Reviews of Oakland Zoo (Zoo)

rita karaffa

Wait time

Mackenzie

Visited on

William Robinson

Fun place to go with kids. Not very big, u can cover entire zoo in 3 hrs. sufficient parking. Children play areas are closed bcoz of Covid safety. Zoo staffs are very helpful. Gandola ride allows 1 household per ride and is free of cost and it is a 90sec ride. Landing cafe closes at 3, so order ahead and reach at least 30 mins ahead.

Bernadette Ferea

A must visit if you are in the bay area. Incredible views of the bay area with thr gondola. A good variety of animals and it's easy to go around and enjoy it. For families it's best to get the membership and visit a couple of times a year. Unfortunately due to rain, didn't get a chance to take the train ride, but it was still well worth it.

krystal Mcminn

I have been to several zoos around Christmas time, but the Oakland Zoo really had its own unique twist on it with the Glowfari and lighted animals.

ashley stidham

First time Oakland Zoo visitor , went to see Glowfari!! Beautiful. Well organized, wasn't too crowded. Must visit with kids. Glowfari total time wouldn't exceed 2.5 hours with multiple stops for pics and gondola ride

Dashawnta Finley

Visited on

Renganathan P

Came here on Sunday, June 27th and had the best time! We got to the zoo around 12:00 and we were able to head right in without a wait and get a park right in front! The entry was super quick and easy, no lines at all. The animals looked happy and very well cared for, except for one hyena I saw.. he/she was pacing back and forth while waiting at a gate. I'm not sure if it was feeding time or if the hyena was stressed, but being a previous animal technician, pacing isn't a good sign! Hopefully the hyenas are okay. :( Otherwise, all of the animals looked great! It was also nice how there were employees at every animal viewing area to answer questions that we had. Also, don't skip the goat petting area! So worth it, the goats are so cute! The gondola ride was beautiful and so fun.. and the California trail was amazing. 10/10 would recommend this zoo!

Christian Charles

Price for adult entry

Steve Christensen

Wait time

teresita padilla

Yes

gabriella martinez

Visited on

Cheri Harema

Up to 10 min

Suvir Guppy

$21–30

Andy Hess

No wait

Venu Javarappa

Visited on

Jasmine Pearson

Wait time

Jasmine Pearson

Wait time

Zachary Burns (SynysterBurns)

It was fun, educational and not crowded. It's so much better now that you have to make reservations. We got there early and the kids played in the little amusement park they have. We were able to get thru almost everything. Will most definitely go again.

Mayra Huizar

Visited on

AJY Lenks

This is our happy place, we go to the zoo at least once a week and we enjoy everything about it. The Gondola, the parks, the train, the petting zoo and all the animals. Toddlers and parents really get a lot this place. It wonderful to exercise and enjoy the nature as well.

Cheasanee Hetherington

My husband and I love coming to the Oakland Zoo! The Oakland Zoo isn't a huge zoo (like San Diego), but they have a good variety of animals. As two adults, we can get through the entire zoo in about 3 hours. My favorite spot is the newer California trail area. You can take a free gondola up to that area, where there are animals native to California. There's also a cafe area that overlooks the bay, and a really cool looking kids play area. The enclosures for the animals are pretty large, which we appreciate for the welfare of the animals. This does mean, however, that there's a good chance that you may not see certain animals. The wolves, for example, are very hard to spot, and they tend to like hanging out in areas that make it almost impossible to see them. It's always a treat when we're able to actually see them, especially if we see the whole pack. We have a membership there, so we don't usually feel like we need to see everything in one visit. We like trying to get there either on a weekday or as soon as they open on a weekend. When they're busy, getting in can take a while, and the freeway exit can definitely back up a bit. Recommend bringing a hat and a refillable water bottle (they also have water filling stations if you run out of water).

Chris Kemper

Price for adult entry

Andy Hess

No wait

Liang Tang

Reservation recommended

Jerry Yang

Make sure book tickets for parking lots before come here. U can buy entrance tickets on online but I found that only available in the afternoon at that day. I can't guarantee car paking tickets on online. Free for cable car and there is restaurants to buy snacks.it is so hot ???? outside so need sun screens and sun glasses.there is small playground for children and it cost 4 dollars each person.also try ride on little train to check on some animal species. usually people spends time around 2 or 3 hr there.

