The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens

I can't recommend this zoo enough. It's absolutely beautiful to walk through and has many great animals. Their giraffe enclosure and their rhino enclosure are the best I've seen. My kids love the zoo so much too. I take them to me and you at the zoo every week and I also got married here. My son loves the animals and I'm glad we have the membership so we can go whenever we want. I recommend going on weekdays in the early morning or late afternoon. There's always a field trip going on but it honestly isn't too bad.

We live in San Diego County and are used to the zoo and the wild animal park. Safari Park whatever they call it. The living desert zoo is a great alternative and compliment to these. It's much more relaxed and relaxing. The animals are, obviously, desert-oriented and some of the habitats are really intriguing, like the giraffe or bighorn sheep habitats. It's a solid place. Doesn't look like much in the food offerings, though, we brought a picnic and had no problems getting in with our food.

Such a great place! I would pick this over San Diego zoo anytime. Lots of shaded areas while walking around. Great cafes and picnic areas to eat at. We visited with our toddlers from out of state and were able to rent a stroller which helped a lot! We were able to see most of the animals and we paid to feed the giraffes! I read that they will be opening a splash pad next year

It was an amazing place to take the family. The staff is amazingly friendly. The animals were awesome and Lively. The people feeding animals were very, very knowledgeable. The play areas are well-maintained and clean, and they only saw one piece of debris on the ground the whole day we were there. The giant train set was very cool and extremely detailed. being able to get so close to the wallabies was very fun. Feeding the giraffes was the kids' favorite part. If your camera takes batteries, bring extra as they don't sell any onsite.

This place was amazing! You get so close to the animals that it feels really personal. You can even feed a giraffe or rhino ($ extra). Lots of shade throughout the park and they even have a carousel for the kids to pick and sit on their favorite animal. Highly recommended.

Visiting the Living Desert Zoo was a fantastic experience! Feeding the giraffes was definitely the highlight of our trip. The zoo is very clean, well-maintained, and offers a great selection of animals and plants native to the desert environment. My family and I had a wonderful time exploring all the exhibits. It’s both fun and educational, making it a must-stop if you’re in Palm Desert. Highly recommend checking it out!

My wife is obsessed with wild life and Christmas, so when researching things to do in the area, I found out about Wild Nights and hoped it would be a nice evening out. Happy to say the event exceeded our expectations and that we had the perfect night at the zoo. We were able to get so close to the giraffes, it was breathtaking. The grounds were beautiful and the holiday display was fun to walk around. The drinks we had were great too. So glad we visited the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens.

It is definitely worth checking out if you are in the PS, CC, RM, PD area! Easy location to get to and very well kept up. There was some major construction happening at the zoo but did not deter animals nor people from enjoying the day. Would absolutely go back again when back in that area...oh the Vet hospital on the premise is worth checking out, not everyday you get to see the behind the scenes where animals receive care....pretty cool!

I can't recommend this zoo enough. It's absolutely beautiful to walk through and has many great animals. Their giraffe enclosure and their rhino enclosure are the best I've seen. My kids love the zoo so much too. I take them to me and you at the zoo every week and I also got married here. My son loves the animals and I'm glad we have the membership so we can go whenever we want. I recommend going on weekdays in the early morning or late afternoon. There's always a field trip going on but it honestly isn't too bad.

We live in San Diego County and are used to the zoo and the wild animal park. Safari Park whatever they call it. The living desert zoo is a great alternative and compliment to these. It's much more relaxed and relaxing. The animals are, obviously, desert-oriented and some of the habitats are really intriguing, like the giraffe or bighorn sheep habitats. It's a solid place. Doesn't look like much in the food offerings, though, we brought a picnic and had no problems getting in with our food.

Such a great place! I would pick this over San Diego zoo anytime. Lots of shaded areas while walking around. Great cafes and picnic areas to eat at. We visited with our toddlers from out of state and were able to rent a stroller which helped a lot! We were able to see most of the animals and we paid to feed the giraffes! I read that they will be opening a splash pad next year

It was an amazing place to take the family. The staff is amazingly friendly. The animals were awesome and Lively. The people feeding animals were very, very knowledgeable. The play areas are well-maintained and clean, and they only saw one piece of debris on the ground the whole day we were there. The giant train set was very cool and extremely detailed. being able to get so close to the wallabies was very fun. Feeding the giraffes was the kids' favorite part. If your camera takes batteries, bring extra as they don't sell any onsite.

