Happy Hollow Park & Zoo

this is a really cute place to go for an afternoon if you're down in the south bay and don't want to drive too far. the zoo is pretty small and will only take maybe an hour to go thorough so it's not the best part, but what is cool is that all the rides are totally free. the only thing that stinks is that it's six dollars to park there! that's a little crazy, but, they gotta make money, too...and it goes towards the animals, right? more

Happy Hollow Park and Zoo is a great place to take small children. The park has been open since the 1960's and has been the favorite place of generations of San Jose children. Among the gentle childrens rides is every child's favorite pal- Danny the Dragon!! Danny is a dragon who allows park visitors to ride on his back and takes them on a magical journey through the park! Parents will see a train with a molded fiberglass body shaped like a dragon. But for those of us who grew up with Danny, he'll always be a real dragon! :-) Even parents will be mystified when they realize that Danny has no tracks to follow and that his driver doesn't do any actual driving. So how does Danny move?!! Magic perhaps?!! The secret is a rare, 1960's era gyroscope mechanism. Danny is the only dragon left like this and he is a rare treasure! Bring your little ones for a day of enchantment! Connected to the park is the Zoo. There are a wide variety of animals that will delight youngsters, including a petting zoo where they can feed alfalfa pellets to the friendly animals. Stay with very small children in the petting zoo area. Sometimes the pygmy goats get a bit pushy when they want the alfalfa pellets! more

Happy Hollow is a cute little zoo located by Kelly Park. There is a large parking area that costs $6.00 to park. The zoo is a little dirty and can be smelly at times. They have a lot of play area for kids of all ages. They also have a few amusement rides geared toward small children. There is also a petting zoo where kids can go in and feed the animals. It's a fun getaway for the little ones. Food out of a snack shack, not the greatest. more

Since I do not have any kids, I would not come here by myself. I did bring my two year niece who had an awesome day playing on her own along with her aunt and uncle. Happy Hollow is separated into two ares- the park and the zoo. The park is meant for kids between two and eleven. There are safe children rides, a large play area, and is a great place to have birthday parties for your little one. The zoo does not have a massive amount of animals, but it can say it houses a rather angry and lonely looking jaguar. It tries to teach kids about animal protection, but I do not find keeping the jaguar in any enclosed area. This place does get crowded, and parking can get touch. Get there early. more

This is one of those "low tech" type places to bring your kids. There's lots of play structures (ship, slide house, playgrounds, maze, etc.) for your energetic kids to let some steam off. Also there are a few low key rides if you get tired of running after the kids. It's also a nice place to pack in a lunch and eat on the grassy areas or near the petting zoo on picnic tables. Plan at least for a couple hours to enjoy it fully. more

I used to go here as a kid, and always enjoyed seeing the animal in the petting zoo, without having it be as overwhelming for a small child as a large amusement park like Great America. The greenery and variety of animals make it a good place for families to spend the day together. more

This is definitely the place to go with young , exhuberent kids. Happy Hollow is three things in one: a petting zoo, an amusement parks (complete with ancient kiddie rides) and a pincnio grounds (with lots of great playground structores). The only thing it is missing is a water park, but it is kep cool by the shade of hundreds of mature trees all over the property. No matter what your kids like to do, there is something for them. There is something for you too if you are tired or if you are ready for action. I strgonly recommend an annual pass to htis place if tyou have small children. more

This is a great family hangout if you have very young children in the family. The offer season passes or a one day $1.00 admission. The park is not too big, yet it is a place the young ones will enjoy and you can spend a few hours here easily. There are animals, puppet shows, rides, jungle gyms, etc. You don't have to spend tons of money on food either. There is plenty of greenery for you to just set up your own lunch from home. Best of all, its around the downtown San Jose area so its not far from the buzz. more

This is a great, amazing place to take your toddlers. It is well worth it to buy the season pass. it's smaller and more manageable then great america or bonfante gardens. It's more do-able... ie. we ruun over thre on saturday late-afternoons for a cuple hours. Thy have tons of grass space to picnis if you like They have puppet shows the rides for the kids are just right. Definitely get the season pass!!!! more

How would you like to go to a zoo, but don't want to go as far as San Francisco or Oakland? You're in luck! There's a zoo / park right here in San Jose. The admission is only a dollar and they have a variety of animals. Some animals at this zoo are snakes, goats, monkeys, birds, and many more. What I like most about this zoo is that it also serves as a park and serves food. Its a great place for the family that can provide a fun and great learning experience. more

Last time I came here (just a couple weeks ago) I was really disappointed. Many of the exhibits were closed. For example I really didn't get to see any monkeys or lions. But usually this zoo is actually quiete cool. Its big and you can spend the whole day walking around. They even have an insect zoo! There is also a childrens zoo and inside is a petting zoo. They havea fun little train that you can ride on and wave to all the people from for $3.00 per person. The food inside the park is really expensive, and not that good so come after you eat. Parking on weekends is hard inside the zoo lot, don't even try. Park away and then take the 10 minute walk, not too bad. more

the zoo here is just ok, I felt bad for the animals since they are just pacing. we also went at noon, so not a good time as they are all trying to stay cool from all the heat. the park looked great (we didn't have enough time to enjoy it) and I would for sure go back and hang out there!!! more

It's not the most expansive zoo and the big ticket items (lions, bears, elephants) can't be found here, but the animals they do have are very accessible to the toddler set. There is a petting zoo. But what I like best is that there is also a park part of the zoo and the rides ARE INCLUDED in the price! There is a parking fee, but you can stay all day and ride the Danny The Dragon ride (not to be missed), and the carousels and see animals for less than the price of a less than 2 hour movie! And you can often see a puppet show to boot! They offer birthday party rental and they also do camps there. Their membership is reciprocal with a lot of the zoos/science museums in the area and across the country. more