Ian Nyhus

Yes

Diane Ko

Visited on

Manesh Samuel John

Weekend

James Bautista

Yes

Alicia Terrazas Mills

very interesting visit. The animals are cute. It is our first time to pet the goat. Unique experience. The lions were sleeping. The lizard were doing push ups. The wolfs are patrolling… strongly encourage visitors to come early as the zoo closes early.

Scotty J Retro Geek

Up to 10 min

Debbie Pieracci

Wait time

William Satterfield

It was sure a fun experience to have with your family and kids. So many fun thing to do and see. Make sure you go ride the train as well it has a fun time and you can experience even more.

William Satterfield

It was sure a fun experience to have with your family and kids. So many fun thing to do and see. Make sure you go ride the train as well it has a fun time and you can experience even more.

Alexis Rae MacGregor

First time at this zoo and my kids had a great time. Had to make reservations and prepaid for parking. Gondola up to the California trail was very cool.

Siddhesh Dindorkar

Weekday

Nonie Kent

Wonderful day spent with family. Kids love the rides, especially the gondola and train rides. The zoo is clean and well maintained.

Alessio Sangalli

You can see most animals really good with a clear view. To get access to train ride you have to go outside and you can go back inside the zoo just get your hand stamped at the gate, there's a fee for the train. Best part was the the gondola ride and is free.

Tayllor Lawson

Worth visiting, worth trying sky ride. We spent 4.5 hours and covered 70% zoo

Arunabh Baruah

Reservation recommended

Laura DeLong

Public holiday

Santino Edwards

Glofari tonight absolutely took our breath away at every turn. If you haven't checked it out yet, GET TICKETS BEFORE THEY ARE GONE! Fun light toys, walk through exhibits, train ride through the exhibits and SANTA!

Beat A. Schwendimann

Weekend

Aaron Barron

Reservation recommended

Denne Hairston

Visited on

Ashley Ellington

$31+

Kristina Moore

Weekday

Jessica Soto

$21–30

Bridgettes Product Reviews

Was a good visit. Took my parents here. The California trail was closed for a private event by the time we visited the entry point and it was not notified anywhere before or there was not timing as to when will it reopen. Felt highly unprofessional on their part. Overall I would rate 3/5.

Oliver Smith

Had not been to a California or any Zoo for many many years. Now that I'm a senior citizen and took a younger friend to the Oakland Zoo. We marveled at the cleanliness, the space all animals enjoy, proper signage, lots of restrooms, one set of gondolas for free. When you reach the top you can enjoy snacks in the cafe. All animals looked healthy and well-fed. 4 hours walking, little too much for starters for me. But I definitely will go back very soon again. The photos do not do it justice. Because it was half the zoo that I couldn't visit.

WHOOSTA ConcreteSpitInc

Weekday

Grand Old Soul 90

Wait time

Lam Thương

Always had love for my local zoo. It's changed so much. They have new area's for the animals. A new insect room, and reptile room. A new gondola that takes you to the cafe z children's place, and has wolves, jaguars and my favorite the grizzly bear exhibit. Overall a nice zoo.

Duncan Pond

No wait

Soo_J Yang

Yes

Sandhya Nair

Visited on

Larry Hoyt

No wait

Nihad Vatres

Wait time

Akash Singh

Lots of pretty cool animals! My 2 year old had a great time! That's all that matters.

Virginia Pender

Reservation recommended

Sacra Mento

Up to 10 min

Jeannine Gerkman

Wait time

stanley chung

Yes

stanley chung

Best zoo in the bay area. The California section is really cool, you can get a view of the wolf pack from above, and I've even seen the grizzly bears sparring. Very exciting. No tigers anymore, but the animals all have areas that seem roomy and stimulating.

Sheila Genova

Price for adult entry

Lisa Hardy

It was such a great time with my little girl to show animals in reality. We could watch animals closer than any other zoo. She love to watch them even though it was too hot day. Me and my husband are thinking about to get a membership.

Wei Li

Wait time

Jeff Tong

Visited on

Shreyas Padhye

Wait time

laura powers

Price for adult entry

Tony B

Price for adult entry

Mama Fox

I was Super impressed with this zoo! They've made a Lot of improvements since I was here last, and from what I saw, they were all good. The gondola ride was worth the wait and far more secure than the sky ride. This zoo was So much better than the San Francisco Zoo! No contest! It really seems as though someone thought long and hard about space for the animals! Well done!