This place was amazing! You get so close to the animals that it feels really personal. You can even feed a giraffe or rhino ($ extra). Lots of shade throughout the park and they even have a carousel for the kids to pick and sit on their favorite animal. Highly recommended.

Visiting the Living Desert Zoo was a fantastic experience! Feeding the giraffes was definitely the highlight of our trip. The zoo is very clean, well-maintained, and offers a great selection of animals and plants native to the desert environment. My family and I had a wonderful time exploring all the exhibits. It’s both fun and educational, making it a must-stop if you’re in Palm Desert. Highly recommend checking it out!

My wife is obsessed with wild life and Christmas, so when researching things to do in the area, I found out about Wild Nights and hoped it would be a nice evening out. Happy to say the event exceeded our expectations and that we had the perfect night at the zoo. We were able to get so close to the giraffes, it was breathtaking. The grounds were beautiful and the holiday display was fun to walk around. The drinks we had were great too. So glad we visited the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens.

It is definitely worth checking out if you are in the PS, CC, RM, PD area! Easy location to get to and very well kept up. There was some major construction happening at the zoo but did not deter animals nor people from enjoying the day. Would absolutely go back again when back in that area...oh the Vet hospital on the premise is worth checking out, not everyday you get to see the behind the scenes where animals receive care....pretty cool!

Everything about this place is awesome!!! Just check out my pictures haha Love the painted dogs and the porcupine and cheetahs!!

My friend and I had a lovely experience here, taking in all of the well-designed areas of the zoo and enjoying the animals. I appreciate the way the park accounts for animals of various countries/climates, as if you're taking a bit of a world tour. They have volunteers that walk around as well, and one kindly gentleman offered us some fascinating supportive info about giraffes as we were looking at them. One of the areas was under construction, so it would have been savvy if they had accounted for that by reducing the admission price a bit. It was also a bit confusing to navigate in certain areas, causing us and other patrons to have to walk around wondering if we were going the right way. Eventually we figured it out, but the signage could be improved upon a bit. Overall, I'd highly recommend for anyone staying in the Palm Desert area.

This is the place for multi generational family fun along with a great opportunity to take holiday pictures. Let's start with the photo ops. A lighted gingerbread forest, a giant lit Christmas tree with a tunnel inside for kids to stand in, lots of lighted animal sculptures, and best of all a beautiful red sleigh with Santa and enough seats to fit the whole family. Lots of yummy treats to buy to eat like kettle corn, corn on the cob, hot chocolate, and make your own s'mores over fire pits. The walking trails are well kept. You can meander around in several directions that bring you to different places in the park. You can watch the animals at night. Some are sleeping, some hidden, some wandering around their areas. You can look at all the beautiful lights and visit the miniature train display that spans a large area of the park. It highlights different trains and trolleys in California. Kids can take a ride on an old fashioned carousel. Trails are wide enough for strollers. Lots of seats and benches along the way to stop and rest at. You will definitely get your steps in. Overall, a really fun time for the whole family.

The zoo no longer has a contract with Bank of America so there no longer free admission. Still a great zoo where you can see the animals up close. We did go Thanksgiving weekend this time and I guess due to the crowds the giraffes were already well fed so they were pretty far away.

I absolutely love this living desert " zoo" it's so sweet seeing these animals they look so happy. I was literally privy to watching animals frolic. I've never seen such happy healthy animals in an environment outside of their own habitat. If you're visiting the area, I would definitely look this place up. They have all sorts of special events, including a happy hour pills and walk around and watch these lively animals run about and what looks like sheer bliss

Enjoyed a lovely day here with our family. This is a must when visiting Palm Springs / Palm desert. Best to visit in the fall or winter. They are also doing a big remodel, looks like many new things to come! - parking included in ticket price - they are adding electric car chargers - the gift shop is nice! - super cute carousel - giraffe feeding

A group of us was visiting a dear friend and she decided to surprise us. We ended up at the zoo! WOW what a Surprise!! I had no idea there even was a zoo in Palm Desert?! I don't want to post too many pics so you can be just as excited. They have a hospital inside where you can go in to see the 75 baby turtles native to us that are endangered. I love the fact they are helping endangered species. I loved the beautiful train set they had on display. I am so happy I caught a glimpse of the cheetah lounging under the trees. I was very emotional feeding the beautiful giraffes lettuce. I had no idea their tongues made natural sunscreen. Beautiful creatures!! I can't wait to see what else they bring in once the expansion is complete. It was a hot day but it was well worth the adventure!

