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THINGS
TO DO IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA |
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Santa
Barbara Zoo Things To Do
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The
Santa Barbara Zoo is the best medium
size zoo in Southern California. With 30 acres, over 500
animals
and its scenic location the Santa
Barbara Zoo
is a wonderful place to spend the day. The Zoo is the
perfect size for kids, plenty of room to run around but
not so big that they will get bored.
There are some really excellent displays thanks to the
generous donations by the membership of the zoo. Known
as the world's most beautiful zoo, the Santa Barbara Zoo
is located in a lush botanic garden overlooking the Pacific
Ocean. To the west is the Andre Clark Bird Refuge and
inland the Santa Ynez Mountains make a picture perfect
back drop.
Activities at the Santa Barbara Zoo include: The Barnyard,
home to domestic sheep, which you can feed with specially
formulated food, The Santa Barbara Zoo
Carousel that features hand-carved exotic animals, Giraffe
Feeding with the tallest residents of the Zoo, Kallman
Family Play Area where your kids can run wild and the
Zoo Train that circles the perimeter of the Zoo.
The Santa Barbara Zoo's popular new show, How to Train
Your Dinosaur; is a big hit with kids and features Duncan,
a 15-foot long and 7-feet tall lifelike adolescent T-rex
dinosaur. Dinosaur shows are held at the outdoors at the
Rolling Hills Theatre and are free with zoo admission.
Another popular exhibit is California Trails. This exhibit
Includes Condor Country, home of four juvenile California
condors, Channel Island fox, Rattlesnake Canyon, bald
eagles, and desert tortoises. California Trails offers
views of the Andree Clark Bird Refuge, Santa Ynez mountains
and city of Santa Barbara.
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Andree
Clark Bird Refuge Santa Barbara Zoo |
Other attractions
you won't want to miss are the Crawford Family Penguin House,
Elephant Walk, Western Lowland Gorillas, Cats of Africa,
Gibbon Island and The Aviary with tropical birds from Africa
and South America.
The Santa
Barbara Zoo has two miniature C. P. Huntington trains that
run on a half-mile track. The train is great way to see
the Andre
Clark Bird Refuge
behind the zoo.
Along with animals the zoo has acres of lush gardens with
lawns, native plants and trees, cacti and succulents, ornamentals,
exotic species and less formal plantings arranged throughout
the park to recreate natural habitats.
If you work up an appetite during your visit the Ridley-Tree
House Restaurant serves up sandwiches, snacks and salads.
Also within a short drive are numerous restraints include
several on nearby Stearns Wharf.
Amtrak
Pacific Surfliners stop at Santa Barbara and the zoo
is a little over a mile from the train station. So if you
want to take a break from driving its possible to take the
train. The Santa Barbara MTD Shuttle runs from Stearns Wharf
to the zoo and it only cost a quarter.
The
Santa Barbara Zoo is located in about 90 miles north of
Los Angeles, a two hour drive with good traffic conditions.
The Zoo
is a medium size and takes about three hours to see the
sights, leaving plenty of time to explore Santa Barbara.
There are loads of other things
to do in Santa Barbara including visiting the Mission
Santa Barbara, Stearns Wharf and the Santa Barbara Botanic
Gardens.
The Santa Barbara Zoo also offers birthday party packages
for children aged 2-12, weddings, dinner parties and company
picnics.
If you are planning a long weekend
Santa Barbara Hotels range from affordable to five star
resorts. |
Santa
Barbara Zoo Elephant Walk |
Santa
Barbara Zoo train |
The Zoo is located in Santa Barbara, CA, approximately 90
miles north of Los Angeles, 25 minutes north of Ventura,
and 40 miles south of Solvang.
From the South on U.S. 101: Take the Hot Springs/Cabrillo
Boulevard exit. Turn left on Cabrillo and continue to the
first stop light. Turn right on Niños Drive. The
entrance is on the right side across from the playing fields.
From the North on U.S. 101: Take the Milpas Street exit.
Turn right on Milpas Street and turn left on Cabrillo Boulevard.
Turn left at the first light, which is Niños Drive.
Traffic
tends to be heavy along Highway 101 on weekends so its best
to get an early start as possible. |
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San
Diego Zoo largest and most visited
zoo in California. One day or more to explore the
zoo |
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Lake
Cachuma is renowned
for its natural beauty and variety of fun things
to do. |
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Los
Angeles Zoo located
in Griffith Park and is home to over nearly 1000
animals. |
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