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We’re wrapping up the last few days of October with a week to Halloween to go! I cannot wait for cooler weather after a week of scorching heat, but we still have time to have fun and visit pumpkin patches. Have you been to ZOOMARS Petting Zoo in San Juan Capistrano? It is a cute little petting zoo with more than 200 animals ranging from gregarious goats, sheep, potbellied pigs, exotic emu, humpbacked zebu cows, llamas, bunnies, and our favorite – the guinea pigs! I know you have seen photos of children hugging and feeding them somewhere. Well it is right here at ZOOMARS. They also have a kiddie train, pony rides, gold panning, a large play structure, and a corn box. During October, ZOOMARS is transformed into PUMPKINPALOOZA offering a family-style pumpkin patch with kid-friendly hay maze, pumpkin decorating, and all of the other activities mentioned above.
Groupons
HINT: If you were lucky to score a Groupon, it included admissions for four, two animal feed veggie baskets, and two small pumpkins with decorations. Don’t forget to use them because those expire Nov 1, 2017. They offer Groupons throughout the year so be sure to keep a look out for them for the best deals.
Parties at Zoomars
We hung out in The Cactus Flat which included three hours in our reserved party spot, admissions for all our guests up to 75 people, 20 party tokens for train rides or feed baskets. There are other party packages available. Please visit their website for details or call (949) 831-6550.
The Cactus Flat at Zoomars
It Gets Hot!
Pumpkinpalooza is really fun. I met up with my group right when it first opened at 9 AM, and they already had a line! However, if you have a party reservation, you can by pass the lines. I remember that October is still really hot in Orange County until Halloween so if you’re planning a party, be sure to keep that in mind too. Most of ZOOMARS is shaded though, well the main parts anyway.
Taking the Metrolink
This was our third visit to the petting zoo, and my kids still love the Guinea Pigs very much. I have also taken the Metrolink train from Anaheim down to San Juan Capistrano when the children were younger. The train drops us right next to ZOOMARS, and it was a wonderful day out. They’re open year round so that could be another way to experience it in the future. A word of caution – it was a bit of a challenge with strollers, because the train moves really fast so you don’t have a lot of time to fold strollers. I would suggest going with someone to help you the first time before attempting to go by yourself.
ZOOMARS Petting Zoo
31791 Los Rios StSan Juan Capistrano, CA(949) 831-6550www.zoomars.com
9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
ADMISSIONS
- ADULTS $10
- CHILD $8 (17 and under)
- SENIORS $9 (60 and over)
- MILITARY $7
- INFANTS – FREE (12 months and under)
FREE PARKING
PLEASE NOTE: Children under 16 not admitted without an adult. Adults without children may be asked to show ID. Admission fees help cover costs for things like zookeeper supervision, insurance, groundskeeping, maintenance, animal care and numerous other expenses associated with providing a safe environment for your family. Pony and Train Rides for ages 1-10. Sorry, no outside veggies allowed.
ABOUT ZOOMARS: Owner Carolyn Franks started down the path to animal care in college when she created her own line of dog toys. She soon moved from New Jersey to California where her passion snowballed: developing a full line of pet products, hosting an animal show for kids, running a chain of exotic bird stores, and even traveling to South America to help save endangered species. In 2005, she used her knowledge to take over the Jones Farm, expanding its pens and transforming its brand to Zoomars Petting Zoo. Franks is joined by a well-trained staff of zookeepers and wranglers who share her vision for teaching kids about animals through hands-on interactions—and the shepherding of mammals and birds.
