It's the sweetest little zoo in Temecula — a hilltop packed with rescued animals, knockout views, and fresh chocolate made right on site. Furry friends + fresh chocolate = best day ever.
Here's a sentence you don't get to write very often: there's a place in Temecula where you can spend the morning making new animal friends and the afternoon picking out hand-dipped chocolates — all on the same breezy hilltop. Welcome to Sugarplum Zoo, quite possibly the most delightful little detour in the whole valley.
So what is this place, exactly? Think part animal rescue, part candy shop, all charm.
[LANI: the origin story — how Sugarplum Zoo came to be, and how Sugarplum Chocolates grew alongside it, in her words.]
"[LANI: a warm quote about why she started the sanctuary and what she hopes families take home.]"
And oh, the cast of characters. [LANI: the animals' names and a little backstory or personality for each — the minis, the goats, the bunnies, the bigger personalities, and the camel who reigns over the hilltop.] Every kid finds a favorite within about ninety seconds — and fair warning, the "no MY favorite was the best" debate may continue all the way home.
The whole visit is wonderfully easy. It's self-guided, so you wander at your own pace, and where it's welcome you can say hello or offer a treat to the residents who love the attention. The friendly staff will happily clue you in on who's a social butterfly and who'd rather just be admired from a polite distance. (That includes the camel — he's a showstopper for photos, but strictly look-don't-touch.) Bonus: hanging out with gentle animals has a magic way of turning even the wiggliest kid into a calm, careful, soft-spoken little human. No screen has ever pulled that off.
For the littlest visitors, that first up-close moment with something bigger, fuzzier, or funnier than anything in their picture books is pure wide-eyed wonder. You can practically watch the courage build — the wide eyes, the half-step back, then the brave little reach forward. It's the good stuff. It's exactly what summer's for.
Now, about that chocolate.
[LANI: signature chocolates or products to spotlight — anything she'd most want readers to try.] Grab a scoop of gelato on a warm afternoon and you've basically unlocked the perfect ending to the day — a grown-up treat that delights the kids just as much.
Our advice? Make a day of it. Wear comfy shoes for the gentle terrain, soak up the views, meet your new favorite animal, and let the chocolate shop be the grand finale. Bring the kids, bring a date, bring the grandparents — Sugarplum somehow nails it for all of them. You'll leave with a great story, a happy kid, and (let's be real) a little box of chocolate for the ride home.
Furry friends, fresh chocolate, big views. Best. Day. Ever.
Sugarplum Zoo — 39695 Berenda Rd, Temecula, CA 92591
Hours: Daily, 9:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Learn more: sugarplumzootemecula.square.site · (951) 390-3566 · @sugarplumzootemecula