We love this zoo! We visit from Corona, CA, just about every year as we stay in Ventura at our family's timeshare. It's small enough not to be tiring and take all day, but has a great variety of animals and exhibits. You currently need to make reservations ahead of time, but it's super easy to do online and you can just show the codes on your phone- no need for a printer. We haven't had any issues buying tickets the last 2 times we've visited under these new terms. They've opened an Australian Walkabout encounter where you get to walk into an open animal exhibit with kangaroo, wallaby & emu. You can't touch them, obviously, but it's neat to be at their level walking around them. There's a kid play zone to let the kids burn off some energy while the adults relax a bit. Equipped with sandbox, egg features to play/climb on, musical instrument installations, sliding/sledding hill, and cargo net spider web. Something new they've added is a trading card feature inside the gorilla observation post. You go here to pick an animal to learn more about. Grab a sheet and pencil, find the animal on your sheet at the zoo & answer some questions about it. Once it's filled in, take it to the front gate and you get a trading card of that animal.

Beautiful Zoo! Our hotel was 5min away so of course we had to make a visit. They had a lot of animals and quiet a few exhibits closed. We read it was a small zoo but it was white bit! Not LA Zoo big lol but lots of walking and sightseeing. Good prices and awesome play area for the kids to run around. We also loved the train ride! The conductors commentary was pleasant 😊

This zoo is wonderful. Animals look well taken care of. The highlight of my visit was the kangaroos. They allow you to walk inside the enclosure! The grounds are beautiful. There is a train you can ride that takes you around the entire zoo. I loved this place

I didn’t realize how awesome this Zoo is and could be once it’s done with renovations…. I love that this Zoo is close to home and has a great amount of sights to see. The amount of animal exhibits is pleasing and I definitely would return here with my wife and/or family. We took the train ride that went along the perimeter of the zoo grounds and it was a nice opener to walk the rest of the place. This is another place I’ve always passed by on the freeway but never visited. At least I know if I’d have time to check it out once again, it’s a worthy option.

Beautiful zoo. Not huge, but compared to other zoos it was extremely scenic and detailed. A very enjoyable day. The food we had was very good. We got some very good carnitas tacos from the restaurant in the courtyard for a surprisingly good price. The train ride was extra but worth it. Overall, our favorite zoo nearby, compared to the LA and Fresno Zoos.

Great excursion... Strolled the park in 75 minutes, stopped to enjoy each exhibit. Got up close to Lion, Giraffe, Gorilla, Leopard, Kangaroo, beautiful tropical birds... $20.00 was worth it. Now I get why they limit capacity for 2hour time slots. We went from 3-5pm and

This is a great little zoo! It is well maintained and the animals seem more content than other places we've gone. Note you do need reservations in advance due to COVID. It wasn't very crowded when we were there and it was a lot of fun. We have two teenagers and it took just over 2 hours to see most of the exhibits. Great, safe place to go if you want to get out with COVID. Also, the food was actually really good. Not some traditional theme park fare. We got burgers and they were really delicious! We will be back!

Went to the first time to this zoo with my husband and such a unique experience!! Beautiful place!! The train ride was fun too!! If you buy the tickets online definitely purchase the train ride along with and the parking pass to save you time! Not a big zoo so the walking wasn't bad. The whole walk-around was about 2-3hours but because we took our time and took so many pictures!!! I took my canon camera and realized I took over 300 pictures cause I was so amazed by it all!!!

This Zoo is special one. Besides that you can walk into kangaroos enclosures and birds aviaries with no barrier experience. How organic. It felt extraordinary to be so close to these birds and animals. The amazing white headed whistling duck was unexpected discovery. I did not realize I’d be having a favorite duck specie. Beautiful all around. Animal are very happy and well fed. Large part of the zoo delicates to kids play area. The hands on experience area will be opening soon with goats and pigs to interact with directly. The ticket can be bought online ahead of time for $25 and parking is $11 also convenient to buy ahead of time and avoid lines if any.

The worst zoo experience I’ve ever had. The place is a rip-off for non-members. Size-wise it’s more like a park than a zoo with a limited amount of animals. Worse yet, even those limited amounts have more limits due to exhibit closures. You’ll probably see more animal statues than real animals there. My kids went in excited and came out so disappointed. The entire visit took us less than an hour.