Stevie Christensen

Great zoo. Lots of animals, not too over priced. I really enjoyed the gondola ride to the top of the hill. I esoecially liked the grizzly bears, Buffalo and turtles. Everything was great.

Robert London

This was definitely one of my greatest experiences ever, this is the closest I've ever came to a lion yet alone watch one rest! Such a fun filled zoo and we'll kept! Lots of safety and hand sanitizer stations! Will like to come back one more time before the kids go back to school!

Mrs. Adele Rios Escoto BA

Weekend

Adele Rios Escoto

It was pretty nice and not too crowded when I went on a Friday, they have a "sky lift" that transports guests to the upper part of the zoo and it's a very nice ride up with amazing views of the bay. They also have a nice playground area for the kids to play, all of the kids seemed to love the Zipline.

Karen V Chin

Best zoo in the bay area. The California section is really cool, you can get a view of the wolf pack from above, and I've even seen the grizzly bears sparring. Very exciting. No tigers anymore, but the animals all have areas that seem roomy and stimulating.

sean holt

Price for adult entry

Johnny Johnson Jr

Reservation recommended

Shaun McAlpine

Wait time

Crystal Nicole Davis

A legit zoo that was focused on the animals. The kids loved it and learned a lot about the animals, their habitats, and the threats to their existence in the wild. I'm really glad we went, it was a really cool experience.

Janai West

Reservation recommended

Karin Curkowicz

Weekend

carlos perez

I grew up going to the Oakland Zoo and have loved seeing the improvements and additions over the years. The emphasis has changed to the animals and giving them a place closer to their habitat, with companions. The zoo feeds them in interesting appropriate ways and offers animals enrichment activities. We loved the new California Trail and learning about the animals there. The gondola ride was a real treat. The restaurant was tasty with a great view. There seemed to be play areas for the kids all around the zoo, just when it was needed. Special touches like animal prints in the cement walkways made it more interactive and interesting. The information posted at the exhibits about the animals was very helpful and we saw several docents available for more info and to answer questions. Conservation is a topic that is also given attention. The zoo gets better every time we go.

Shannon Lockwood

Came here on Sunday, June 27th and had the best time! We got to the zoo around 12:00 and we were able to head right in without a wait and get a park right in front! The entry was super quick and easy, no lines at all. The animals looked happy and very well cared for, except for one hyena I saw.. he/she was pacing back and forth while waiting at a gate. I'm not sure if it was feeding time or if the hyena was stressed, but being a previous animal technician, pacing isn't a good sign! Hopefully the hyenas are okay. :( Otherwise, all of the animals looked great! It was also nice how there were employees at every animal viewing area to answer questions that we had. Also, don't skip the goat petting area! So worth it, the goats are so cute! The gondola ride was beautiful and so fun.. and the California trail was amazing. 10/10 would recommend this zoo!

Tamer Abualhsan

$21–30

Dan Lekovish

Good place to take kids under 10. Only bad part about the zoo is if you don't have reservations you have to park at the front entrance and hike your way up the hill. Its a very tiring hike . If your vaccinated you are not required to wear a mask but if your not then mask is required

Aditya Samalla

Visited on

Amanda Battles

Weekend

rahul kanagal

Wait time

Mark Brunner

Yes

Birute Awasthi

Wonderful bay area zoo in the Oakland Hills. The kids love the gondola ride and the cafe is good! Lots of spots to do a mini picnic. Be prepared for lots of walking and slight hiking up some hills.

mario mendez

Reservation recommended

Jake Yeager

This is a pretty big zoo. You get to take a gondola ride to check out the other end of the zoo. The food place at the end of the gondola ride isn’t good at all and I don’t recommend it. Lots of fat happy animals. Some of the enclosures seemed to small for the larger animals but overall they had a lot of animals to look at. If you have kids they have a lot of little rides and a train ride which is cute. You have to pre buy tickets online which I didn’t like. And you have a buy a parking ticket. Even with the parking ticket I got stuck in the farther parking lot.

