Your guide to activities and fun things to do with your preschoolers, toddlers and kids in silicon valley, CA

Enjoying the Oakland Zoo

by bonggamom

March 30, 2009

Last Friday, we took advantage of our spring break and the spring weather to pay a visit to the Oakland Zoo.   It was our first visit to the zoo, and I was curious as to how it would compare to the other zoos in the area.  As much as we love the San Francisco Zoo and San Jose's Happy Hollow Park and Zoo, after spending a day at the Oakland Zoo I'd have to say that it's my favorite of the lot.  Unlike the San Francisco Zoo, it's small enough to see practically all the exhibits in one day (barely, I'll admit, especially if you have children who love to linger at exhibits and at the children's playground).  Unlike Happy Hollow, it boasts an impressive array of wildlife from all over the world. 

Despite the plethora of information and educational programs for adults and older kids, the zoo still pays special attention to the little ones.  They have a children's zoo with a petting area featuring the usual farm animals, some cool animal exhibits (the giant tortoise and alligators are fascinating), and fun areas featuring animal sculptures to play on, scattered throughout.  I love this zoo's attention to detail. the wildlife safari theme prominently featured at the entrance is echoed throughout the zoo, in the design of each exhibit, fence, restroom and cafe.  And the concrete paths have animal tracks stamped onto them, so even walking from one exhibit to another presents an opportunity for discovery. 

All in all, the Oakland Zoo gets a big Thumbs Up from me as a place to take your preschooler for the day.  In fact, we loved it so much we're thinking of getting a zoo membership so we can come back whenever we want.  We hope to see you there!  And because it's always nice to get advice from someone who has been there before, here are five tips to help you make the most of your visit:

1)  Be prepared for hilly terrain; if your little one is too little to walk the up-and-down paths leading from one exhibit to the next, make sure you bring a stroller (or rent one near the gift shop). 

2)  Pack your own snacks and lunch.  When you're at one end of the zoo, it's a long walk back to the zoo cafe at the entrance -- and at lunchtime, the line goes out the door. 

3)  The gondola sky ride gives you a great birds' eye view of the zoo, and it's not to be missed -- but it's closed on weekends for most of the year (it's open every day during the summer, call before you go to check).

4) Dress in layers and bring water, sunscreen and hats.  The zoo is nestled in the Oakland hills and you'll be walking through the trees, so it can get cool in the mornings, but by mid-day the sun can be burning hot.

5)  Adjacent to the zoo, just beside the zoo exit, is a small amusement park with a carousel, train, and several other kiddie rides.  It's almost impossible to sneak past this area without your child seeing or hearing the rides, and asking if he or she can catch a ride on one or all of to get on one or all of the attractions; if your time and budget allow for just one ride, I would recommend the train.  For $2 per person, you get a fairly long ride on cabs pulled by a cute vintage-style engine, .   There are zoo animal statues scattered over half of the route, and the train chugs through a portion of the zoo for the other half of the route. 

Park Day: The "Red Ant" Playground, Santa Clara

by Bonggamom

November 20, 2008

3Po and Jammy don't like red ants. They've been bitten by the little buggers before and know to avoid them like the plague. But they happily embraced the red ants crawling all over Santa Clara's War Memorial Playground . Built on the former War Memorial Swimming Center on the Santa Clara High School campus, the War Memorial Playground was refurbished in December 2007. The new playground  Read more...