The Sacramento Zoo

Specs
Type:	Animals, Zoos
Distance:	Short Drive
Area:	Sacramento
Ages:	All Ages
Cost:	$ to $$
Information:	www.saczoo.org

Chances are if you've lived in this area for very long you've already been to the Sacramento Zoo. Though it's not as fancy or state-of-the-art as, say, the San Diego Zoo, it's still a nice little zoo where (if you take your time) you can probably spend a whole day.

The Sacramento Zoo is not expensive (as far as entrance fees go) but expect to pay extra for add-ons like the carousel, the train ride and the "Giraffe Experience," which at last count was three bucks a person to feed two leaves to one of the zoo's giraffes. Worth it for the looks on the kid's faces.

This zoo doesn't have those big, open enclosures guarded by moats--most of the animals are still behind wire fences or glass, which makes good photos difficult to obtain. There's a decent selection of animals, though--lions, tigers, (even snow leopards) as well as the aforementioned giraffes. There are also zebras, chimpanzees, kangaroos, lemurs and bongos--and a huge flock of flamingos. The reptile house is pretty good too--it features poison dart frogs, a green tree boa, rattlesnakes, vipers and boas.

Notably missing are the elephants--where the heck are the elephants? and canids of any kid, though if you're really missing them you can go down to the Folsom Zoo to see a great collection of wolves and foxes. Not elephants, though.