Micke Grove Zoo

Micke Grove Zoo in Lodi, California is one of the Central Valley's best-kept family secrets — a genuinely excellent small zoo tucked inside the beautiful oak canopy of Micke Grove Regional Park. With over 3,000 Google reviews and a 4. 4 rating, it's clearly beloved by the families who know about it, and it's the kind of place where you feel like you're getting away with something when the admission total comes to less than $25 for your whole family.

The zoo is compact by design, which turns out to be a feature rather than a bug when you're wrangling young children. Rather than trekking half a mile between exhibits, you move efficiently from lemurs to red pandas to gibbons to emus within a comfortable loop. Animals are close, sightlines are clear, and kids actually get to see the animals rather than a distant shape behind a crowd of strangers.

The red panda exhibit is a particular crowd-pleaser — these animals are endlessly entertaining and often quite active.

Surrounding the zoo, Micke Grove Regional Park adds enormous value to the outing. The park features a Japanese garden, a carousel, and Fun Town — a small but genuinely fun amusement park with rides sized for younger children. The ancient valley oak trees throughout the park create a cathedral-like canopy that keeps the whole area shaded and cool. Pack a blanket and make it a full-day picnic.

The zoo is closed Monday and Tuesday, so plan around Wednesday through Sunday. Parking and admission are both very reasonable, and San Joaquin County residents often pay less — check the zoo's website for current rates. For families based in the Sacramento area or passing through the Central Valley, Micke Grove Zoo is an easy, affordable detour that over-delivers.