Kids friendly zoo. Giraffe, hyena rhino and many many others were there! Well designed zoo.

I adore this place. Such a nice outdoor experience in a clean and well maintained zoo. It's great for all ages! Is the $10 for a few pieces of lettuce to feed the giraffe worth it, yes absolutely! Everyone working there we interacted with was so nice and willing to answer questions. I have been twice and would definitely go again.

On the edge of the San Andres fault lies an oasis filled with fun and beautiful creatures here at the living desert. I was out in Palm springs with my fiance and as I enjoy going to zoos, we had to explore this place out. While the zoo itself costs about $60+, it is truly a magnificent place to visit with the family. This zoo is unqiue compared to others I have been as animals here are truly living in their ideal habitats. More so, there is an area where you can feed giraffes for $10 and take pictures with them! Just an fyi there is a no petting policy. They also seem to be building new areas so keep your eyes peeled for newer additions to the zoo. FYI for any hikers out there, there is a hiking trail leading up to the San Andres fault if you have a taste for adventure!

What an experience! Amazing holiday decor. The animals were fascinating, and the staff were extremely kind and helpful. Loved it so much, we went back two days later. Can't wait to go again!

Try the pretzels at the Crash Cafe! Fluffy, soft, buttery, perfectly salted. The animals are cool too.

WildLights 2024 review: We really enjoyed the WildLights event. There were a lot of lights and a variety of great photo opportunities spread out all over the park. We went on their Adults Only night, which was great! It was not overly loud or crowded, at all. This was our 1st time going, so I'm not sure how it compares to their general admission nights, but we appreciated it. When I have grandchildren though, I'd definitely consider coming with them because kids would truly enjoy this experience, I'm sure! Parking was free, which is nice. The entrance has an enormous snowman photo op outside and giant gold ornament photo op inside the gate (plus lots more throughout). We weren't sure if we'd see animals, but we did spot a few (rhino, giraffes, antelope, porcupines, naked mole rats, and Ring tail). They had a Santa, drinks, & live music in one area, a make-your-own s'mores area, and tons of paths and trees filled with lights and Christmas music. We bought their (expensive, but cute) souvenir mugs with hot chocolate. They also had adult beverages (not sure if these were specifically for Adult only night or not). It was a fun and festive event! We really enjoyed it! (Only suggestion: Their website needs some updating and improvement for buying tickets/navigating the site)

Such an amazing experience! This was unlike any zoo I've ever been to. It was interactive and educational. Conservation is important here, too. As soon as you walk in, you can tell that the animals' best interest is top priority. There is so much to do and see, plan to spend 3-4 hours to really soak it all in. Some key highlights: - Petting and brushing goats! They were so mellow and friendly it was such a nice touch for the kids and animal lovers alike. - Walking amongst the wallabies. This speaks for itself, just all around awesome to see them hanging out. - Feeding the giraffes. For $10 you can feed them lettuce. They knew the drill and were not shy. Super fun. - The animal hospital. The staff here (Barry and Peter) were so knowledgeable and passionate about what they do. It was great to hear about the conservation initiatives. I especially loved the fact that they're doing so much to repopulate tortoises and ensure their survival. Parking was free and easy to come by. Plenty of great food and drink options throughout. We were happy to hear that they are expanding. We definitely can't wait to come back!

ON A BUSY DAY, BRING YOUR OWN FOOD! Come for the animals ONLY! We waited over a half an hour in line to place our order and another 25 mins to receive it.

We visited on a weekday in December and it was quiet and enjoyable! The zoo volunteer taught us SO much about the naked mole rats (fyi they are NOT babies). Being that close to a giraffe and having an opportunity to feed it was awe inspiring; definitely the highlight! The park is very walkable even for someone who has chronic pain; the volunteers offered to pick me up if need be. The gift shop really got us; didn't expect to buy anything and spent over $100. Overall a great experience!

We opted for the personal, two hour guided tour of The Living Desert for some behind the scenes information and views. I highly recommend taking the guided tour - soooo worth it! For one, we didn't have to walk in the summer heat. Second, David, our tour guide, was able to provide us information that we wouldn't have known if we were on our own. And third, a few of the animals were so camouflaged that we were literally looking at them but didn't know it was the animal! David to the rescue! As an added bonus, we had our own time, albeit brief, in feeding the giraffes. We also met one of the staff vets - so cool! Thank you to David and the entire staff, donors and Board of Trustees for this phenomenal experience! I think I'll do this again with my parents just so they don't have to walk.

