Santa Barbara Zoo

very nice little zoo. animals look well-groomed and happy. cute giraffes with a good appetite. nice children's area. convenient walking route around the zoo. enough parking. clean toilets, well-groomed territory, there is a cafe and vending machines with food.

We had such a great time at this zoo. I didn't expect it to be as big as it was. There are so many animals and so much to do. The views were amazing, especially at the top with the giraffes, because they overlooked the ocean. The kangaroo area was awesome, too! I loved that we were able to walk into their habitat and be so close to them.

Fantastic creatures on display accompanied by, this time of year, festive and colorful lanterns. This is the third zoo I have been to with a light show, and by far it had the most fun types of lights. Not to be missed if you have kids, and fun for adults, too. Being your camera!

Set in a scenic location between the ocean and the mountains, this is a beautiful zoo!! Not too big, great for kids and adults alike.. probably the best zoo I have been to in the US..

Our first time ever and my family absolutely loved it. We’ve been to others and not to compare but this one had the essential animals. Spacious and didn’t feel crowded. We’ll be coming back in the future. Price is good. Parking is $11.

Visited last week. Best place to go with friends and family. It’s small zoo so you don’t need have to worry about walking a lot. Recommend yo buy tickets online

We came one hour before they closed for the holiday lights. Asked if there would be a discount since it was only an hour but NO. Would have given it 5 stars if there was a discount for the 1 hour that we quickly walked around before they closed for the holiday lights (which would have been a separate fee). Overall it was a quaint zoo.

I loved the SB Zoo! It's so fun and kid friendly. You can rent strollers and even buy beer or wine. There are tons of animals and playgrounds and experiences to walk inside and be with the animals. I highly recommend! 10/10 Purchase your ticket online ahead of time! It's much cheaper.

What a fantastic little zoo. What it lacks in size, it more than makes up with animals and exhibits. I woke up on a Friday morning in my hotel and saw the beautiful weather, so I decided a nice walk from the wharf to the zoo would be in order. I made my reservation/bought my ticket at the hotel on my laptop and allowed myself 30 minutes to get there. All the animals were out and about. Loved the Kangaroo/Wallaby walk thru. Got to see an Axolotl up close. The Bald Eagles were talkative. The view of the Giraffe eating from a tree was picturesque. His relatives in Africa would be so jealous. A great way to spend a few hours, and walked along the shore all the way back to the hotel. Just a wonderful experience.

I am really disappointed that their website didn't say the train and the giraffe exhibit are under construction and closed for the season. Had I known this, I wouldn't have come in the morning and instead purchased tickets for the night lights. Aside from this, we were here two hours. Parking is $11. We went to Taqueria El Buen Gusto (a few minutes drive away) prior to get burritos to go and brought in water and snacks. Prior to leaving, we had lunch on a bench to avoid toddler meltdown. The animals present are so close! I was surprised how close the lion, lioness, gorilla, and red panda got to us. We even heard the lion roar. We also loved the light fixtures of animals throughout the park for their seasonal light show at night. It was stunning during the day so I can imagine how magical it is in the dark. My two year old loved being able to brush the goats and he won't stop talking about it. Lots of photo ops. You also get views of the ocean near the lions and giraffes.

We visited the Santa Barbara Zoo on a Saturday morning in early November, and it was a great experience! It's definitely a smaller zoo compared to San Diego Zoo, but there's still plenty for kids to enjoy. The highlight for my toddler was feeding the giraffes (worth the $8!) and brushing the goats, which made the visit extra special. You can probably walk the entire zoo in about two hours, so it's perfect for a shorter outing. There's also a snack bar, and they serve beer if you're looking to relax a bit while the kids explore. At $25 per adult (kids under 2 are free), it's worth it for the family-friendly atmosphere and activities for little ones. Overall, I'd definitely come back to bring my toddler!

OM goodness I almost forgot to review the Santa Barbara Zoo! What a great experience. This place is gorgeous and very walkable even for seniors and young children. We really enjoyed the Walk-A-bout the Kangaroos seemed oblivious to us a we walked through and we left them to their daily routines! Wish we were to be here around the Christmas Holidays to see the displays of lights. The Red Panda was the shower of the day but so many beautiful animals call the Santa Barbara Zoo home. The staff are always willing to explain and enlighten you to help you understand the animals and their lives. This is a great expo for young and old alike.

