If it’s your first time visiting, you would be surprised to find a zoo of such high caliber in a remote coastal destination like Eureka. Clean, well-designed, delightful attractions populate the lush grounds and feature an impressive variety of unusual animals. Make double sure to pay a visit to the Children’s Barnyard and Petting Zoo. And don’t forget to say hello to the ever-popular red pandas! Then dive deep at the exhilarating River Otter Experience with an up-close and personal view of life beneath the water’s surface. Otters swim, dive and play on every side—even above you.

For almost a century, Sequoia Park has been a community treasure well worth discovering. 70 acres of massive, old-growth redwood forest can be found right smack in the middle of town. Runners, cyclists, walkers, picnickers, and lovers abound. With an abundance of inviting trails, Sequoia Creek Trail also offers a paved 3/4 mile (wheelchair and stroller) trail heading from a picture-perfect duck pond out into the forest and meadows. Peaceful and calm, it is a sight to behold for people of all ages.

The Sequoia Duck Pond lies at the center of the 67 acre Sequoia Park, a beautiful natural enclave next to Sequoia Park Zoo on the northeast side of Eureka. Surrounded by redwoods, ferns and walking trails, the pond is a family-friendly afternoon escape from the hubbub of “the city.” 

Daily 7am-7pm

A favorite destination of locals with little ones, the Sequoia Park playground is surrounded by Humboldt’s iconic redwoods. There are several play structures, a large grassy field, 10-seat swing set, and a gazebo for picnicking. One of the play structures makes use of the trees situated in and around the park, with stairs leading to a wooden platform and slide in the center of a stand of redwoods that appear to have grown from one single tree. Young and young-at-heart will be impressed.