRTY LITTLE KIDS. Really, the smell of grubby children sweating in the sun is quite pungent and overwhelming. BLEH, but whatever, you're at a ZOO (however it's saying something that the kids smell way worse than the animals...)
Some things of interest are the "people mover" ski-lift thing that takes you over the park (and let you see the bison, which are otherwise hidden), the train that goes around the park, and the FRUIT BATS, those suckers are HUUGE!
Go there with your screaming children or go there to laugh at screaming children. buckets o' fun.
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This is a very good mid size zoo. I really enjoy myself every time I go there and I have been there atleast 10 times. I like the gondola ride that goes over the tiger and other animal enclosures. Every time I wonder how dangerous this seems especially for kids who can slip through the railings. You can plan on spending a little more than half a day to see all the animals, eat at their food court and laze around a bit. Near the children's area, you can clearly the earthquake fault as well. Creepy but fun.
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I went here for the first time in January. My husband and I figured "why not," since we'd been living here for 4+ years and had yet to go. I was pleasantly surprised at the size of the zoo, since most people miss it, hidden up in the hills. Walking around, we kept finding more paths leading to different areas and exhibits.
There was a good variety of animals to watch, and we got to see most of them since we arrived pretty early in the day (before noon). I think my favorite was the giraffes, because there were SO many.
Since Christmas trees were currently being recycled around the bay area, the zoo used them in many of the animal habitats - as food, scratching posts, or toys. A really cool idea, if you ask me.
I really enjoyed this zoo and would recommend to anybody living in the area, or who is visiting. Definitely a neat little place in the middle of a big city. Also, we missed out on the gondola ride, but everyone I talk to says it's worth it!
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This is specifically for the Zoolights festival. My daughter and I really enjoyed it. It was a beautiful light festival. The zoo is lit up, and there are no animals since it's dark (duh!). So if you're expecting to see animals, you'll be very disappointed.
The light shows are well worth it. It was only 7.50 for me, 6.50 for my daughter, and parking was free! FREE, I said! It was also really nice to walk through the zoo on a cold, crisp night. The snack bars are open so you can grab a hot chocolate and sit and enjoy the lights.
I'd also like to add that my 12 yr. old really enjoyed it, and she's at that very hard to please stage. It's hard to find something that I feel is age appropriate, and also not to "little kiddish" for her.
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A well-done, almost neighborhood-style, zoo. This is a zoo you can visit again and again. It really only takes about two hours to peruse most everything, but that allows you to visit without hassle, knowing that it's not a big adventure.
Starts out with $6 to park the car and then you pay for your entrance fees. Exhibits are large and relatively natural. Make sure you head up the hill to catch the lemurs, try and sneak a peak of the sun bear in his ginormous habitat, marvel at the way the lions stretch and roll just like your kitty at home, and watch out for amorous baboons (although they do make for great funny-awkward moments as parents turn their children away from the glass, not wanting to explain what's going on).
And... by far the cheapest merch I've seen at any Bay Area attraction. Cute little ringer t-shirts emblazoned with Oakland Zoo for $10. Rock on!
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I haven't been to a zoo in a very long time. The last time I went was to the SF zoo in 2002. All I remember was they had torn down Monkey Rock, the petting zoo smelled like bike messenger's socks, and the elephants looked horrifically sad. My boyfriend at the time bought me a stuffed spider monkey that made noises when you smushed it to cheer me up, but still, those poor elephants!!!!
So when I decided I just had to see river otters before work this morning, we decided to head to the Oakland zoo. Good call.
The zoo is well laid out, affordable, and interactive. There were well informed docents walking around to answer all my companion's Meerkat questions, and the chimpanzees were having a blast. The otter feeding was adorable and the trainer made sure tho throw the fish about in a way that everyone around got to see an otter up close and being ridiculously cute. I'm pretty sure I cant see any puppies and kittens for the next month or my head will explode.
The only drawback for me, I suppose was the size of the zoo. It was pretty small, and while there seemed to be more than enough room for the animals to have non depressing habitats, I couldn't help but feel like it was over too soon. Its the perfect child's sized zoo. Which explains the piles of field trip participants. If you've got kids this place rules. If you don't it still rules, but you might feel a little awkward with the entire 4th grade class screaming ew because the seemingly happy (as happy as something resembling leather can look ) elephant is going poo.
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The Oakland zoo is cool. The food sucks though. All there is for vegans to eat is curly fries and chips with packaged guacamole. They have great novelty t-shirts, and i love chimpanzees.
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This zoo is totally whatevers. There are some zoos that are for kids and adults and some that are purely for kids... this is it. You really have to bring a stroller and at least 1 toddler to fit in with the rest of the crowd.
There was a woman at a stand selling baked goods. I thought I should buy one because the proceeds go towards the zoo but the rice krispie treat tasted like little pebbles and the brownie bites tasted gross, kinda overly preserved and overly dried up.
The coolest thing for me were probably the FRUIT BATS. Even though they are in cages, you can get pretty close to them to see that sometimes they only hang by one foot, see them walk upside down, and just see the details of their bodies that would normally scare the bejeezus out of you!! Kids seem to really like the petting area with the sheep and goats. They can grab brushes to brush the animals.
At least it's well kept and fairly clean here. My only suggestion is that they make it more comfortable for the adults who have to painstakingly take their smaller counterparts here. A coffee stand or something!?!
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I am not a big fan of big empty spaces. The place is okay but could be so much better. The children's section has nothing except people cleaning up poo from animals I did not see. The only good exhibit would be the Giraffes since they are so close in view. Did not get to see the elephants from being tired of walking seeing nothing. The reason I do like this place is the little kiddie rides outside of the zoo. My kids loves them.
I was invited to a 3 year old burthday party at the Oakland zoo. Of course being the sweet and adoring auntie Bonnie I attend. I'm shocked by the amusement park. Imagine my blank face and a bunch of question marks in different sizes above my head.
Merry-go-round, trains and sky lift. I mean, is this a zoo or a low budget disney land?? I guess if I was kid I would absolutely dig this place and nag my parents to bring me here every time I get an A on my report card or even when I share my toys with my siblings.
I am amazed at the closeness of the monkey and giraffe exhibit. I am almost eye to eye with the giraffe (just kidding, I'm only 5 '8 but with my heels I think I could win at a staring contest)
When I was admiring the tiger exhibit a little girl exclaimed to me, " He's sleeping. Shhhh." I whispered, "OK, I won't talk" She tells her mother in Mandarin excitedly, "Look at the little kitty, he's sleeping!" Then I realized the zoo is for the kids to learn, see and understand the animals' habitat. Although, I feel bad for the animals every time I go to the zoo.....a trip for a young kid is their first exposure to wild animals.......maybe a future vet, scientist or as simple as rescuing a animal from the shelter.
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My husand and I took my son here for the first time to a zoo (he is 2), he absolutely LOVED IT!!!!
They have everything there, its not so big or so small, we went thru the zoo and saw every animal...my son absolutely loved one of the monkeys he was so active.
I really recommend it its great for kids and toddlers.
All the animals were awake and walking, except the lions they were sleeping but other than that we enjoyed it very much!