I've been here a couple times...its a delight! It's a smaller zoo, but they do a lot with the space they have. More importantly, most of the animals have spacious living areas...my favorites are the roadrunners, prairie dogs, Mexican wolves, and giraffes whom you can actually feed and get up close. You'll also get porcupines, owls, eagles, meercats, snakes, goats, bighorns, foxes, wallabys, kangaroos, wart hogs, mongooses, lizards, hyenas, cheetahs, coyotes, and much more. We saw just about everything in about 2 hours, which is usually enough animals for most people, especially on a hot sunny day which there are many in Palm Desert...don't forget to put on sunscreen and bring a hat. $40 is a bit steep for a small zoo like this, but know that your money goes to a good cause.

Had Fun with my friends on a trip to Palm Springs for my Birthday! The kangaroos were the best part!!!! Just don't recommend going on the hottest day like I did to enjoy! We also got to hand feed Giraffes and was a cool experience Great for family trips

This place is amazing. Animals well taken care of by the great staff. Up close and personal with many animals that you don't have access to in the San Diego Zoo. Highly recommend.

We took our children and grandchildren once in the day and again a few days later in the night for the lighted exhibits. We really loved both experiences! The night lights is almost over now and it's pretty hot to go to the zoo unless you go real early in the morning. We went around 11:00 am and most of the animals were sort of hiding so it's best to go in the morning . We really liked feeding the giraffes which I think is about $10 person. Forget about some reviews saying Costco has discounts. I went to Costco and they said that was 10 years ago and they don't sell discount tickets!

So much fun! I haven't been to a zoo in years, and this is much more than just a zoo. As one might assume, The Living Desert features animals that can tolerate the heat, like ones from Africa, Australia and South America. Before looking at the map, I didn't realize how many animals called this place home! We spent about four hours exploring the grounds, so I felt it was worth the $39.95 ticket price (per adult). Each of the animals looked comfortable and well taken care of, with enough space to roam around. The exhibits had signs in front of them, giving quick facts about each animal, its conservation status, threats it faces in the wild, etc. Around the zoo, you'll also find signs with timings of "Animal Connections" where the zookeepers host talks about certain animals at their habitats. We attended both the Rhino and Warthog talks and found them both fascinating educational opportunities. Kind senior volunteers were also stationed around to help guide guests and speak more on an ad-hoc basis about the animals. This level of interaction really enhanced our overall experience! Some highlights: 1. Giraffe Feeding - Pay $10 for a handful of lettuce and step up the elevated platform. The giraffes will see you and eat the lettuce right from your hands. They are the most gentle giants, but they gobble it up fast! Have your camera ready! 2. Australia exhibit - This area is an open habitat where the wallabies are sitting in the center with no visible fencing around them. Somehow they know not to hop out of their zone. Parakeets also freely fly around. 3. There's an enclosed area with many friendly goats that you can pet and brush. The small dwarf goats are especially cute! It's worth a visit to the Animal Hospital and Nutrition Center. Although the views into both of these buildings are limited, it's cool to get a glimpse behind the scenes. Visiting this zoo is a must if you're in Palm Springs. We enjoyed every minute of it!

Bring the family to the living zoo and gardens in the Coachella Valley. This was a wonderful venture and day trip to the zoo! We got to feed the giraffe, see leopards, warthogs, porcupines, eagles, rhinos, cheetahs, reptiles, and wallabies. The layout of the various exhibits and gardens have an easy pathway to follow. In the Australian Adventures you can enter and walk up close to the animals. They have a Discovery Center, and an on-site animal hospital. There are plenty of resting areas and a few places to buy lunch and refreshments. You can become a members to l help support the programs or "adopt" an animal: $50 Advocate, $100 Naturalist, $250 Protector or $500 Preservationist. Plenty of free parking available, this is a day to remember! Come on down and don't forget to tell 'em Rosemary sent ya!

