1 / 2Big Bear Alpine Zoo
đ Big Bear Lake, CA
Big Bear Alpine Zoo is a compact mountain zoo featuring locally indigenous animals including grizzly bears, with feeding sessions in the early afternoon when animals are most active.
Visited the zoo for the first time and LOVED it! We spent about 2 hours at the zoo, casually walking around to learn & observe the animals. The bears, especially the grizzly, were the best! Caught most of the presentation on the skunks which was super interesting. The little skunks were fun to watch scurrying around for the meal worms while the docent shared a wealth of info. At the end, we decided to become annual members so we could visit the zoo & Big Bear more often. The cost of 2 adult tickets was $34 ($17 each), but you can buy a couples pass for the year for just $90. Looking forward to our next visit!
đ Family Action Verdict
Best for families with young children who want quality animal encounters in an uncrowded setting. The intimate scale keeps kids focused and engaged without the sensory overload of large zoos. The grizzly bear exhibit and keeper presentations are the standout draws.
âšī¸ What to Know Before You Go
đŦ What Families Are Saying
View all reviews â3,718 Google reviews
Tanya Newell
6 months ago
âVisited the zoo for the first time and LOVED it! We spent about 2 hours at the zoo, casually walking around to learn & observe the animals. The bears, especially the grizzly, were the best! Caught most of the presentation on the skunks which was super interesting. The little skunks were fun to watch scurrying around for the meal worms while the docent shared a wealth of info. At the end, we decided to become annual members so we could visit the zoo & Big Bear more often. The cost of 2 adult tickets was $34 ($17 each), but you can buy a couples pass for the year for just $90. Looking forward to our next visit!â
Celiboy Vega
10 months ago
âThis was such a cute zoo!! 10/10 for sure. The animals looked happy and you could even see some trainers feeding and helping the animals throughout their space. Overall my family and I had a great time. My daughter in specific wanted to visit a zoo for some time now and she was very happy how the animals looked well kept. We also got to learn about skunks and it was very informative per one of the trainers.Cant wait to visit again and bring my older daughter to experience this zoo herself !See you next time!!!â
WanderingLife
6 months ago
âNot a huge zoo but perfect for a quick outing with little ones. Plenty of room to look at the animals. We never felt crowded. Everything seem well maintained and the zoo grounds were clean. Plenty of parking. Clean restrooms.â
Chu Tang (Mia)
2 months ago
âIt's definitely worth seeing! There are so many carnivorous animals! But most of them are hibernating and sleeping! It's quite interesting! Worth a visit!â
Reviews from Google
Overview
Big Bear Alpine Zoo houses locally indigenous California wildlife including grizzly bears, black bears, skunks, and other mountain animals. Feeding sessions run in the early afternoon, when animals are most active and visible. Grounds are consistently clean with ample parking and clean restrooms. The small footprint makes it a focused two-hour visit. Seasonal hibernation affects animal activity, so call ahead during winter months.
