New Nature Play Area & Inaugural “Noon Year’s Eve” Celebration Coming to the Central Coast Zoo!

The City of Atascadero and the Central Coast Zoo are excited to announce the grand opening of a brand-new Nature Play Area, along with the Zoo’s inaugural Noon Year’s Eve celebration, taking place on Wednesday, December 31, from 10:00 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The festivities will kick off with an official ribbon cutting at 10:00 a.m., unveiling the Zoo’s newest feature, Wild Journeys Play Zoo, a nature-based play area thoughtfully designed for young children. This interactive space emphasizes the principles of “nature play,” which supports healthy childhood development by fostering empathy, creativity, and physical, cognitive, and social-emotional growth.

Wild Journeys Play Zoo includes hands-on elements such as sandboxes, where children can dig like a meerkat, a pretend zoo animal kitchen and veterinary clinic, and additional outdoor play features that encourage exploration and imaginative learning. The Zoo would like to thank the sponsors who made this project possible: Service Systems America, El Camino Veterinary Hospital and the Central Coast Zoo Foundation.

“The new Nature Play Area reflects our commitment to creating meaningful experiences for children that inspire curiosity, empathy, and a connection to wildlife,” said Dr. Cynthia Stringfield, Director of the Central Coast Zoo. “Pairing it’s opening with our first ever Noon Year’s Eve allows families to celebrate the New Year together in a fun, educational and memorable way – without staying up past bedtime!”

Following the ribbon cutting, families are invited to stay and celebrate the Zoo’s first ever, Noon Year’s Eve, a kid-friendly New Year’s celebration that counts down to noon instead of midnight! Activities run from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and include themed activities, a festive ball drop and a sparkling cider toast at noon! All included with general admission.

The Central Coast Zoo is home to nearly 100 animal species representing more than 300 animals, including red pandas, monkeys, fossa, meerkats, parrots, a variety of reptiles and more. The Zoo is located at Atascadero Lake Park just one mile west of the 101 Freeway at Highway 41/Morro Road.

For information, go to www.centralcoastzoo.org or call (805) 461-5080.