When I heard that Jurassic Quest was coming to town in Sacramento I jumped at the chance to obtain tickets to see it. Both my daughter and my husband are big fans of dinosaurs and it seems like a fun idea to have a “Jurassic Park” adventure. Obviously we will never see real dinosaurs so this is as close as you can get to the seeing the jurassic period come to life.

This blog post is a Jurassic Quest review based on our experience and may help you answer the questions on whether or not it would be worth it for you to spend the money to visit.

What is Jurassic Quest?

The best way to describe Jurassic Quest is a huge exhibit for dino lovers, filled with interactive stations and displays. The Jurassic Quest in Sacramento was indoors in a larger hanger and you could walk on-foot to each section. In other cities the Jurassic Quest exhibit is a “drive-through” experience. Strollers are allowed which was great because we had our baby to push around during our visit.

In some cities there’s also a sister exhibit called the Ancient Oceans which features now extinct sea creatures (which are also animatronic!).

Jurassic Quest travels around the country year-round. Check the schedule here to see when they’ll be in your city.

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What We Loved About Jurassic Quest

For myself the most impressive part of the Jurassic Quest experience is the huge scale of many of the dinosaurs which are true to life in size. And the fact that they are animatronic with movement! The motions paired with the sound effects and scenery really bring it to life.

See videos of the animatronic dinosaurs on my Tiktok and Instagram Reels!

The Jurassic Quest in Sacramento takes place inside the CalExpo which has huge indoor hangers used for these types of events. Along with all the dinosaur displays there’s fun photo stations, ridable dinosaurs, a fossil dig, dinosaur characters (actors dressed as dinosaurs), dinosaur shows, dinosaur puppets and giant inflatable slides and bounce houses.

The final fun verdict was this - the little kids seem to enjoy the inflatable slides and houses the most while the adults appreciate the displays and taking fun photos with the dinosaurs as keepsakes.

How Much Does it Really Cost to go Jurassic Quest?

Jurassic Quest Admission Ticket Cost

These prices are updated for 2022!

Tickets purchased in advance online are $19 for kids and adults, other wise it’s $22 at the door. Children under 2 years old are free. Seniors are $20.

They strongly recommend you purchase tickets in advance because they are designated for a timed arrival window. It could be that at the time you get there the time slot could be sold-out.

Pro -tip: Check Groupon for a possible Jurassic Quest discount deal in your city!

VIP Kids Unlimited Rides Admission Tickets

The general admissions ticket mentioned above is just for entry to the exhibition and access to the dinosaur and marine exhibits, arts and crafts activities, and dinosaur shows.

There are rides and activities that require activity tickets available to purchase on-site, or you can opt to upgrade to the Kids Unlimited Rides ticket. It’s $36 for all-you-can-ride access to dinosaur rides, inflatables and fossil dig along with entry.

Extra rides tickets start at $6 each. Green screen photography and animal art tattoos are also available at a separate cost.

Cost of Parking for Jurassic Quest

At many of the venues where Jurassic Quest is being hosted they have parking fees. At the CalExpo parking fees range between $10 - $15 depending on the time and event.

Dinosaur Souvenirs at Jurassic Quest

When you take your kids to Jurassic Quest they will surely see the giant merchandise displays filled with dinosaur toys, bubble wands, clothing and anything else dinosaur related you can think of. If you’re a sucker parent like we are, we can’t go to an event like this without spoiling our kids with souvenirs. So you should also budget for this during your visit.

Cost of Food at Jurassic Quest

The food portion of the Jurassic Quest event is handled by each venue. The CalExpo always has food stands with “carnival style” foods (think nachos, hot dogs, burgers, etc.). The food there is typically expensive and not the best quality. My recommendation is that you eat before hand and bring along snacks. Unless you’re like my husband and crave those carnival style nachos.

What if the event gets cancelled?

All tickets include a 100% ticket guarantee that in the event of a show cancellation or postponement for any reason. Your ticket purchase will be automatically refunded for the full purchase amount.

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An Honest Review of Jurassic Quest - Is it Worth the Price of Admission

What is the Best Age Range for Jurassic Quest?

The answer to this question is simple - there’s something for everyone! Jurassic Quest is stroller-friendly so you can push your babies and toddlers around with ease. There’s rides and games for younger kids and more mature displays for teenagers and adults.

