We recently discovered The Wildlife Learning Center online while looking for unique things to do with the kids.  The Wildlife Learning Center has provided care for displaced, rescued, and zoo-born wild animals for many years.  At the time of our visit, the Wildlife Learning Center was only offering private tours so we opted for their Adventure Tour and assembled our POD* people.  We initially thought our 4-year-old would enjoy the tour the most, but everyone in the group loved the experience.

 Wildlife Learning Center visiting info

Website

https://wildlifelearningcenter.org/

Address

16027 Yarnell St.
Sylmar, CA 91342

Price/Cost

• General admissions (Tues & Thurs): $12 Adults (16-64), $10 Seniors (65+), $10 Children (3-15), Infants: ages 2 & under are free.
• Zoofari Tour (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat & Sun): $159 for up to 5 participants. May add up to 3 additional people at $10.60 each.
• Adventure Tour (Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat & Sun): $318 for up to 5 participants. May add up to 3 additional people at $53 each.

**Max of 8 guests including all ages for private tours. 

**Must book reservations online for general admissions and private tours.

Phone number

818-362-8711

Email

[email protected]

Hours

Open 7 Days A Week
10:00 am – 5:00 pm

Parking

Free parking onsite (limited space)

Random Tips from our visit

What we observed:

• This center is for all ages! We did the private adventure tour with our kids and friends, and they loved it. Such a fun and safe experience. Well worth the price. 
• Our biologist was very kind, patient, and knowledgeable.
• Not your typical tour of getting the basic facts on animals. Our biologist went into so much detail and was very informative. She welcomed questions and had no trouble answering our 4-year-old daughter. 
• Ninety minutes was plenty of time to enjoy the center. We did not feel rushed. 
• The animals are well taken care of, and you can tell that the staff enjoys their time with them. 
• Small Center but great use of space. 
• Plenty of shade.  
• Wild Learning Center does not own giraffes. The giraffes live next door but the WLC gets the opportunity to interact with people. 
• Recommend wearing bug spray before arriving. 

Activities:

General admissions

• 90 min self-guided tour of the center. Explore the center and see about 20 different species of animals. 

Zoofari tour

• 45 min guided tour of the center with ONE of the following animal experiences of your choosing:
  • feed a giraffe
  • touch an armadillo
  • feed a porcupine

You may add additional animal experience that ranges from $25-115 for your entire group

Adventure Tour

• 90 mins guided tour of the center with the following animal experiences:
  • Meet a sloth
  • Feed a giraffe
  • Meet an armadillo
  • Feed a porcupine
  • Meet a reptile

Time spent:

• 90 minutes

Stroller/Wagon friendly:

• Yes, but the pathways are mostly gravel or dirt walkways

Restrooms:

• Flushing toilets

What we brought:

• Baby carrier
• Closed toe shoes
• Sunblock
• Bug Spray
• Bug suction
• Insect Bite Salve 
• Water Wipes
• Sanitizer
• Water
• Snacks

Should you go?

Yes.  We thought our visit was well worth it.  The up-close experiences were great, and we learned so much about the animals they have under their care.  If you have young ones that may be considered a future in Animal Biology, this is the place to go.

Covid-19 Precautions?

• Only one group is allowed inside the check-in area at a time. 
• They sanitize the area before letting the next group in, including the door handles.
• They ask that we not touch the gift shop items until we can purchase them at the end of the tour. 
• Hand sanitizer is available throughout the center. 
• You must sanitize your hand before and after each animal interaction. There was also another family at the center but we rarely saw them.
• Everyone wore a mask and maintained social distancing. 
• We felt very safe here.

Should you go?

Yes.  We thought our visit was well worth it.  The up-close experiences were great, and we learned so much about the animals they have under their care.  If you have young ones that may be considered a future in Animal Biology, this is the place to go.

What other sites are saying about the Wildlife Learning Center

• https://www.yelp.com/biz/wildlife-learning-center-sylmar?start=140
• https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g32655-d2391442-Reviews-Wildlife_Learning_Center-Los_Angeles_California.html

Other Great Animal Experiences around Socal 2020

• San Diego Zoo

Things to do nearby

We travel all over California searching for fun places to take the kids. Be sure to check out some of the other places we’ve visited that are good for kids. Things to do with Kids in Southern California

If you have any suggests on where we should go next please let us know in the comments below!

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