Day Trip: Zoos delight with lights, presents ... fun!

By Karen Aiello
kaiello@modbee.com

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December has descended and all about are signs of the upcoming holidays. Trees are trimmed, lights are hung, shopping has begun and at area zoos, even the animals are getting in the holiday spirit.

San Francisco Zoo is offering 10 days of "Winter Goes Wild." The public is invited to visit and watch as the four-legged and furry residents all enjoy their holiday gifts. Santa promises to deliver zoocicles, snowmen, ice towers and holiday-wrapped boxes with bows for the animals to enjoy. Ever seen a polar bear tear into a Christmas package? Believe me, it tops any Christmas morning ransacking I've ever seen.

Across the bay at the Oakland Zoo, the always popular "Zoolights" — where the zoo is magically transformed into a holiday wonderland — will take place from Dec. 4 to Jan. 3. Hundreds of lights take the shape of animals, candy canes and holiday characters that dot the night path, where strolling along to the sounds of festive music sets the perfect holiday atmosphere. Visitors may also enjoy meeting the giant toy soldiers and holiday gingerbread man in Santa's Village, and cap the night off with a train ride on the Snowball Express.

The sign at the entrance to the San Francisco Zoo. (Noah Berger / The Associated Press)

If You Go

• San Francisco Zoo
- ADDRESS: 1 Zoo Road
- HOURS: Daily, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- COST: Adults (15-64) $15; seniors (65 and over) $12; children (4-14) $9; children 3 and under free
- GETTING THERE: Take the Bay Bridge to San Francisco. After crossing the Bay Bridge, take 101 South. Follow 101 South to the 280 interchange. Take 280 South to the Westlake District — John Daly Boulevard. exit. Make a right onto Daly and continue to Skyline Boulevard. Turn right onto Skyline. At the Skyline/Great Highway junction, turn left onto the Great Highway. Get into the right lane and take the right turn into the zoo entrance on the Great Highway.
- MORE INFO: 415-753-7080
• Oakland Zoo
- ADDRESS: 9777 Golf Links Road, inside Knowland Park
- HOURS: Zoolight, Dec. 4-Jan. 3, 5:30-9:30 p.m. Closed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
- COST: Adults $11, Seniors (55-plus) and children (ages 2-14) $7.50; under 2 free
- GETTING THERE: Take the Altamont Pass west of Tracy (Interstate 580), continue on 580 past Castro Valley toward San Francisco. In southern Oakland, exit at Golf Links Road toward 98th Avenue. Turn right onto Golf Links Road and follow to the entrance to the zoo.
- MORE INFO: 510-632-9525
• Sacramento Zoo
- ADDRESS: Land Park Drive at 16th Avenue
- HOURS: Dec. 12, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- COST: Free
- GETTING THERE: Take Highway 99 north to either Highway 120 (Manteca Bypass) or Highway 4 (Stockton Crosstown Freeway). Go west to Interstate 5 and turn north. In south Sacramento, take the Sutterville Road exit and drive east (right). Turn left onto Land Park Drive. The zoo is on the left side.
- MORE INFO: 916-808-5888
• Fresno Chaffee Zoo
- ADDRESS: 894 Belmont Avenue, inside Roeding Park
- HOURS: Zoolights, Dec. 4-6, 11-13, 18-23 and 26-27, 5-8 p.m.
- COST: $5 adults, $3 children (ages 2-11). The city charges a $3 per car fee to enter Roeding Park.
- GETTING THERE: Take Highway 99 south, take the Olive Avenue exit. Turn left on Olive and travel about two blocks to the Roeding Park entrance. Turn right into the park, pass the tollbooth and playground, the road will wind through the park to the zoo entrance.
- MORE INFO: 559-498-5910

Our neighbor to the north, the Sacramento Zoo will be hosting a day of delights and delivery of treats to its residents. Like the San Francisco Zoo, the Sacramento Zoo invites guests to come out Dec. 12, when admission is free (thanks to a sponsorship by Target) and share in the excitement as, among other highlights, the hornbills receive their wrapped packages of crickets and the snow leopards wrestle with their wrapped presents. In conjunction with the gift exchange, staff will be on hand to share facts and information and answer any questions.

Rounding out the zoo holiday adventures is Fresno's Chafee Zoo. This local favorite, located in Roeding Park, also is decked out in twinkling lights as it presents "Zoolights." Just how many little white lights does it take to sculpt a tall giraffe, or does a flamingo look better in the pink of daylight or the glowing pink of nightlights? These are just a few of the questions visitors may ponder as they enjoy the sites, sip cocoa and nibble on a cookie. Or maybe if you've finally worked up the courage to visit the bearded man decked out all in red, photo opportunities with Santa will be available.

It's not your typical Christmas party — the caroling might be a little off tune and the gifts and the recipients a bit more unconventional — but traveling to the zoo for holiday fun of the unusual kind can make for a wonderful holiday memory.

Bee assistant librarian Karen Aiello can be reached at kaiello@modbee.com or at 578-2392.