Turtle Bay Exploration Park

Spanning nearly 300 acres along the Sacramento River, Turtle Bay Exploration Park brings together a museum, wildlife center, arboretum, botanical gardens, and outdoor learning spaces. The park's focus is broader than wildlife alone, linking regional ecology with forestry, horticulture, science, history, and culture. Its setting includes river trails and the Sundial Bridge, while the museum explores the connections between the natural world and human communities in Northern California.

Wildlife experiences are concentrated in Paul Bunyan's Forest Camp and related areas, where guests can see non-releasable animals, explore hands-on exhibits, and visit habitats designed around the forests and wildlife of the North State. The Mill Building features animal exhibits and interactive displays, while Wildlife Woods provides natural enclosures for animals living at the park. The McConnell Arboretum and Botanical Gardens add extensive plant collections, themed gardens, and walking trails. Turtle Bay suits travelers who want a varied nature and science outing rather than a traditional zoo, with opportunities to move between indoor exhibits, living collections, gardens, and riverside landscapes.