Awesome zoo, we had a great time here! Nice mountain and sea views as an added bonus. We especially liked the Gorilla, Lion, Giraffe, and Kangaroo exhibits. For Kangaroos, you get to go right into their enclosure. It's a smaller zoo, and they only sell a limited number of tickets, so make sure to get your ticket online in advance. Tickets are very reasonably priced at $25 for adults, and $15 for children under 13. The big benefit is that it's not crowded, and you get a much closer look at the animals. This being a smaller zoo, you can see the entire place in 2-3 hours.

Beautiful. Feels like a big park with animal exhibits. Saw fair share of active animals. A must for otter fans, very playful when we went. Very good value compared to other California zoos. Very basic food and drink but wasn't expecting 5 star restaurant. They do have beer and wine but didn't try any this trip. Looked great for kids. 5 stars, never felt cramped and was above expectations for a medium/small zoo experience.

Lovely little zoo. The perfect size to do in about 2 hours and you can get up close views to beautiful animals. It was easy to walk around as well. Several of the exhibits were closed for construction/upgrades but there was still lots to see including a nice butterfly garden to sit in and take a break. Really enjoyed this zoo.

I love this zoo! The zoo really cares about the animals! Animals look content and seem pretty interested in the visitors! Beautiful view this zoo has! The new wallaby walk through was soo cool! If you go please be respectful to the animals!

I had the opportunity of photographing a wedding here and absolutely loved it. The CA light really came through and made an amazing day. Really cool place to get married especially if you are an animal lover. The giraffe area was a hit with all of the guests - you get to feed them! They also had a few other animals out and about mingling with the guests throughout the day. The reception area is beautiful overlooking the mountains. It's a really unique and special venue.

Between the LA/SD zoos, I love the SB Zoo the most for its medium size and unique animals interactions. It's not too large or busy. Doable in 1.5-2 hours. Try to go earlier as the animals are being fed and zookeepers are maintaining and interacting with the animals during those hours. My favorite area is the Australian Walkabout which allows you to get pretty close to wallabies, emus, and kangaroos. Also the Giraffe Deck is unique. You're able to feed a giraffe 5-6 pieces of lettuce for $8 from 10:30a-12p or 1-2p. Parking is $11 if you aren't a member or you can park at the Dwight Murphy Field and walk in if you want. They're currently still working on the red panda exhibit and there were a few animals that were off-exhibit like armadillo, toucan, etc.

We went for the Christmas / holiday light show. It was remarkable. Even people who thought it might be more of the same holiday light shows were in awe. Little kids were just amazed at what they saw, and adults loved it too.

This zoo is really nice. It is not too crowded, neat and clean and the animals look happier than a lot of other zoos. Santa Barbara Zoo is smaller than a lot of zoos and it can be easily covered in 3 - 4 hours. The tickets are moderately priced and are good for the size. There are a lot of unusual exhibits in this zoo that I have not seen too often elsewhere. The red panda, anteater, capybara (the largest rodent), fennec fox (smallest variety of fox with huge ears) and axolotl (an aquatic salamander that retains the larval features) are among the rare and spectacular occupants of SB Zoo. Visitors are allowed to walk through the aviary housing some colorful and attractive Asian birds. The wallabies are housed in an enclosure which is also open to walk through and one can see the wallabies and emus up and close. There’s a large variety of turtles in display from all over the world. The African lions look particularly content, enjoying their enclosure overlooking the Pacific Oceanfront and bathing in the California sun ! There are boards with every exhibit that are super educational and highlight fun facts about the animals, not just some boring scientific soliloquy. Last but not the least is the train ride, which takes you around the perimeter of the zoo. My kids enjoyed this one too.

Loved it. Has gotten a lot smaller and a lot of activities are closed unfortunately because of Covid but it was still fun and I did feel safe. There was a line to see the lions which was nice that it wasn't so cramped up. Feeding the giraffes was fun as well.

