These Zoos, Aquariums and Nature Centers are the winners of the 2024 Best of Bay Area Parent reader poll. Read the full list of winners here.
East Bay
Gold: Oakland Zoo. With animals from African elephants to white-faced whistling ducks, plus a gondola to an area featuring California native animals, a children’s zoo, rides and more, the zoo has been a family favorite for a century. Oakland. oaklandzoo.org.
Silver: Doug Siden Visitor Center at Crab Cove. Alameda. ebparks.org/parks/visitor-centers/crab-cove.
Peninsula
Gold: CuriOdyssey. Features naturalistic exhibits that are home to more than 100 mostly native animals, ranging from the little red-legged frog to the giant vinegarroon. San Mateo. curiodyssey.org.
Silver: Lemos Farm. Half Moon Bay. lemosfarm.com.
San Francisco/Marin
Gold: California Academy of Sciences. An aquarium, planetarium, rainforest and natural history museum in the heart of Golden Gate Park. San Francisco. calacademy.org.
Silver: San Francisco Zoo. San Francisco. sfzoo.org.
Silicon Valley
Gold: Monterey Bay Aquarium. Located on historic Cannery Row, this nonprofit aquarium offers displays of sea otters, sharks, jellies, penguins and more. Monterey. montereybayaquarium.org.
Silver: Happy Hollow Park & Zoo. San Jose. happyhollow.org.
Bronze: Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo. Palo Alto. paloaltozoo.org.
