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Zoomars Petting Zoo
Categories: Active Life Zoos Active Life Playgrounds Zoos, Playgrounds [Edit]
31791 Los Rios StSan Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
(949) 831-6550
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 5 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
60 reviews for Zoomars Petting Zoo
60 reviews in English
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Review from jen d.
San Marcos, CA
1/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
LOVE this petting zoo.
Clean
Knowledgable staff
Cute and friendly animal.
Been 2 times and anxious to go back and see our favorite bunny 'Pumpkin Spice'
The mining area is lots of fun and the man that oversees that area is lots of fun! He usually has baby chicks that he is training sitting on top of his cowboy hat! -
Review from ReBecki P.
Cerritos, CA
1/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
I came here for my niece's first birthday and I thought that everything here would be for kids. I was wrong -- I had so much fun wandering through the petting zoo! The animals in the order of my most favorite:
- Alpacas and/or llamas
- Zedonks
- Guinea pigs
- Sheep
- Mini horse
- Bunnies
They have baskets of veggies and cups of food pellets for feeding and it was a little scary for me, so I let them eat out of the basket. The zoo is fairly small and it might be hard to find because there's no sign from the street.
When you walk all the way to the end of the zoo, there's a little coffee house if you need a break and some snacks, too. -
Review from Ej S.
Torrance, CA
1/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
Located in a small nook in the outskirts of SJC and for what it's worth it's a decent petting zoo. The guinea pig and rabbit petting cage was extremely interactive and the kids were thoroughly entertained till the feeding snacks were gone.
If you have kids and a few minutes why not give the kids a thrill and stop on in. -
Review from Vanessa T.
Rosemead, CA
11/21/2011
My daughters love animals so every wknd, We would look up petting zoos in different cities to take them to. and i found one that we ALL LOVE very much.. Why ???
ONE WORD - ZEDONKS.
What is that you asked? its a 1/2 zebra 1/2 donkeys. And yes, they have 2 of them zedonks at this petting zoo. and they are super cool!
This is a legit petting zoo. It is extremely Cute. they have a bunch of Guinea pig and rabbits/Bunnies, that you can actually pick up and hold.. They are very friendly and very plump ( i must add) .. We spent most of our time with the bunnies and guinea pig.
their pony rides doesnt just go around in circles but around the farm, one pony at a time. their ponies are clean, cute and dont look SAD like most petting zoo ponies does.
They have All kind of animals... turkeys, ostrich, sheeps, goats, cows.. you name it!! All their animals look well kept and well fed.
After you are done with the petting zoo, you can walk a few minutes up the street and there are CUTE OLD houses that are turn into cafes, and restaurants.
Love this place! -
Review from Diana N.
8/27/2011 7 photos
Loved it, loved it, loved it when my friends and I came to visit! Any animal lover would love this place! And I'm talking about people in their mid-late 20s enjoying this place here! (I bought a deal from kgb Deals for admission for 6 people, 4 feed baskets and 2 train ride tickets -- sweet deal!!!). Regularly the admission is $6 for adults ($5 for kids). The admission definitely will be worth it if you take your time to look around and enjoy the activities. We spent about 2-2 1/2 hours there.
I admit, the facilities are quite small, the horse rides are limited to only children, and they don't have a variety of animals that you would have expected a zoo to have, but if you just concentrate on the simple and interactive activities this place offers, you would be able to take pleasure in everything here.
The interactive activities:
- Feed the goats and pet them while standing alongside them.
- Pet the llamas, horses, etc. but behind a fence (you can feed them, as well).
- Hold, feed, pet as many rabbits, guinea pigs, and one chicken as many times as you would like in a fenced off playpen area.
Embarrassing advice: When you're in the guinea pig playpen and you have a nice, sleeping guinea pig on your lap. Beware!!! They might end up peeing on you when they wake up or if they are extremely comfortable. True story. It happened to me.
Also, parents, please be sure to supervise your children when in the pen because I saw so many children mishandling the poor guinea pigs.
The feed baskets would have been more worth it if the animals were hungry (the goats were but not so much the guinea pigs), but then again, the feed baskets came with the deal. Other than the interactive activities, there are animals you can visually enjoy (i.e. tortoise, pigs, turkeys, etc.), a mini-train ride, and a small playground for the children.
Sadly, we were unable to use my railroad tokens, but the tokens were given to us to use at another time (no expiration date). Definitely will be back to use them.
Highly recommended for little children, animal lovers, first dates (guys, if you know the girl you're dating loves animals, bring her here), and outtings with the friends. The place is sweet, fun, and simple. When finished, the surrounding area is also a great place to walk around and chat. -
Review from Anna S.
