Oakland Zoo

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.

We love this zoo. It's clean, well set up for social distancing (important in this moment in time), and provides new learning opportunities for our family. I love that we see young and old alike each time we go. It's a great place to walk around and has many benches to sit on along the way.

The gondola made this zoo experience stand out from others. There are a good variety of animals; this zoo and the neighboring San Francisco zoo each have animals that are not available in the other, so it makes both zoos worthwhile to visit. The animal decorations throughout the zoo are slightly tacky compared to the overall vibe of the zoo, but my understanding is that it is for some nighttime attraction, so I understand its necessity.

Nice paved walkways. The gondola is a popular part of the park. You get a great view from there. You can see Oakland,San Francisco and the bay. Best view from up top is the Bison area. Would recommend.

This is by far the best zoo within hundreds of miles. Way better than the dilapidated SF Zoo. The zoo is kept clean. The exhibits are well kept. The animals appear to be well taken care of. Lots to do and will take about 3-4 hours to do and see everything with a food break. I highly recommend this zoo! ud83dudc4dud83cudffbud83dudc4dud83cudffbud83dudc4dud83cudffb⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