The Santa Barbara Zoo has been around for quite some time. It's a smaller zoo, the animals and park are very well taken care of. This place is a great learning experience for kids & adults. They host weddings on weekends & learning events as well. The zoo sits across from the SB Beach, which is within walking distance, as are a few large hotels on the frontage road. Some of our family members met here to get together for a weekend outing, & a day of fun. :) I always get a kick out of watching the animals, as well as taking a peaceful walk through the park. There's grassy area for a picnic (they allow drinks & food to be brought), a play area to get out your childrens excess energy, & a train ride for all. You must purchase tickets for the train, the kids love this part of the trip! We've been here many times over the years, it's fun for children, and big "kids" (adults😉) alike. I'm sure we'll go again sometime for another relaxing day out... Just a matter of time. :)

visiting Santa Barbara Zoo was amazing for my kid and friends... Soo much better than LA Zoo 🙈🙉🙊

A nice day trip. Not crowded like the LA zoo. There was no line to get in, but we did get there at 11am. This zoo does require you to make a reservation. I would suggest bringing your own food, water and snacks since the food at the zoo is quite pricey. They have a play area for kids to run around and a hill that they can slide down on. There is an option to purchase a train ride that goes around the park which takes about 10 minutes.This was a fun thing to do and the kids loved it.

This small zoo is absolutely beautiful. Exhibits have been designed and updated with care. You can see it all in 2 hours, more if you have kids and want to longer and check out the various kid play areas.

Very good looking place and lots of different animals for a great price. Not too many people. And even though it technically is a zoo, there are many different (and beautiful) plants. Only real downside is that it’s a bit far from Santa Barbara‘s center IF you’re on foot.

First time visiting this zoo for my daughters second birthday and to be honest it has to be my favorite zoo so far. It’s not very big, but it is very beautiful and well kept. The plus side is it’s right by the beach so it’s very fresh. They have a really cool section where you can walk in and see emu and kangaroos up close and personal. My daughter also loved the train ride, it’s $7 per person for a 15 min ride through the back of the zoo & the conductor provides you with a lot of information the whole ride. I would love to visit again. Very toddler friendly.

Beautiful smaller zoo! Close to the beach and gorgeous scenery. There’s a lot of cute animals to see here. There’s a train ride around the zoo that’s fun for a break. There’s a grassy area for picnics and it’s a generally family friendly place. We were able to see everything in about 2 hours and be on our way to explore the rest of Santa Barbara. I loved the enclosed bird area!

Very nice small zoo right near East Beach. Parking is $11 for the day and is a bit congested. Zoo entry is $25 per adult, $15 per child and you are asked to reserve a time online ahead of time. Season passes are available for $100/year, including parking and one guest per day. Like most zoos, it is kid-friendly, but still very enjoyable for adults. Great variety of animals, especially considering the size of the zoo. Natural and humane animal enclosures. Many animals go to bed by 4 pm, so earlier visits are recommended. Impressive collection of California Condors. Very enjoyable otter exhibit. Underwater penguin viewing. Good signage. Restaurants are very pricey, but picnics are allowed. There are generous & shady picnic opportunities. Some good views of the water from higher up. Animal experiences are available, but are much pricier. Kangaroo & Wallaby Walkabout allows you inside the inclosure with the animals, but with no touching. Cute train ride for nominal fee.

We visit the Santa Barbara zoo every time we are in town. It's one of our kids' favorite activities, ages 1 to 15. This year we rode the train and spent about 2 hours wandering around to view the different closures. The gift shop is spectacular by the front of the zoo. Good snacks speckled around, including Dippin Dots near the train gift shop area! Yum. Perfect on a hot day. The leopard was my favorite exhibit. The monkeys, lions, and giraffes were great, too. They also offer a time window from approx 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. where you can feed the giraffes. Definitely make a reservation and buy tickets online! It's busy!!! Sunscreen, a hat, and lots of cold water is a must during the summer. 👍

Great Zoo for my 3 year old! Not too big, but enough for him to be entertained. The play area was a hit as well. We will conquer the train next visit

Nice and simple Zoo. I've gone here many times growing up. I've seen many animal attractions come and go. Just wish they would have kept the elephants (as they were my favorite). I do recommend going on a weekday in the morning, less people at this time.

Lots of animals. Clear area. A big playground for your kids. Big parking and some free lots outside the zoo. Pay attention and buy tickets online. We didn’t know about that and had to wait for 2.30 hours before free tickets.