Zoo Parking is about $10 , there are some lots walking distance for $7 across from the zoo . We opted for the zoo lot. If you have a placard or plates parking is free for disabled . That was a pleasant surprise and entry was also discounted . Yesterday was the first day of zoo lights so they closed early at 3:30 . last entry is at 2:30. Zoo lights runs for a few days in November and from what we saw, the place must look magical at night . They didn't skimp on lights , we saw them hanging everywhere including overhead . You may need a reservation for this . I can see this being very crowded . I didn't clock the amount of time it took us to get though the zoo but it wasn't longer than 2 hours , we were not in a hurry and walked slow. There are some steep hills but there are stairs or alternate paths so even for someone who's got minimal challenges the last push up a flight of stairs looked better than a steep hill. Most of the animals were out in their habitat . I'll have to say the most animated were the penguins . We started them from below their habitat under water .. What a hoot! Some of them were posers and some played up to us at the window. Probably the funnest part of the zoo. The Lioness, once we got her attention wanted nothing to do with her photo being taken and crouched behind a tree -that was pretty funny and yes I got the message . They are improving the habitat for the giraffe so they were all inside . It's an odd area for a zoo, right near the freeway, and a large habitat for either condors or vultures overlooks the freeway (bird Tv?) and a giant pond . I'll bet those birds dream of taking a dip in that pond . It was kind of sad . If you're a mom with small kids it's a great place and has a lot of family spaces and kid play areas . There were a lot of paved areas so very stroller friendly and did have many stroller parking areas . There was only one food vendor area open when we were there (they sell vienna beef hot dogs (chicago dogs) )for $13.50 . We almost bit since it's my fav dog, but at that price i can order a # or two from Vienna + shipping . There were many vendor spots located around the zoo just not open on a thursday in November . I'd imagine during summer and weekends this is a busier zoo as it does require a reservation entry time if you buy on line . The good part about their reservation system is they show you how many spaces are left so you can choose a less crowded day if you prefer . If your looking to kill a few hours in a unexpected place in the bustle of the 101 freeway or just want to stretch your legs after a long trip from driving the 101 , I recommend the SB Zoo.

Came to the zoo a few weeks ago while voting SB. My wife surprised me and brought me specifically for feeding the giraffes. That experience was awesome!!! The zoo is a bit smaller and could use some upgrades but I still had a good time. The lion area was awesome because that's probably the closest I will ever be to a lion!

This was a small but powerful zoo! Everything can be done in about 2-2.5 hours but I felt that the animals were much better than that of other zoos. They actually had a red panda that wasn't sleeping in the morning! They also had a walk in area to go and get closer to the kangaroos which was really cool. Had the other basic cool animals such as lions, cheetahs, giraffes. Only thing that was missing was the gorilla exhibit was closed due to construction. For $25 per person and $11 for parking, I felt this zoo was actually pretty worth!

Santa Barbara Zoo is one of the best small zoos in SoCal. I actually prefer it to the LA zoo which is much bigger in size. The zoo is situated by the beach which can expect cooler temperatures. I think what I like most about this zoo is that it has a great assortment of animals for its size and good animal enclosures. This zoo somewhat reminds me of the Living Desert zoo in Palm Springs in terms of its size. While I've been coming not a whole lot has changed aside from a Wallaby encounter that allows you to come up close to the animals. Parking is a reasonable charge, you can find free parking around the area if you're willing to walk. Food options are somewhat limited and includes your standard zoo food and kid friendly meals. Most food is found at the gate. There is another dinning location up the hill towards the top of the zoo, but is not always open during slower days. For children's activities there is a train that takes you around the perimeter of the park and they also have a small children's area play place. The other highlight includes giraffe feeding area which is a highlight. This zoo is a great place to take young children and one of the highlights of visiting Santa Barbara.

Well we decided to walk around at the zoo and see what this one has compared to the one at home! First it was $50 for the both of us which I thought was a little high for this zoo! No difference between adults or seniors it's the same price! After we started down the path inside I noticed signs stating closed or do not enter! Also landscaping is in need though out the zoo! I guess they are hurting in funds! We have been here many times when visiting SB but we won't be visiting the zoo anymore! It was a disappointment!

