Overall I liked it a lot! You get exactly what is being advertised: a small zoo featuring animals from South and Central America.

I only wish it was more obvious on the website or at the zoo entrance that certain areas were closed. Had I known earlier that the petting zoo, rides, and their “Amazon‘s Edge” exhibit were closed and unavailable, I probably would have rather waited until they opened back up to enjoy them. I visited on Thursday, December 2 from 11 am to 2 pm; rides did not have any operators around despite the website giving the hours of operation. Amazon’s Edge at this time was being renovated into an otter habitat.

However, there was still a lot that I enjoyed from my visit. The aviary was a lot of fun! There were a few birds who were brave or docile enough to let you take a close picture of them. The highlight of the zoo was definitely all the monkeys. They were all really active and fun to watch. I’ve never heard of a tamarin before, but they were the most adorable exhibits in the zoo.

I went to a different small zoo once, The Reptile Zoo in Fountain Valley, and left feeling sad because their enclosures looked way too small for their animals. A lot of their reptiles were even pacing around and clawing at their walls, looking like they just wanted out. I didn’t feel this way about the Santa Ana zoo. A lot of animals, especially the primates, looked relaxed and were even playing. I couldn’t see all of the animals, but it just made me appreciate that they had enough space to hide from visitors if they became stressed out.

Honestly, if everything in the zoo was open and available, it makes the zoo a hidden gem in SoCal. There’s more to do than you might expect here despite the size. If they ever decide to introduce more exhibits, I hope they include more rainforest amphibians and reptiles.