Rather expensive and there were may opportunities to spend more money once inside. I understand paying for camel rides or feeding giraffes, but those were pricey. The tram should have been included with admission. Not the failing of the zoo but it get's hot quick once inside. Bring water. Had an employee get angry that we were "leaving though the entrance" and was told that "the exit was through the gift shop." That is tough with two kids.
Another Palm Desert gem! Unlike other zoos I have visited, all the animals were visible! Such a great experience for my son and I. We fed the giraffe, saw the cheetahs run, baby warthogs, a big horn up on top of a mountain, jaguar, fossa, to name a few. Worth the extra coue of bucks for the tram. Go and enjoy!
Amazing zoo! Loved all the garden trails off the main trail. They save lots of animals so I like to support them
I loved my time and had a great experience there with my whole family
Love it there my girls grew up going there Christmas Halloween or just checking out new animals always sent my customers there
Great place to burn off some calories and enjoy the beautiful scenery and all the wild animals can't wait for the Australian Adventure to open this Friday and see some of the wildlife from Australia
The Living Desert is a wonderful outdoor attraction that offers a variety of activities for people of all ages to enjoy. Personally speaking, the Train Depot is my favorite part of the park. There's a lot to do out here, so boredom isn't an option. Keep in mind, though, that there's a lot of walking involved and that bringing water is recommended.
Confusing about where to go with the pandemic. Staff was friendly and helpful. Did not have a lot of time and it was very hot outside. Will definitely be back after the pandemic and I forsee 5 stars in the future.
I love going to the living desert with my family.
My kids love the trains. There are so many different lines and the living desert always changes the cars and engines keeping things new and exciting.
Some other highlights is the giraffe feedings and enclosure,they have kudos and ostriches.
And the indoor Discovery room, it's a great air conditioned space ( we always stop there on the summer)
There is so much fun and it just never ends and each visit has a unique experience.
Living desert is a bit odd. Definitely has a bit of zoology and botany that you would expect out of a zoo but it has a model train area as well. The door prices are $20 which is quite expensive for the size but they nickel and dime for everything.
Good zoo, not a ton of animals, but some good ones and we loved the environment throughout the zoo, felt like a nature walk between animals.
Fantastic zoo. Great exhibits in clean comfortable environment.
I went with my family, and we all had a great time. The workers were always so nuce and respectful. We even brought a 1 year old and she had the time of her life petting the goats. In the car she slept the whole way home.(The rest is just nonsense, i just get more points for typing extra stuff)in a bit hungry for me part of the of the of a morning person and a morning person and a good one more question of question of 2nd quil I cant fimd yhe find the fimd yhe find the fimd yhe fimd yhe find the fimd yhe fimd and he said what's wrong and wrong and wrong person in the morning he was going to invite you and jorge but jorge but jorge but jorge but jorge but jorge but jorge but jorge but jorge but jorge but jorge but jorge but nothing happened nothing happened nothing happened nothing happened nothing happened nothing happened nothing happened nothing happened
Amazing animals and grounds, great behind the scenes tours.
Love this zoo too much for one day gotta go more then once lol
A nice little zoo with friendly staff. They stopped by at one point to make sure we weren't overheating and gave us ice pops.
Had an amazing time watching all the animals, sadly we didn t dare to feed the giraffes, so the employee is there charging the $7 for the feeding, witch is okay, the only problem is there is no social distancing when ur up there. Should allow certain number of people at a time and allow them certain minutes. It was super packed of people feeding the giraffes all at once.
Exceptional place to visit. Will be back to enjoy every area much more
Love taking my little ones here. Amazing to have such a great zoo in our little valley
Where to go to learn about the deserts of the world. Not happy they seem to be phasing out the garden shop
It is not tiny but not big one. You need bring your own bottle of water. You can see many things very closely. You may surprised very close everything.
Our first time coming to the Living Desert. We had a blast! From watching the trains to feeding the Giraffe the kids and adults had so much fun. The staff was extremely friendly. I m sure we will be back.
Great place for families, clean and the animals look very happy. The bathrooms seem to be very far.
Love this place. My daughter has the best time here
This place is bigger than I thought . Took us 3 hours just to walk around the zoo. Many cool things to see , my daughter enjoyed feed the giraffes and ride the camel there .
Great place to visit with kids. Lots of animals and also great biotantic gardens as well, not to mention the model train section, great attraction for little kids. If I live nearby will definitely buy membership and visit more often .
Just Love, Love this Place.
If you Love Nature and Wild Animals then this is the Place for You.
Very cool zoo, lots of information about conservation efforts and veterinary hospital! Big exhibits. Would recommend!
Great array of desert animals. Great hiking trails out back.
Love this place all of the staff are friendly and helpful.
Awesome place for any age person that would like to see a wildlife habitat that has lots of different things to see.
I love coming here. The cheetahs are adorable and there are water foumtains everywhere.
The animals are so close and it is a pleasant set up all around the park. The mini trains are pretty neat too!
Cool exhibits, lots to see, be sure to take the side trails
Good for a winter afternoon. However to many up charges for things that should be included.
This Zoo is a great place to take the kids for the day
Beautiful place, most of the animals have big runs and look happy. It was wonderful to feed the lorikeets and the giraffes. I felt that only the leopard had small space and looked agitated by the kids. Parents, please teach your kids not to tease, bang on windows or climb on fences. It could bother the animals and could be dangerous too.
