Road Trip Guide:
California

Ocean InstituteDana Point

Hours

Sat–Sun 10–3 (weekdays school groups only)

Season

year-round

Weekdays reserved for field trips

Project Survival's Cat HavenDunlap

Hours

May-Sep: Wed-Mon 10-4, closed Tue; Oct-Apr: Thu-Mon 10-3, closed Tue-Wed

Season

Summer schedule May 1-Sep 30; winter schedule Oct 1-Apr 30

Admission

Adult $19 (13-61) · Child $13.50

Reservations

tour only

Big-cat sanctuary near Kings Canyon; access is by guided walking tour only, about 1.5 hours on a quarter-mile decomposed-granite trail that is sloped in places. No tours run between 2:00 and 2:30 p.m. Golf-cart assistance is available only if you call ahead on (559) 338-3216. No pets and no service animals on site; a kennel is available in the car park. Only standard strollers are allowed on the trail. Indoor educational programmes are offered as an alternative for anyone who would find the walk difficult.

San Diego Zoo Safari Park* — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedEscondido

Hours

9–5 (late Oct 2026; varies by date)

Season

year-round

Admission

Adult from $78 (12+) · Child $68 any day (3–11); $63 value days

Reservations

Not required

Parking

$20 per car

* We could not confirm: hours vary by date. Check their site before you go.

Sequoia Park ZooAZA-accreditedEureka

Hours

Tue–Sun 10–5 (last entry 4); closed Mondays

Season

year-round

Redwood Sky Walk not yet open to public (beta testing)

Folsom City Zoo SanctuaryFolsom

Hours

May-Sep: Thu-Sun 9-3; Oct-Apr: Thu-Sun 10-4, closed Mon-Wed

Season

Spring/Summer May 1-Sep 30 (9-3); Fall/Winter Oct 1-Apr 30 (10-4); closed Mon-Wed year-round

Admission

Adult $10 · Child $10

Reservations

Not required

Parking

Free parking in the adjacent lot off Stafford Street, in Folsom City Lions Park

Last admission is 30 minutes before closing (3:30 p.m. in winter, 2:30 p.m. in summer); grounds then stay open until the closing time. Closed Monday to Wednesday. Closed New Year's Day and Christmas Day; closed July 2-4 for the Folsom Rodeo and September 26-27 for the Renaissance Faire. May close or change hours for weather or air quality. Gift shop 10:30-3:30 winter / 9:30-2:30 summer. No pets or emotional-support animals; ADA service animals permitted. The Folsom Valley Railway miniature train in the same park is a separate $5 per person ride. City-run; the stored domain folsomzoo.com resolves but returns nothing, and folsomzoofriends.org is the Friends group, not the city.

NorCal Aquarium and Wildlife AdventureFolsom

Hours

Mon–Sat 11–7; Sun 11–6

Season

year-round

Admission

Adult from $17.99 (no age split shown) · Child under 23 months free

Reservations

Not required

Formerly SeaQuest Folsom; discount Mondays after 4 and Wednesdays

The Reptile ZooFountain Valley

Hours

daily 10–7

Season

year-round

Fresno Chaffee Zoo* — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedFresno

Hours

9–4 (day shown)

Season

year-round

* We could not confirm: prices on separate admission tab, not fetched. Check their site before you go.

California Wolf Center* — some details below are unconfirmedJulian

Reservations

Required

All tours by reservation only

* We could not confirm: tour prices on separate page. Check their site before you go.

Micke Grove Zoo* — some details below are unconfirmedLodi

* We could not confirm: site blocked automated fetch. Check their site before you go.

Aquarium of the PacificAZA-accreditedLong Beach

Hours

9–6 (day shown)

Season

year-round

Admission

Adult $49.95 · Child $34.95 (3–11)

Reservations

Required (weekends and holidays)

Parking

$8

Reservations required weekends/holidays

California Science CenterAZA-accreditedLos Angeles

Hours

daily 10–5; closed Thanksgiving, Dec 25, Jan 1

Season

year-round

Admission

Free · Child free (permanent galleries)

Reservations

Not required

Parking

fee (amount not shown)

Timed tickets needed for IMAX and special exhibits

Los Angeles ZooAZA-accreditedLos Angeles

Hours

daily 10–5 (last entry 3:45); closed Thanksgiving, Dec 25

Season

year-round

Cabrillo Marine AquariumAZA-accreditedLos Angeles (San Pedro)

Roundhouse AquariumManhattan Beach

Hours

Oct–Mar Mon–Fri 2–5, Sat–Sun 10–5; Apr–Sep Mon–Fri 2–7, Sat–Sun 10–7

Season

year-round

Admission

Free · Child free (donation requested)

At end of Manhattan Beach Pier

Applegate Park Zoo* — some details below are unconfirmedMerced

* We could not confirm: site blocked fetch. Check their site before you go.