If you know this is a small zoo, it's amazing. We did a Boy Scout sleep over and had a great time. Rode the train, animal talks, breakfast, etc.

This zoo was amazing! The location is 5 - 10 mins from downtown SB. We arrived around 11am on Sunday and there is a fair amount of parking available. We paid for admission to the zoo at the door and mapped out our visit. You are allowed to bring food and drink into the zoo which is helpful to decrease your eating out costs. The zoo is clean and doesn't smell! There are so many different animals that were actually visible! The wallaby exhibit was cool because you were actually in their little sanctuary with them. There's also a train that rides around the entire zoo which is about 10 -1 5 mins, and additional cost. There was plenty of shade around the zoo and places to picnic/sit down. I totally would come back to this zoo, we loved it!

Worst zoo in SoCal! You are better off just going to the beach across the street or driving to The L.A Zoo or Long Beach Aquarium. This zoo has completely gone down hill over the past 10 years and should do the animals a favor and shut down. COST: First, it charges way too much for parking before you even get your entry ticket, so for a family of four we almost spent $100 before we even got inside. If you want to feed the giraffes that's extra charge once inside for three pieces of lettuce. INSANE! REPTILES: The reptile area smelled like fish poo and mildew and it was so bad it almost made me vomit. GORILLAS: I personally think they are abusing the gorillas who were extremely aggressive and smelled as if they hadn't seen a sprinkle of water in 10 years. They had no shade, no water and nothing to chew on to keep themselves hydrated. The zoo has signs up about their smell to prevent people from saying anything, but that doesn't make it ok. I've been to plenty of zoos around the world and never have I smelled Gorillas that stunk that bad. FOOD: There are no good food options like AT ALL! The whole place just looks sad. Grass is dead and the waterfall that used to be the centerpiece was murky and overgrown with sludge and moss. There was nothing to be excited about besides feeding the giraffes here and we left rather depressed from the animals living conditions. Most of the an

If you're looking for a short day trip to the zoo- this is the place to go. It will only take you about two hours max if it's just you and someone else. We had two toddlers with us so it took a little longer. Not too many SB Zoo staff around to guide or ask questions about animals. One security guard was walking around and he seemed to be knowledgeable and would help out visitors. Gift shops are cute and have nice merchandise. We didn't eat there so I can't say anything about that. Some of the animals seemed to be napping/relaxing, maybe bc it was in the afternoon. The plus size was you could see the animals closer up that you would at a bigger zoos.

Great little zoo! We have been members for many years and it provides a predictable enjoyable day with our daughter. The animals they have, and overall size of the zoo can be seem a little underwhelming, but also provides the ease of a visit and the charm! My daughter never misses sliding on the little hill in the play area! 100% worth a visit if you're in Santa Barbara!

Keep your expectations low and you will still get to enjoy this zoo. This zoo is known to be very small hence a lower price of $25 per adult versus San Diego Zoo ($69) or Monterey Bay Aquarium ($59.95). Parking was another $11. We spent about ~2 hours just walking through the whole zoo. There were a few exhibits without any animals. The Australian Walkabout was interesting since you could walk close to the emus and kangaroos. Though the kangaroos were just laying down from a far distance. My favorite would probably be the gorilla. While two older ladies had their backs turned away from the glass wall, the gorilla ran towards the glass wall and bang both fists at the glass before running away. Once there was a crowd of people in front of the glass, the gorilla starts posing for the cameras.

The zoo is small to medium size, but so glad we went! I spent about $65 for 2 people between tickets and parking and we spent a collective 2.5 hrs here with a 15 min lunch break and moving through exhibits rather quickly without kids. Several picnic benches are available as they do allow food and drink in the zoo! There were some unique sights I haven't previously seen at many other small zoos. There was a wallaby, kangaroo, and emu/ostrich exhibit where you could literally walk inside right up close to the animals which was so cool! You could pay $8 to feed the giraffes (we didn't, just 2 pieces of lettuce but the kids seemed to enjoy it). There were 2 adult gorillas very close to the glass as well as 1 female and 1 male lion. I felt like the number of exhibits and unique animals definitely made the experience worth it. Easy walk for kids or elderly, good amount of walking but the park wasn't too big. There's a gift shop and bathrooms as well. I would HIGHLY recommend getting to the park right when they open as we noticed all the animals were out in sight eating breakfast. Around lunch time, a few of them had gone out of sight seeking shade, or were taken behind the scenes where you could no longer see them. Highly recommend this zoo!

