Are you looking for a great place to take the animal lover in your family to meet some exotic animals? There are a number of unforgettable experiences to have in the state of California and each can give an up close and personal experience with nature! Here’s a quick list that showcases some of the best locations in California where you can interact directly with exotic animals! It’s an excellent way for family and friends to spend the day together and create a memory all of you will cherish!
Exotic Animals in Northern California:
Happy Hollow Park & Zoo: San Jose, CA
Happy Hollow Park and Zoo have a vast array of exotic animals, including lemurs, birds, fossa, peccaries, jaguars, and other unique animals. There is also a variety of barnyard animals and wallabies near a petting zoo that features miniature horses, zebu, and donkeys. The zoo also has a sandbox to dig/sweep for fossils, a small amusement park with rides for little tykes, two fantastic playgrounds, and puppet shows! It is a great place to take the whole family for a fun-filled adventure day!
NorCal Aquarium and Wildlife
Looking for an incredible interactive and affordable animal experience in Northern California and Sacramento? NorCal Aquarium and Wildlife is the perfect choice. Spanning over 20,000 square feet of immersive exhibits, our facility offers hands-on encounters where you can touch, feed, and learn about creatures from ecosystems around the globe.
Explore the Amazon rainforest, Caribbean reef, Egyptian desert and Mayan jungle as you meet sharks, snakes, turtles and lizards. Want to see a kangaroo up close? Our wallabies are eager for visitors. You will also find playful Asian otters, curious porcupines and even a gentle fish-kiss foot exfoliation. At NorCal Aquarium and Wildlife every visit brings a new adventure with both land and sea encounters that guests of all ages will never forget.
Oakland Zoo
Oakland Zoo is managed by the Conservation Society of California, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of wildlife locally and globally. The Zoo is home to over 850 native and exotic animals and has Northern California’s largest wild animal veterinary facility. You’ll see African lions, Californian condors, Florida red-bellied turtles, Panamanian golden frogs, North American river otters, and so much more! They also have the California Trail, a monumental expansion committed to animal care, education, and conservation with a focus on California’s remarkable native wildlife—both past and present.
Exotic Animals in Southern California:
Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary: Phelan, CA
Located in Phelan, California Forever Wild Exotic Animal Sanctuary rescues and rehabilitates captive-bred exotic animals. This sanctuary prides itself on the most important mission of sanctuaries, which is caring for the animals and educating the public about wildlife and endangered species. A true animal refuge in Southern California, you can expect to see a wide range of species. From lions and tigers to a pond of alligators, this local gem houses every type of critter under the sun!
San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo is a not-for-profit organization located just north of downtown San Diego in Balboa Park. The world-famous San Diego Zoo is a wildlife sanctuary home to more than 3,500 rare and endangered animals representing more than 650 species and subspecies and a prominent botanical collection with more than 700,000 exotic plants. Amur leopards, jaguars, red pandas, giraffes, elephants, and koalas are just a few of the many animals that call the San Diego Zoo home. The exhibits are linked by an expansive series of trails, such as the Monkey Trail, the Hippo Trail or the Tiger Trail. On these designated pathways, you’ll come face to face with numerous exciting exotic creatures!
Wild Wonders Inc: Bonsall, CA
Wild Wonders, Inc. is a wildlife rescue & conservation facility that educates visitors through face-to-face animal ambassador encounters. Their mission is to promote wildlife conservation through education, both locally and internationally. They provide a permanent and loving home for non-releasable wildlife and confiscated exotic pets. You’ll see cheetahs, bearcats, kinkajous and owl monkeys!
When it comes to exotic animal encounters California has so much to offer families. Our favorite destinations span from the Bay Area to the Los Angeles Valley and promise an unforgettable adventure. For the best hands-on animal interactions in the state visit the NorCal Aquarium and Wildlife website and book your special exotic animal encounter today.