Long Beach, CA
8/29/2011
Thank you Zoomars! Now my son wants a guinea pig. This place is very cute! We came here on a very hot day, and the small animal petting area had a nice cross breeze to keep the animals and the people cool. I couldn't get the boys and girl away from the guinea pigs, rabbit and chickens. The animals are very docile, but beware of when you are feeding them that your little fingers don't get in the way of their teeth. The goats were cute too, but the kids really liked the small animals.
Prospecting area for the kids to pan for semiprecious stones. The cheapest bag was $6 for them to pan. It kept them interested for a good 30 minutes while doing the searching. They get a plastic baggy to keep their stones in which kept them busy for hours later.
***Tips, Nice day trip to San Juan Capistrano. In one day you could do...Mission, Zoomars, Los Rios District & Dana point Ocean Institute. All are located off Del Obispo, except the mission which is close by on Ortega Highway. Breakfast at Mollies across from Los Rios District was good.
Use the bathrooms in the parking lot. Nice places to eat at around the Los Rios historic district. Train goes by which was great for kids to see. -
Review from Ingrid V.
Perfect day trip for you and the little squirt in your life:
Go to your local Amtrak / Metrolink Train station. Take the train to the San Juan Capistrano Station. Zoomars is a 3 minute walk from the train depot. Good times!
Very educational place! I brought my nephew here and I took the opportunity to tell him about all the animals he encountered (Hooray for Wikipedia and smart phones!). We purchased carrots to feed the Llamas and he really enjoyed the interaction.
He asked about the Ostrich and the Giant Tortoise we encountered. He especially liked the petting pen with the bunnies and guinea pigs, where I taught him how to gently handle and feed the animals. It wasn't long before he had a small army of them cuddling up to him.
He loved the treehouse playground set, and took a couple rides on the small train ($2 per ride). There are also pony rides available which he passed on.
There is a small gift shop on the premises with lots of cute stuff. He asked to pick up a plush lamb for his baby sister. How cute was that!
Few months back, I went to a birthday party here. Great place for the kids! I'd definitely come back. (But this time with a good dose of sunscreen!)
Oh... also... there are a lot of fun little shops and restaurants there as it is located in the historic Los Rios district. It's a beautiful place!Listed in: Hidden Gems
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Review from Michelle M.
Anaheim, CA
12/3/2011
I loved this place! Took my three year old here last weekend and he absolutely loved it. I was amazed how tame the animals were and my son jumped right in to petting and touching them.
For all the animals they have, it was pretty clean!
Also, I read some reviews about the animals being traumatized. Actually the helper gal at the pen was very strict on the little guys being gentle with the animals and called out a few kids for being too rough and ran over there to show them how to handle the little critters better.
Nice spot to spend the afternoon with your little one -
Review from Patagonia lover K.
Irvine, CA
1/10/2012
I am reviewing this in the context of a parent who wanted an easy-to-plan birthday party for a two year old. This is definitely a 5-star birthday set-up. I had started planning only 1.5 weeks before my kid's birthday and was pleased to find online the calendar, prices, and booking online. In the end I decided to talk to someone in person which was also very helpful. The party can be at one of 4 areas (starting in 2012). We had 3 options priced out for their birthday packages, as they hadn't changed their website or setup to reflect the 2012 packages. So what I am describing here is not what may be on their flyer but it was certainly an easy discussion and the Zoomars staff was super flexible on meeting my needs for my kid's special birthday event.
The children had a LOT of fun- each had admission to the petting zoo, a basket of feed, pony ride, and train ride. If you consider that there is also a playground, a "corne kernal sandbox" (trust me, endless amusement for the 1-5 year old set that we had invited as our guests..... and it's cleaner than sand!!), these activities are enough for a half-day of fun. Easily could imagine spending 3-4 hours again myself. All this in one attractively laid out, clean, and relatively close together area for quickly moving from one activity to the next ensured that our guests + parents had loads of fun before we did pizza and cake-cutting. In the end, we had about 35 adult guests and around 20 kids show up. We ordered Domino's pizza which was delivered on time and with excellent service. We thought it was more cost-effective for our order (15 pizzas) than doing the other companies recommended (pizza dude, ZPizza). We did not have a fridge immediately in the picnic area we chose but the Zoomars people make it clear that you are welcome to use the fridge in the back. For our guests' beverages, to keep 'em cool, we just brough our own coolers and dumped in some ice. Shading in our area (called "cactus flats" or "goose gulch") was 1/2 sun, 1/2 shade in the winter late morning. Temperature was fine for January, but if you are planning on a summer birthday, I'd recommend going with the fully shaded area called Pony Pavilion. Your young guests/ parents will be a LOT more comfortable and thankful that you paid the few extra dollars for that huge area.