This didn't a great big zoo, but it's very intimate because some exhibits let's you come close to the animals without cages. The kangaroo exhibit takes you through the walkway and the kangaroo is literally sitting next to you. The giraffe exhibit lets you do feeding time for $8 and you get to be up close to the giraffes. What makes this zoo special is their play area for kids. I love how there were hills where the kids grabbed card boards and slid down on it and jelly fishlike structures made out of fishing line where the kids ran through the tentacles. I never got so much out of a visit to any zoo before especially compared to LA Zoo. You actually saw a lot of active animals which is why you got to the zoo in the first place. We had so much fun, we decided to do a yearlong pass, you can actually apply that day pass to the yearlong pass. Our family was $100 for parents, and two kids under 2.

We didn't think it was going to be a lot of animals considering the parking lot is not that big. We were surprised how many animals there were because the zoo is not that big but I love how much habitat the animals have there. There are animals in every corner you turn if you don't look you can miss them. It's not like other zoos where there's so much walking and there's no animals just a bunch of bushes. They had a Dinosaur show which we stayed for and I'm glad we did because we got to take a picture with t-Rex at the end. The way they start the show 15 minutes before is by having a little dance party for the kids. They asked for a few volunteers to help brush t-Rex's teeth. We left 4 hours later because we had such a great time. There's also a little hill where children can slide down using a flat cardboard box. This hill is in the middle of a lot of places to graba a snack or drink; so the kids can play and mom and dad can grab a drink or snack. Things to know: *parking is $11.00 *some folks park on the street for free *there are strollers, wagons and electric chairs for the elderly that are for rent. *there's changing tables for babies in the restrooms. Overall, great time and the kids loved it!

When we arrived to the zoo, we went to the front to rent a scooter for my disabled fiancé. We were hoping to use the scooter for an event past 5pm as my fiancé underwent treatment recently and can't walk for long periods of time. My family and I had to walk back and forth to drop off the scooter, pickup his walker from the truck since it's a good size and we didn't want to carry it unless we needed it. WE SAW SOMEONE ELSE AT THE EVENT WITH A SCOOTER PAST FIVE. One of the employees told us we could bring the scooter back around 5:45 the latest. Then the manager approached us and asked us if we had any questions. My brother in law asked if it's okay we brought back the scooter a little after 5. She said no it has to be before 5. Before all this, the manager was already giving my fiancée and brother a hard time. The zoo needs more places to drop off the scooter or a better manager because she could have been a bit more professional. The animals were pretty cool.

I really love this zoo because it's clean, easy to navigate and the animals all looked very well taken care of. Parking is easy in their private lot and admission is pretty reasonable at $25 per adult and $15 per child. They do have giraffe feedings which are extra but worth it! The train ride around the zoo is also extra but we found it informative and we got to see some of the animals closer than if you were just walking around. Also, don't miss the Australian Walkabout where you get to enter their enclosure and see the kangaroos, emus and wallabies super close up!

Zoo Do You Love? The Santa Barbara Zoo (SBZ) has been in operation since '63 and operates on a 30-acre lot in the heart of beautiful Santa Barbara, not too far for the Pacific Ocean. The Good: *They're a non-profit zoo that's AZA accredited and participate in breeding programs to help prevent extinction in the wild. *While not as many animals as say the San Diego Zoo, they do have over 400 animals representing 136 species. Which is plenty to keep everyone happy. *The zoo itself is really beautiful and has great surrounding views of the mountains. *The exhibits really make you feel very close to the animals, which is nice. There's nothing worse than having to squint to see a peek of something in the distance. *Employees/volunteers I dealt with were all very pleasant and had good knowledge. *I felt like the zoo was just the right size to see everything and not take up your entire day. *Australian walkabout got you really close to the animals! Maybe a little too close... (See below) The Meh: *They still have timed entry?? 0_o *Not sure why, but it took a good five minutes for the girl in the booth to ring up my parking fee. *Speaking of which, why do they have to charge for parking??? Just add a few bucks to the price of tickets, and let's move on with our lives. The Ugly: *While I'm universally repulsive to both male and female humans, evidently, the Emu in the walkabout either saw me as competiion or as a mate. Either way, I wasn't sticking around long enough to find out... 0_o TLDR: Nice little zoo in a beautiful location. Recommended if you're looking for something to do while visiting the area and especially if you have young kids.

