Used to come here as a kid 50 years ago and it has upgraded for the better! Love the new bridge entrance and ticket prices are great for what you get. All the animals and all the rides are included. Plenty of grass and shady spots to relax and eat a picnic lunch. The bread basket offers sandwiches, pizza burgers and drinks. They still have the old maze and crooked house. Danny the dinosaur will take you around the park too! If you like playgrounds there are plenty around the park for all ages! The huge wooden playground will keep your little animals entertained for hours! Definitely recommend for families! Thursdays, once a month they have senior walking too!

Being that this was the first time for my family were were super excited to see how beautiful and spacious this place was in comparison to The Sacramento Zoo. Upsides : any kid 5 and under would literally have a blast here and run out so much energy. The rides are free and after paying to get in any parent can appreciate not having to pony up more money for the rides. And there is literally so much room to run and play that it’s almost impossible to not have fun especially with the huge 3 story playground located in the center. Downsides : there are literally less animals than the Sacramento zoo and I promise I didn’t even know that was possible and to still list the place as a “Zoo”. Out of the 13 animals located on the left , there were 7 missing or not in the exhibit . I brought my 7 and 17 year old and realized 20 min into this trip that it was going to be very short . With the lack of animals actually out in the public and the rides going from adventure to boring in a matter of seconds at the ages I had with me …..it was an hour and a half at 70.00 for a family of 4 + parking making it 80.00. I could have went to the mall with them and got them something 40.00 each and the experience on our vacation would have been slightly better because we have something to show for and would have been walking for 2 times longer . All in all : decent place for kids 5-9 solely based on the huge playground. (Not worth the money just to play in a park. ) Not a place for a first date or for anyone single or without children. There’s not enough for adults to do period. Totally not a place for a teenager unless there working there. But it’s cute and perfect for babies.

Great day out with grandchildren aged 2 through to 8. Very reasonable price. Plenty of ride options available albeit some with height restrictions although there is what is called a yellow zone when the child must be accompanied by an adult. (Great excuse for Papa to take the ride) Picnic areas throughout the park so bring your own Food and enjoy. Animals more visible early in the day.

Really awesome place. Lots of stuff to do with my toddler. Went on the majority of rides with him. No lines or crowds. It did rain that morning but it wasn't an issue. Parking machine didn't print my ticket but the attendant marked my car to show proof of purchase.

Amazing place for kids. Fees - 17$ for age more than 2 years old. Parking - 10$ My daughter liked it here very much. There are so many rides for all ages (few are closed). You can easily spend 5-6 hours here. Animals are here but it's not that big zoo so not a lot of animals. But it's good picnic spot as well. Must visit this place if you have kids.

What a perfect blend of "small animal" zoo, and kid -friendly amusement park rides, all included in one price. A great way to spend 3-4 hours (at least). Bring your own lunch and make a day of it! If you're coming from another zoo membership, check with them about reciprocity discounts. Highly recommended.

Happy Hollow is a great place for the family. Lots of animals and open space. They have cute one of a kind kiddie rides. Large playground for the kids to get their energy out.My favorite animal is the ant eater, something you don’t see everyday:) Parking is $10. Unfortunately they have recently changed their hours and days of operation due to staffing shortages. Double check their hours before you go.

It was a nice time. Lots of cool rides for the kids. Not to many animals out during the time we were there.

Very nice small zoo and playground park for kids and adults. We went early for the senior day. The park opened an hour early for seniors only (for free). At 10 am the park was open for all visitors. We made reservations online and purchased tickets for the grandkids. You are able to buy tickets at the park too. The zoo section is small but fun to explore. The staff was around to talk about the different animals. There are a handful of rides for little ones to go on and a couple that even the adults can enjoy. Most of the playground areas were open and plenty of space for the kids to run around.

Visited Happy Hollows for a friends daughters birthday party and it was a sweet place for all the kids got to hang out and explore the park together. The place is a good size for so many different activities for the kids in addition to just the zoo. They also have a petting zoo which all the kids enjoyed a lot. There are many rides that the kids thoroughly enjoyed.. it reminded us a bit of Disney’s. We got to see beautiful turkeys, ant eaters, and the goats and stuff. Definitely happy to come back anytime and it’s a great day trip with kids to do several of different activities :)

Small but fun spot! The highlight is definitely the two capybaras. So cuteeeee! The zoo isn’t huge, and one area is purely for kids, but it’s well maintained. Great place for families or a quick nature break, for capybaras, and for a relaxing day and some quality time with colleagues creatures

The kids loved it and they keep asking to go back, so we will have to become members. Definitely a fun theme park and animals you can pet and feed, rides, theater with story time, plenty of good food and friendly service, there's a gift shop, and ice cream. This theme park was well thought out and put together and there's plenty of parking.