We did the Sleepover Safari with our Cub Scout pack and it was an amazing experience. We camped next to the emus and kangaroos at night. We got a tour of the facilities at night and a train ride before the zoo opened in the morning. It also included zoo admission the next day. We learned so much about the animals and what it takes to take care of them. The staff were all kind, knowledgeable, and very patient. Highly recommend this experience if you are thinking about it.

A nice small sized zoo with many animals. Very well maintained especially under our pandemic conditions. A nice relief away from life even if for a moment. Enjoyed it very much.

Small but cute! Perfect for a family with young children. The size is just right for a small stroll but not to big that it’s overwhelming.

My visit was fun. I came late afternoon where most of the exciting animals were asleep. However, I was able to see the giraffes, birds and enjoyed the train ride.

Nice an small zoo with lots of animals. Too bad that we went during the pandemic since there are lots of outdoor shows. However, it is still a good family fun place to visit.

Pretty good trip. Wasn't crowded, animals were usually pretty visible. I just hate the prices. $3 for Pepsi 20oz? Pfft

Nice intimate small zoo. Great places for picnics. Animals seem healthy and well taken cared of. Would recommend!

The zoo is small but cute!!! I got to see many animals I hadn't seen before. I went on Halloween which made the experience that much better. Most people had costumes on. 😊 The only the reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is the food. Nothing wrong with it, just way too pricey for what it is. Also they sell cocktails there... I regret buying it. It was the tiniest cocktails I've ever had for such an expensive price. Besides the food, everything went great!

Loved this small zoo. Great social distancing measures in place. Great staff. Animal exhibits were wonderful. Overall it was a nice experience.

Small but nice. Animals seems to be healthy. 1.5 hours is perfect for a to do with kids in Santa Barbara.

Fun zoo! Finally went here and it's a cool place. Comfortably small with a reasonably varied menagerie. The zoo is limiting entrants due to the pandemic, and we were able to book a reservation for a Saturday about a week ahead of time. The staff were friendly and helpful. We're gonna go back.

Santa Barbara zoo is one of the highlights of the entire city and not only a asset but a place of pride for the people of Santa Barbara

Small zoo, but worth the trip.

Absolutely beautiful inside many wonderful places inside to picnic Not as many animals as other zoos but well worth the visit The walk around the grounds alone are well worth the trip

Taking Covid Measures Seriously. Not too crowded and your ticket is timed to avoid over crowding!

Good place to go for all ages, great weather and view! The animals seem happy and healthy and the people that work are very nice and helpful!

Smaller than San Diego zoo, but still great for the price. Make sure to feed the giraffes!

Great as always!

Very nice place for families and couples

Great place to explore the wild

This zoo is pretty great. We came during COVID 19 and as a result there were not very many people here. That is the best case scenario for a zoo on a nice November afternoon. Since it was cool outside we also got to see lots of animals. Not having the crowd was the best part. Feeding the giraffes is also highly recommended!

I've been a member of the zoo for over four years, especially with a child its been worth it for me. We’ve seen many changes in the animals over the years, some exciting some sad. The staff continue to be wonderful. The restaurant is overpriced for sure. But honestly as a member with a pass, I'm not upset about it, we just know that's part of the experience so sometimes we pack food and other times we splurge. Its a great place to spend a couple hours just wandering around and enjoying the fresh air and beautiful backdrop of Santa Barbara. I've never had a bad experience here, unless my kiddo is just having a bad day 🙃

Very clean and the stuff are very friendly.

Great place ! To Unwind

One of the most amazing and special places in Santa Barbara

We love to go to the zoo,it's so nice for the kids to grow up seeing all the animals, the Santa Barbara Zoo is just the right size,not to big and not to small,they have sum new animals as well, my kids love to feed the giraffes,my favorite is the 2 new lions, Right now they are scheduling entrance to the park so be sure to order your tickets in advance,

(Translated by Google) It is a very beautiful place to go with the smallest of the house and spend a family time, they have the animals in good condition. (Original) Es un lugar muy bello para ir con los más pequeños de la casa y pasar un tiempo familiar, tienen a los animales en buen estado.

Clean zoo! Come early in the day when the animals aren't sleeping!

(Translated by Google) A nice place to spend with the family (Original) Un lugar bonito para pasarla con la familia

😊

Well maintained,social distance in place, we had to chose a time for attendance. Snack bar food good.

you got to see it, wild animals in the middle of Santa Barbara, great lay-out, take your lunch, plenty of praking, very nice people, snack-bars, great signage for the animals.

