Ask anyone who grew up in San Jose about their first zoo and there's a good chance the answer is Happy Hollow. The 16-acre zoo and amusement park inside Kelley Park opened in 1961. It was built for little kids, and it still is.
A Jaycees project
The park started with two members of the local Jaycees civic group, Alden Campen and Ernie Renzel, who began planning it in 1956. They bought the original 7.5 acres at the north end of what is now Kelley Park for $300,000 on the city's behalf. Happy Hollow closed in 2008 for a major renovation and reopened on March 20, 2010. It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Animals
The zoo is small but surprisingly varied: a jaguar, red pandas, a giant anteater, capybaras, meerkats, an American alligator, parma wallabies, three kinds of lemurs and a fossa, the Madagascar predator made famous by the movie Madagascar. In the petting zoo, kids can pet and feed goats, sheep and miniature cows. A "parallel play" area puts a playground right next to the endangered lemurs.
Rides
The rides are scaled for younger children. They include the Pacific Fruit Express family roller coaster, an animal-themed carousel, the Danny the Dragon ride, a mini drop tower called the Frog Hopper, kiddie swings and a quadracycle speedway. The park also has a puppet theater, a hay-bale education center and an animal hospital.
Tickets and parking
- Admission: $22 for ages 2 to 59; $19 for seniors 60 and up and for military; free for children under 2. Ticket sales end 30 minutes before closing, and discounted tickets must be bought in person.
- Parking: $10 a day at 748 Story Road, across the Bent Bridge from the entrance, or at the Leininger Center lot at 1300 Senter Road. Annual parking passes are $80, or $30 for seniors, military and ADA.
- Maps: The park doesn't print maps, so download the PDF map from its website before you go.
Check the park's site for current hours, which change with the season.