The Santa Barbara Zoo is a gem of Santa Barbara located at East Beach. A train ride around the zoo is a must! The property has a wide range of plants that makes the overall experience more memorable.... Lots of kid friendly attractions. Have a fun day there!

Enjoyable day at the zoo. All had Aggie time on. Mothers Day. Parking was full. There is a nice train ride .

I am so happy I consulted Yelp before coming here. We were originally supposed to go to the Santa Barbara, Botana Gardens, and the reviews really didn't sell me, so we change gears and looked at the zoo reviews, and I found them to be very accurate. It is a small, quaint Zoo, but you really do get up close and personal with the animals more than I remember in any other zoo I've been to. Most notably, you get within a few feet of live kangaroos, which was definitely the coolest experience. Note, if you are a breast-feeding, mama, they don't have any room for you to go in, which I really think should be some thing that every zoo or place that has a lot of, children or somewhere you bring your children to should have, so I can make it a comfortable experience for everyone. Otherwise than that, I thought you can get up close to other exhibits, such as walking through the bird exhibit, and I read somewhere you can feed the giraffe for a dollars although we had to leave due to our little one before we could do that. Would definitely return here.

A very small, but beautiful and well laid out zoo. They have a lot of great animals to see with some interactive exhibits as well. There is also a train that circles the entire zoo however, it is for an additional fee and is designed toward kids. As mentioned it's beautiful and it would be fun to walk around even if there were zero animals in there. One of my favorite parts was feeding the giraffe. Growing up in San Diego I became very spoiled when it comes to zoos, and this one is definitely at least a quarter of the size of that one, but it is still really fun and worth seeing. It's $15 for adults and it's easy to spend a few hours there. The exhibits are well done, and the animals seem to be well taken care of. I would definitely recommend to any fan of zoos.

Loved how beautiful the zoo was. It's a great experience my kids for sure ! We loved the red panda and the fennec fox and the capybara! Awesome staff as well.

Really wonderful place to spend the weekend afternoon! Staff is kind and knowledgeable, there is a lot of animals to see and good area to walk around! Lots of nature, very well constructed!

Best zoo for toddlers in my opinion. I took my son for his birthday because of the size and of course the beautiful location. The animals were all out which made the experience even better. The staff gave my son a birthday button to wear which made his day and mine. Later that day my son was stung by a bee & staff member Chris whose first aid certified gave him a baby giraffe stuffie after he took care of the sting. That sweet gesture warmed my momma heart so much. You can catch some beautiful ocean views while inside and there is also a lovely garden in the middle. By far, my child had the best time at the oh so creative ant hill in the play area. It was so cool- you have to check it out. Overall, I loved this zoo & can't wait to return for another amazing visit.

Small and enjoyable zoo. I think it is the perfect size for children. Now as a new mom I'm learning that with babies and small children you have limited time. This zoo allows you to see everything in about two to three hours. We had a reservation at 10;30 a.m. and we were done by 1:30 p.m. It was completely empty ay 1:30 p.m. on a Monday. I think all the babies and small children were napping by than. We paid for parking online as well as tickets and train ride. Highlight was seeing the California condors.

50 bucks for nothing. The enclosures are pathetic for these poor animals. Barely any animals to even see. They should have more than enough money to pay to give these animals a decent place to live.