A wonderful place to take your children, or to go on a stroll with your baby wonderful attractions , as well as a well earned walk around the zoo for rides for the kids. Park attendants are very knowledgeable where everything is at a good place to visit for the weekend or weekday !!!

Great place for kids. All spaces feel like they are specifically designed with children's experience in mind. The zoo has only a few animals but the enclosures and pathways are designed and maintained well. The food court and the surrounding area offers a pleasant space for families to sit and enjoy their food. Overall a pleasant and memorable day with our kid.

Nice place to go with kids. They have mini Zoo and couple of rides. Lot of kid’s activities and animal’s interaction event at specified time slots. Car parking charges is $10. Park is walkable distance from parking lot. There’s is restaurant inside park and food is good. Restrooms is very clean.

A super fun place especially for families with kids or animal lovers. The zoo is rather small when compared to the SFO or Oakland zoo but is unique on its own way as it houses several features of a mini amusement park as it includes roller coasters, petting zoo, crooked house, a theater showcasing nice puppey show, carousel, dragon train ride, dinosaur fossil excavation, picnic areas, special events and educational talks, etc. etc. The ticket in itself is steep so if one plans multiple visits, buying a membership could be a better option. It's next to the Japanese friendship garden, San Jose.

Wonderful place for small kids. Plenty of parking available. 10$ parking fee for the day and they have a machine to pay either using a credit card or cash. Only one cafe inside, food is decent. I wouldn't recommend buying burgers, try the pizza instead. Fee rides and petting zoo. You can spend about 2-3 hours easily.

Great zoo & park!! Our family spent the entire day there. We went on a Friday and there were barely any lines. It's moderately sized with plenty to do - and we were able to circle back and see our favorite animals again. The rides were fun, playgrounds were really cool, and the staff were all very nice. The park was very clean. Would highly recommend!!

Great for little kids, the whole park takes maybe 1.5 hours to walk through. Lots of small rides with short wait times. Petting zoo, puppet show and lemur exhibit are highlights. Plenty of shady areas to sit and take break. My family loves this place!

End of review is options/experience for kids I had a a wonderful time, my day off during the week is the best time to go it was peaceful and full of family fun, the animals were all very well taken care of and the staff were all so friendly, there was one staff encounter I had that wasn’t the greatest she had ignored me after acknowledging me standing next to her.. for almost 1-3 minutes (take note the zoo was not packed busy) so I stood waiting for her to finish her conversation with two gentleman near the exit of the zoo.. and finally got her to ask me if I needed help and showed me which was the Jaguar habitat was I would have expected her to be more friendly i know times are hard but it doesn’t help to project attitude onto others.. so avoid (crystal) she wasn’t very friendly but all the other staff were absolutely amazing and super friendly, so my experience overall was 80% amazing aside from the one bad apple 1. Kids can pet and groom goats with parents even feed so amazing and the animals are all super friendly 2. There are fun playgrounds and climbing structures for the kids 3. Multiple Safe rides for young kids I recommend bringing water! And hats avoid sunburns

Disclaimer: This place would NOT live up to your expectations if you DONT have kids. The ratio of play areas to actual exhibits is high :D However, that is exactly the reason it was perfect for a day visit with my 2 year old :) My daughter really enjoyed the play areas, the kiddie rides, petting the goats and simply running around. This was her first trip to a zoo, so she was really excited to look at the animals. The park is not too big and can be easily covered in ~2 hours. We went here at 10 am when the park opens and didnt get a lot of crowd. It costs $10 for parking (all day) and $17 entry fee (2 year and up). So if you live close by and plan on visiting often, it makes sense to get the membership which starts at $55 (includes unlimited visits). Would highly recommend visiting if you have kids.

