Oakland Zoo Reviews

It is a nice zoo. I would recommend it to everyone.

Perfect size zoo for my two year old. We had a really great time watching the bears. We got there on a Saturday at 11AM. There was a long line to wait for the parking lot entry. The lot was full, and we were instructed to park alongside the curb driving up to the lot. We got on the Gondola first which I highly suggest for two reasons. 1) the line is short, and 2) the other park is small. There's also The California Wilds Playground on that side which has a sandpit, a small Creek for littles to stick their toes in, a Zipline, a small tunnel and a slide. We then came back to the main park and finished our visit there.

I thought it going to be better
...

It was a beautiful day for the zoo. When I arrived with my family to spend the day with the kids we entered the park around 11 am. We got directed to the farthest part of the park. We didn't get any options of where to park which might be harder for families who have strollers or have family memebers who are disabled. Walking on grass isn't easy for you to push your stroller. Once coming on from the bottom entrance we loved every spot from the insects to tortoises. The kids love exploring the park and seeing these animals through very safe displays. We didn't have the chance ro ride the train but it looked really fun if we have another chance down the road.the newest part of the park, which you have to take the newest gondola, was great! The gondola goes up high and smoothly as long as you stay seated and don't move a lot. Each gondola can hold up to 6 adults which is great for families who have kids and many adults. Once to the top the bison were nice. The main attraction were the grizzly bears which you could see them from all angles and they could have privacy, have a swim to cool off and enjoy a simple swim. The cages up here were well thought out and they seem tranquil.when we got back down we went through the safari section of the park. When we got to the lion exhibit we could not see them but we definitely could hear them. When we got to elephant part one of the elephants seems depressed but I don't know why. I hope the people at the zoo see this and help it. At the very end we walked the whole park and left 40 minutes after closing time but we lived the park. If you go on a beautiful sunny day you can see the north part of the bay easily as we did. Would I go back? Yep it was definitely a great experience and recommend this to all families! !!

The main reason we went was to see the elephants because they are my son's favorite animal. It was really disappointing when we got there and the exhibit was closed. He didn't mind too much though, there was a lot to see. All in all still a fun family outing. Definitely will be back to the elephants

The night lights were very fun, great for kids. $5 for a can of soda, though! The gondolas were super fun and we saw kangaroos on the train ride.

Put on your walking shoes, it's a big zoo and there's plenty of walking. Since they opened up a new section, it gets pretty crazy busy here on the weekends. It got a fun free ride of the gondola. The kids will love the ride and adults will love the views. There's plenty of animals to see. Make sure you save some time for the new playground and pack a lunch because you'll be here for awhile. If you have time, there's some carnival rides right outside of the zoo but it cost extra.

Great children playground at the new California trail!

We love the zoo! The animals seem happy and comfortable and are usually easy to view. It is pretty hilly, and usually pretty busy (so many strollers!). There are nice spots to picnic and also an area with rides you can purchase tickets for. We always have a nice time.

It was nice to visit Oakland Zoo . it was very hot so we did not see lot.

Okay but a lot of walk up and down plus big animals are looking pretty tired.

Lots of land for the animals. They have elephants which many zoos nowadays no longer keep. New section via gondola ride has native animals as well as a playground. Kiddie rides at Adventure Landing are fun but cost extra. Free admission to that section. Train ride is great.

My three year old daughter loves it. Not too big but just right with excellent viewing of the animals.

Visiting from Milwaukee, I thought it was nice pleasant easy to walk through, the animals habitats was very well and comfortable

Love this zoo.... Especially the gondola ride (included in entrance fee) taking you to beautiful board walk at top of hill.Terrific new exhibits.
Only hard thing is pushing strollers / wheelchairs up steep hills around "lower / original " zoo

Small but we'll laid out. Don't waste your money on train ride.. at the same time don't miss cable car ride.. gondola ride is included in entry ticket

I highly recommend visiting the new California Trail exhibit and animals. Very nice area for children and adults.

This zoo is pretty cool. It has more animals then the last time I've been there. The ride tickets are a bit expensive though.

Very friendly staff a lot of things to look at and I have a great picture of this

They have some many new animals, trails, experiences. I had so much fun

Decent zoo not too big, good place to be with family for half day.

It's a very big zoo with plenty to see. It's clean, interactive for children and easy to navigate. Two downsides are the short hours of operation (10-4 ), and not enough seating in the cafes. We sat on the floor for lunch. Lol

The Oakland Zoo is a fun family oriented zoo. It would honestly be fun for a date as well. This zoo has a lot of options to see animals and learn. The gondola ride gives you a great view of the Bay area. There's a really nice place to eat at the top where the gondola drops you off. If it's a warmer day go in there. They always have it at a cool temperature and the food is amazing.

Best zoo we've been to. Remote, woodsy feel, which is different than most city zoos. The gondola ride up to the California section was a big hit. Not as many zoos have elephants anymore, so that was really nice to see.

First time visit. Just a very good zoo. The gondola ride was a surprise to me. The amusement park for under 12 was a hit. Would visit again.

There is surprisingly spacious room for all the animals so they look relaxed and naturally behavioring. The introduction to animals is loving and educational. Some areas are closed now due to the COVID situation, but the good side is that this place is less crowded so we could stay long and observe the animals at great spots. I really appreciate that the staff is making great efforts to protect the health of visitors.

The most peaceful zoo layout in the country. Animals are free to roam, comfortably. The sky ride on a sunny day offers spectacular views of the bay and both downtown Oakland and San Francisco.