I came here on a Saturday around 1pm. We made an online reservation as they require them. We decided to try out the dual membership for $150 and you can bring in an extra guest every time. We covered the whole zoo in a couple of hours. We had lots of fun and enjoyed every bit of it! My favorite was the red panda so adorable!! I do wish they had water refill stations located throughout the zoo. On Tuesday's and Thursday's you can also ride the train at no additional cost. We saw the dinosaur show that was lots of fun for kids. The rock climbing wall was unfortunately closed during our visit but is usually open on weekends. I will love to come back and plan a picnic inside.

The cutest little zoo in the most perfect location! My 3 year old and 11 year old equally loved it. I thought i might have to rent a stroller but the 3 year old handled the gentle hills well. We saw a variety of animals and took the train ride and everything was so pleasant. Every single person on staff that we came across was so sweet and kind and asked if we were having a good time. The one and only gripe was that all the bathrooms were out of order. Fortunately they had portable potty's set up and they were thankfully very clean. We will definitely go back again someday.

We had a pretty good time! :) You can bring your own food (I would suggest as sandwhich prices are almost $15 a pop and beer is $9 a can...) so we easily saved $70 just by supplying our own food. We did support the food shop with beer and a soft pretzel. There after, very friendly staff, Cute animals... So many birds! I kind of wish they had more exotic featured animals but overall, great exercise, great entertainment for the kids, even a date day away with your spouse would be good! I feel like they have something for everyone there! And, tickets are super affordable. Beautiful view of SB, and I didn't know they did weddings there but they do and the set up was breathtaking!! Cool!! We will return!

Cute and clean zoo near the beach with lots of shaded areas. Perfect place to have a picnic at one of their picnic table areas. I would say this zoo is perfect for families with younger kids ( 1-8 years) since it's much smaller than other zoos. Just two to three hours is all you need to see it all, with a few snack breaks or play times. The train ride is fun for the kids, goes around the zoo in 15 mins. The wallaby walkabout is my favorite, oh ya and feeding the giraffes. Sooo fun .... Beach day and zoo day is a perfect combination. Zoo in the morning , then a 5 minute drive to the beach to swim and enjoy the rest of the day.

Wow, this zoo was amazing! For only $25 I got to see almost every animal (except gorillas) and walk up super close to the kangaroos and wallaby's. There is also goat brushing included! Feeding the giraffes costs only $8 extra and it was an incredible experience. All of the employees were passionate and kind to our questions. We took our time and we still finished in 2.5 hours. It was a great little zoo date.

This is a real fun zoo to go when in Santa Barbara, they have a pretty good collection of Animals the kids and adults will enjoy. Parking is ample and it a good size of a zoo to enjoy for around 2-3 hours, walking is manageable. Train ride is a fun experience where you get you see the whole zoo. Volunteers and workers are friendly, they have few store when you can get souvenirs not too expensive. Over all had a great time and it's worth the $. Support the Santa Barbara Zoo

Our 1st time @ SB Zoo Thanks to our friends who's a Ventura resident invited us for some Fun in the Sun. They are Zoo Members so they visit frequently. Came here on Friday, arrived exactly at noon 6.24.22 with a group of young kids. Parking is $ 11 per vehicle For Zoo members, it's Free. Parking can get pretty busy during peak time. Pretty cute good size zoo. Well maintained and clean. You definitely can roam around and finish the entire zoo within 3 hours and that's including having the kids with about 30 mins resting and playing at the playground. There's a Pretty cool artificial grass slope where kids can use a cardboard to ride down the slope in the playground. Bring a cardboard box with you if you can or someone might possibly dispose their cardboard so your child may use after. There's the famous Dippin Dots served here, it's located @ the Train Store near the Playground. not far from "The Buzz" coffee Snack Truck for $ 6 that kids all love and adults too...after some play. Yummy cooling refreshments. Next door they carry fudge you may purchase. Really Devine & overly sweet. I wasn't a fan of the original fudge. Adult refreshers are served near the playground area in a cart for adults to chill & re energized again. The pretty cool experience my kids were also able to enjoy is the giraffe feeding... $ 5 fee for zoo members & $ 8 non members. You're able to get a photo after. They have a walk thru kangaroo & ostrich viewing. Lots of plenty of stuff to enjoy here. Since it's in SB, really cool breeze in the 70's.