Monterey Bay AquariumAZA-accreditedMonterey

Season

year-round

Admission

Adult from $65 (18–69) · Child $50 (5–17); 4 and under free

Reservations

Not required

Parking

unknown (no on-site lot)

Advance tickets recommended; hours vary by date

America's Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College* — some details below are unconfirmedMoorpark

* We could not confirm: site blocked fetch. Check their site before you go.

Oakland ZooAZA-accreditedOakland

Hours

9:30–4 (admission to 2pm per current listing); closed Thanksgiving, Dec 25

Season

year-round

Admission

Child 15% off adult price; under 2 free

Reservations

Required

Parking

$15 advance / $20 at gate

Advance reservation required for general admission; gondola included

Orange County ZooOrange

Hours

Sat–Sun 10–4:30; Mon–Fri 10–3:30

Season

year-round

Admission

Adult from $2 (ages 3+) · Child $2 (ages 3+); 2 and under free

Parking

park entry $3 weekdays / $5 weekends ($7–10 major holidays)

Located inside Irvine Regional Park

The Living Desert Zoo and GardensAZA-accreditedPalm Desert

Hours

Oct–May 8–5 (last entry 4); Jun–Sep 7–1:30

Season

year-round

Admission

Adult from $44.95 (18+) · Child $34.95 (3–17); under 3 free

Parking

free

Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo* — some details below are unconfirmedPalo Alto

* We could not confirm: site blocked automated fetch. Check their site before you go.

B Bryan PreservePoint Arena

Reservations

Required

Tours only; no drop-ins

Turtle Bay Exploration ParkRedding

Hours

Wed-Fri 9-4, Sat-Sun 10-4, closed Mon-Tue

Admission

Adult $22 · Child $18

Reservations

Not required

Parking

Complimentary parking at the Sundial Bridge lot; RVs and trailers use the overflow dirt lot next to it. Drop-off at the roundabout near the museum.

Museum, gardens and small animal exhibits. Hours above are the pattern shown right through the park's own October 2026 ticketing calendar (9-4 Wed-Fri, 10-4 Sat-Sun, nothing listed Mon-Tue); the park does not publish a plain hours page, so other months may differ. The park stays open in bad weather but outdoor shows may be affected, and no refunds or rain checks are issued for weather. Visitors aged 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Free wheelchair and stroller rentals, first-come first-served. Lockers $0.50 per use. Redding Garden of Lights (Nov 20 - Jan 3) is a separately ticketed seasonal event.

Feline Conservation Center (EFBC)Rosamond

Hours

10–4; closed Wednesdays

Season

year-round

Admission

Adult $10 · Child $5; under 3 free

Sacramento Zoo* — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedSacramento

Hours

9–4

Season

year-round

* We could not confirm: prices not on homepage. Check their site before you go.

Monterey Zoo* — some details below are unconfirmedSalinas

* We could not confirm: site blocked automated fetch. Check their site before you go.

San Diego Zoo* — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedSan Diego

Hours

daily 9–5 typical; extended hours on some dates (9–9 on Oct 30–31 2026)

Season

year-round

Admission

Adult from $78 (12+) · Child $68 any day (3–11); $63 value days

Reservations

Not required

Parking

$16 per car

Value-day price online in advance only; Kids Free promo in October

* We could not confirm: hours vary by date. Check their site before you go.

SeaWorld San DiegoAZA-accreditedSan Diego

Admission

Adult $51.99 (sale from ) · Child varies by date

Parking

fee (amount not shown)

Theme park with marine animal exhibits

Birch Aquarium at Scripps* — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedSan Diego (La Jolla)

Hours

9–5 (day shown)

Season

year-round

* We could not confirm: prices not on homepage. Check their site before you go.

Aquarium of the Bay* — some details below are unconfirmedSan Francisco

Hours

daily 10–5

Season

year-round

Reservations

Not required

At PIER 39; exterior elevator out of service

* We could not confirm: prices on tickets page, not fetched. Check their site before you go.