I think it says a lot for Zoomars that I was compelled to write this review. I use Yelp all the time but this is my first time writing a review because I thought the experience was so good. The pricing is CHEAP for what you are getting- full admissions and party packs and guaranteed smiles from your guests, compared to bounce houses or other outdoor rental areas where all you get are picnic benches +/- minor amenities.
Regarding the animals, we thought the guinea pigs did prefer the adults and maybe have seen the hands of many toddlers, so some appeared skittish, but they are all very nice animals and look well-cared for. I grew up with hamsters and know that shy rodents are pretty much the norm.
Finally, I want to commend Camilo, Walter, and Nina for being so great to all our kids and helping make sure the birthday party was going smoothly! You guys are great... Thanks! -
Review from loren l.
Torrance, CA
11/19/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Fun for. Little kids
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Review from Laura F.
San Marcos, CA
8/7/2011
We went to Zoomars for the first time yesterday for a birthday party and had a great day. The staff was accommodating and courteous. The grounds were clean, the animals were healthy.
I just read through all the negative posts and I'm surprised by the negativity. I feel I should take the opportunity to defend Zoomers! Have any of you been to the San Diego Zoo? I'm sure the world's best kept animals live there. Have you ever been to the petting area? If you have then you know that goats are aggressive and hungry all the time. All The Time! They eat nonstop. An aggressive goat is not a sign of abuse or neglect. Second, you will always encounter the smell of animal excrement, even at the 'world famous' San Diego Zoo!! I felt Zoomers was exceptionally clean considering it's residents release themselves of bodily waste on the ground!!
My daughter loved the guinea pig/rabbit pen. She couldn't get enough of it. There was an attendant in the pen at all times. At one point the attendant asked my daughter not to chase the rabbits. I was actually impressed at the care that was given to the animals. Regarding posts about scared rabbits and Guinea pigs: in my entire life I have never experienced a rabbit that wasn't timid. They all are. All the time. As for the Guinea pigs: about half of them were happy to hang out with the kids and about half seemed like they needed a break so hung out under the benches. Seems pretty normal to me.
As for the train - yes it is small but we have the exact same train at UTC mall in San Diego. If it's good enough for a big mall, then it is good enough for Zoomers too. My daughter has always enjoyed riding it and she got the same joy from her ride yesterday.
The kids got to pan for gemstones yesterday. What fun they all had! The man running the station was so gentle and kind to the kids, referring to all of them as 'little one' and helping them identify their treasures, "that one is white quartz, that one is fluorite, that one is jasper". My daughter even found an Indian arrowhead and a crystal point! She carried her bag of treasures around for the rest of the day.
So how could Zoomers improve? I would like to see a sink with running water inside the petting grounds. Right now the only sink is located outside the zoo at the bathrooms. To their credit, they do have plenty of hand sanitizer all over the grounds.
My daughter asked me this morning, "when can we go back to Zoomars?" And right now she is sitting next to me at the kitchen counter with a plastic bowl and a bottle of pump-soap cleaning her bag of gemstones.
Yeah, it was a great experience and we will go back. -
Review from Penny M.
Pasadena, CA
5/18/2011
It was our first visit to San Juan Capistrano and we needed an activity that the Baby (our 5 year old) would enjoy. So Daddy found this petting zoo on line and we decided to check it out.
At first glance, it seemed like your typical petting zoo. You know, kind of scuzzy, but okay for a petting zoo. Then we saw the pen that keeps the bunnies and guinea pigs.
This pen is about 10x10 with a bench seat all along the fence so folks can sit and watch as 30 or so bunnies and 40 or so guinea pigs shiver in terror as they wait to be dug out from under the bench by some 4 year old monster that has no business handling any live animal!
It works like this: The pen is open for anyone to come in. Children of all ages and adults run around trying to grab a rabbit or guinea pig to "hold and pet." However, the animals are obviously terrified (that's why they're cowering under all the benches) and the people are doing much more than "holding and petting." Animals are being flung, dropped, and having carrots jammed into their mouths by people that think this is actually okay.
At one point, I had 4 guinea pigs on my lap and they burrowed their little faces into my stomach and sat very, very still for about 20 minutes. I have no doubt they would have sat there all day just to escape their horrible reality, but I had had enough and needed to leave. Poor things!!!
I asked the attendant who was working in the "pen of terror" if the animals were scared. She said that they were very scared and stressed out all the time! She also said that children are not supervised well by their parents and the animals are greatly left to their own devices (teeth, claws, and hiding).
I will be honest and say that my Baby had a lovely time holding a sweet, little guinea pig that she wanted to take home. I felt like an awful person having contributed to this place that allows these little animals to be so abused. I asked the attendant if she thought I could put a few guinea pigs in my pocket and walk out un-noticed, and she said that people try to walk out with the animals all the time.
