MultiGen Fun at Sugarplum Zoo and Chocolates

Despite the adult-themed alcohol motif associated with Southern California’s Temecula region, the area offers unique attractions for family travel like Sugarplum Zoo and Chocolates, making it the ideal destination for multigenerational family fun.

At Sugarplum Zoo and Chocolates, guests get to experience the unique combination of a petting zoo and chocolate shop in the heart of wine country — with some alcohol mixed in for good measure for the adults. The eight-acre hilltop ranch is home to a zoo filled with amazing animals like Ophelia the water buffalo and a dromedary camel named Zeus.

The outdoor zoo is a great way to get some fresh air and California sunshine. Animal encounters are available to let you meet Artemis the Sulcata tortoise along with donkeys, alpacas, sheep, goats and micro mini horses.

Visitors to the zoo can also add a wine and chocolate tasting to their experience, featuring wines from nearby Chapin Family Vineyards and treats from the on-site chocolate shop, which serves delicious treats like gelato, truffles and fudge.

Sugarplum is open daily 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. and zoo admission is $5 for children 3–12 and $10 for teens and adults. Animal encounters range $10–25, allowing you to spend time feeding and interacting with the zoo’s various inhabitants. Tastings run $20 for wine and $10 for a chocolate pairing.