Checked out the zoo on new years day, and it was just the right vibe - not too crowded. One of the things I love about this zoo is its perfect size. You can explore it comfortably within three hours, leaving plenty of time for other plans in your day. They've got tons of tortoises, and since they're one of my husband's favorite animals, that was a win. What's really neat is how the zoo is laid out - lots of walkways and these cool "hidden" paths that let you chart your own course or loop back to catch something you might have missed while still stumbling upon new spots. The kangaroo exhibit and the aviaries are big favorites for us. Overall, it's a well-designed zoo that strikes a good balance between variety and easy exploration, making it a chill option for a half day of animal adventures. That being said, I do hope that the animals are being kept it enclosures of the proper size. Sometimes I worry that some of the bigger animals like the monitor lizard and the cheetah are a bit cramped.

I'm not generally a huge fan of zoos because of my career background in the animal fields and because of my passion for animal advocacy. This renders me quite picky and only supportive of the zoos that work purely for the bettering of animals' live not only in captivity; but also in the wild. Thus, a Saturday afternoon spent at a zoo is a rarity for me but when a friend wanted to "get out of town" for a day and go relax in Santa Barbara: he insisted on checking out the Santa Barbara Zoo due to my love of animals. I was reluctant but curious to see how it fared. Before you trek it to the Santa Barbara Zoo; you should be aware of logistics. When Covid changed our lives forever; the Santa Barbara Zoo switched to a time-controlled pre-ticketing system. Meaning, you had to purchase tickets ahead of time for reserved times online ($19.95/adult). I spoke to management and apparently they like this method and are sticking with it. So, be prepared to pick a day/time in advance. They WILL let people in at the door without advance tickets if occupancy isn't full and they are chill if you arrive late past your reserved time. At least they were with us because LA to SB traffic made us about an hour late and they let us in, no questions asked. Don't fret if your GPS seems to be luring you into the middle of nowhere to dump your body... it is correct. The Santa Barbara Zoo is sort of 'hidden', illusive and not where you would expect it to be located but you've made it! Parking is $11/car (this can also be paid online ahead of time) and the lot can fill up but there will be spots, I promise! Again, admittance was smooth and easy-peasy. The zoo itself is somewhat quaint and small in comparison to other large-city zoos. This is more of a regional neighborhood park feel with some animal enclosures. But that isn't a bad thing! This means you can visit the Santa Barbara Zoo without being overwhelmed. I visited on a Saturday which would be expected to be bustling and crazy but it was actually quiet (very few screaming children), sleepy and not a lot of foot traffic. Plus, the zoo is quite clean and well maintained with large walking paths. The downfall of the small size is that there aren't THAT many animals on display but still enough to have a good time. You will see penguins, prairie dogs, toucans, flamingoes, vultures, lions, gorillas, giraffes, an anteater, kookaburras, capybaras, goats, reptiles, and lots and lots of turtles and tortoises. The SB Zoo REALLY likes turtles! The enclosures are large enough and in decent shape (MUCH better than the LA Zoo). The zoo also offers a train ride for the kiddos, Sensory Sensitive walking paths (kudos!) and a giraffe feeding experience. Plus, the zoo has birthday party packages and can hold events (they were having a wedding reception on the grounds while I was there!). Don't expect to satisfy your tummy, though, while at the SB zoo. There are few concession stands and the menus are very limited and unhealthy. Not to mention, not catered to allergies such as my being Celiac. The zoo also has some soda/water vending machines throughout the park but we found not one but TWO were broken before we found a working one. D'oh! In terms of food, we had to settle for bagged nuts from the souvenir store. I should note that the Ladies room (the one near the main entrance) was quite clean and well-kept. I'm basically afraid of public restrooms but this one passed my standards. The Santa Barbara Zoo is small but 'cute' and perfect for a last minute plan to spend a few hours whether with the kiddos or on a date. Plus, for $19.95/adult; it isn't a super expensive outing. I wouldn't necessarily plan your entire day to be at the zoo but it is a good add-on to your day while in Santa Barbara. Plus, it didn't upset my general zoo-hating self so that's a win!