Lucy M

Price for adult entry

T. Garcia

Yes

jeff cambruzzi

No wait

Harikrishna Ramakrishnan

Weekend

Jacob Ellis

Up to 10 min

Phil M

Reservation recommended

Richard Gutierrez

Visited on

Mayuresh Dani

Yes

Mayuresh Dani

Yes

Gloria Victorio

No wait

Pradeep Varadan

Wait time

David Riggleman

No wait

Santosh Patel

Our family really enjoyed the Glowrati event! There was just the right amount of people. The flow of the lines and the atmosphere was relaxing. Food & concessions were open for purchase, however we brought our own snacks. The weather was amazing and not that chilly the evening of 11/28. You can enter within an hour of your reservation time on your tickets and you can stay as long as you want until closing at 10 pm. The earlier, the better I think. Parking was easy because of it and we got the first space in front of the entrance, which never happens. Everybody was wearing masks even though we were outside. The gondola ride up the hill was open and you can fit a double back-to-back stroller inside, not sure about the tandem. Super convenient because we didn't have to take the kids out. We have the Contour. It was a great little family outing for the Thanksgiving weekend. There were bubbles and a big floor piano for the kiddos to stomp on along with music, however for those who are strict about the social distancing among kids, probably best to divert to a different location.

Vanessa Naranjo

Wait time

Isaias Leiva

Yes

Aditya Viswanath

Up to 10 min

Vivian Chen

Nice to see the brighter replica of the Zoo inmates while real ones were fast asleep.

Monica Betancur Realtor

No wait

Steve S.

Yes

Maribel Gomez

I'm 35 years old and I've never been to a zoo in my life the gondola ride made me a little bit nervous but everything else about that place was amazing the animals were active and well cared for and the grounds were clean staff members helpful and even though the drinks were $6 for a can of soda pop it was all still worth it had a great day. Im looking forward to going back with my son and wife.

Autumn Rose

Price for adult entry

Gina Sitte

No wait

Hesham Hussain

Visited on

Christine D

Weekday

fred surh

No wait

Alina Adams

Yes

Guy Nir

$31+

Riley Wolf

$16–20

Focused Blessed

This zoo was amazing. I was probably more blown away than the kids. Most of the exhibits were open and the animal are actually active and walk around. Don't leave without getting on the gondola

Michelle D.

Visited on

Frank Orozco

A legit zoo that was focused on the animals. The kids loved it and learned a lot about the animals, their habitats, and the threats to their existence in the wild. I'm really glad we went, it was a really cool experience.

Bobby le

$21–30

Linus Villahermosa

Price for adult entry

Marie Higginbottom

The Oakland Zoo puts the education of the public about the animals of this world and the very well being of said animals in its care at the forefront. The keepers are highly trained, personable and compassionate. The animals have outstanding, large habitats and tons of enrichment. The California Trail is worth the price of admission alone. This will always be my favorite zoo and I just purchased a membership so as I can continue to visit and learn. Do you have kids? It's a hilly zoo, good for keeping them entertained and tuckering them out for the car ride home. Also, a very cute petting zoo with goats and sheep will give them that fix of wanting to pet the animals. There are kids rides and a fun train to keep their attention when they tire of walking. All in all just a great zoo set in the hills of Oakland. You should visit. Plus, they have elephants. :)

Shawn Boone

No wait

Binh Nguyen

A nice zoo for kids and the family. Right now you book a time/date in advance and the spots do fill up so you'll want to plan ahead. We have visited in the both the morning and afternoon and many animals were active. There were lots of staff on site to answer questions and keep things moving. Most people respected wearing a mask and social distancing. There were some spots that got a bit crowded but you could always find space.

Little Wing

Oakland zoo is a lovely place to visit with your kids, family and friends, or even on your own! It’s therapeutic and educational. Reservation for entry is needed. The Gondola ride is FREE with paid admission. Car parking is $10. The gondola is fun and provides a spectacular view of the bay both during the day and the night! The zoo have creative events sometime such as the Glowfari, which features hundreds of larger-than-life glowing animal lanterns throughout the Zoo. They will return in November, can’t wait to try the mini express train inside the park to explore the illuminated wonderland!

ruben longoria

Reservation recommended

Cecilia Garcia

Up to 10 min

JessicaPhoebe

Weekend

Brijesh Kamani

Yes

Uladzislau Bayouski

What a wonderful place to visit with family/kids. Well, any animal lover will enjoy it greatly. Big number of animals to see, learn about their habitat and discover something new. Making reservations online was easy. Staff on site is very helpful. Everything is clean, COVID- safe, everyone is masked and distancing. Stroller friendly. Some areas are closed but that’s perfectly understandable. Gondola was a lot of fun. Separate are with California native animals was a blast to see. We hope to come back soon!