So...if you enjoy watching animals get abused, please come and sit a while in the "pen of terror." This place has caused me to write my 1st official letter to PETA!! -
Review from Fancypants X.
San Francisco, CA
$6 entrance fee + $2 for a basket of food for the animals
Zoomars Petting Zoo might be fun for children, especially if it's their first time ever in such close quarters with furry friends. But for childless adults who've been to petting zoos in numerous countries (we heart animals), Zoomers doesn't quite measure up.
There are bunnies & guinea pigs in one pen. I didn't see an employee manning this area because an overly enthusiastic little boy was allowed to squeeze (an adorable, black & obviously tortured) guinea pig, make it 'fly' in the air & hold it upside down until it cried. On second thought-- nevermind an employee; where the hell were the boy's parents?
The goats are super aggressive, standing up on & repeatedly headbutting anyone with a carrot. Horses, a cow, alpacas, a tortoise-- that about sums up what's here. Bottom line: only come if you're in the area anyways (seeing the mission, a fair or a bar) & wanna fill up 15-20 minutes of your day. Don't go out of your way to visit.
The only memorable part of our excursion were the hot men working at the Hidden House Cafe! Upon paying your entrance fee, you're given a 'free cookie' voucher for your entire party. The mini chocolate chip cookies were good, but the view of the muscular, tanned hotties in cowboy hats was even better. (p.s. Let's hope my bf skips over this review!) -
Review from Phoebe C.
Anaheim, CA
5/13/2011 5 photos
Zoo Mars is a petting zoo quite a distance away in San Juan Capistrano with few animals--goats, horses, sheep, llamas, donkeys, pigs, rabbits, and guinea pigs. As expected with a petting zoo, it reeks of barnyard animals. With our Groupon "deal" it cost $3/person with a free token for a miniature train ride for each kid (keyword: miniature). Each little group also gets a small tray of veggies (AKA unwashed lettuce, broccoli and carrots) to feed the animals.
Be careful, because the animals are vicious and will hoard around you like starving, savage beasts once they get a glimpse of the food. They will even get jealous and chomp your sweater if they see you feeding their friend and not them. People with allergies also need to be careful about coming here because you might begin to feel itchy and rash onset might appear.
What I did semi-enjoy about this place is holding the guinea pigs and rabbits...they're quite adorable...if you can catch one, that is! -
Review from Tam Rae L.
Foothill Ranch, CA
7/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
First of all, it is very hard to find if you don't know where you are going. Call for directions, don't use your nav system.
I went to Zoomars because I bought a Groupon for it. The Groupon was for 6 admissions into the Zoo. That was great but the real expense comes with buying the animal food (that the animals didn't even want because they had been getting stuffed with it since the doors opened) buying a train ticket (cheesy train that goes in a circle, yawn), pony ride (not bad) and other non pet related items.
They need to rotate their animals in their small 20x40 foot bunny and guniea pig area. The animals were over fed and annoyed with the children, they were biting and scratching all of the kids when they would try to pick them up. If they took half the animals out and rotated them half way through the day I think the animals would be healthier and the children would have a better time. (not getting bitten)
The billy goats were cute and their area was very clean and didn't really smell too bad. The ponies were nice and clean as well. -
Review from katie d.
Arcadia, CA
11/11/2011
I am almost 30, but I couldn't resit visiting going to a petting zoo!
I went over the summer. It was a bit emotional because my pet rabbit recently passed away. It was a nice place to visit, but I do worry about the safety and welfare of the animals here.
The goats are awesome and look very plump. They are clearly happy and well fed.
The bunnies and guinea pigs are also well fed, but many of the children pick them up and force feed them. Rabbits are very delicate as are guinea pigs, and it makes me concerned for their welfare. Simply dropping a rabbit the wrong way can be fatal and children don't realize this. The owners and staff need to be more vigilant.
Overall, however, I think the staff here is very caring and the animals are cute, but it would be nice if the staff could keep a better eye out for how the children treat and interact with the animals. -
Review from December M.
Anaheim, CA
3/9/2011
This place is totally depressing, especially if you love animals.
Nothing but overfed, dirty, and anxious looking animals competing for food from squealing toddlers who are much too grabby. The train ride is the saddest thing I've ever seen. It's about the size of someone's bedroom and just goes around and around in a boring circle about half a dozen times. My 9 year old niece did not enjoy this place at all and either did I. In fact, I felt extremely bad for the animals who have to live in this "petting zoo". Luckily, I did not pay a dime because her mother purchased a Groupon for us to use.