Started out slow not many animals were out so we wondered if we wasted $40. But then we got in line to feed the giraffes (extra $10) and it was such a cool and fun experience. After leaving the giraffes we saw soo many unique creatures and animals and the facts that were posted were soo awesome! It turned out to be such a great experience! Overall a lil small and pricey but our entire group enjoyed it 7/10

We came for Glow in the Park, and it was amazing. We booked the ealiest tickets available so we could see some animals before the sunset. We were lucky enough to have a pretty close encounter with the sweetest giraffe. Coming from San Diego and experiencing our zoo, I didn't have high expectations for the zoo itself. It is a pretty small zoo, but most exhibits offer fairly close viewing options. The Glow in the Park is a must-see. After dark, brightly colored lanters are everywhere. Lighted arches, dinosaur lanterns with sound and movement, bubbles, and smoke it is truly entertaining. They have a huge section that is kid friendly and hands on. If you're here during March and April while Glow in the Park is available, please check it out.

The Living Desert in Palm Desert is a great family-friendly place that functions as a zoo combined with a desert botanical garden with various plants scattered around. Most of the animals are from desert areas, with the North African exhibit being the most prominent followed by the Australian desert. We have the Oakland Zoo on my hometown where you'll see elephants, tigers, camels, monkeys, zebras and giraffes. The Living Desert had some animals that we didn't see at our home zoo: * Rhinos * Warthogs * Hyenas * Porcupine + Mongoose + Ostrich + Jaguar They have giraffes too, and for a $10 charge and a long line you can feed them!

If you typically don't like zoos, you may still like this zoo. It's much more focused on letting animals roam around in areas similar to their natural habitat than most zoos I've been to. Note: that means that not all the the animals are always available. For example, when we were there one of the rhinos was just hanging out somewhere that wasn't visible. So, we accepted that we wouldn't be seeing a rhino! There is so much to see here. We spent 2 hours but could have stayed much longer if it had t been closing at 5pm. Lots of benches and two cafes. The staff here were incredibly kind to us. They spent time sharing extra information, walking us to hidden areas, and helping us spot a baby wallaby. Overall, a great experience.

I am definitely a zoo person, if there's a zoo I'm visiting. No matter what city, state, country I'm in. I don't want to unnecessarily overhype a location, but I think you would be missing out on a great experience that only this place can offer if you don't go. The size of this place, ridiculous. We came here so we could pass the time between our 12 pm arrival and our 4:00pm check in, and we did just that. We spent the entire time enjoying the exhibits, enjoying the exotic plants, feeding the giraffes, lounging around in the many rest areas that are scattered across the park. It's was an awesome experience overall. We didn't eat at any of the food locations in the park, but I will say that there was an abundance of bathrooms and resting locations, which I think anyone can appreciate. I think this place really put a lot of thought into the planning of how they wanted this park to function for guests for a truly positive experience. Overall, I just couldn't recommend this place enough. Out of all the activities I did while in Palm Springs this was hands down the most memorable.

This place was SO much cooler than I thought it would be. It was a pricey admission, but they are doing some very interesting conservation efforts inside. There weren't any physical maps, which was mostly ok, but we saw the list of talks happening that day and it would've been nice to have something to carry around. We tried the digital map, but had issues loading it. Either way, we went to some of the talks and they were awesome - great information and answered all questions thoroughly. My favorite parts were the rhinos, the giraffes, and the baby turtles in the hospital. Highly recommend! We were there for 3 hours and easily could have spent a few more hours there.

I only came here at night for the annual Zoo Lights Christmas event, so this review is entirely about that experience (not visiting during the day.) I was staying in Palm Desert and looking for something fun to do and saw that this event kicked off Thanksgiving weekend. Tickets are purchased in advance and timed entry. Plan to spend at least 90 minutes since they truly do cover nearly the entire zoo with lights. It's also possible to see some zoo animals that choose to wander in their enclosures at night, but don't expect the daytime zoo experience. For me, it was a bonus that we got to see giraffes, a rhino, a sand cat and some cranes. Snack bars are open, festive music is playing and it was all around a fun evening.

SO much fun!!! The whole family had a blast. The zoo is so well manicured and the staff is incredibly friendly. Probably one of my favorite parts about living in the desert is having such an amazing place nearby. The best part was feeding the giraffes- we can't wait to be back and bring friends!!!