Renee Francesca

Oakland zoo is by reservation only. Ordering food ahead of time time was encouraged for Landing Cafe. The one that you need to take the gondola to reach (free). Which I honestly don't recommend as I ordered my food and was told it would be ready in an hour. When my friend's phone failed to load she went into the cafe to physically order her food and she got it within 5 minutes. I did try to get my food ahead of time once I realized this and they said no it was by time allotted you could pick up your food and there was no refunds if you canceled the pre-ordered online food. ????‍♀️ A lot of walking and hills just be sure you have good shoes and take an empty canister or water bottle to refill as water is about $4.50-6.00.

Stuart Gilbert

Weekend

Basil Kurian

Amazing experience. The California trail requires taking a gondola ride. The line for the ride can get busy but you'll get your chance within 30 mins. Beautiful exhibits and can see that they really take good care of all animals.

Vandana Rana

Price for adult entry

Carolyn Emrich

$21–30

Cheyanne Freitas

Wait time

Michael H

Price for adult entry

Jose

Wait time

Hugo Pelland

Very well managed, better to go earlier during the day as there are not many shade areas available. Loved the animals and the information boards. Almost all of the Lion King animals were there. So we're California natives, bears and African Safari animals!

Pat Copley

I grew up going to the Oakland Zoo and have loved seeing the improvements and additions over the years. The emphasis has changed to the animals and giving them a place closer to their habitat, with companions. The zoo feeds them in interesting appropriate ways and offers animals enrichment activities. We loved the new California Trail and learning about the animals there. The gondola ride was a real treat. The restaurant was tasty with a great view. There seemed to be play areas for the kids all around the zoo, just when it was needed. Special touches like animal prints in the cement walkways made it more interactive and interesting. The information posted at the exhibits about the animals was very helpful and we saw several docents available for more info and to answer questions. Conservation is a topic that is also given attention. The zoo gets better every time we go.

Annie

A great place for the family or a couple on a date. Did you know the gondola takes you directly over the lion and tiger cages? Or once you get up to the top of the hill you might see a herd of reindeer? Great views and a chance for a smooch. The chimpanzee cage may not seem that impressive but underground they have a monkey mansion! All their toys and laptops are down there. You may never see it but there is a sun bear hiding in his enclosure, he's very elusive but adorable! They have great events too, Christmas lights and scary Halloween ghosts, a picnic park and lots of parking out front. Don't forget your elephant key!

J. Courtland Parks

Reservation recommended

Joseph Ybarra

The Oakland zoo is very good. It has a new California trail and the gondola people running it were super nice. We got to see the sun bear which is rare. The hornbill was super funny because it was putting on a show for us. In the California trail the bears were active.

Daniel Loy

Glowfari was really great. Adults and children all had lots of fun. Everything was very pretty and well made. Complimentary sparkling apple cider at the top of the gondola ride was a nice touch.

Stacey Newcomer

Visited on

Harsha N

Reservation recommended

Ann

Yes

Joe Hupp

Love this zoo and have a membership. I would go every week if we had time. I go at least 5 times a year

Den Den

Reservation recommended

Abhinav Mathur

Wait time

Teresa Ponce

This zoo is very big and has lots of exhibitions. Do bring water, sunscreen, and some sort of shade because it does get hot walking around. It's also great to be able to reserve your time slots, and pay for parking in advanced. Also, view is amazing! Took off 1 star because sky ride closes at 4pm, which is when our entrance was. Also, some of the paths need work done since it has some tripping hazards.

María Fernanda Robledo Martínez (nefertinan)

An amazing place for family and friends! Lots of beautiful animals here to see. Thanks for the staff taking great care of this place!

Fi

Had not been to a California or any Zoo for many many years. Now that I'm a senior citizen and took a younger friend to the Oakland Zoo. We marveled at the cleanliness, the space all animals enjoy, proper signage, lots of restrooms, one set of gondolas for free. When you reach the top you can enjoy snacks in the cafe. All animals looked healthy and well-fed. 4 hours walking, little too much for starters for me. But I definitely will go back very soon again. The photos do not do it justice. Because it was half the zoo that I couldn't visit.

