Charles Paddock Zoo (recently renamed Central Coast Zoo) is a five-acre community zoo in the wooded part of Atascadero Lake Park. It is small, but it punches above its size: the collection includes red pandas, fossas, Malayan tigers, a meerkat group, and various smaller mammals and birds. The pathways wind among mature oaks and pines.
Allow about an hour and a half. The adjacent lake park has picnic tables and a play area, so it's an easy afternoon for families with young children. The zoo is open daily except major holidays; check the website for current hours and admission.