Very small zoo, but my children loved it and we had a great time. The giraffes and zebras were our favorites. And my kids haven't let go of the stuffed animals we got them as souvenirs and it's been months since we went.

My family and I enjoyed our time at the Oakland Zoo. We are regulars at the SF zoo and I will now be coming here instead. The area is a little smaller but so much more to see. You get up close and personal with a lot of these animals and is much more interactive than SF. We will definitely be coming back.

Good variety of animals. Park doing well with social distancing.

I had a good time but the food is ridiculously expensive and not any options for kids.

Not all of the animals were on exhibit but it was good to get out of the house and also to support the zoo.

On the smaller side for a zoo. Needs maintenance, but the gondola is nice and looking forward to the new exhibits/animals summer of 2018. The gondola was nice the week it was open, and has been closed for a very long time :( Rides at Adventure Park are separate and you have to buy tickets. The staff at Adventure Park are outwardly disgruntled and yell back and forth about how much they hate operating the rides, distracting kids and families who are having fun. Half the rides are broken and Adventure Playland looks like a depressing wasteland.

If you live nearby getting an annual pass is a must!

Great zoo wonderful place kids and adults. Well kept, clean restrooms, handicap accessibility. Plenty of parking lots of handicap parking. Great customer service.

Great for a half day trip. Good selection of animals. Have good special days. Extra rides and activities for the kids.

Really good place, my daughter enjoys today so much. And the fried chip in the cafe is excellent.

Such an amazing zoo! The lions are fun to watch grow up. The zoo is one of our favorite places in the bay.

Big place with nice shade and animals.

Consider taking family plus membership. Very cist effective if you are coming more than once.

So much to see and do. You can have a different experience each time you go. Take the gondola to the upper zoo where you'll find a new set of animals to see, an outdoor and indoor play area for kids (including a very popular zipline), and a place to eat. Back down on lower zoo, there's a petting zoo, play area, places to picnic, and a place with rides for kids (train, carousel etc). We go all the time and never get bored.

A hidden gem of a zoo. For a photographer many of the enclosures have no fence or glass in the way. When you're there stop by and say hi to Nico and Gladys. They are the two white-handed Gibbons.

Not the best or worst zoo I have been to. Animals look well cared for. Terrain was steep. Staff was on the rude side.

Just Average. Everything here is expensive. Not worth the time or value for money.

This place was quite large. Definitely worth the admission price of $20. BE SURE TO GO EARLY! If you don't you won't get to see everything! Be prepared to be walking up & down a lot of hills...great exercise. I had a great time.

It's okay... We were able to visit all exhibitions for 3 hours, but most animals are hidden and you can't really see them. I guess about 50% are not visible. Couldn't see wolfs, monkeys, . We were able to capture some shots of condors and bald eagle. There is a good playground at the top though, kids had fun riding on grass. I personally think most disappointing is that windows are dirty with some liquid drop and you can't see sometimes animals because of that and hard to take a good picture.

We haven't been here in a few years and they have really improved on the natural style habitat enclosures. We really enjoyed seeing the animals this way

A quiet, fun place where the whole family can go and have a good time

Not much animals and the shows are boring but the food yeah!

great place to spend time with family and to bring kids to learn.

We love the Oakland Zoo and happily renewed our family membership a month ago. Sure the camel "habitat" is just a grassy hillside with a fence around it. Sure the alligators occasionally get loose (we're assured they're overfed and not dangerous, lol). Sure the Sky Ride literally caught fire last time we were there. Whatever. This Zoo has heart, is very manageable and accessible, and my kids love it. I'll keep renewing as long as those things are true.

Dirty. OVERPRICED. Unattractive layout. Not a great Zoo.

We love Oakland Zoo. They work hard to provide human enclosures and treatment for the animals. Some other posters mentioned trash in the enclosures. They give the animals different things for enrichment. What looks like trash is actually for the benefits of the animals to keep them stimulated and healthy.

They also have a fun amusement area outside of the zoo. You can access those rides without paying for entrance. My son loves the train. It takes you to the Australian Outback which has emus, wallaroos and a fantastic view of the bay.

Their annual Walk in the Wild fundraising event is awesome. We went last year and can't wait to go this year. It's so much fun.

Awesome fun place for kids. The new cable car ride is nice.

Fun for the whole family! Got to see bear feeding, coyote prowling around in natural habitat, and ride a gondola with amazing views! The play area was perfect for kids. Our three year old enjoyed the rides, also.

Nice children's zoo. My daughter brushed friendly goats. Some steep hills to walk. The 2018 expansion is very nice - can't wait for it to fully open.

Fun. Wild adventure. Joy. Informative. Healthy excercises.

Nice to visit with kids and keep them entertained for a few hours. Not too many animals though.

Great for a day of family fun. Kids love the animals.

IT WAS OK NOT. WHAT I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL GO BACK

Great place I brought my little cousin there and he loved it.

Great day out beautiful animals eell looked after
Servicws at the zoo even on a busy day good

Lots of animals.. would have to go early like when it opens

We have had a great time, each time we've gone. My daughter loves the animals, and learning about them. It's a smaller zoo, nothing huge and fancy, but it's well cared for. It's clean, the enclosures are nice and nothing looks horrible. I do hope they are able to update more and more as they've been doing this last year.

We love the zoo. I have a three year old and live a couple exits down so we got the membership. It works out that we only need to go like three times a year to make it worth it and with a child our son's age we go way more than that. With the new gondola up and running they are close to almost doubling the size of the zoo.