There are $5 ponies rides from a bunch of sad looking ponies that also just goes around and around in a small circle. The bunnies are so overfed they look like mutants. The goats are overly aggressive while competing for food. The sheep and llamas looked dull eyed and dirty. The burro looks so beaten down by the whole experience he isn't even interested in food. The look on his face is enough to make you want to cry.
The place was dirty with food and animals feces everywhere. No animals should have to live their lives like this for the profits of a petting zoo and the amusement of some bratty kids. If you want to teach your children to love animals, don't bother doing it here. Sad, sad. sad. -
Review from Rui N.
Irvine, CA
2/21/2011
When the BF planned a surprise date and took me to the Hummingbird House Cafe, he would have NEVER in a million years guessed just how many wonderful/amazing/perfect boyfriend points he's going to get. Why? Because I LOVE LOVE LOVE animals and petting zoos and Zoomar's petting zoo was right by Hummingbird's
The entry price is pretty reasonable ($6 for adults, and $4 for children I believe) and they have so many happy looking animals in there!!!! As you walk up to the entrance, you can see a llama, a couple of alpacas, a donkey, 2 big cows, a fat pig, a couple of horses, some very exotic chicken looking birds, goats, chickens, turkeys, and an EMU!!!! Unfortunately we didn't get a chance to actually go in because the BF also planned a hiking trip at Caspers Wilderness and we need to keep to the schedule. But I'm definitely planning on coming back here next time we are in the area.
The animals are all very nice, except for the dark brown alpaca, he was looking at the bf funny, and we moved away because we were scared it's gonna spit on him hahaha. For smaller children, you can also get a horse ride too. :)
I love animals, and I love petting zoos, and I will most definitely be back. -
Review from kristen y.
Childress, TX
4/4/2011
I think I might have given this place a higher rating if A) I wasn't allergic to all these animals, and B)I didn't currently live in TX and see these animals on a daily basis for free!
That having been said, I think younger children will love this place. We went with my 23 month old niece. She seemed to enjoy it. Right away we went into an enclosure with rabbits and guinea pigs. She had a tray of veggies to feed them. These animals are calm and used to kids. They loved eating from her hand. Some animals hide under benches. Perhaps they weren't in the mood to deal with toddlers.
There are goats, pigs, sheep, horses, cows. and llamas. Oh, and an ostrich. The goats are aggressive so be prepared. Perhaps carry your child if they are little. One goat cornered my niece for her tray of food before we even had a chance to pick her up.
There is a little train that goes in a circle. Again, must be fun for kids.
There is a small play area. Looks like people host parties there too.
We had fun. Mostly fun just experiencing it through the eyes of a 2 year old. -
Review from Larry M.
4/7/2011
We spent a lot of time here unexpectedly while visiting the mission. This is an above average petting zoo and we had a great time.
They have a large area with bunnies, guinea pigs and a couple chickens in it. You are allowed to pet, pick up and handle these animals. There were two friendly employees inside monitoring everything and also helping kids hold the animals properly. My son got to hold a chicken that fell asleep while being held.
They offer pony rides too for a extra fee. We also fed the animals, they had some cows, llamas, donkey and goats. The place was clean and the staff was all very nice. Though a little on the expensive side, we spent about and hour and a half here and had a great time. -
Review from Bree C.
Huntington Beach, CA
11/5/2010 1 Check-in Here
Ok. This is very cool. I didn't realize we still had these cool little petting zoos. Come with lots of baby carrots and lettuce. Otherwise you gotta buy a small little tray of stuff for $2 or $3.
We took the train. TOTALLY RECOMMEND!! The 2 yr old niece loved it. What little tyke doesn't? The zoo's less than 5 mins walking from the Depot.
First you see Llamas and an Ostrich on the lane leading up to it. Entrance fee was something like $6 an adult. $5 kids (1 yr and older) and Seniors. Inside they have pens you get to actually walk into. Goats, where we spent 30 mins trying to get them back into the gate they got out of. A Rabbit and Guinea Pig pen. So cool. You can tell they're used to kids. No complaining at being held and lugged around. A cow, horse, and pig area that you can't get into but you can get close enough to feed. Parrots that call out hello. A jungle gym area with swings and slides.
Excitement for the day? When the Hubby felt the niece peeing on his leg and the grandparents realized they'd forgotten extra diapers and shorts. Do you know how embarrassing it is to ask another mother if you can have one of her kids diapers? Me neither. I made Grandma do it. Sadly that womans kid was older than the niece, thus a too big a diaper. I know Mom's. Your all cringing. Second time she peed, it was all over Grandma's leg. Aww, I wish you all could see the evil grin on my face right now. -
Review from Kim D.