What a beautiful place. We chose to visit Africa first. I was in awe. The rhino is an amazing animal to see in person. The rhino was hanging out in the back of the exhibit the first time we went through but was roaming around the second time so we got some fantastic pics. The giraffes were equally stunning. People can pay $10 for lettuce to feed the giraffes so they tend to stay close to the feeding area. You get some really CLOSE views of this amazing animal. I could not get enough of watching these two animals. That said, we needed to move on. My second fav area was Australia where you enter a closed off area and wallabies walk among you. So cool. Coming from MN, the plants and gardens were equally interesting. I love the shapes and textures. We ordered our tickets online which was easy ($35/ticket). Parking was easy. Staff was helpful. The volunteers at the various stations were very knowledgeable about the animals. Great experience!

I hadn't heard of it before, but while we were visiting some friends who have a rental/vacation condo in Palm Springs they recommended it while we were visiting them. It is a bit on the pricey side but it is beautiful and we really enjoyed our visit.

Not as good as it used to be - too much construction and really difficult to get to see many exhibits. Cleanliness has dropped off considerably - would not eat here ... hope it gets better soon

One of the best zoos I've ever been to! The Living Desert is gorgeous. Between the layout where it feels like natural rolling hills and the space that the animal enclosures provide, you can genuinely see the happiness and enrichment of all of the animals here. I even witnessed them feeding the warthogs and having in-depth relationships and pet times. One zookeeper has even taught them to "sit" and they just sit and wag their little tails. It was super sweet to see how happy they were. I attended the Desert Lights for Christmas and it did not disappoint! I thoroughly enjoyed the light shows that were synced with music and there was a ton of opportunity for photos in the many stations they set up. I ordered a hot chocolate for $9 and the refills in my cup were $3.50! Very nice to have as you stroll and enjoy the sights. I would recommend this spot to everyone!

During my spring break, I took a trip with family and friends to the Palm Springs area and decided to go to The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens. We went to the African Safari and fed the giraffes and we saw the Australian wallabies and many other beautiful animals. There is a lot of beautiful artwork there too. My favorite were the gigantic fan palm trees. A must see if you're in the area of Palm Desert or Palm Springs.

The Living Desert Animal Park is a treasure. They strive to keep their charges in comfortable, natural settings. Their goal is to educate visitors and preserve wildlife. They are actively engaged in breeding and reintroducing endangered species back into native habitats. All this while letting the public see the animals! Best times to view the wildlife is early am(opens at 0800) or evening. Otherwise, a lot of them lay low during the day, and habitats are large enough most won't be in view...

We came in for the Hoppy hours on Thursday from 3pm-5pm in December 2023. I'm not sure if this is offered year round but I would check the website. The drinks were reasonably priced and it was super nice to have a more chill experience. There was not many people out around 3pm on a Thursday. We just walked around with our drinks and looked at the animals. The park closes at 5pm but we had more than enough time to see everything. I think during the day they open up more stuff. A lot of the walk-in cages were closed around this time. Come during the day if you have kids! If you want something with less people and more chill then come for Hoppy hours.

What a Pleasant experience from beginning to end. We started the day later than anticipated (12:30 pm), but we still saw lots of animals. The crowds were minimal and the zoo had a very natural feel. The first thing we did was feed the giraffe. You get a few leaves of Romaine lettuce for $10 (non member). It's not much and the feeding is quick but it's so cool to see them so close. You can see them from afar walking around in the background it's beautiful. We saw hyenas, camels, gazelle Etc. ..but then close by was the absolutely beautiful cheetah enclosure. They came walking out so majestic and lovely. Lastly the rhino which was amazing to see. It was early dinner for him he ate the romaine a stumps and we were able to see him really close. This was around 3:30 pm. Would love to visit this zoo again. For $40 I think it's worth it.

We brought our 2 year old here to feed the giraffes, and she had a ball! We all did actually! The living desert is one of my favorite places to visit.

