Situated on the posh locales of California, Los Angeles is no less than a surprise for shopaholics and wildlife lovers as well. Although you may not believe, this metropolitan city has a hidden treasure of zoos and natural museums which makes it a perfect combination of urban lifestyle and an eco-friendly balanced biosphere.
So, if you are a true admirer of the glitters of California nightlife and the wildlife, a trip to Los Angeles will surely become a memorable event for you as the Zoos in Los Angeles, and other natural museums promise a lot of various wildlife creatures and beautiful landscapes to the travelers. These wildlife reserves and zoos serve as the homes to a great number of wild animals in the middle of the hustle and bustle of the city.
10 Best Zoos In Los Angeles
Take a look at the best 10 zoos in Los Angeles. Apart from the zoos, we will also be focusing on the wildlife reserves and other marine aquariums in Los Angeles.
1. Los Angeles Zoo
Spread over an area of approximately 133 acres or 54 hectares, the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Garden were established in the year of 1966. Located in the prime urban areas of Los Angeles, California, the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Garden are controlled by the municipal corporation of Los Angeles and is, perhaps, one of the best Zoos in Los Angeles. The city of Los Angeles is the prime owner of the entire zoo, all the animals in it and all its facilities and apart from this, any maintenance, rehabilitation for the animals, construction of facilities, public tours as well as educational tools are sponsored and the City Council of Los Angeles issues the Los Angeles zoo tickets.
Location: 5333 Zoo Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
Timings: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Daily)
Entry Fee: Adult: $41 / Child: $28 / Senior: $40
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2. Beverly Hills Children Zoo
Whenever we think of Beverly Hills, we think of the Rodeos, expensive shops, showrooms, high-end luxury apartments and all, but once you come across of this Beverly Hills children’s zoo, your ideas about Beverly Hills will get changed completely. This private property is the perfect example of an urban jungle since it has a various zoo like lawns where numerous animals are peaking through the property’s gates. Apart from this, there is a giant giraffe statue, which goes up over 14 feet and gives a great experience of a natural zoo amongst the chaos of the city.
Location: 127 N Doheny Dr, Beverly Hills, CA
Timings: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Daily)
Entry Fee: $41 for Adult, $28 for child and $40 for senior
3. Wildlife Learning Centre
Wildlife learning center is a type of zoological garden which is situated at the heart of the San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles, California. It is, perhaps, one of the finest Zoos in Los Angeles, California, which gives one of the most natural as well as pleasant experiences amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. Established to provide free education and experience to the community regarding wildlife conservation, the Wildlife Learning Centre has since dedicated its existence to providing extensive healthcare to the wildlife creatures and has also rescued and rehabilitated more than 200 animals who have been orphaned for injured.
Location: 16027 Yarnell St, Sylmar, CA 91342, USA
Timings: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Daily)
Entry Fee: Children: $10 (15 and under) Adults: $12. Teachers (with I.D.): $10. Veterans (with I.D.): $10. Seniors (65+): $10. Children 2 years & younger: Free.
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4. LA Zoo Lights
Unlike the usual Wildlife sanctuaries are Zoos, the Los Angeles zoo lights is a regular illuminated festival, which is held in the Los Angeles zoo here, the entire facility is light up with different colors and lights which gives it a mesmerizing look at the night time. The glowing animals and other creatures give you some of the best experiences of a journey which includes illuminated elephants, disco ball forest, giant snowflakes, and various other colorful shows. Commenced in the year 2014, the LA Zoo Lights has become one of the most attractive events in the holidays and people have appreciated it with lots of love and affection.
Location: 5333 Zoo Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
Timings: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Daily)
Entry Fee: Adults (13+) and Children (2-12) $12. Value Nights. Adults (13+) $14.95 and Children (2-12) $11.95. Prime Nights. Adults (13+) $21.95 and Children (2-12) $16.95.
5. Santa Monica Pier Aquarium
Located in the urban of Santa Monica in California, the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium is a marine aquarium which is placed adjacent to the majestic Pacific Ocean. Established in the year of 2003, the Santa Monica aquarium is operated and maintained by a nonprofit organization known as Heal The Bay.
Earlier, it was named as the Ocean Discovery Center, and most of its activities and maintenance works were carried out by the UCLA. As a part of the initiative, the Heal the Bay’s Marine Department looks closely upon the working of the aquarium and conducts tours and educational trips for children and nearby communities to generate more awareness regarding the conservation of marine life.
Location: 1600 Ocean Front Walk, Santa Monica, CA 90401, USA
Timings: 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Daily)
Entry Fee: $5 per person
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6. Vivid Aquariums
This artificial facility was built to conserve and conduct tours to showcase the tropical fishes and other tropical marine life. This facility is a testimony to the importance of nature and why we need to conserve it. They have a great variety of wild animals and aquatic creatures for the visitors and research personnel as well.
Location: 21126 Vanowen St, Canoga Park, CA 91303, USA
Timings: 11:00 AM – 6:30 PM (Daily)
7. Montebello Barnyard Zoo
The Montebello Barnyard Zoo is known for providing its creative pony rides, petting zoo, playground for kids and other infants as well as organizing birthday parties with the theme of Zoos and other wildlife resources. There are various Los Angeles zoo events which are carried out here to impart the importance of nature and wildlife among the kids and children.
Location: 600 Rea Dr, Montebello, CA 90640, USA
Timings: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (Daily)
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8. Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles is, perhaps, one of the best and the biggest historical and natural museums in the entire United States of America. To be precise, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles has a great collection of approximately 40 million specimens of various artifacts and in an overall, has about 5 billion years worth history within its libraries. Apart from this, the Natural History Museum regularly hosts some special exhibitions in which it showcases various antiques of Dinosaurs and other flora and fauna which have since gone extinct.
Recently, the Natural History Museum has also organized an exhibition for various species of butterflies, and reportedly, about 300 species of butterflies were showcased during the event.
Location: 900 W Exposition Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
Timings: 10:00 AM – 5:50 PM (Daily)
Entry Fee: Adult $23 / Child (2-12) $12.50 / Senior & Student $17
9. Deep Blue Aquarium
It is one of the most popular aquariums in Los Angeles, which houses a wide variety of aquatic animals. Located in the urban locales of Hollywood, it provides a great visual for marine life enthusiasts.
Location: 5611 Willowcrest Ave, North Hollywood, CA 91601, USA
Timings: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM (Daily)
Entry Fee: Adult: $44.95, Child (3-11): $28.50, and Senior (62+): $44.95.
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10. Griffith Park Zoo
Griffith Park Zoo was a zoo in the locales of Los Angeles, which was opened for public display in the year 1912. However, to inaugurate the Los Angeles Zoo, it was shut down in the year 1966. Although it has been shut for many years, yet, it is now used as a famous spot for family gatherings and picnics.
Location: 4801 Griffith Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027, USA
Timings: 5:30 AM – 10:00 PM (Daily)
Entry Fee: Adult: $21, Child (2-12): 16, and Senior (62+): $18.
Further Read: Nightlife In Los Angeles: 10 Places For An Extraordinary Experience After Sunset
Although the things which come to our minds about Los Angeles are Hollywood and high rise mansions and expensive rodeos, yet, it surprises all and has a great and rich collection of flora and fauna. Even though most of the wildlife reserves are privately owned properties, it provides a lot of satisfaction for the lovers of zoos in Los Angeles. So, plan a trip to Los Angeles and indulge in the fun.
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