Laguna Niguel, CA
12/4/2011
If you like seeing cute fuzzy little animals being tortured, this is definitely the place for you! I've been here twice, and it's basically awful. Even the employees working there will tell you that the animals are stressed out and unhappy, but day after day they will be subjected to being manhandled by screaming, sticky, violent children. The most heinous thing about this place is the giant bunny/guinea pig pen, crawling with kids trying to grab a fistful of fur from the nearest cowering animal. The animals there get fed carrots that you can purchase from the zoo, although carrots should really only be given to rabbits as treats, so it's safe to assume that most of the rabbits there suffer from diabetes or have other medical issues due to the conditions of the zoo. Keep walking, and you'll find goats, cows, and a depressed tortoise all probably sitting in the hot sun with very little shade and water. The lack of water at this zoo (I should mention here that I went in the middle of the summer) was appalling. So if you're not an animal lover and don't mind seeing them living in squalor, then by all means, bring your kids here and let them chase around some defenseless critters for awhile.
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Review from Ciara G.
First off, I said it in my quick tip but I was totally serious (do you hear that yelp friends? you know who you are) that I am going to have my next bday celebration here. Yup, my last year in my 20's will be going out with a bang via a $19 dollar trip on the Amtrak to San Juan Cap for many pets from soft bunnies, feeding hungry goats and trying to get the llamas to pay attention to me.
I don't care how old you are bc if you love animals and wish you lived on a farm like me you will easily fall in love with this petting zoo. I only got to spend 5 minutes here but it was a joyous 5 minutes. I could easily stay there for hours. Totally would get my $6 entry fee worth.
Bunnies, ponies, a piggy, sheep, goats, llamas, an emu, chicken, a fluffy Asian chicken and tons of guinea pigs. Pet, pet pet, touch, touch, touch and spend the extra few buck to feed the cuties some nomnoms.
The staff pretty much herded us out like cattle but they let us in for free so who am I to complain. Just wish I was small enough for a pony ride. Maybe they will let me ride Chex the pony (he's actually a full size horse) on my bday. -
Review from Dale c.
La Quinta, CA
1/13/2012
great spot clean friendly well run
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Review from maria M.
Newport Beach, CA
9/21/2011
I bought a groupon deal for this zoo and we went all family to use the 29.00 admission for family (discounted rate from Groupon). However you can use that ticket just to get to the zoo area, otherwise for almost majority of the activite we have to pay extra per kid, such as $ 3 for small kid's train ride, $8 for horse ride and so on..to be honest we got really disappointed. I guess they should either eliminate the admission or waive each ride ticket.
Don't fall for Groupon deal. -
Review from Cupcake V.
Anaheim, CA
3/6/2011
What a great little place for a fun family afternoon! Every employee we encountered was really nice and welcoming. You can buy a small basket of fruits and veggies to feed the animals. They cut them up right there at the counter as you enter.
It was Saturday and there were several birthday parties going on here so it was pretty crowded. The line to ride the ponies was really long and there were way too many people in the bunny/guinea pig pen, so the animals tend to take refuge under the benches, but were easily coaxed out with a carrot stick or lettuce leaf and then seemed tolerant of the cuddling. (I wish more parents would assist their little ones with holding the small animals properly. Children can be rough without meaning to be.)
The goat/sheep pen was comedy central. The goats stood up with their paws on my husband to get to his basket of food and one kept nibbling on his pants to get his attention. One goat spit at him when he ran out of food. We laughed and laughed. We watched several head-butting battles over territory and one funny goat wouldn't come down from his perch on a playhouse porch for fear of losing his prized location. He would reach as far as he could with his lips and tongue to get the carrot offered him. Good times!
We all loved feeding the cows, llamas, alpaca, burro and the fiesty emu. We look forward to our next visit to Zoomars! There is a GREAT DEAL on Living Social right now:
http://livingsocial.co... -
Review from Steven L.
River Forest, IL
Back in July Lucy Y. and I were in the area hanging out with some friends and we walked by this place. Unfortunately it was closed at the time but we made a vow to come back here during regular business hours one day.
Yesterday was the day. We went on the way home from culinary debauchery in San Diego. I've never seen so many rabbits and guinea pigs in one place at one time. There was cuteness as far as the eye could see.
LY took a liking to one baby guinea pig in particular and, judging by the photo, I think the feeling was mutual. There were also numerous llamas, a pot bellied pig, goats and an emu.
This is a great activity for little kids and for adults (like me) who love animals. Just make sure you get there with plenty of time to spare so you can properly visit with the animals. -
Review from Lucy Y.
Los Angeles, CA
9/5/2010
After seeing this place twice before when it was closed, Ciara G and Steven L and I booked it here to try to get here before they closed yet again today. We literally walked up to pay the entry fee ($6 per adult) 5 minutes before they closed at 5pm, so they let us in for a 5-minute freebie.