It was great had a wonderful time.

Great for kids

(Translated by Google) Horrible all very run down (Original) Horrible todo muy descuidado

Not to many animals, more birds, at least that was my impression.

Perfect small zoo in a super cute beach town! Perfect walking steps for a small child. And cooler weather, too!

Kid friendly. Loved it.

Made me very happy!

Great place for kids and adults!! Very clean, good food, happy atmosphere, you will love it!!

Great place for children and families. Birds will join you for lunch outdoors. There is a nice playground area for children with dip n dots sold nearby. It's a small but fun zoo.

(Translated by Google) Too few animals is too small (Original) Muy pocos animales es demasiado pequeño

Nice , The accomendations for the animals are human & set in Natural settings, missed the Elephants & Gorillas thou, next time

The kids had an amazing time. The reservation system and parking was perfect.

Beautiful place to take the kids

Awesome. Please create an App so that you can see your GPS coordinate on the map!

Loved how I was able to take my kids to the zoo during this crazy time. They allow you to go at the time you choose to buy your ticket and they have limited tickets available. Kids get to walk around and enjoy seeing the beautiful animals they have. When ordering food you need to download the app to order from there. It was a different experience given the fact we had to wear our face masks but we all really enjoyed ourselves.

Only $20 admission for a big park like zoo, good idea to bring your own lunch. Good enough animal viewing for my 2yr old, but not all animals were out (we missed the elephants and leopards). Right across street from beach so nice and cooler temps on a hot 95+ day

The SB Zoo is a hidden gem! All their animals are incredible lively and active. We got to feed Michael, North America's most genetically important giraffe (he's 17 FEET TALL!!!). The Asian small clawed otters were also precious and playful. All the best animals of the SF or LA zoo, with a quarter of the crowds and much more reasonably sized. Totally worth the price. Great COVID friendly activity, spent about 2 and a half hours there and enjoyed every minute :)

Just went this September. The zoo is fairly small to begin with but felt smaller due to Covid-19 restrictions, because all the indoor exhibits (reptiles, insects, etc) are closed. You also need to make a reservation ahead to get into the zoo, in addition to the giraffe feeding. They only let "walk-ins" in if they have enough spaces but I wouldn't count on it.Overall it's nicely laid out and fun thing to do if you are in the area.

Very plush grounds. Because it was so plush it was hard to see the animals, but we have to be happy they're in a good habitat. The monkeys were the best to see-- they had an amazing area-- you'll see in pictures below. Like I said it was a little disappointing that we didn't much but it was great to get out and see the birds the monkeys the capybara, a snow leopard and little farm animals. Souvenir shop was open on the outside and masks were required the whole time you were there.

They have a small parking lot now! awesome! This is a small place but it is very noticeable that they love the animals and really care for them. Love coming here! Great for kids and a family stop.

Definitely a great family experience. Animals look healthy, mostly because the enclosures are pretty big and not depressing for the animals. Amazing staff, very friendly and accommodating. They have done a really excellent job of socially distancing and cleanliness.

Fun place to walk around and relax! Great sitting areas to take a break on a bench. I love that they have beer brewed just for the zoo! We even adopted a stuffed sloth & her baby! #hopetravels #curepompe #sbzoo #santabarbrazoo

Our families getaway whenever we can, despite the construction and lack of some animals...SB Zoo is always awesome . Kids and Wife love eating lunch here (Tinos Sandwiches)! Despite COVID everyone is conducting themselves really well...we have been members for the past three years and plan to continue.

Great place to visit with small kids

Very small zoo finished looking at everything an exactly 1 hour and 30minutes. We could not feed any animals due to the pandemic. All vending machines were down but kept taking my money each time i tried. Train only runs certain days, no live shows or rock climbing as they state in there flyer. They do let you take your own food in so thats a plus. My favorite part was seeing the grollilla.

Wonderful place for the family.

Good zoo... great lions and giraffes. Several exhibits under construction or closed to covid.

Fun good for families

Friendly staff and volunteers. Food was great, a little overpriced but is to be expected. They also allow you to bring your own food to enjoy in their large grassy area. Would definitely recommend everything here, but expect to spend a few hours here if you want to see and do everything.

