Oakland Zoo

I am always surprised and impressed when I visit the Oakland Zoo. It is well designed and kept up well. When I was there, they had a staff member at most every exhibit to answer questions. The California trail is noteworthy, especially if you live in California.

There are two areas in the Oakland Zoo. The northern section, the California Trail area, has bear, Mountain lion, California condor, jaguar, wolf, bison, and a café. The other sections include a Children’s Zoo, African Safari, and the Tropical Rain Forest.

The African section has the elephants, camel, lion, tiger, and zebra. You can get a little closer to the animals at the Oakland Zoo compared to the San Francisco Zoo. There is also a section with kids rides, mostly for toddlers.

Be aware, there are some hills in the zoo, but not as extreme as the hills in the San Diego Zoo. The Sky Ride is a few dollars extra, but the Gondola ride is free with admission. I recommend both as well as the train for children. Admission is $24-$20 depending on age.