We made the most of our 5 minutes! I picked up a couple ADORABLE little guinea pigs, petted a couple sheep and goats, saw a big potbellied pig, a little chicken who looked like she was wearing a fur coat, and LOTS of rabbits.
SO FUN!!!
I'd likely sit holding a guinea pig for hours, were we given more time, so 5 minutes for today was fine. But next time I come back, I'm going to plan for more guinea pig cuddle time!Listed in: San Clemente area faves!
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Review from liz l.
La Mesa, CA
2/7/2011
What a fun place! My 2 year old and I had a blast here today with our friends. I thought it was reasonably priced for an hour or two of fun. My little guy loved petting and holding the guinea pigs & rabbits. They were all very friendly and tolerant (which surprised me given some of the handling I saw). We even got to pet a chicken and found an egg that she laid. The train ride was a huge hit of course and so was the playground area. We also enjoyed checking out the cows, llamas, emu, tortoise and horses.
The other thing I love about this place is the location. You can take a very picturesque wander near the train station (another hit with the kids as they loved seeing the trains run by), get coffee, food, etc.
Can't wait to spend a morning here again. -
Review from L S.
Los Angeles, CA
7/9/2011
This place was aiight! Actually, I would not have went after reading the review from the yelper who wrote the letter to PETA. I definitely didn't want to drive all the way to San Juan Capistrano to see some sick animals. However, I didn't have the same experience as that yelper. Well, not totally. If you care strongly for animals then you really should prepare yourself before going to a petting zoo because there is a high possibility that there will be children playing with animals a little rough, not all parents monitor their children like they should AND the petting zoo is primarily for human enjoyment and satisfaction.
So we took our kids (2 1/2 and 10 months) to see the animals. There were horses, pigs, cows, llamas, an emu, an ostrich, goats, rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens. I didn't see any sick animals and the children and parents there (at the time we went) were appropriate and loving towards the guinea pigs and rabbits. The horses were different sizes and my 2 1/2 year old loved riding the horses though he wouldn't get on the bigger ones. This place was clean, the people were friendly and the only real issue we had was there were two parents trying to cut in line so their kid could ride the pony.
We spent about a little over two hours there and I really can't imagine being there any longer because there really isn't much to do. I didn't see any food or snacks so if you go you should bring your own. -
Review from Pam D.
Beverly Hills, CA
8/2/2011
This is the cutest place ever! After reading the reviews and getting a deal on admission through the "Daily Deals" on Groupon, my sister and I visited in June for my birthday. (I'm not embarassed to say I wanted to go here for my b-day. We hit up the Casino next LOL)
The reviews were right, there were a million and one guinea pigs in the petting zoo part. The animals were clean and well kept except for my little guy....the cute black guinea pig needed his nails trimmed because one was so long it ws starting to curl. I let one of the groundskeepers know and she promptly took him in the back and gave him a little manicure. I was skeptical they would do anything about it but they proved me wrong by attending to the little guy right away. There is also a little train and you can buy food for the animals. I was really impressed by the food because it is'nt your run of the mill pellets they actually put together a fresh tray of brocolli carrots and lettuce and some other treats thrown in. There are also numerous bunnies and chickens to prt. There is a train and a birthday party area as well as ponies, an ostich, some cows and sheep. They also have a nice aviary and a little gift shop. Go if you have the chance. And also check out the old town area next door. -
Review from christine k.
Fullerton, CA
6/11/2011
Very sad to see our favorite person that makes the place happy is gone. Cant say got the same feeling as before.
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Review from Cindy E.
Los Angeles, CA
7/13/2010
I love that this zoo is right next to the Amtrak. Literally, right there. The area around Zoomars is so quaint and pretty.
We took our 1.5 year old son to Zoomars. I thought the petting zoo was very age appropriate for him. He loved petting and feeding the rabbits and guinea pigs. Negative: too many kids in there. Gets very crowded.
Pros:
1) Friendly animals
2) Has a train
3) Age appropriate
4) Very cute location and located right next to the Amtrak
Cons:
1) Pricey for a small zoo (the food you buy for the animals ain't cheap. And the tickets for the small train ride and pony ride aren't cheap either). Only infants are free.
2) The goats attacked my husband. He took some food into the pen and they all surrounded him and even jumped on him with their front legs. Freaked all of us out. Do NOT take food into the goat pen. Especially if your little one is with you. I think there should be a sign there.
3) The train track is very small and just goes in a circle. Got dizzy after a few rounds.
4) There were field trips when we went. TONS of little kids running around. So it got very crowded very fast.
Overall, I'm glad we went at least once. But I don't think we'll be back again. My son had a ton of fun feeding the goats and rabbits. -
Review from Barry W.
