The Santa Barbara Zoo is a wonderful place for seeing many different animal species. It’s a wonderful place to take the grandchildren for their enlightenment and enrichment! An introduction to the variety of creatures great and small. According to their website, the SB Zoo is home to over 146 different species of mammals, reptiles, birds, and insects. The SB Zoo has over 500 animals to see in “naturalistic habitats,” on 30 acres. We enjoy walking around and seeing the animals each and every time we go. I enjoy photographing the animals in their environments. You can feed the giraffes lettuce or the sheep and goats in the barnyard. Watch the penguins strut their stuff, or the otters play until they need a nap, either way they are very cute! You can get very close to gorillas as there is only a sheet of plexiglass between you, not for the faint at heart sometimes! Hissing cockroaches and poison dart frogs are one of our grandson’s favorite things to see each time we go. Walking through the aviary with many different birds flying and scurrying about is always a treat. Big cats, stealthy and majestic are entertaining and beautiful.
Luzon Bleeding-heart Pigeon 
Blue-faced Honeyeater 
Red Golden Pheasant 
I’m Watching YOU! 
Ready for a dip? 
Frill-necked Lizard
In addition to the critters, they have other attractions for kids of all ages to enjoy. Their train has been of great interest to our oldest grandson, who on his first trip to the SB Zoo, could only seem to say, “Train Daddy….Train Daddy!” The train ride around the perimeter of the Zoo is a must!
I recommend going early in the morning for the coolness, and morning wake-up for the animals, when they come out and explore around their habitats. You also are early enough to miss the mid-day crowd. This is a very popular destination for the locals. Later in the day an hour or two before closing can be a great time too, as the crowds have gone and things are settling down. The animals are up from their siestas and know it will be dinner time soon.