Hi neighbor!

I grew up on a ranch, so animals have always felt like part of the family to me — and I've passed that love down to my kids.

My husband, however, grew up in a household where people outnumbered animals — so we compromised and have one cat.

That’s just not enough for me and the kids, so we get our animal fix by seeking them out on our family adventures.

I've put together our favorite places to see animals around the Bay Area (as well as a few from our bucket list) — from free and five minutes away, to a little farther out and worth the drive.

This one's right downtown, with around 100 koi and 40 turtles to spot. My kids loved this when they were little — my youngest and his friend even fell in once, so consider this your warning to keep extra clothes in the car. Grab lunch or a frozen treat downtown while you're there.

Price: Free

Location: 100 Gregory Ln, Pleasant Hill

Home to animal ambassadors like birds, rabbits, salamanders, bees, snakes, and spiders. One of the coolest features is their Behind the Scenes Theatre, where you can watch a wildlife patient get treated in their hospital.

Price: Adults $17, kids/students/seniors $15 (membership worth it if you'll go more than once). You can also check Discover and Go for free tickets, or use a reciprocal ACM or ROAM membership for admission.

Location: 1931 1st Ave, Walnut Creek

Farm animals, antique farm equipment, picnicking, and hiking trails all in one spot. Easy to turn into a full morning with a hike and a picnic afterward.

Price: Free

Location: 1035 Castle Rock Road, Walnut Creek

Cows, sheep, goats, rabbits, chickens, and pigs. Note: public feeding of the animals has been discontinued, so come for the viewing, not the feeding.

Tip: pair it with the Steam Train ($5/ride) and Merry-Go-Round ($4/ride) in Tilden, then swing down into Berkeley for Cheese Board pizza if they're open — it's become part of our routine.

Price: Free (free parking too)

Location: 1500 Central Park Drive, Berkeley

Cows, alpacas, chickens, horses, goats, and more, with shaded picnic tables if you want to make lunch part of the visit.

Price: Free

Location: 150 Rainier Ave, Vallejo

More than 850 animals — mammals, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and arthropods. My personal favorites are the gibbons, and my youngest is obsessed with the gondola ride.

Price: $20–30 depending on date/time. You may also be able to get half off with some reciprocal memberships, including Happy Hollow and CuriOdyssey. Advance ticket reservations are required, so plan ahead.

Location: 9777 Golf Links Rd, Oakland

A sweet amusement park with 15 animal residents, including donkeys, chickens, goats, ducks, a tortoise, and a bearded dragon. They also have rides and other attractions for young children that make it worth staying for the day.

Price: About $20/person. Tip: The membership is well worth it for repeat visits.

Location: 699 Bellevue Ave, Oakland

Bay Area natives might remember this as Marine World Africa USA. These days it's better known for roller coasters, but there's still plenty of wildlife — lions, cheetahs, tigers, giraffes, sharks, and more. The Rainforest Trail (walking among butterflies) is a favorite, and the dolphin show is a nice way to sit and rest for a bit. We actually traded our zoo membership for a Six Flags pass a few years back and get a lot of use out of it at all of their California theme parks.

Price: As low as $39 when you buy online in advance.

Location: 1001 Fairgrounds Dr, Vallejo

A great spot for little kids — a 20-minute train ride takes you to a miniature town and petting zoo where you can feed the animals.

Tip: Stop by Cline Cellars nearby (10 min drive) so the grown-ups can do a wine tasting. They also have farm animals and a koi pond onsite, so be sure to walk around.

Price: $9.75/ticket for the train

Location: 20264 Broadway, Sonoma

Check out the sea lions for free and/or head into the Aquarium of the Bay to view sea life.

Tip: We like to take BART or the ferry into the city and make a whole day of it. Pier 39 has live performances, yummy lunch spots, carnival rides, and boat rides.

Price: Free to see the sea lions; Aquarium of the Bay is $20–30

Location: Beach Street & Embarcadero, San Francisco

Over 2,000 animals reside here, plus they have gorgeous gardens and sculptures throughout the park.

Price: Free for kids in June; otherwise $20–30 depending on the day

Location: Sloat Boulevard @ The Great Highway, San Francisco

The rainforest and aquarium exhibits here are stunning — you walk up a four-story rainforest surrounded by butterflies, then descend into the aquarium below. They also have penguins — one of my favorite parts of this museum.

Price: $40–60. You can also check Discover and Go for free tickets.

Location: 55 Music Concourse Dr, San Francisco

A science playground and zoo with 70 birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates.

Price: About $25–30 (check Discover and Go or reciprocal memberships for discounts)

Location: 1651 Coyote Point Dr, San Mateo

A Sonoma County safari park with cheetahs, giraffes, flamingos, buffalo, lemurs, monkeys, ostriches, zebras, and more. Pleasant Hill families in the know rave about the overnight experience, though you can also do a day trip.

Location: 3115 Porter Creek Rd, Santa Rosa

Have a favorite spot I didn't mention? Reply back and let me know — we're always looking for our next adventure.

See you around town,

Jen