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.

 

 

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