Chaffee Zoo in Roeding Park is a solid regional zoo with about 100 species across 10 acres. The African Adventure section is the highlight, with white rhinos, lions, African elephants, and giraffes in reasonably spacious enclosures. A stingray touch tank and a reptile house round out the collection. The zoo is particularly good for families with children: compact enough to cover in a half day without exhaustion, with enough interactive elements to keep younger visitors engaged.
Roeding Park around the zoo is worth a walk — one of Fresno's older parks, with mature trees and a lake that provides some relief from the valley heat. Adjacent to the zoo, the Storyland and Playland theme park (geared to young children) shares the park grounds. The zoo is on the west side of Fresno, about 15 minutes from downtown.