So much to do here, my 18 month old daughter and I had a great experience for the first time here. Great combination of a zoo and mini theme park for younger ones. Highly recommend. The individual plus membership is definitely worth it because it includes an annual parking permit. And the membership helps with young kids as you often end up only staying 2 hours or so.

Loved the zoo and park. It's a solid one day activity for young toddlers. My daughter enjoyed petting and feeding the goats. There are couple of rides for 2yr olds as well. I will definitely recommend this to other toddler parents.

The place is great for kids with the zoo and rides. Plenty of places and activities. The zoo is not fully filled with animals. Kids like the maze, which is below ground level, so adults can watch the kids running inside. The anteater is Hugh, too big for the enclosure.

This is actually a small zoo with minimal animals, but they have big play area and petting zoo for kids that’s impressive and also they have one good thing here is rides, kids will enjoy the rides here it’s cool….

A very good place for kids and family. Can educate children. Good arrangements of food, rest room and baby care.

Absolutely amazing place! I highly recommend anyone to visit and spend the day...especially if you have little ones. My 2 and a half year old was in heaven! I was completely surprised by the level of cleanliness and care taken for all facilities, especially to the animal enclosures. Employees were all friendly and happy. Around every turn there was something fun to explore and keep the littles active and engaged. I loved the little educational plaques located around the park...even in the restroom! The level of attention to detail of form and function, education and activity was impressive and refreshing. A lot of thought and care has gone into and continues to go into designing this magical place. This is truly a place anyone of any age can enjoy! My pictures do not do this place justice.

The zoo was nice but we did not see much animals. We would have like to know more about animals habits (when they usually are resting for examples and when it's best to come during the day), some were empty. Liked the little farm though! For the rides it was fun for the kids. However, their heights restrictions are really silly. My 2yo could have ride most of them but because she was 1inch too small she wasn't accepted. I understand the fact that they are protected themself in case of injuries but seriously...!

Cute zoo that is smaller than most which has some kiddie rides though three are big enough for small adults. Wish there were volunteers or staff around to help answer questions and more maps in the zoo area. Not very helpful anywhere. It’s an extremely long walk from the parking lot across the bridge (see photos of bridge) to the actual entrance so be prepared. Parking lot itself isn’t huge. I got there 15 minutes early and got a spot up front. Parking pay machines accept $10 cash (exact change) or credit cards. Buy your tickets online and scan the code. Take a screenshot first as the cellular there was terrible. Gift shop was small and not indicative of what was there. Didn’t try the cafeteria.

Great place to spend the day!... kids get to do a little bit of everything. Kids rides, petting zoo, park, puppet show and more. Also, (and bonus) you are welcome to bring your own snacks for the kiddos. Yes, perhaps the zoo area is not as big as other locations, but, if you have younger kids, you know they would rather be playing, jumping and running at the park or rides. If looking to see and experience zoo eniroment, i would recommend Oakland Zoo.. if interested in more than seeing animals, then, this is the place!

Had a good time visiting the zoo seeing those animals that you would otherwise won’t see elsewhere. I think they really took good care of them and it was a great walk and to spend the weekend afternoon. Best if you have kids as well.

Middle of April great time to come visit Happy Hollow Park and Zoo. Weather is very mild not to hot. Easter break kids are off school for a week fun all day to play and runaround like a kid. Lots of grass to pop a umbrella and sheet. F.Y.I. This was April 9,2023 very disappointed NO BABY GOATS TO SEE BECAUSE THEY WERE JUMPING OUT OF CONTROL IN THEIR NEW HABITAT. BIRDS WERE IN QUARANTINE BECAUSE OF HEALTH ISSUES . MOST OF THE RIDES WERE NOT ACTIVE I DON'T KNOW WHY. I'm sure on the regular schedule this place would be awesome. We got here when it opened 10am and stayed till 12noon. Kids had a blast but wifey wanted to eat at Westfield Mall. Till next visit I hope Happy Hallow gives a discount for all of the rides and shows that were not active $85 for 2 adults and 2 children is not acceptable. Ask first before paying don't go if the park is not in full swing.

Super fun combination zoo and theme park. Gentle rides for young kids, and a good selection of animals including the adorable red pandas and the impressive ant water, and a petting zoo with goats and zuba. Highly recommended for kids 2-10. Fun playgrounds throughout too.

More fun than I expected! I went there to see capybaras and then ended up seeing quite a few other cool animals and playing the carousel. A nice weekend go to place for families with kids.

