The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens - Palm Desert, California

Kylee C. R.

Love this zoo! We have a family pass and go frequently! It's quiet and peaceful and has a nice vibe! We love the giraffes and the rhinos! There is a little area where you can pet goats. There are a lot of quiet little paths and corners to sit down and rest. Love the miniature train area!

Mark V.

It's an amazing, beautiful zoo. My family and I have made many trips to the Living Desert Zoo over the past many years. We have seen this amazing place grow and become even more beautiful.
The zoo staff have always been very nice and very knowledgeable and happy to answer any questions. Making the Living Desert zoo is a very kids and family fun educational experience.
Pro tip for the sun and heat challenged. It gets very!! hot! during the summer months. My family finds the best times to visit are October through April. But the Living Desert Zoo does have plenty of shade and cool down areas for the warmer weather days.

William

Nice little zoo. The highlight is feeding the giraffes. There are many nice animal exhibits and the keepers give frequent talks about the animals. The volunteers are plentiful and knowledgeable if you have questions. It's a little pricey but a nice treat once in a while.

waaasabe

Definitely a great place to visit! New exhibits, some still under construction, but I love this place because it is a desert garden and just a relaxing stroll and you don't feel rushed or crowded. You can take your time and see everything in less than 5 hours, unless you buy tickets for the experiences like petting and brushing the rhino. I would spend all day feeding the giraffes if I could! No long lines for anything and the kids enjoyed it. Definitely worth it!

Pamela O.

Loved our visit to the Living Desert Zoo! Very helpful employees. Rented an electric scooter and it was a great experience! The zoo is larger than expected!! So many amazing animals there. The walkways are spacious and well laid out. Parking lot is huge. Great afternoon!!

Tiffany R.

I can't recommend this zoo enough. It's absolutely beautiful to walk through and has many great animals. Their giraffe enclosure and their rhino enclosure are the best I've seen. My kids love the zoo so much too. I take them to me and you at the zoo every week and I also got married here. My son loves the animals and I'm glad we have the membership so we can go whenever we want.

I recommend going on weekdays in the early morning or late afternoon. There's always a field trip going on but it honestly isn't too bad.

Sean H.

Visiting the Living Desert Zoo was a fantastic experience! Feeding the giraffes was definitely the highlight of our trip. The zoo is very clean, well-maintained, and offers a great selection of animals and plants native to the desert environment. My family and I had a wonderful time exploring all the exhibits. It’s both fun and educational, making it a must-stop if you’re in Palm Desert. Highly recommend checking it out!

John W.

We live in San Diego County and are used to the zoo and the wild animal park. Safari Park whatever they call it.

The living desert zoo is a great alternative and compliment to these. It's much more relaxed and relaxing. The animals are, obviously, desert-oriented and some of the habitats are really intriguing, like the giraffe or bighorn sheep habitats. It's a solid place. Doesn't look like much in the food offerings, though, we brought a picnic and had no problems getting in with our food.