Orange County Zoo (OC Zoo)

"Perfect size for little kids and out-of-town guests"

I absolutely love this oft-overlooked zoo.  It sits within the greater Irvine Regional Park, but it's a destination all its own.

It's extremely small, but full of interesting local wildlife. Many have a story to tell about their accidents, afflictions, or the rehabilitation that put them in the hands of the caring staff and zookeepers.  Read the interpretive signs or ask the staff about their stories.

I love seeing the coyotes and hearing most visitors gasp about how small and skittish they are "in real life."  There are many of those moments as  you stroll through the zoo and see how BIG the hawks and eagles look at eye level.  

The small petting zoo is a highlight with the goats that love to be brushed and a place to get a closer view of the Transylvanian Naked Neck chicken. (No, I'm not kidding and it's amazing to see).  It's also the cleanest petting zoo I've ever visited and the goats are really friendly.  

We often spot wild parrots flocking outside the zoo in the sycamores.

It only costs $2 admission per person over 3 years old (plus the $3-$5 per car for parking).  We have an OCParks.com annual pass, so we never have to pay for the daily parking.  Kids 2 and under are FREE. It can be as short as a half hour or as long as an hour trip.  There's a hand washing station near the entrance - but you have to drip dry b/c there aren't paper towels.

There's plenty more to see outside the zoo fences. Picnic tables sit on a big lawn for a nice lunch spotting woodpeckers in the trees and ducks from the lake.

Courtesy of FunOrangeCountyParks.com.