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Zoos

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo

📍 Little Saigon and Spring Brook, CA

★4.5(5,313 Google reviews)

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo in San Jose combines a small zoo with amusement rides, a puppet theater, and picnic areas with BBQ facilities.

✓ zoo✓ rides✓ puppet theater✓ picnic areas✓ young children✓ San Jose CA
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★★★★Featured review by Patricia Mays

Very large park and zoo combined. Several different picnic areas with tables and BBQ's. Reservations supposedly required for BBQ areas. Only bathroom requires you to walk down sets of medium to low steps. Large women's restroom.

🏆 Family Action Verdict

Best for families with children aged 2 through 10. The combination of animals, rides, and a puppet theater across a walkable footprint suits young children who tire quickly at larger parks. Picnic and BBQ facilities make it easy to build a full afternoon without relying on concessions. Older children and teens may find the scale too small.

â„šī¸ What to Know Before You Go

💡Reserve a BBQ picnic area in advance if planning a group outing — they are in demand on weekends
⏰Purchase tickets online before arrival for faster entry
đŸŽŸī¸Plan around volunteer maintenance days — enclosures may be temporarily closed for cleaning, which limits animal viewing

đŸ’Ŧ What Families Are Saying

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4.5
★★★★★

5,313 Google reviews

Kid-appropriate scale35%
Zoo animals30%
Picnic & BBQ facilities20%
Seasonal events15%
P

Patricia Mays

★★★★★

“Very large park and zoo combined. Several different picnic areas with tables and BBQ's. Reservations supposedly required for BBQ areas. Only bathroom requires you to walk down sets of medium to low steps. Large women's restroom.”

S

Sefria Ricks

★★★★★

“Nice small zoo. Great for children 10 and under if u ask me. There were rides, entertainment and food. Dont expect to see big animals. Volunteers were there painting & cleaning enclosures so most animals were not there. You have to pay for parking there. I think I paid $10. I didn't stay long. Maybe an hr and a half. It wasn't enough there to keep me entertained, but perfect for lil ones.”

Reviews from Google

Overview

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo pairs a compact zoo with amusement rides, a puppet theater, and expansive picnic areas equipped with tables and BBQs (reservable). The zoo focuses on smaller and mid-sized animals, making it approachable for young children without the scale of a major zoo. Seasonal events include Earth Day programming with hands-on conservation crafts and live animal demonstrations. Paid parking is required on-site. The park is city-operated and runs a nonprofit foundation.

🕐 Opening Hours

Monday10:00 – 17:00
Tuesday10:00 – 16:00
Wednesday10:00 – 16:00
Thursday10:00 – 16:00
Friday10:00 – 16:00
Saturday10:00 – 16:00
Sunday10:00 – 17:00

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