Visitor Center - The Landing at 650 Feet

A stop on Oakland Zoo: Savanna to California Trail, a free self-guided tour.

Step off the gondola into the Kaiser Permanente Visitor Center, the three-story gateway to the California Trail. The trail opened on July 12, 2018, after nearly three years of construction, and tells the story of how people have changed California's wildlife.

Every habitat ahead features animals that were once common in this state or nearly vanished from it. Many residents are rescues: orphaned cubs, injured animals and wildlife that cannot return to the wild. Next door, the California Conservation Habitarium has interactive exhibits on what you can do for local wildlife.

The zoo's work reaches beyond this hill. Its veterinary hospital, below in the valley and closed to casual visitors, treats wild California condors for lead poisoning and cares for orphaned mountain lions and bears; the zoo offers guided hospital tours by reservation.

Getting here: Ride the gondola up; this stop is at the Upper Gondola Station inside the visitor center.

Did you know?: The Landing Cafe's floor-to-ceiling windows and deck look out over six Bay Area counties.

Photo op: From the cafe deck, photograph the gondola cabins rising over the hills with the bay behind them.

For kids: Find the Habitarium next door and pick one thing your family can do to help California wildlife.

Nearby: The Landing Cafe serves pizza, burgers, sandwiches and salads; restrooms, first aid and an elevator are here.

More on Wikipedia: Oakland Zoo · Joseph Knowland State Arboretum and Park

Visitor Center - The Landing at 650 Feet

Stops on this tour