About Highland Park
Highland Park offers a versatile outdoor experience featuring a scenic reservoir loop, a dog-friendly lake, and an on-site zoo with seasonal events. It is highly walkable with options to bike or drive between spots, though families should prepare for hilly terrain and take advantage of the cost-saving activity pass.
What parents should know
Summarized from real visitor reviews.
Best for: Families looking for a mix of hiking, biking, and zoo activities.Dog owners wanting to walk their pets near a scenic lake.Budget-conscious parents who pack their own food and buy the bundled activity pass.Toddlers and Preschoolers: Great for stroller walks on the flat reservoir loop, carousel rides, and the train.School-age Children: Ideal for the zoo, Butterfly Encounter, Scavenger Hunt, and VR experiences.
Why families love it
- Scenic reservoir loop of nearly a mile with a flat, smooth surface perfect for walking or biking.
- On-site zoo featuring seasonal events like Zoo Boo with fun costumes.
- Dog-friendly areas, including a small lake with blooming lilypads.
- An all-inclusive Activity Pass ($14/person) that covers the Train, Butterfly Encounter, Scavenger Hunt, Carousel, and VR.
- Water refill stations located throughout the park and buildings.
- The flat, smooth reservoir walking loop.
Insider tips
- Bring your own bottled water or refillable bottles to use at the park's refill stations to avoid paying $6 for water.
- Pack your own snacks to save on expensive food costs.
- Buy the $14 Activity Pass instead of paying $5-$7 individually for the train, carousel, and other attractions.
- If visiting on super hot days or with limited mobility, consider driving from location to location within the park.
- Be prepared for hills and lots of walking.
Good to know before you go
- Visiting during the peak of super hot days if mobility is limited.
- Buying food and drinks on-site if you want to avoid high prices.
- Expecting all entrance restrooms to be open; plan a bathroom break before arriving.
- Restroom closures at the entrance, forcing families to walk further into the park to find facilities.
- Expensive on-site food and drink prices, such as $6 bottled water and $13 burger/fries.
- Crowds
- Can get very packed during seasonal events like the first day of Zoo Boo.
- Value
- On-site food is expensive ($6 water, $13 burger/fries), but the $14/person Activity Pass is an excellent value as it includes the Train, Butterfly Encounter, Scavenger Hunt, Carousel, and VR (saving money compared to the $5-$7 individual activity fees).
- Food
- Allowed to bring your own bottled water or refillable bottles.
- Accessibility
- Approximately 20 handicap parking spaces directly in front of the Entrance Gates.
- Safety
- Smooth, flat walking surfaces on the reservoir loop to prevent tripping.
What parents say
"Had a good time. Some parts closed for evening activities that you have to pay extra for. The restroom at the entrance was shut down the whole day so we had to walk to a building a little ways in, that made it very inconvenient for those of us who had a longer drive there and needed to go, especially for the kids. It was the first day of Zoo Boo so it was packed. It was fun to see all the costumes!!"
6 months ago
"Pretty cool area, will definitely go back. It's a big loop that you can walk or bike around. At the top there's a double looking pool 🤷🏼♂️ thing at the top. Great place to go and pick up lunch and bike/ drive there and eat with friends and enjoy your time!!"
a month ago
"Be prepared to do a lot of walking (hills)!! Great Zoo!! FYI - Handicap parking directly in front of Entrance Gates (about 20 spaces). Food on the expensive side, as with everywhere else - $6 for a bottle of water, $13 for burger/fries. DEFINITELY get the Pass for all the Activities ($14/person) includes ALL activities (Train, Butterfy Encounter, Scavenger Hunt, Carousel & VR) well worth it saves you $ otherwise each activity is between $5/$7 per activity!! Can bring your own bottle water or refillable bottle (they have "refillable" water station throughout the park & buildings) & snacks into "
8 months ago
Reviews sourced from public Google data.
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