Santa Barbara Zoo

Zoo · East Beach

Santa Barbara Zoo

Zoo · East Beach

3

500 Ninos Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93103

Photos

Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by
Santa Barbara Zoo by
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null
Santa Barbara Zoo by null

Highlights

Nestled between the ocean and mountains, this charming zoo offers a delightful glimpse into nature with its well-groomed animals, interactive exhibits, and kid-friendly amenities.  

Placeholder
Placeholder
Placeholder

500 Ninos Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93103 Get directions

sbzoo.org
@santabarbarazoo

Information

Static Map

500 Ninos Dr, Santa Barbara, CA 93103 Get directions

+1 805 962 5339
sbzoo.org
@santabarbarazoo
𝕏
@santabarbarazoo

Features

payment credit card
Tap to pay

Last updated

Jul 11, 2025

Powered By

You might also like

Terms of Use • Privacy Policy • Cookie Policy
 © 2025 Postcard Technologies, Inc.
@onthegrid

"Located on 30 acres right next to the ocean in Santa Barbara, this zoo’s claim to fame used to be Gemina, the giraffe with the crooked neck (she passed in 2008). Although she’s not there anymore, this zoo is still great! It’s a little smaller than most zoos, but that’s ok because bigger zoos can sometimes get overwhelming. Beautiful scenery, lush landscapes, this zoo is well maintained and can be a very enjoyable experience for people of all ages." - Amanda Proudfit

On the Grid : Santa Barbara Zoo
View Postcard for Santa Barbara Zoo
@goop

"Located on 30 acres of botanic gardens overlooking the ocean, this is one of the most beautiful zoos, housing 500 animals in faithfully recreated natural habitats. Programs like “Backstage Pass” and “Behind the Scenes,” give visitors the chance to get even closer to the animals and see the inner workings of the zoo alongside a zookeeper. Photos: Chuck Graham (left); Tony Luna (right)"

The Santa Barbara Guide
View Postcard for Santa Barbara Zoo
@onthegrid

"Santa Barbara Zoo, Santa Barbara by Amanda Proudfit. Located on 30 acres right next to the ocean in Santa Barbara, this zoo’s claim to fame used to be Gemina, the giraffe with the crooked neck (she passed in 2008). Although she’s not there anymore, this zoo is still great! It’s a little smaller than most zoos, but that’s ok because bigger zoos can sometimes get overwhelming. Beautiful scenery, lush landscapes, this zoo is well maintained and can be a very enjoyable experience for people of all ages."

Santa Barbara, California, USA
View Postcard for Santa Barbara Zoo

BD Hodge

Google
Impressive for such a small zoo. The pens are large and well designed. The zoo itself is beautiful. Lots of old growth trees. The three California condors were spectacular. And their aviary looked big enough for them to get around.

Connie Curran

Google
Great fun at the zoo. Medium size zoo with some fun animals. Animals appeared to be well cared for. Unfortunately the giraffe exhibit and several others were closed. But overall a nice facility and a great place gor kids. Loved the condors and the penguins.

T CHAN

Google
The Santa Barbara Zoo is a gem—small, beautifully maintained, and brimming with wildlife and family-friendly attractions. Ideal for a 2–3 hour visit, it stands out with its giraffe‑feeding, train ride, and engaging programs. Cleanliness, conservation, and thoughtful design are consistently praised.

Cathleen Gonzalez

Google
Buy your tickets online and save $7. It is $35 at the door which is a little steep for the size. It is a small zoo with few but a nice variety of animals. You can see everything within 2 hours if you'd like. It does have nice areas to relax in the shade and you can bring your own food and drinks in. Everything is clean and bathrooms are decent. The enclosures are clean, well kept and seem to be enriching for the animals. The animals seemed relaxed/happy. Animals were pretty visible and it is cool how close you can get to most of them. Staff is knowledgeable. It is also across the street from a park and a 10 minute walk to the beach.

Sonia Pop

Google
Beautiful little zoo near the ocean in Santa Barbara is definitely a must see. The atmosphere was peaceful with beautiful flowers and trees everywhere. The animals were well cared for in their home. I definitely recommend this outing. My family took me to the zoo for my 60th birthday celebration and we did an animal encounter. Our animal encounter leader Leila, and Alina who was in charge of the specific encounter we did, were both amazing! Leila went above and beyond giving us VIP treatment which made the day extra special. Very quaint hometown atmosphere made us all feel welcome.

Mara Heller

Google
I brought my son since we were in the area and we really enjoyed ourselves. The employees were all nice and happy to answer any questions we had and we really enjoyed the sassy rhino-hornbill being fed. It was also neat to be able to get so close to the kangaroos in the walk about area. We enjoyed the train ride too, the conductor had a good one on the capybaras being rous. We enjoyed ourselves and the nice shaded walkways since we were there in the afternoon.

Amber Eye

Google
This zoo is a perfect spot for a fun, affordable outing. It’s clean, well-run, and the animals are clearly well cared for. We loved the interactive feeding stations, walk-through aviary, and close-up views of the big cats. Great for families or anyone who loves animals—highly recommend!

Jelly Dream

Google
Zoo, It was a nice experience to experience after like 14 years ago, I came back as an adult. I only gave it 4 stars since i didn’t see leopards and lions and other animals. And that’s because they were being taken care of, and that’s okay. Anyways it was nice I got like teddy clothes for 3 bucks, and a nice bracelet. I nearly almost broke my ankle don’t wear platforms! 😃 oh yeah maybe bring a few snacks just in case you get hungry, I wasted 3 bucks on chips. Unless you’re bawling like that, then spend it. They have cute stuffed animals, I wanted all of them… sadly I haven’t gotten paid yet, anyways would go again! 🤗