What are the opening hours?

Monday 10am - 4pm Tuesday 10am - 4pm Wednesday 10am - 4pm Thursday 10am - 4pm Friday 10am - 4pm Saturday 10am - 4pm Sunday 10am - 4pm

Central Coast Zoo

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United States
Atascadero, CA
Central Coast Zoo

AZA accredited zoo and wildlife conservation organization connecting people and animals in California’s beautiful Central Coast! We hope to see you soon!

The Central Coast Zoo (formerly Charles Paddock Zoo) is home to about a hundred species of animals found around the world, where they live in our beautiful, wooded Lake Park in Atascadero, California. We are the only zoo in the Central Coast accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the gold standard for zoos ensuring the highest level of animal welfare. As part of AZA, our animal

s are part of globally managed conservation programs to preserve species and their wild habitats. We hope you will come and relax, learn, and enjoy our animals in a safe and respectful environment, and have fun in our beautiful Atascadero Lake Park with play equipment, lawns, walking pathways, and seasonal paddleboat rentals.

06/29/2025

The Zoo Gift Shop will be closed all day on June 30th. You will be able to purchase tickets and check in using your membership at the ticket window from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. The shop will reopen on July 1st.

06/28/2025

Happy 15th Birthday Shelby! Shelby is our female fossa. Fossa are the largest predator in Madagascar and are most closely related to the mongoose. She is very active at 15 and climbing this swinging log for meat put in little holes.

06/21/2025

The zoo will close early today to get ready for the Lakeside Wine Festival.

06/20/2025

The zoo will close early on Saturday June 21st to prepare for Wine Festival!

06/19/2025

Come in tomorrow at 10:30 to help us celebrate the Red Panda's Birthdays! All three of our Pandas have their birthdays in June: Tabei is 12, Oolong is 7 and Kesari is 2. Our Zoo Camp kids will make a cake and enrichment for them and their keeper will tell you a little about our fantastic pandas!

06/16/2025

It's Pollinator Week! In California alone, pollinator-dependent crops are worth an estimated 11.7 billion dollars! Pollinators play a crucial role in supporting biodiversity by assisting with plant reproduction by helping to move pollen within or between flowers. Plants serve as the foundations of our ecosystems, and over 80% of flowering plants require pollination services. You can learn more at: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Science-Institute/Pollinators

06/15/2025

Happy Father's Day! Von der Decken's Hornbill dads have a big responsibility. The mom closes herself into a hollowed-out area when she's getting ready to lay eggs. She leaves only a slit for a door that the male uses to feed her and any chicks that hatch. This year our pair had two sets of triplets, meaning dad had to do the job twice! All the babies are off to other zoos to continue the breeding program elsewhere, including this young male whose color is just coming in on his beak and his three sisters.

06/13/2025

Sharing a fun video to kick off the beautiful weekend ahead! Hope to see you at the Zoo! 🐾☀️

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1447030543139208

Visit Atascadero

06/09/2025

🎉 We Have Big News! 🐾

📍 Say Hello to the Central Coast Zoo!

The Charles Paddock Zoo has a brand-new name, a refreshed look, and a bold new chapter in its 70-year journey! We’re now officially the Central Coast Zoo – the same amazing wildlife experience and mission you know and love, just with a fresh identity that celebrates our regional roots. 🌳✨

🦁 Still proudly AZA-accredited for over 30 years
🌍 A legacy that began with Ranger Charles Paddock in 1955
🌿 New logo, new name, same heart
📚 Exciting new children's activity book & programs
🦉 Charles Paddock Plaza is our official name of the Plaza Entrance featuring the statue of Ranger Paddock & Cosmo Topper the opossum!

Welcome to the Central Coast Zoo – Unlock the Secrets of the Wild: Learning and Conservation at Every Turn! 🐢💚

📸 Drop by and see the changes for yourself and stay tuned for more exciting updates! Our Facebook and Instagram pages will still be at this location, but the social media address will change to !

06/05/2025

We are so excited to be having Harmony Valley Creamery provide the ice cream for Ice Cream Zoofari, and delighted to have Lonely Oak Arts provide our anniversary cake! Join us Saturday the 7th at 5pm to enjoy these sweet treats and celebrate our new name and logo unveiling!

06/01/2025

Roll on over June 7th at 5pm for Ice Cream Zoofari! We'll be celebrating our 70th anniversary and revealing our new name and logo!

05/31/2025

World Parrot Day flew right up on us. Come by the zoo and see our many species of parrots who love to talk and interact with each other and guests.

Address

9100 Morro Road
Atascadero, CA
93422

Opening Hours

Monday	10am - 4pm
Tuesday	10am - 4pm
Wednesday	10am - 4pm
Thursday	10am - 4pm
Friday	10am - 4pm
Saturday	10am - 4pm
Sunday	10am - 4pm

Telephone

(805) 461-5080

Website

http://www.centralcoastzoo.org/

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Our Story

The Charles Paddock Zoo is the ONLY Zoo on the Central Coast and is home to hundreds of species from all over the world. We have numerous animals that are part of globally managed programs to preserve animals and their habitats. If you want to engage with some of the rarest animals in the world in a safe and respectful environment then visit us often!

Zoo admission prices are $7.00 for adults 12 and over, $6.00 for seniors 65 and older, $5.00 for children 3-11 years old. Children 2 and under are free.

The Zoo is owned and operated by the City of Atascadero and is located 1 mile west of Hwy 101 on Hwy 41(Morro Road) nestled in the Atascadero Lake Park.