Been here a couple times and It’s always a wonderful experience! It’s a small zoo but very beautiful and very clean. Wish they had more tortoises but overall this zoo was pretty great!

The Santa Barbara Zoo is located on 30 acres near the ocean in Santa Barbara, California. It was built on the site of what was known as the Child Estate. The zoo has been ranked numerous times as one of the nation's best small zoos. Gemina was featured in an episode of the television program Miracle Workers, in which she was credited with inspiring a child with scoliosis. The Santa Barbara Zoo was featured in an episode of Behind the Bash in March 2006, when Giada de Laurentiis visited a catered wedding taking place at the zoo. Gemina was mentioned in the show Alias: Sydney (Jennifer Garner) says "Yeah, I love it [Santa Barbara]. The zoo, that giraffe with the crooked neck." In another episode, Vaughn (Michael Vartan) says, "We went to Santa Barbara...and she [Sydney] wouldn't stop talking about the Zoo...I had this great evening planned, and I...ended up proposing on one knee in sawdust in front of a giraffe with a crooked neck."

Paradise!

Best zoo cute animals beautiful view

Really great small zoo. During Covid times you need to book a time to come in to keep from overcrowding. Felt very safe and open during our visit. Some very cool animals and interactive exhibits. Beautiful views of the surrounding area. They have their own beer too!

It was really pricey for what you see alot of it was closed. Kinda disappointed

Cute zoo/park. Perfect to pass a few hours with kids.

Small and easily a nice 2 hr trip. Next to the beach. What more can u ask for?

A great way to spend some time with friends outdoors and socially distant when indoor options are so limited these days. Educational too!

Best place for a low stress morning or afternoon. Our kids loved it when they were little and they still love going as young adults.

It's a great place. You can come it's open.

Great place to take the family! Train ride is still going on even with the restrictions but have to reserve it online so be sure to get that handled before showing up!

Really nice well run zoo. The location is amazing being right next to the beach. Lots of stuff for children to do. Staff was really helpful and knowledgeable.

I was thinking that the Santa Barbara Zoo would be small but I was wrong. VERY nice park they were remodeling the elephant exhibit so we could not see them but I'm sure it will turn out wonderful. Will be back next time we visit Santa Barbara.

I would have given it a 5 star because it's was a great visit, but far too many people. We purchased a 90 time slot and figured that people coming and going would be monitored since it was a social distancing/mask wearing event.

Always fun!

Very pretty, the atmosphere was calm and the animals abundant. Good price and my kids loved it!!

Great small zoo, but only 40% fun with current (needes) guidelines. Our kids are 8 and 6 and enjoyed the time but it's a bit small and dull

(Translated by Google) Thanks it was exciting and it will get better when they finish and bring other animals (Original) Gracias estuvo emocionante y se va poner mejor cuando terminen y traigan otros animales

Much construction, closed areas. Still worth a short visit. Will be great again in a while.

Great little zoo. Handling he pandemic really well.

small zoo but kiddo had fun. had lots of the cute animals she liked. otters, foxes, leopards and giraffes. only bummed didn't see the lion.

Absolutely best zoo for families with young kids. Not too big and has plenty of animals for the little ones.

Awesome day & great time at the SB Zoo !!!

As of right now there are quite a few exhibitions that are closed. To ride the train you must buy tickets online in advance. It's still a fun way to spend the day.

Perfect sized zoo to visit with kids. Saw about everything in about 2 hours.

Not very many exhibits/animals out. But had a good time

Smaller zoo with a cool train. Great burgers. I loved the jalapeno burger . Bun was not your typical bread. It was tasted freshly baked. Well maintained. Loved all the beautiful landscaping and cool benches.

💙💙💙great zoo

You have to make a reservation so plan ahead but most exhibits are open and it's great since it's limited capacity we saw everything in a couple hours.

Awesome day at the Santa Barbara Zoo!! It is definitely a must see when visiting our beautiful city. No zoo in the world has the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop! Need to make reservations due to covid. The staff have done an amazing job keeping everything safe and clean right down to the train rides. You will not be disappointed!!