Sainath Krishnamurthy

Weekend

Shelly Hamalian

Up to 10 min

Sarah Beth Harris

Visited on

Aditya Joshi

My husband and I love coming to the Oakland Zoo! The Oakland Zoo isn't a huge zoo (like San Diego), but they have a good variety of animals. As two adults, we can get through the entire zoo in about 3 hours. My favorite spot is the newer California trail area. You can take a free gondola up to that area, where there are animals native to California. There's also a cafe area that overlooks the bay, and a really cool looking kids play area. The enclosures for the animals are pretty large, which we appreciate for the welfare of the animals. This does mean, however, that there's a good chance that you may not see certain animals. The wolves, for example, are very hard to spot, and they tend to like hanging out in areas that make it almost impossible to see them. It's always a treat when we're able to actually see them, especially if we see the whole pack. We have a membership there, so we don't usually feel like we need to see everything in one visit. We like trying to get there either on a weekday or as soon as they open on a weekend. When they're busy, getting in can take a while, and the freeway exit can definitely back up a bit. Recommend bringing a hat and a refillable water bottle (they also have water filling stations if you run out of water).

Julian Roque

Reservation recommended

Samantha Holdaway

Reservation recommended

Kitchen Witch Co.

Excellent experience with kids at night on winter, nice walk for night adventure.

Jocelyn Behrens

Family-oriented zoo featuring over 850 native and exotic animals. The zoo has three areas, exotic animals and country fair (tickets for rides have to be bought separately) and the California native animals on a high plateau, connected through a gondola. The animals have large, naturalistic habitats. Petting zoo for smaller children. Restaurant with a great view of the East Bay at the top gondola station.

V Tancredi

It wasn't too busy. We got to see all the animals, some were sleeping in shades so we had to look for them. All in all it was an amazing experience and my girlfriend loved it. She came to see the elephants.

Priya Sriram

Yes

Tee N

Weekend

Mark Porterfield

Amazing experience. The California trail requires taking a gondola ride. The line for the ride can get busy but you'll get your chance within 30 mins. Beautiful exhibits and can see that they really take good care of all animals.

Sumanta Chatterjee

$16–20

Liza

Price for adult entry

austin ramirez

Reservation recommended

Town Traveller

Amazing place to visit with family!! The animals were really fun to watch and great entertainment! They had many animals such as bears, flamingoes, baboons, wolves, alligators, and even rabbits! The gondola ride will take you uphill and you can see more animals as well as restaurants. They also have a train for kids and rides.

Suraj Arya

Good place to take kids under 10. Only bad part about the zoo is if you don't have reservations you have to park at the front entrance and hike your way up the hill. Its a very tiring hike . If your vaccinated you are not required to wear a mask but if your not then mask is required

Amanda Cheung

Had a great time here with the family. Kids range in age from 13-3 and everyone saw something they thought was cool. You can order/eat food in the park but expect to pay park prices. There are, however, water bottle refilling stations so you can refill your personal bottles when necessary. Masks are required outside of eating areas but everything is open otherwise. You are still required to prebuy tickets for a scheduled time/day. A great way to spend a day with the fam, definitely recommend!

James Penner

Weekend

James Penner

Visited on

Dot Hodges

Weekday

Khamid Bakhadirov

This is a fairly big zoo with a lot of exhibits. They also have a lot of fun little extras like train rides, a sky tram, and a gondola. However, when we went the gondola got closed down without notice partway through the day which was kind of a bummer because we missed a whole section of the zoo.

Tatiyana White

Wait time

Catherine Sandoval

Bought a membership :) -1 star because the gondola was breaking down with a loud alarm and stop-go-stopping for 25 minutes while we waited in line and it caused a lot of guest tension, which is hard when you are sensitive to that sort of thing. The Landing food and staff were lovely. Animals looked very happy and well cared for. Thought gift shop would be open later than it was, but that's okay. Appreciated the large parking lots, was a bit of a walk but the zoo is huge so you'll be walking anyway. Can't wait to come back.

A.J C.

Wait time

Randahl

$21–30

Jenifer Castañeda

Yes

Alan Glossop

Price for adult entry

Alicia Emerick

Reservation recommended

Emma Fong

No wait

Tom Pep

The gondola wasn't working so that was a bummer. You can only see the California stuff if you take the gondola so I missed out on a whole section of the zoo. It is still a very nice zoo but I would've liked to have seen the animals in that part of the zoo.