I had to take time to write a review on this amazing zoo in the middle of Palm desert. I had no idea this place existed! First, I went on yelp to look for some fun things to do with the kids. I found this petting zoo (family business) in the mountains that had a mini business that offered horsebackriding. petting zoo, etc but we drove there and it looked closed down. (Homestead Family) They don't answer the phone & their website says they are opened but they aren't. Don't go there! It was a waste of time but we wanted to try something different. It reminded me of a scary movie scene and very secluded & bumpy driving. Anyhow, we decided to try the Living Desert around 1 PM. I definitely recommend bringing a stroller for your little one as we forgot our stroller at home so we rented one. Also, wear comfortable walking shoes and a sun hat that ties. It was off and on windy, sunny and cloudy. Definitely not worth it if you don't get a stroller for your kid as the tour is pretty long from right to left. Keep in mind, that we are from San Diego and have been to San Diego Safari Park & San Diego zoo which is crowded and huge and you have to pay for parking and it's much cooler there. We have been there many times especially during COVID pandemic time For the amount of time that we were there , which is about 3 hours, we had seen more animals and more interaction than the whole zoo experience at the SD zoo! Not sure if it's because it's less crowded or maybe cause it's smaller but all the animals came out for us and as mentioned we felt like we had the zoo to ourselves. My kids were able to feed the giraffes and get pretty close to them as to "their level" which is neat since have such long necks. Because the giraffes resting area is very deep, you're able to get face-to-face with them, where at the San Diego zoo when you feed the giraffes, they have to spill out their long tongue to get the lettuce which can be traumatizing for the young kiddos . Didn't realize their tongues were that long! That was a fun experience because both of my kids were able to get really close to them. They had a blast. As we walked around, we saw so many more animals. My kids were able to see a cheetah, leopard, naked mole, coyote, wolves, mountain lion, mini kangaroo, goats. It wasn't crowded at all and parking is free! We went around 4/8/24 during our Spring Break and as mentioned it wasn't crowded at all. Their staff members mentioned it was super crowded the week prior to their schools' spring break. We loved it so much we went to the Glow night and although it was very cool to see the lights, we didn't think it was worth the money. I give it a 7/10. Again, we felt as though we were the only ones there which was nice. Some cool things that stood out from the glow night were the bubbles filled with dried ice and some cute photo props. They had nice music but it was pretty much the same thing. It's like going to the zoo at night and seeing all the animals glow but Disneyland style. Maybe if we didn't go to the zoo the day before we would've had a different experience. My kids wanted to see the live animals and they didn't understand and got upset that most animals were sleeping as it was at night. The had some food vendors there and trinkets for sale. Yes, they offer liquor there such as beer and wine. We can't wait to visit the zoo again. My 11 year old kiddo was in her element there. She absolutely loved it and same with my toddler. So glad we didn't skip it. Lastly, the workers were so informative of the animals and were so kind and helpful. Joseph and Connor were the nice two gentleman. The Living Desert was worth it . My kiddos said it was their favorite zoo.

This is definitely one of the most expensive zoo and gardens in the country and it was doubly disappointing: There weren't very many animals, and the "botanical garden" was poorly maintained and labeled. The plants were the thing I was most interested in seeing and they were mostly water-starved and sad looking. There were very few that were labeled, and many of the labels there were faded or broken. The whole place is really geared towards children, so if you are not a child or don't have any, skip this zoo.

This is an outstanding smaller museum that looks like it's fresh from the zoo, architects handbook. The displays are very state of the art, allowing you to feel like you're right there with the animals. I think that's the best part. This zoo continues to grow, and is a real delight. Strongly recommend.

A lot has changed since I have last been here. Seems a lot more colorful and bright. There's a lot more animals. The only thing that bummed me out is that a lot of the animals were either not in their exhibits or hiding out. A lot of people die to spring break but I did have a lot of fun.

Spectacular! Absolutely amazing experience! The areas that the animals have is so much better than anywhere else I've been to. The giraffes had space and other animal friends, their areas were kept up nicely, and don't forget to stroll through the botanic garden area. It was easy to park and easy to leave. The glow nights look like so much fun and we'll definitely have to experience it next time! I highly recommend this

Love the attention they pay to the needs of every animal. Descriptions are great, as are live explanations from employees around the park the layout allows for a comfortable, steady walk through the various deserts of the world (Africa, Australia, US, etc.). And the Glow in the Park special exhibit they put on was absolutely mindblowing. One of the most beautiful things I've seen in a long time. It's obvious how much time they took to make the experience wonderful.

What a nice and well kept zoo. With many interesting animals! The hospital staff/volunteer explained everything well as how they preserve the tortoises! And how they work with the government and have them released in the wild.

A really fantastic zoo. They have a special Glow In the Park event during part of the year that has a ton of giant lantern animals to look at. The animals here seem happy with lots of room and very well cared for. The gift shop here is amazing as well, with a lot of different types of gifts and merchandise to purchase.

Beautiful grounds that are akin to the animals natural habitat in many cases. Although the entrance fee is a tad steep, remember that they are preserving the deserts ecosystems and wildlife.