The Ultimate Guide to the Sacramento Zoo

When planning adventures for kids in Sacramento, the Sacramento Zoo will undoubtedly be at the top of the list. This is easily a favorite attraction for families who live in the area and for those who are visiting the Capital City. 

It’s no secret that the Sacramento Zoo is more compact compared to other California zoos in larger cities. However, there are plenty of unique animals to admire and fun experiences for kids, from giraffe feedings to a playground and a carousel. The setting of the Sacramento Zoo is in beautiful Land Park, where there are many amusing activities for kids. 

Whether you’re visiting the Sacramento Zoo for the first time or a returning visitor, keep reading for all the tips on having the best experience at the Sacramento Zoo. 

Getting to the Sacramento Zoo 

Parking

Parking in Land Park is free! There is street parking, but our family typically parks in the lot next to Fairytale Town on 15th Ave. The entrance to the lot is directly across from the Sacramento Zoo entrance, next to Fairytale Town. The lot has many angled parking spaces and space for street parking. With a stroller to pack up and young kids, it feels safer and more convenient for us to park here versus on the busy streets of Land Park. There is also an overflow parking lot further down, off 15th Ave.  

Admission

Sacramento Zoo ticket prices vary daily. They typically range between $16-29, with higher admission prices on the weekends. The zoo has plan-ahead pricing so you can select tickets that fit your budget. Children under two receive free admission. 

While I’m all about supporting our local Sacramento attractions and animal conservation, I think the Sacramento Zoo is expensive for its size. We are actually members of the Sacramento Zoo and find a membership to be the best bang for our buck. 

Memberships

If you go to the Sacramento Zoo twice in one year with a family of four, the membership pays for itself. I’d say we probably go to the zoo about once a month, so we get our money’s worth of membership and have saved a lot on admission costs! 

Restrooms

There are many restrooms throughout the Sacramento Zoo. Even better, there are family bathrooms, too. Finding changing tables for babies and young children is not an issue. 

Best Exhibits & Must-See Animals

The Sacramento Zoo is one of the best things to do with kids in Sacramento. Seeing all the animals in Land Park is a favorite activity for local families and visitors. Compared to other notable zoos in California, the size of the Sacramento Zoo is small. To better compare, the San Diego Zoo is 100 acres, while the Sacramento Zoo is 14 acres. 

Don’t let the smaller zoo size deter your visit. There are still wonderful animals to see and fun experiences for kids. Our family enjoys that the Sacramento Zoo is smaller because a visit doesn’t take up an entire day. We can go to the zoo first thing in the morning and conclude our visit by lunchtime and naptime. 

These are a few must-see animals at the Sacramento Zoo:

• Red Pandas 
• The Lions 
• Sasha the Jaguar 
• Giraffes 
• Orangutans  
• American Alligator 
• J. Gregory the Southern White Rhino 
• Reptile House

Visitors can observe select animal trainings and feedings during certain times and days of the week. It’s pretty exciting to see these! When the lions come to the glass panes, it is jaw-dropping to see their sheer size and features so closely. The red pandas frequently sleep, so it’s a treat to see them when they are active.   

Kid-Friendly Activities & Attractions 

Giraffe Feedings

One of the best experiences at the Sacramento Zoo is the giraffe encounters. For $5, you can feed giraffes on the viewing deck. The feedings occur each day at 10am and 2pm. There is rarely ever a long line for the morning feedings. Zoo staff will provide leafy veggies for you to give to the giraffes. You can pay for the encounter right at the giraffe deck with cash or a card. Note that sometimes it takes a bit for the giraffes to wander over to eat the food! 

Zoo Train

There is a small train that does a loop around part of the zoo. After walking into the main entrance of the Sacramento Zoo, the train station entrance is to the left. It’s a short train ride past the lions and circles back at the playground. You’ll frequently hear the train chugging past, playing songs that kids love. Train rides are $4 per person. 

Conservation Carousel

Our family can’t leave the zoo without a ride on the carousel. Kids can choose an animal as their carousel vessel. The carousel is next to the zoo train and the kangaroo exhibit. Carousel rides are $3 per person. 

Playground

One of the fun things to do with kids at the zoo is to let them run around the playground. It is a small playground but has the essentials of a climbing structure, slides, and a few animal sculptures to engage with. The playground is near the cheetah and red panda exhibits. Behind the playground, there’s a serene, quiet area with a koi pond. 

Virtual Reality Theater

Directly across the playground is a Virtual Reality experience. There are a few seats inside a transparent shipping container. During this experience, you wear VR goggles while being transported to different worlds while your seat shakes. The virtual reality experience is $8 per person.  

Kilimanjaro Climb 

Kids who love thrills will enjoy the Kilimanjaro Climb at the Sacramento Zoo. It’s directly across from the playground. Kids wear a harness as they climb up a tall, vertical structure for $3. Children must weigh between 45 lbs and 250 lbs to participate. 

Serengeti Cyclone 

For $3, step into an enclosed, transparent chamber to feel Serengeti wind gusts. The Serengeti Cyclone is outside the Kampala Cafe. 

Dining, Snack & Souvenir Options

You can bring your food and drinks to the Sacramento Zoo. This is what we usually do as we have young kids who are picky eaters and usually want fresh fruit. If you don’t feel like toting around food or don’t have a stroller to carry it all, there are a few food options at the Sacramento Zoo. 

Kampala Cafe 

Kampala Cafe is the main restaurant at the Sacramento Zoo. It’s in between the Jaguar Exhibit and the Okapi Trail. They have a little bit of everything, including burgers, pizzas, bags of chips, and other snacks. A tip is that there are a few tables inside the cafe if it’s too hot or raining. The Kampala Cafe also has high chairs.  

