The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens

The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens is a non-profit zoo and desert botanical garden set on 1,800 acres of the Colorado Desert in Palm Desert, California. Opened in 1970, the property spans 80 developed acres of habitats, gardens, and event spaces, with the remaining 1,720 acres preserved in their natural state. More than 500 animals representing 150 species live across three continental sections — African Safari, Wilds of North America, and Australian Adventures — alongside botanical collections encompassing palms, agaves, aloes, euphorbias, and more. For private events, The Living Desert offers over a dozen indoor and outdoor venues ranging from intimate gatherings of 40 guests to full-campus celebrations of up to 1,000. Notable spaces include the open-air Palm Garden Patio, the African Village WaTuTu near the giraffe habitat, the Giraffe Savanna platform where guests can feed giraffes during their event, and the Chase Administration Building with its desert mountain views. The venue's experienced events team coordinates weddings, corporate functions, holiday parties, team-building gatherings, and social celebrations throughout the year.