Also, for the Tiktok and Instagram generation, there’s plenty of fun photo and video opportunities. Aka - your teenager may still be able to enjoy it too!

Is Jurassic Quest too Scary for Young Kids?

When we first arrived inside the Jurassic Quest exhibition, my 3-year-old was a bit timid seeing all the moving dinosaurs with the roaring sounds. We had to ease her into it and make her feel comfortable. But after a few minutes she perked up (as you can see in all these photos).

I would expect that a fair amount of children under 4-years-old may have a few scared moments, but there’s plenty of toddler-friendly spots to hangout. Some Jurassic Quest exhibits have areas known as Tricera-Tots which are designated for children under 3-years-old. These zones have small child approved climbing structures and safe areas for them to play.

Can Adults Enjoy the Jurassic Quest Exhibition?

As an adult I enjoyed walking through the exhibit and taking in the Jurassic scene. I am always taking photos with my camera and there were plenty of cute family moments to capture.

If you scroll to the bottom of this blog post you’ll see photos from the paleontologist inspired display which has a mix of real and replica fossils. For those eager to learn more about dinosaurs and ancient eras, there’s plenty of information available to read and watch.

Planning Your Trip to Jurassic Quest

How Much Time Should I Plan to Spend at Jurassic Quest?

I would think that to get the most bang for your buck you’d want to spend around 3 hours at the exhibit. But it really depends on your kid’s attention span. Younger kids may tire after an hour while older kids can stay entertained longer - or vise versa. If you’re able to eat (or you bring food), then I would plan for 2 - 3 hours because that gives you enough time to fully enjoy each station.

It’s important to note that although your ticket has a timed entry, you can stay as long as you want after you’ve entered.

Socks for Inflatable Slide and Bounce Houses

Make sure you bring socks for the inflatable slide or you will have to purchase them on-site. Shoes must be removed to bounce. FYI - most adults and teenagers exceed the weight limit and cannot ride the inflatables.

Wear Layers for Winter Seasons

We visited Jurassic Quest in the month of January and it was a bit chilly inside the venue. If you’re visiting during the winter months then come prepared with clothing layers.

Bring Water and Snacks

You may not know ahead of time what food and drinks will be available at the venue where you’re going. The Jurassic Quest exhibit doesn’t sell their own food and beverages, it’s only the hosting venue that sells them. Come prepared with water and snacks just incase.

Bring a Stroller or Wagon for Kids

There’s a lot of walking involved in these big exhibitions which can tire little legs. For younger kids it can be much easier to pull them along in a wagon or push a stroller. They will probably be able to last longer… and possibly even take a nap!

Shop Dinosaur Themed Gifts for Women:

Dinosaur Glass Tumbler with Lid and Straw

The Negatives and Cons of Jurassic Quest

It wouldn’t be an honest review if I didn’t point out some of the negatives and cons of Jurassic Quest after talking about all the pros. So here they go:

Not All the Venues and Cities Have the Same Level of Quality

This is a traveling show and the producers of the exhibit are at the mercy of what the venue has to offer as far as space and atmosphere. I’ve seen poor reviews where guests said that most of the dinosaurs weren’t moving, it was small and crowded, very limited rides, etc.

The thing about this is that you’ll never really know how the exhibit is in your city before you visit yourself. My advice is go into it with flexibility and plan to make the most of it no matter what.

Long Lines for the Bounce House and Slides

If you attend the event during peak hours then you might run into the dilemma of long lines for the inflatables (and possibly other rides too). I mentioned earlier that these are very popular play activities and most kids like to go multiple times. There’s a staff member monitoring the ride and kids are given a 5 minute limit to bounce each time. My advice would be to try and go on a weekday during slow hours and avoid weekends if possible.

Jurassic Quest Can Get Expensive

I broke down the pricing above and for a family with multiple children you could easily end up spending over $100 for your visit.

Question: Is it worth the price of $100?

Answer: If you make the day of it and really take advantage of everything they have to offer then yes.

You also have to think comparatively because you would likely spend more going to places like Disney parks, Sea World, water parks, etc. If your kids (or husband) are big fans of dinosaurs then this is the amusement park to invest for them.