Multiple animals that are super cool to look at, and a great place to spend with family
Wow! What a nice, clean zoo! Great visit with our 2y/o
You get to feed the giraffes!! Must visit if u r with kids...
Great family entertainment. Lots to see, most of the animals are very active. Friendly staff and clean grounds.
Nice zoo. Go early . Cooler and see more animals out and about
My daughter and I had a blast here. I recommend you bring water with you. Of course you will be walking in the desert a lot and there will be a lot of walking.
The 4-star rating is only for the holiday lights night time event to which I've taken two young girls. We couldn't see many animals in the dark. Daytime trips to The Living Desert are definitely five star events with kids, especially when there's a dinosaur meet and greet
Visit was during the Christmas season fun light's and basic attractions
Fantastic place!
The animals and views are wonderful.
Definitely recommend going as early as possible. There is quite a bit to see and to enjoy it all you need to slow down and take it easy.
The food at the village canteen was really good. Plus they do serve beer, in plastic cups, so they can be taken into the park areas.
Beautiful experience for you and the kids, we went on a cousin's day and it was great
Overall a really well kept zoo with a fair amount of animals. Stuff were friendly and knowledgeable.
The only downside was having to pay for other interactive activities once you got in. 3-4 USD here and there for activities you would think would be included (feeding some of the animals, butterfly exhibit, etc).
You are able to get better views of many of the animals than the San Diego Zoo. That is really saying something. Oh and the parking was free!
It's fantastic. I'm rejuvenated every time I go. Highly recommended.
Best little zoo. Try not to go when it is to hot. Also don't buy the tram ticket. The zoo is so small you can walk the entire zoo in 1 hour.
Fun place kids loved $20 unlimited saves so much $8 all day tram helps if you can walk
An excellent and unique zoo with exceptionally qualified and friendly staff. A must visit if you re in the California Desert.
I have been to the Living Desert multiple times, and I absolutely love it. I would recommend anyone, or any family, to visit the Living Desert. Just bear in mind it gets pretty hot during the summer days, so be properly prepared for that, and bring plenty of water!
Great hiking trails, employees are well informed and do care about the animals
Great place to visit and bring the family! Newly remodeled and still upgrading areas of the park. Went in August and it was really hot. I recommend to go outside of the hot summer months. Loved it, nevertheless!
Very nice zoo, good walking trails into the hills behind the zoo itself.
Where I fulfilled my dream of knowing the giraffes and being able to feed them.
Much nicer and more extensive than expected. Lot's of benches and bathrooms which were appreciated.
Sadly lion was not visible. Barely saw the cheetah far back. Otherwise was pleasant
This is a great zoo for showing both African and American desert habitats. The large number and variety of animals is quite extraordinary. Great place for kids! As a bonus model train enthusiasts will love the largest model garden train layout in the world. Very highly recommand.
Great place to go with family, they have animals that other Zoo's don't have, beautiful garden trails also. There's a lot of benches all around the Zoo to rest, but it's very hot I was there on March 25 and it was already very hot, make sure to take water and sunscreen. They have camel rides and you can feed the giraffes for an extra charge.
The only thing that we noticed that some animals are in very small habitat very sad.
This place is very nice and clean. There are many cool animals here. There is a cool playground for kids and a picnic center. The bathrooms are very nice and clean.
This place is fantastic! I never knew there was such a beautiful place with wonderful animals so close to me.
So much fun just strolling along with the zoo animals knowing there all around
The Living Desert: A Family-Friendly Zoo and Gardens Specializing in the Deserts of the World
The Living Desert is a unique zoo and botanical garden located in Palm Desert, California. It has been rated as one of the 10 Best Zoos in the US by Condé Nast Traveler, making it a must-visit destination for animal lovers and nature enthusiasts alike.
What sets The Living Desert apart from other zoos is its focus on desert ecosystems. The zoo features over 450 animals from 150 different species that are native to deserts around the world. Visitors can see everything from African wild dogs to Bighorn sheep to Mexican gray wolves.
In addition to its impressive collection of animals, The Living Desert also boasts an extensive botanical garden with over 1,400 species of plants. These plants are carefully curated to represent different desert regions around the world, including North America, Africa, and Australia.
One of the most popular attractions at The Living Desert is its Giraffe Encounter exhibit. Visitors can get up close and personal with these majestic creatures while learning about their behavior and habitat. Other popular exhibits include Camel Rides, Wildlife Wonders Show, Endangered Species Carousel Ride among others.
For families with young children, The Living Desert offers a variety of educational programs designed to teach kids about conservation and environmental stewardship. These programs include guided tours led by knowledgeable staff members as well as interactive exhibits that allow kids to get hands-on experience with animals and plants.
But what really sets The Living Desert apart is its commitment to conservation efforts both locally and globally. Through partnerships with other organizations like the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) and Species Survival Plan (SSP), The Living Desert works tirelessly to protect endangered species like cheetahs, Mexican gray wolves among others through breeding programs aimed at increasing their population numbers in captivity before releasing them back into their natural habitats.
Overall, if you're looking for a family-friendly destination that combines education with entertainment while promoting conservation efforts worldwide then look no further than The Living Desert!
livingdesert.org
