Location
One Zoo Road
San Francisco, CA 94132
Neighborhood(s)
Lake Merced/Stonestown
Telephone
(415) 753-7080
Website
http://www.sfzoo.orgDays and Hours Of Operation
Daily 10am–5pm (until 4pm in winter)
Ages Served
All
Description
The San Francisco Zoo is a must destination for all Bay Area families. It's the largest zoo in Northern California and it offers so much for children of all ages. Improvements in the last few years have made this a terrific destination. The Lemur Forest, the African Savanna, and the Koret Animal Resource Center have all gotten face-lifts and offer so much more than they used to. Drop-in workshops, speakers, animal encounters, and other educational activities make the zoo a place to visit all year long.
Classes: The zoo offers a myriad of classes for kids as young as 18 months.
- Jills 'n Joeys (infant to 4 years old)
- Fun for Little Learners (18 months to 3 years old)
- Animal Adventures (3 to 4 years old)
- Young Zoologists (5 to 9 years old)
- Bug Club (5 to 9 years old)
- Junior Keepers Club (9 to 12 years old)
The zoo also offers teen volunteer programs for those who need to complete community service hours or would like to volunteer for their personal interest. Teens can volunteer on the Nature Trail, be a zoo assistant, and more.
Camps: Zoo Camp is a great way for kids to learn about animals in an outdoor setting. Zoo walks, animal-themed crafts and games are all part of the fun. Younger children focus on animals' habitats and their adaptations for survival. Older children explore animal behavior to sharpen their observation skills and deepen their appreciation for animals. Teens ages 14 to 17 are invited to participate in the Zoo Teaching Assistant program (ZTA). Camps are offered for spring, summer, and winter breaks.
2013 Week-long Summer Sessions: June 3–August 16 (no camp week of July 1)
2013 Week-long Spring Break Sessions: March 25–March 29 and April 1–April 5
Ages: 4 years old to grade 5 (up to grade 7 for summer camp)
Times: 9am–noon or 1pm–4pm (pre-K–K) or 9am–4pm (grades 1–5 or 7 for summer)
Cost: Pre-K and K $200 for members, $235 for non-members; grades 1–5 $280 for members, $320 for non-members; grade 6–7 (two-week session) Members $560, non-members $660
Extended care: 8am–9am ($35 per week), 4pm–5:30pm ($55 per week)
2012–2013 Week-long Winter Sessions:
Dates: December 26–December 28, January 2–January 4
Ages: 4 years old to grade 5
Times: 9am–noon (pre-K–K) or 9am–4pm (grades 1–5)
Cost: Pre-K and K $117 for members, $138 for non-members; grades 1–5 $165 for members, $189 for non-members
Extended care: 8am–9am ($21 per session) and 4pm–5:30pm ($33 per session)
See their website, call (415) 753-7073, or email zoocamp@sfzoo.org for more information.
Celebrations: Different facilities in the zoo can be rented for birthday parties and other events. The most popular place for birthday parties is a private area in the Leaping Lemur Cafe, which is next to the flamingo exhibit. Information on birthday parties can be found on the website.
Cost
$15 per adult ($12 per adult SF resident), $9 per youth 4 to 14 ($5.50 per SF resident), FREE for children 3 and under
Financial Assistance
Yes
Languages Spoken
English, Spanish, The Storybook keys that present facts and stories about the animals are available in Spanish.
Accessibility
Yes
Getting There
The zoo is located on Sloat Boulevard at 47th Avenue, across the street from Ocean Beach. Free and premium parking ($8) is available near the entrance to the zoo. No bicycles, tricycles, scooters, skateboards or rollerblades are permitted in the zoo. Bike racks are available next to the main entrance.
Muni: L Taraval, 18, 23, 29
SFKids Tips
*Single and double strollers, wagons, and wheelchairs are available for rent at the Entry Village.
*Members get 10% off food and gift shop purchases with their membership card.
*Admission is free on the first Wednesday of the month for San Francisco residents only.
*The $95 Family membership is a deal if you plan on going more than twice in a year. Membership also gets you free or discounted admission to over 125 zoos and aquariums nationwide.
*The playground is a fun place to go, even if you don't venture to see any of the animals.
*The nature trail in the Children's Zoo area has teen volunteers who can tell the kids about the special visitors along the trail. The nature trail is open daily in the summer and on the weekends throughout the rest of the year.
*Inquire about the ZooMobile, which offers hands-on lessons including Animal Classification, Habitats, Food Webs, conservation topics such as habitat destruction, and more. Lessons can also be done on Zoo grounds to supplement a field trip to the Zoo. Cost is dependent on the travel distance to the school.
What We've Heard
"My son really enjoyed the Jr. Zookeeper program. It only happens a few times a year so you don't want to miss a meeting." –Connie