Before You Arrive
When pre-purchasing tickets, there are hourly entry times to choose from. The times on the tickets are only to confirm your entry time. Guests are welcome to visit the Zoo throughout our open hours. We do not have set exit hours, except our closing time. The ticket reserves your entry time. The Zoo is operating at a limited capacity to allow for social distancing and follow local guidelines for the health and safety of guests, staff and animals.
You can purchase your tickets on our webstore.
Members still receive free entry and no longer need to make timed entry reservations. Members can walk-up and we can accommodate you as long as we have not reached our maximum capacity. If we have increased attendance that results in us meeting our capacity, timed entry may be re-instated. Members can choose to receive an extension from the most recent closure or donate that time to the Zoo. Extension requests must be received by February 28, 2021. Please email membership@fresnochafeezoo.org with your name and member number to request an extension.
We recommend you review and download our digital map and visitors guide before you arrive. We are not handing out paper maps, so this map and guide will be a handy resource throughout your visit and have the most up-to-date information.
When You Arrive
Please arrive during your time block. If you are early or late for your selected timed entry, we will do our best to accommodate you.
For members and those with pre-purchased tickets. please look for the member/pre-purchased tickets line when you arrive. Please have your tickets or your membership card and photo ID out and ready to be scanned so that we can get you in the Zoo as quickly as possible to start your visit.
Exhibits and Attractions
Winged Wonders Bird Show continues with daily shows, but seating is limited to allow for social distancing. Staff is helping to seat each group.
Stingray Bay entry, touching and feeding are available for an added charge. Entry is $4 per person. Member entry is free. Feeding is $2 per feeding for both members and non-members.
Giraffe feeding is available. Twiga Terrace is open to guests who are participating in giraffe feeding. Giraffe feeding is $3 per person for members and $5 per person for non-members. The capacity is limited, so please see staff at the bridge to the terrace for entry.
Roo Walkabout is open Friday-Sunday.
Valley Farm is open during regular Zoo hours. The capacity is limited, so please see staff at the entrance for entry.
The following programs and areas are currently on pause.
- Reptile House
- Keeper chats & presentations
- Dino Dig and Wilderness Falls play areas
- Tropical Treasure
- George’s Pass backpacks, maps and visitors guides
Some areas are marked as one-way paths. Please look for signs and floor markers that note these areas.
Food, Beverage and Retail
Safari Café & Kopje Lodge are open, offering food in grab-and-go containers. At this time, refillable souvenir cups will be unavailable. In compliance with regulations for indoor areas closing at zoos, our staff is processing orders and purchases outside of the Kopje Lodge and the gift shop. Guests will not be able to enter either indoor area.
There will be additional areas open to enjoy your meal such as Bird Show Lawn and Canopy Grove. Please remember to maintain social distancing in these areas.
Water fountains are covered to eliminate touch points, but bottle filling stations are available at Sea Lion Cove and Stingray Bay.
Gift shops are open for purchases outside in front of the shop, but the indoor areas are closed.
Health and Safety Reminders
Throughout your visit, please keep these important health and safety guidelines in mind.
- Please remember to follow social distancing guidelines and stay a minimum of 6 feet away from others.
- Masks are required for all guests 2 and over. Masks should be cloth that cover the nose and mouth completely. Masks are required to be worn at all times throughout Zoo grounds, except while eating in designated seating areas.
- The Zoo will provide mask requirement accommodations for guests who provide documentation from a licensed healthcare provider of a medical reason preventing them from wearing a mask. Please present documentation to the staff when you arrive at the Zoo’s entrance. The Zoo will offer a George’s Pass sticker as one option to guests who have an exemption. The sticker is not required to be worn, but is one will help staff identify that someone in the group has a medical exemption from wearing a mask. Masks are required for all guests at Valley Farm and Twiga Terrace. In these two areas, we are unable to provide medical exemptions. Stingray Bay may accommodate guests without masks due to medical exemptions depending on the number of guests inside the exhibit and whether guests can enter and exit while social distancing safely. An additional accommodation the Zoo is offering for those who have a medical reason preventing them from wearing a mask is a face shield and drape.
- We have done our best to minimize touchpoints, but please be aware to minimize contact with high touch areas, wash or sanitize your hands frequently for at least 20 seconds, and avoid touching your face. The Zoo has also installed hand sanitizing stations around the Zoo.
Guest Screening
All guests must self-screen everyone in their group for the following symptoms. Those experiencing any of the following symptoms will be asked to forgo their visit and return when symptom free.
- Fever
- Body aches
- Chills
- New or worsening shortness of breath
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
- New loss of taste or smell