With a vision to create a park based on the beauty of Disneyland, San Jose's former mayor brought the idea of Happy Hollow Park & Zoo to the city of San Jose. Construction for the park began in 1958, and within a few years, the park opened its doors to the public for the very first time. Over the following years, the park added a zoo and a number of other attractions.

In 2008, Happy Hollow Park & Zoo closed its doors for nearly two years to undergo multi-million dollar renovations, and now they are back and better than ever! The zoo is filled with various mammals, reptiles, and birds, including exotic jaguars, turtles, and macaws. The park itself encompasses a number of buildings that allow children to explore, learn, and come in contact with even more animals.

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo also offers different educational classes and camps that inspires children and teaches them about animals and nature through hands-on, interactive education experiences.