Savannah Snacks 

Out of all the times I’ve been to the Sacramento Zoo, I rarely see this snack stand open. It’s next to the meerkats and otters exhibits. They have lots of sweet snacks like churros and ice cream. It is open seasonally. 

Zoofari Market Gift Store 

I love the Sacramento Zoo gift store. For a smaller zoo, the gift store has a solid selection of gifts, from different-sized plushies to books and even Sacramento Zoo-specific clothing. They do a good job of rotating out different items seasonally, too. 

Picnic Areas

There are many picnic tables throughout the zoo. My favorite picnic area is the one next to the Okapi Trail. It’s fun to enjoy a snack while viewing the okapi. 

Tips for the Best Zoo Experience

We go to the Sacramento Zoo a lot! Apart from Community Days, where admission is discounted, we’ve never had any crowd issues at the zoo. It usually takes our family about two hours to visit the Sacramento Zoo. If you have older kids, it might take less time. 

Typically, we like going to the zoo in the morning since it opens at 9am, earlier than the usual 10am opening time at most museums and attractions. The mornings are rarely ever crowded. However, sometimes the animals aren’t all out in the mornings. That said, the animals are more active in the mornings in the summer before it gets too hot. 

The Sacramento Zoo is flat with easy walking paths, making it manageable with a stroller. 

Special Events & Educational Programs 

Community Days 

The Sacramento Zoo has a few community days throughout the year. These tend to have affordable admission for non-members, usually around $10 per person. 

Nature Explorers 

My family enjoys attending Nature Explorers. This educational program occurs monthly, every second Saturday. Each month has a different theme. There are various interactive stations set up for kids to engage with that revolve around the theme. Nature Explorers is included with museum admission. 

Summer Camp 

Summer camps at the Sacramento Zoo are very popular. It’s available to kids in grades K-8th grade. It fills up quickly! Summer camp registration usually opens in March. 

Little Peeps Pre-K Class 

For kids not quite old enough for the zoo’s summer camp, younger children, ages 3-5, can sign up for the zoo’s Little Peeps class. A caregiver must attend with the child. Classes are two hours long with different weekly themes and an animal ambassador. 

Overnight Safari

If you’ve ever wanted to stay the night at the zoo, you’re in luck. The Sacramento Zoo has overnight safaris for families and scout troops. 

Behind-The-Scenes Tours 

Get up close with the animals through behind-the-scenes tours. These are walking tours with different animal experiences to choose from. Options include Australian animals, cheetahs, okapi, giraffes and zebras, reptiles, and more. 

Nearby Attractions & Things to Do After Your Visit 

There is no shortage of fun activities for kids in Land Park. Fairytale Town is directly across the street from the Sacramento Zoo, and Funderland Amusement Park is next to it. 

After a zoo visit, one of our favorite things to do is to get ice cream at Gunther’s. There are many kid-friendly restaurants in Land Park if you’ve worked up an appetite after walking around the zoo. 

Other Nearby Zoo Recommendations 

If you’ve been to the Sacramento Zoo many times and are looking for new experiences, there are a few other zoo and animal encounters I recommend. 

Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary 

There is a small zoo in the middle of Folsom, which is an animal sanctuary. It won’t take longer than an hour to see all the animals. In addition to a train ride and Wild West playground, the Folsom City Zoo adds to all the fun for kids in Folsom City Lions Park. 

The Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary always has fantastic annual events that our family loves to attend, like Howl-O-Ween and Wild Nights and Holiday Lights, one of our favorite things to do during the holidays in Sacramento.  

Oakland Zoo 

Want to level up your zoo visits? Take a day trip to the Oakland Zoo! While it’s a zoo, it’s just as much of an animal sanctuary, and the conservation and rehabilitation efforts the Oakland Zoo does are impressive. That alone makes it worthwhile to support this incredible zoo. 

Going to the Oakland Zoo will require a full day as there is so much for kids to see and do. The California Trail is a one-of-a-kind zoo experience. First, you take a gondola up the mountains over camels and bison, with stunning San Francisco views along the ride to reach the trail. At the top, there are animals native to California, a huge outdoor play area, and a restaurant with additional views of the San Francisco Bay. There’s also a conservation habitarium, an indoor learning center for kids. It has interactive things to do, like scavenger hunts and coloring corners. There’s even an indoor viewing area for the grizzly bears. 

Other must-do things at the Oakland Zoo include time at the Children’s Zoo, collecting free trading cards, and admiring animals you don’t get to see in Sacramento, like tigers and baboons. Speaking of the Sacramento Zoo, if you have a membership, you receive reciprocal museum admission (typically half off) to other select zoos in California and around the country. The Oakland Zoo participates in this program. 

California Academy of Sciences 

While Cal Academy isn’t a zoo, I added it to this section because it has some fantastic animal encounters. It’s one of our family’s favorite day trips each year in San Francisco, especially because you can get free tickets through the Sacramento Library! 

The California Academy of Sciences has a rainforest with butterflies, bugs, and reptiles and an aquarium with diverse marine life in huge tanks that will mesmerize kids of all ages. There are also penguins and the academy’s resident albino alligator, Claude. 

Micke Grove Zoo 

For a lesser-known zoo, there is the Micke Grove Zoo in Lodi. It’s in Micke Grove Park, one of the best things to do in Lodi with kids. The zoo is tiny and easily doable in 30 minutes to an hour. It’s perfect to include with other Lodi adventures, like the World of Wonders Science Museum. While in Micke Grove Park, don’t forget to check out the stunning Japanese Garden.