Tamaño adecuado. Aún en reapertura por covid. Los animales y el espacio perfecto para ir en familia (ni muy grande ni muy pequeño). Es necesario comprar por internet la entrada con hora y fecha.

Lots of construction going on, still lots to see.

What a great zoo! Beautiful landscaping and habitats

It was a very small zoo. Most of the areas were under construction. For the price they charge for admission, the zoo was not worth it. We still bought the membership to support the zoo.

Very cute zoo! Perfect size for a weekday or weekend family activity. The grounds are beautiful. Doing some construction for an upcoming Austrailian feature!! Reasonably priced. Would be nice if parking was about 1/2 the cost...or free. It is free for members though!

It was okay. There were several exhibits closed either for construction or covid. And social distancing was a little annoying when trying to see animals. Waiting in line to see the lions and then when it's your turn they are hiding so you waited for nothing. If you wanted to wait for covid restrictions to lighten up I wouldn't blame you. But it was nice to get out. Can't beat Santa Barbara for good weather.

Who doesn't like going to the zoo? I LOVE IT! I know I haven't been here a lot & it's not the best zoo in the world but it's in San Francisco my home! I remember coming here as a child with my aunts & uncles and having a blast. I DO HATE THE FACT THAT THEY CHANGED THE ENTRANCE TO THE SIDE.... BOOOOO TO THEM! but for the memories & the love of animals I give this place 4-stars.... & YAY! I'm a fan!

Much was closed to public and under renovation. Disappointed that they charged full price for a less than 50 percent experience. Must admit the lion cub was cute!

Amazing time!! And beautiful sight the animals are so lively and the exhibits were nice and clean!

Baby lion Pauline was really cute

We love the SB zoo. Perfect size, never crowded and just enough wildlife for the kids to enjoy. Plenty of spots to sit down and enjoy the gorgeous weather.

Although this zoo is considered small, I have small kids so it is perfect for them. They loved the penguins 🐧🐧🐧🐧. Can't wait to see the 🦘🦘🦘 kangaroos coming soon!! They love the train ride and there were plenty of tables to sit and have a snack under shady trees. Spent almost 4 hours here just taking our time. You can run through it in an hour and a half but I wanted to enjoy the weather and relax. Hitting the photo booth and gift shop on the way out was best for us.

Had an amazing time here 🥰 the weather was beautiful. So many wonderful animals to see, stores to go thru and wonderful displays of fun, from all the animals. Definitely wonderful place to spend the day. Adults and kids ,families of all sizes will definitely enjoy. The animals are so happy 😊 thanks for a fabulous day 🥰

The gardens are gorgeous. My grandson had so much fun looking at all the animals. I really liked the environment of each animal. *The enclosed areas required masks.

We had a great Saturday afternoon here. Small and efficient, took us about 90 minutes to see everything. Crowds were reasonable, parking convenient, bathrooms plentiful.

Excellent Zoo i dont mind paying extra to help the animals. But with Covid changes had to be made.

Always such a fun family experience. Our 14 month old loves it. The Australian Walkabout was fantastic.

Took our 3 year old and 2 mos old with Granny. He loved every minute. From the train ride to the Masai giraffe and gorillas. Pretty neat place:) if you have a toddler bring a rideable piece of cardboard for the play area. You'll Thank me!

Awesome little zoo to spend the day with the fam bam!! And not to far from State street to spend the evening having a couple of drinks and having good food!!!

Awesome place that we took the kids to. Smaller than some of the other zoos that we visited, which actually made it so we didn't have to walk as much LOL. Very well kept, animals well taken care of and healthy. One of the best giraffes exhibits we've experienced yet, the giraffes head was about an inch from my hand, with no glass or gate between. They even have a giraffe feeding time that you can take advantage of. We will be going back for sure.

Cute small zoo in Santa Barbara. Staff were friendly and it looks like the inhabitants are well cared for. A must visit if you have little ones. Our teenager liked it as well, but we spent 2 hours there vs what can be a day trip for little kids.