Dannette Roberts

Reservation recommended

Prakash Veer

I can’t post the video of the train but the zoo was super fun this weekend! All the animals were out except the tigers. So much so that I forgot to take pictures this time around. Very nice weather to go. The only thing I do not like is there is no way for you to go see some of the animals without using the gondola….that’s a cool feature but some people really don’t enjoy those type of lifts and not being able to see a part of the zoo simply because i don’t want to use a gandola certainly taints my opinion of the zoo. The part of the zoo I could go was very cool and the area that seemed to be the glowfari looks like it would be super cool but it was sold out already. Mostly a very good trip to the zoo but with not nearly any food being available and not being able to see part of the zoo. I would say it’s a good zoo. Not great. All staff were nice and friendly except the train driver. She was not mean however she did not seem to enjoy her job in the slightest. I’m not sure she actually said one word the whole time. She just kept side eyeing the people in the train behind us. Overall a good trip and I would recommend if your ok not seeing part of the zoo due to the gandola. Or you don’t have any issues with a gandola.

Prakash Veer

Price for adult entry

Kyle Sevey

Weekend

Scott Williams

Weekend

Allison Woodward

Yes

Kevin Kohles

Yes

Joshua Piotrowski

Visited on

Vanessa Irene

Amazing for family! We love all the exhibits and the animals are adorable! The most friendliest staff and employees. Minus 1 star for the areas not being clean, unused masks on the ground, and some information box not working. But I do love their policies on keeping us safe during COVID. In addition, keeping the ticket reservations online and limiting the amount of people, because it can get crowded.

Minal Soman

First time Oakland Zoo visitor , went to see Glowfari!! Beautiful. Well organized, wasn't too crowded. Must visit with kids. Glowfari total time wouldn't exceed 2.5 hours with multiple stops for pics and gondola ride

Kavyashree Gangadhara

Dec 2021: best day EVER to see animals! 10am rainy, had the zoo to ourselves and we saw SO MSNY animals out for their food! Glowfari 2021 is looking really fun! Update 2021: Zoo is doing an amazing job with COVID and safety protocols. Skyride, snake house,, and bug house still closed. Most other attractions are now open including the rides outside the park Great! 2020: Great zoo. Nice size for a one day visit. Wheelchair and stroller accessible. Very few people on a weekday. My son loves the gondola and the staff is very friendly about letting you ride over and over again, especially when they are not busy. Some great views of the lions from the sky ride. My son also loves the rides outside the park .

Wilson Balanga

Wait time

T JB

Yes

Jyoti Singh

Visited on

Lou ggle

$21–30

Sandy Gardiner

My review is for the "Glowfari" yearly event at the Oakland Zoo. This is a pretty cool thing to do for kids and adults. Being born and raised in San Francisco and with visiting the SF zoo this was an amazing introduction and experience for my first time. Tickets are 20 dollars and free parking. I definitely recommend dressing warm and packing your own snacks and drinks because the food spots in the Zoo are mostly closed and it might have to do with covid. The Glowfari is going on until the end of January and I definitely recommend it. If can't make it this year you should absolutely make plans for it at the end of the year.

Anthony Conner

$21–30

Brandon Dalton

Yes

Dennis T

Up to 10 min

Derrick Lassle

Weekend

Yongchong Mao

Visited on

Alisha Rivera

Up to 10 min

pedro alvarez

It was such a great time with my little girl to show animals in reality. We could watch animals closer than any other zoo. She love to watch them even though it was too hot day. Me and my husband are thinking about to get a membership.

Ernesto Salinas

Reservation recommended

JoAnn SkyWatcher

Wait time

ruby win

very interesting visit. The animals are cute. It is our first time to pet the goat. Unique experience. The lions were sleeping. The lizard were doing push ups. The wolfs are patrolling… strongly encourage visitors to come early as the zoo closes early.

prakash chandra

Visited on

D Nguyen

Great place for kids! Gondola ride in the sky. A kid train to ride. Kiddie carnival rides and great viewing of animals and birds! Whimsical man-made cloth animals and flowers. Food was expensive but the experience was fun for us adults too!

John Byrne Jr

$21–30

Osy Castanon

Reservation recommended

stuart cohen

Weekend

Miroslava Ceron

Visited on

Alicia Garcia

Glowfari was amazing the display of animals is fun for any age. Weather was perfect me and my wife took our 6 month old daughter who loves flashing lights but she decided she wanted to sleep through it all instead haha. Worked out great me and the wife got to spend sometime togethar out and have some peace and quiet. Would recommend 100%.