Nice place love every thing about it The train was wonderful, animal are beautiful too

At the Zoo this morning for an early opening fun snow day for the kids. It was fantastic children 12 and under could ride a sled down a snow hill and make snowmen. In addition to this there was face painting, refreshments and more. Only negative at the Wave (one employee was rude). 2022(18)

Between the LA/SD zoos, I love the SB Zoo the most for its medium size and unique animals interactions. It's not too large or busy. Doable in 1.5-2 hours. Try to go earlier as the animals are being fed and zookeepers are maintaining and interacting with the animals during those hours. My favorite area is the Australian Walkabout which allows you to get pretty close to wallabies, emus, and kangaroos. Also the Giraffe Deck is unique. You're able to feed a giraffe 5-6 pieces of lettuce for $8 from 10:30a-12p or 1-2p. Parking is $11 if you aren't a member or you can park at the Dwight Murphy Field and walk in if you want. They're currently still working on the red panda exhibit and there were a few animals that were off-exhibit like armadillo, toucan, etc.

This is a very tiny zoo but it was cute, clean, and provided a few hours of great entertainment. You need to purchase your tickets online and select a time slot. The Zoo is open daily 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM SB Zoo Members get early entry at 9:00 AM Some animals (such as lions, gorillas, and otters) have early bedtimes and will not be out after 4:30 PM. Adult (13+) - $25 Child (2-12) - $15 Parking - $11 They also have a little train that goes around the zoo. Adult (13+) - $7 Child (2-12) - $6.50

Nice walk in the park. Relaxing and not too big, enjoy! Saw baby kangaroo's moving in mamas pouch!

I was at the zoo for a evening function. I was blown away by the catering. It was delicious. I've been to a lot of group event venues and I believe this was the very first one that had gluten free vegan cookies available at the buffet. It was wonderful to be able to arrive an hour before the function and tour the zoo. I would highly recommend hosting an event here. The staff were really helpful, friendly, and fun!

Love this zoo. Been here a couple of times on different occasions, once for the Roar and Pour and the other as a simple guest. As the other comments say, it is a smaller zoo, but packed very efficiently. There are rolling hills and steep inclines in some areas. But I love how personal the zoo feels. This last visit was the best. We were there an hour before closing and all the animals were out and about. It was amazing seeing the animals running around playing with each other. We saw the 1yr old lion trying to play with its Dad only to have him roar then huff and buff into his man cave. And the absolute highlight was watching Marta playing with her mother. We were the only ones there. I just about lost it with cuteness overload, wish i could post the video of the two playing together. They were so close I could see little Marta's shoulders round as she got ready to pounce on her mom, I could see the little blinks, it was all too precious.

I visited the zoo right when they opened the gates and got to enjoy most of the enclosures before it got busy. Most of the animals were awake and seemed to be curious, so it made for some great photos. Special thanks to Sydney and Alina, who were managing the kangaroo exhibit or, more specifically, the entitled folks who wouldn't stay on the path to ensure the food source wasn't trampled. They were so pleasant and provided a lot of insight into the animals and their stories. It took me about 2 hours to see all of the exhibits, so it was a perfect activity if you wanted something to do for a short amount of time! Before leaving, I stopped at the souvenir shop but didn't end up buying anything because most of the stuff seemed to be for children. I wish they had better options for adults, but other than that, I had a great time!

The last time I was at this zoo was when my friend had a birthday party for her son's 2nd birthday. He just turned 24 in November. Finally made it back this year for Zoo Lights. I remember liking this zoo back the first time I visited, and I had the same feeling this time around too! This is just a great zoo. It's not massive. You follow the path around and it's literally one big loop! Because Zoo lights are in the evening, most of the animals are asleep. But we were able to see and mommy and baby giraffe having a snack. As a huge holiday lights fan, this display is amazing. It reminded me of the Moonlight Lantern Festival at Descanso Gardens. Some of the displays, like the elephant, moved its trunk. They really did a fantastic job of bringing the animals to life with lights and it totally elevates your zoo experience. If you have little kids, please take them and even if you don't (my kid is 25), it's a great date night during the holiday season!

It is much larger than I had expected! They have a great collection of animals and all of the areas are kept clean. You can certainly spend an entire day at the zoo. They have great food options, and lots of play areas available for little ones. The little train ride is also perfect! My favorite part was when we went over the bridge had a great view of the surrounding environment. Looking forward to our next visit!