What a beautiful zoo!! There are so many places to sit and have a picnic so my husband and I brought snacks and water to hang out and take our time wandering around. Stroller and wheelchair friendly but there are a few areas with steep slopes. Only downside is the paper maps they give out are outdated, not sure if they have put out new ones yet. There are volunteers everywhere who are willing to guide you to where you want to go

Attended Zoo lights on January 6, 2023. So much fun! Was pleasantly surprised at the elaborate displays and vibrant colors. Really a fun night with the kids. Hot chocolate and spiked hot chocolate was available - both yummy! Hopefully the Zoo will do this again for the 2023 holiday season! SB zoo is always a fun day but this was truly an extra special treat!

The Santa Barbara Zoo was awesome! Our son loved the experience. They have a great variety of animals and some interactive experiences where you can interact with the animals. There is also a short train ride that he loved. My son absolutely loves giraffes and the highlight of his trip to the zoo was when he got to feed the giraffes. For a small fee, you are allowed to stand on a platform and feed the giraffe. Good options were limited on the day we visited as only one snack bar was open. My son's favorite experiences were the giraffes, lions, bird sanctuary, and treason ride. The train and animal feedings are not included with the ticket price and parking was also extra. Recommend getting there early as parking can be challenging. There is also a small park for the kids to play at as well. All in all a great experience that we will be repeating many times.

Amazing scenery near the beach. The animals look healthy and well taken care of. There are some food options if you end up hungry after walking around for several hours. I love the bathroom locations and that there's plenty of shade and places to sit.

It's a very nice little zoo, thoughtfully designed and well-maintained. There are many exotic animals. The only thing I didn't like was one of the food stalls where it was advertised that food was available, but they didn't actually sell any that day. The zoo shop, on the other hand, offers a wide variety of great items to choose from.

Mediumn size zoo to spend a few hours. Things to note: Lots of shade, food choices at entrance only, there is a train ride, reservation might be needed to get in, there are baby changing stations and stroller rentals, some hills, and a cool playground. Def recommended!

A really well curated small zoo. All the animals can be seen in 3 hours. There is a lot to learn about the animals there. All the incloseurs are well designed so you can get great views of the animals. The kids had a great time there. Do not skip on the Australian Walkabout. Best part of the zoo. It's awesome being so close to real kangaroos.

This is one of the better zoo layouts and animals I have seen in a long time and I am NOT a zoo person because I tend to really feel bad for the animals. SB however out does LA and Orange CountyZoo for sure. Enjoyed seeing the birds, Red Panda, Leopard… all the animals. Nice walk and enjoyable.

Spending a couple of hours at the SB Zoo is one of my favorite go-to ways to spend the day. Santa Barbara tends to be about 20 degrees cooler than where I live, so it is a must during the summer months. My nephew (2) loved it, and my son (13) loved it. It's a great learning experience, too! You get to see the animals up close and really spend the time you want at each exhibit. The zoo train is a must.

It's not a big zoo like in San Diego, but we're used to a really small zoo in Eureka so this was quite a big upgrade. My son's favorite was the lions, but all they spent the whole time staying at the giraffs in the neighboring enclosure, lol. I was really impressed by the California Condors. We missed the Australian Walkabout because it closed early but it looked like fun. Definitely worth the trip for anyone with small children.

Great little zoo. We enjoyed it very much. Not too big and not to small. Could use more places to get food. Giraffes were my favorite and the train ride. Short walk to the beach too.

So so so fun and nostalgic! My partner and I visited Santa Barbara for a fun day-trip and made our first place of interest the Santa Barbara Zoo! It was the # 1 attraction on Trip Advisor that visitors must see. Soo… we had to do it! It was so worth it. RESERVATION REQUIRED: Before you go to this Zoo—Make a reservation!! We didn’t realize until last minute that you needed to make a reservation for a time slot BEFORE entering the zoo, which was super inconvenient since we came at 10 AM and the next open slot was 1 PM. WILDLIFE FUN: The wildlife was beautiful and very intriguing to see. The staff who worked with the animals were very kind, careful, and respectful to the animals. We loved visiting the Kangaroo / Emu section (where a group of visitors could go into the enclosure with tour guides and to be within feet distance of kangaroos and Emus.) Very safe environment. Obviously…you cannot touch the animals but it was awesome to see them so close up. We did not eat at the Zoo but we heard from others that the food was good.

This is a relatively smaller zoo compared to a few others in larger cities. Perhaps due to weather or other reasons, several animals were not there in the exhibits but overall our family had a good experience and we were able to walk around the entire zoo within 2 hours or so.