The Oakland Zoo

Don't miss the best stuff on your visit to the Oakland Zoo!

The Oakland Zoo is located on Golf Links Road just off of 580 in Oakland, California. The zoo is open every day from 10:00 to 4:00, and only closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. There's a children's ride area right out front as well. The ride area opens at 11:00. Children under 2 years old get into the zoo for free, and children 2 to 14, as well as seniors over 55 receive a discounted price. Current admission prices are listed on the zoo's website at http://www.oaklandzoo.org/. There is also a small parking fee.

The Oakland Zoo is probably our family's favorite Bay Area zoo. We've been members for several years. It is easy to get to, with plenty of parking. It's large enough to fill up a whole day, but not so huge that we need to rush to see everything we want. Most of the animal exhibits are well designed, updated, and maintained. The animals generally appear active and content whenever we visit.

Read the full review here.

What Will Be Here

Hello.
The California Bay Area is full of really wonderful attractions and places for both adults and kids. As a new mom, I was always on the lookout for things to do with my toddler, but sometimes it was hard to tell just from a website what ages an activity was best for. We ended up spending money for admission to attractions that were too advanced, too dull, or otherwise not what we'd hoped.

On the flip side, we learned about some really wonderful and fun activities for our kids by talking to other moms. It seems there are some great secret spots for kids hidden around the bay area. I would have loved a guide that gave me honest reviews of various attractions and what ages of kids would best enjoy them.

I'm not an authority on every single thing for kids to do in the bay, but we've visited many places, and continue to do so. I hope my lists and reviews help you and your children find something fun to do together.