Sandra Lesueur

Visited on

Matt Levey

Make sure book tickets for parking lots before come here. U can buy entrance tickets on online but I found that only available in the afternoon at that day. I can't guarantee car paking tickets on online. Free for cable car and there is restaurants to buy snacks.it is so hot ???? outside so need sun screens and sun glasses.there is small playground for children and it cost 4 dollars each person.also try ride on little train to check on some animal species. usually people spends time around 2 or 3 hr there.

Lucia Silva

$21–30

torreyMama

Weekend

Caitlin Teacher

No wait

Jenelle Collazo

Visited on

Ashley Jackson

I have 2 young children and my brother in law was in town a few weekends ago. We decided to take the kids to the zoo as a family and I am glad we chose Oakland zoo over other options. The parking was prepurchased and I am glad we did. We parked pretty close to the entrance and could load up the stroller in the large parking spots. We entered around 11 and there was no line. Most everyone were wearing masks but they aren't required when outdoors. We had a great tour of the zoo. We saw most animals. My kids really enjoyed the monkeys, tiger, and the hyenas but many other animals were also plainly visible. The zoo staff was also great. Without singling anyone out we had several interactions with concessions staff which were top notch. We saw the same staff throughout the day but they were helpful and generous. The grill was disappointing. The fryers were down so no fries and the staff offered my wife and BIL no alternatives for fries even though chips and other items were available. Additionally the food was very plain and incorrect for 3/5 meals (2 kids 3 adults) and was over half the cost of the actual zoo visit for a disappointing hour. We also visited one gift shop and purchased 2 toys and a vacuum coffee mug with a screw lid. Those items are holding up. I actually really like the coffee mug, its large and keeps the coffee hot. Its comparable to my yeti thermus but it fits IN my cars cup holder snugly. I have been to the SF zoo also and being a bay area transplant have been to several other zoos. I thought Oakland was better than average and would recommend others visiting at least once.

Tangie Parker-Melvin

Price for adult entry

Tamara Paulson

$21–30

Jeff Weigt

Wait time

Keith Dilliplane

I recently took my 1 and 4 year old and they had a blast. They had some of our favorite enclosures closed but it could have been due to the fact that right now they have the glow event going on. Such a great experience otherwise. I highly recommend

LD L.

I am a member of this Zoo and it is always a pleasure going. I have never been bored at this Zoo. There are a bunch of animals to see and things to do there. Also their food is not bad but it is expensive so I recommend bringing a sandwich if your going to go.

Vicki Bonansea

Reservation recommended

E M

$21–30

Google User

Weekday

Fari Escamilla

Came here last weekend on a Sunday for our schedule visit at 2:30pm. My boyfriend and I booked our tickets two weeks in advance for $24 each per adult and $10 for parking. Recommend to book ahead of time for your time slot, which allows you up to 30 minutes to enter, meaning from 2:30-3pm is our entry time. The lines were short and ample parking for visitors. Most animals were out and about but the reptiles and bugs building was closed and play structures are closed off from kids due to covid protocols. There’s a free gondola to take to see more animals at the top and the lines went by fast. Reason why gave one star less is because of the cleaning and sanitizing they are doing at the zoo. I felt that the way the gondolas were being sanitized could be better. They are sanitizing by just a quick spray of disinfectant into the gondola vs spraying the seats and wiping down spots that may be touched. People are getting hand sanitized before they enter but I also saw a few families slip by without doing so. I personally would feel more safe with them being more strict on their workers to follow and clean when not everyone has had their chance at receiving the vaccine yet. However, this zoo is worth checking out if you haven’t before. Not a whole lot of animals to see compared to other zoos but the gondola seems like an attraction to many that’s different from other Bay Area zoos.

Donna McConnell

Not sure

Sonia

Up to 10 min

Bell Escarla

Reservation recommended

Ken Dean

Visited on

greg roberts

The glowfari was nice... got there right at sunset so we got on the gondola and got some amazing pics

Rose Ann Florez

Reservation recommended

Lan Khuc

Price for adult entry

Gary G-mail

We had a fantastic time tonight checking out Oakland Zoo's Glowfari! The light displays are amazing, the 3D light up sculptures are beautiful with the wire framing matching the form of the animal. Really beautifully done.

Corinne King

First time at this zoo and my kids had a great time. Had to make reservations and prepaid for parking. Gondola up to the California trail was very cool.

Brendan Ritter

No wait

Anne Willson

Price for adult entry

Donna Perez

Up to 10 min