11/27/2009 12 photos
*** How I spent Black Friday w/ the boy. ***
We do not like shopping so we protested
the whole consumerism movement just by
petting/feeding animals & riding ponies. ;P
My boy has been asking all week to visit a
petting zoo. Zoomars is a choice location.
Zoomars boasts to have +100 animals.
Most are birds and bunnies but we were
happy to find goats, ponies, a cow, sheep,
emu, alpaca, more (see pics). This makes
for a good 1 to 2 hours of joy for lil kids imho.
We had a blast! We'll try to take a train down
next b/c the station is located across the street.
*** $5 for admission and $5 pony rides, yay. ***Listed in: Kid Friendly Joints ...
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Review from Jennifer P.
Los Angeles, CA
9/28/2010 3 photos
Cute petting zoo, great for little ones. I was there about an hour with my 4 y.o niece before she was ready to go but well worth it.
Spent $13 (Adult-$6, Kid-$5, Basket of Carrots-$2) the farm is pretty small and while it was a little underwhelming it was perfect for her...there are a few larger animals which she was scared of so we mostly stuck to feeding the 75 rabbits and guinea pigs.
We got there right at 10am and were the only ones until about 1030. All in all it was a great way to spend a few hrs. -
Review from cel j.
Buena Park, CA
this would be a perfect place to throw a kid's zoo bday party!!!---playground in the middle of a petting zoo...
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Review from Anita L.
12/31/2006 6 photos
At first I thought 'geez, how good can a petting zoo in the middle of a town square be', but then, after we paid the entrance fee ($5 for adults and $4 for kids but if you fill out a form for your child, you will get a discount off when you visit thereafter) and buy some grub for the animals, it actually got more and more fun. You can buy carrots and lettuce for the bunnies and all the animals and millett for the birdies.
I ended up spending WAY too much buying food for the animals as it was SO much fun, but poor lil guy decided to go into the goat pen without me and ended up being attacked by the goats who apparently knocked him over. By the time I got back from buying more food, I found lil guy cornered and the goats were jumping on him like dogs do and he was screaming his little head off. Poor kid. He was crying and really traumatized, but when I told him let's go, he wanted to feed the bunnies, so guess we weren't going anywhere.
It was a seriously good time for all!! -
Review from JC D.
6/27/2008
They claim hundreds of animals. I don't remember seeing that many, but I also didn't count all the bunnies.
There's pony rides, and you can also ride the old out of shape horses. At least they're not starved and inbred like the ones in Rosarito.
Train ride. Check!
Birthday parties. Check!
5 bucks for adults and 4 for the kiddos. The veggie tray is 5 bucks and 1 dolla for a cup of of carrots. Some of these animals are overfed. Animals will eat if the food is there, and so they do.
The llamas and alpacas are cool; they will slobber all over you if you allow it. The goats are fun to watch. Hold on to your kids; I have seen them eat babies. That's what they do when they're cooped up for too long--they love the taste of baby flesh.
The zoo is just a stone's throw away from the train station and plenty of parking if you do drive here. -
Review from John L.
Aliso Viejo, CA
8/31/2010
This is a great small scale zoo, perfect for toddlers to interact and enjoy the animals. Don't go expecting Disneyland or San Diego Zoo, but it's also priced to let you pop in and pop out without feeling like you need to spend the day.
Combine it with several sure to please favorites in the area and you have a real delight for kids and families:
SJC train station
Sarducci's (okay food, but kids' eyes light up with every train that rumbles past the window while they're eating)
Hidden House Coffee
Sundried Tomato Cafe (great brunch stop, amazing food if you can tear the kids away from the train station)
A great way to break up the day with your little ones, and a favorite of my growing family! -
Review from Justin A.
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
10/4/2009
Zoomars is certainly not a big zoo, but it is fun for your smaller kids and certainly worth the cheap price. Plan for an hour or two of fun, then move on.
We've been several times. The bunny and guinea pig petting zoo are great for the smaller kids. They also have a goat feeding area and horseback rides. Our daughter loves all of it.
They have other penned animals too - birds, geese. pigs, ostriches, llamas, turtles...
They also host kids parties here - I've been to 5, including my nephews.
During certain holidays they also set aside part of the lot for holiday specific fun. This time of the year, they have a pretty neat little pumpkin patch that you should also check out.
Just make sure to watch your kids at all times - like you should any time you mix children with animals.
If you keep your expectations simple - a 1 hour inexpensive mini zoo experience for your younger children - then you will not be disappointed.
Zoomars is right by the Amtrak train station, and near the town square. There are a few things to walk around and look at, as well as a few good places to eat all in the immediate area. You can easily spend half a day in the area.Listed in: Kidz Korner