What a wonderful place! Thoroughly enjoyed the visit. It was a Friday. Not very crowded. Only open on Thursday thru Sunday during the winter. Plenty of parking ($10). Quite a few rides for kids. Loved the petting zone. Also saw a huge anteater which I never saw before. I loved the place as much as my grandson.

We have the Oakland Zoo membership, which is including of AZA association, tickets are half price, kids have a lot of fun and a great sleep.

Nice place. Many fun rides. My 2.5 and 7 year old completely enjoyed that. I specially liked Fruit Express and Frog Hooper rides. There is a cafeteria, not too many food choices but good enough to have kids options. However the zoo was not that interesting, may be because it's a hot day (100 deg) and animals were resting in shade. Yes there is a engaging play structure. Definitely a one time try place. I may come again for rides and play structure.

Great place for kids. What more can you ask for? A place where there's animals, rides and playgrounds for a good price.

I was surprised I haven't been in a long time and wow it has so changed. I miss the Viking ship that was my favorite of all in the park and the petting zoo part. But most of all I miss the spider's and snakes in the viewing circle its changed a lot.

Nice place for kids. Hope it will be better when all the renovation are done and all the exhibits and rides are open

Fantastic zoo and park! Our family had an amazing day here. We visited on a Friday, and there were hardly any lines. It's a perfect-sized place with plenty to do - we could easily revisit our favorite animals. The rides were enjoyable, the play areas were really impressive, and the staff was exceptionally kind. The park was impeccably tidy. Highly recommend for an unforgettable day out!

All so new and extremely clean. I hadn't been there in years. My Son and 14 & 17 year old enjoyed the park. We spent 2 1/2 hrs there to our surprise.

I recently went to the Happy Hollow Park & Zoo in San Jose and it was such a fun and enjoyable place. The combination of this park and zoo allows me to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery and get close contact with various cute animals in one place. As soon as I entered the park, I was attracted by the green trees and flowers there. Walking on the trails and breathing in the fresh air feels very peaceful and comfortable. As I continued exploring, I came to the zoo area. There are many types of animals here, from red pandas to antelopes, and you can observe their lives up close. The staff at the zoo are very friendly and professional, they provide the right living environment and food for each animal. I especially love seeing the kids playing and interacting in the zoo, their smiles really make the whole place more alive. In addition to animals, Happy Hollow Park & Zoo also has some rides and entertainment projects, such as carousel, roller coaster and so on. I also played some projects and it felt like going back to my childhood and it was so much fun. Overall, I had a great time at Happy Hollow Park & Zoo. This place not only made me feel the beauty of nature, but also made me appreciate the cuteness and liveliness of the animals. If I have the chance, I will definitely go there again and enjoy the fun.

My kids and I love Happy Hollow. We love the animals and the park the rides. The only thing they lose a star for is the expensive food. I mean I know prices are through the roof for everyone and businesses but c'mon. I think I saw $7 for hummus and veggie sticks. And look at this chicken sandwich. That was just gross. Other than that I enjoy it. So next time I'll remember to pack a real lunch for my kids and I.

I enjoyed my visit at Happy Hallow because my smallest children where happy and entertained. Their is a little bit of everything to experience and that makes hours fly by. Not too many animals but I was content with seeing the few exhibits that where open. My 3 year old and 1 year old where able to jump on some rides, mostly the rides cater to children 3-7 but they also have a plenty of cute shows as well as a large park. I even seen plenty of parents joining in on the slides. The price is amazing, I was able to shave a few bucks off with my VA status so about 60 bucks for my fam of 5 with the baby being free.

Children like seeing the animals, but as an animal lover, I believe that instead of requesting payments from visitors, the city should do more to support the zoo and the welfare of the animals. Take responsibility and make sure they have the best facilities; after all, we didn't ask for them to be in cages. After all, we pay taxes for a purpose.🤔

A wonderful zoo with tonnes of activities for the kids. All rides are included in the tickets, which is wonderful. The animals are well cared for.

This was such a nice surprise. It is very clean and well taken care of. There are a few rides for young kids, a few awesome playground structures, and some really well cared for animals. My five year old enjoyed all the rides, the staff was very kind and welcoming, and we got to see the zookeeper's feed the alligator and the lemurs.