Wildlife Learning Center

Walk around the leafy grounds of this suburban Sylmar sanctuary to see everything from monkeys to parrots to foxes—and school trips and birthday parties. For up-close photo ops, request a close encounter with a porcupine, a two-toed sloth or an armadillo. Though the site’s beloved starry-eyed owl Zeus has passed away, you can still fall in love with (and hear the stories behind) the many other rescued residents. You can swing by without a reservation any day for general admission pricing—though you’ll want to book private tours and animal encounters (which both come with steeper fees) in advance.