Charles Paddock Zoo is a small but mighty community zoo in Atascadero, California, tucked beside Atascadero Lake Park on the Central Coast. What began in 1955 as county park ranger Charles “Chuck” Paddock’s informal menagerie of rescued and recovering wild animals grew into a public attraction, moving to its current site in 1963 as the Atascadero Children’s Zoo before the city renamed it in Paddock’s honor in 1980.
Despite covering only about 5 acres, the zoo has long punched above its weight, earning accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 1991 and ranking among the smallest AZA-accredited zoos in the country. In June 2025, to mark its 70th anniversary, the facility was renamed Central Coast Zoo, though generations of locals still know it by its longtime name.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Atascadero, California (San Luis Obispo County)
- Opened: 1963 at current site (as Atascadero Children’s Zoo); renamed Charles Paddock Zoo in 1980
- Size: About 5 acres
- Species/animal count: 100+ animals across roughly 45 species
- Annual visitors: About 72,000
- Famous for: Thelma Vetter Red Panda Experience and AZA accreditation despite its compact size
A Zoo Built on Rescue
The zoo’s roots trace back to Charles Paddock, a county park ranger who began nursing injured and orphaned wild animals back to health at the county animal shelter in 1955. His collection of birds and mammals grew large enough that by the end of the decade it had become a local attraction in its own right, prompting the move to a dedicated site near Atascadero Lake Park in 1963.
The City of Atascadero took over management of the zoo in 1979 after incorporation, and in 1980 officially renamed it Charles Paddock Zoo to honor its founder’s decades of work caring for the animals that started it all.
Small Footprint, Big Reputation
On just 5 acres, the zoo has managed to maintain full accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums since 1991, a status that requires meeting the same standards of animal care and welfare as much larger institutions. That makes it one of the smallest AZA-accredited zoos in the United States.
Exhibits have included the Thelma Vetter Red Panda Experience, which opened in 2019, along with an aviary, a parrot pond, and a South American-themed habitat area, packing a varied roster of species into a compact, walkable layout popular with families.
Explore more: Explore more Zoos & Aquariums.
Charles Paddock Zoo FAQs
Where is Charles Paddock Zoo located?
It’s in Atascadero, California, in San Luis Obispo County, adjacent to Atascadero Lake Park near State Route 41.
How big is Charles Paddock Zoo?
The zoo covers about 5 acres and is home to more than 100 animals representing roughly 45 species.
Is Charles Paddock Zoo still called that?
In June 2025, for its 70th anniversary, the zoo was renamed Central Coast Zoo, though it operated as Charles Paddock Zoo from 1980 until that change.
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Photo: xpcfan / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.