California Academy of Sciences (Steinhart Aquarium)AZA-accreditedSan Francisco

Hours

Mon–Sat 9:30–5; Sun 11–5

Season

year-round

Admission

Adult from $49 (19+) · Child $39 / $45 peak (3–12); 2 and under free

Reservations

Not required

Planetarium needs free timed pass; advance tickets recommended weekends

San Francisco Zoo* — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedSan Francisco

Hours

winter (from Nov 1) 9:30–4:30; open 365 days

Season

year-round

Admission

Adult from $32

Reservations

Not required

Parking

fee (voucher bought on site; amount not shown); free street parking on Sloat Blvd

* We could not confirm: regular prices not on page. Check their site before you go.

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo* — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedSan Jose

Hours

10–4 (day shown)

Season

year-round

Combined small zoo and amusement park

* We could not confirm: prices on ticket site. Check their site before you go.

CuriOdysseyAZA-accreditedSan Mateo

Hours

winter (Nov 2–Feb 28) daily 9:30–4:30; otherwise 10–5

Season

year-round

Science center with live native animals in Coyote Point Park

Santa Ana Zoo* — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedSanta Ana

Hours

daily 10–4

Season

year-round

3rd Sunday monthly free for Santa Ana residents with ID

* We could not confirm: prices not on page. Check their site before you go.

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea CenterSanta Barbara

Hours

Daily 10-5

Admission

Adult $17 (18-64) · Child $13

Reservations

Not required

Parking

Free for the first 90 minutes on Stearns Wharf

On Stearns Wharf at 211 Stearns Wharf, about two miles from the Museum's main site - admission is a separate ticket. Pre-purchased tickets are not required but are available online. Posted special hours: late opening at noon on November 8; closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day; closing early at 4:00 p.m. on December 5 and on January 16, 2027; closing early at 3:00 p.m. on Independence Day; closed on the day of the Fiesta Parade. Self-guided groups of 10 or more may get special rates if arranged in advance.

Santa Barbara Zoo* — some details below are unconfirmedAZA-accreditedSanta Barbara

Season

year-round

Admission

Adult from $39.95 (13+) · Child $29.95 (2–12); under 2 free

Parking

$11 per vehicle

Closes 4pm most nights Nov 11–Jan 10 for IllumaNature (last day entry 3pm); $2 off online

* We could not confirm: daily hours not shown. Check their site before you go.

Seymour Marine Discovery CenterSanta Cruz

Hours

Tue-Sun 10-4, closed Mon

Season

year-round

Admission

Adult $12 (3-17) · Child $9

Reservations

Not required

Parking

Paid parking on weekdays via ParkMobile; free parking at weekends. EV charging and bike racks on site.

On the UC Santa Cruz Coastal Science Campus at 100 McAllister Way, overlooking Monterey Bay. Tickets online or at the door; advance purchase recommended on busy weekends and holidays. Daily docent tours are included with admission on a first-come first-served basis. Most visits take one to two hours. Grounds are fully ADA accessible and stroller friendly.

Heal the Bay Aquarium* — some details below are unconfirmedSanta Monica

Admission

Adult $12.00

Under Santa Monica Pier; Weekend public hours and birthday parties paused as of 2026-10-19; special events instead

* We could not confirm: site blocked fetch; URL unverified. Check their site before you go.

Safari West* — some details below are unconfirmedSanta Rosa

Reservations

Required

Visits by booked safari tour

* We could not confirm: prices on separate page. Check their site before you go.

Wildlife Learning CenterSylmar

Hours

daily 11–5; closed Thanksgiving, Dec 25, Jan 1

Season

year-round

Admission

Adult $7 · Child $6 (13 and under); 2 and under free

Reservations

Not required

Occasional special-event closures

Six Flags Discovery KingdomVallejo

Hours

Varies by date; see park calendar. Sat 31 Oct 2026 11am-8pm; Sun 1 Nov 2026 11am-7pm

Season

Operates on selected dates rather than daily; the November 2026 calendar shows open days only on Nov 1, 7, 8, 14, 15 and 21 - weekends

Admission

Child varies by date

Reservations

Not required

Parking

Daily General Parking $39, Daily Preferred Parking $49, both buyable online in advance; a tram runs to and from the main gate

Theme park with animal exhibits; check Calendar & Hours. Fall events (Oktoberfest, Tricks and Treats) run on select dates and are included with the day ticket. Tickets are non-refundable and non-exchangeable, with no rain checks even for weather closures. The animal attractions share the park's operating calendar, so on closed days there is no way in at all.