It's rare to find such a highly recommended place ...

It's rare to find such a highly recommended place that exceeds expectations, but the San Diego Zoo definitely does. The Zoo provides safe and humane areas for the animals and contributes substantially to research and development to help protect and preserve animals in the wild.

If you're visiting, it's well worth the visit, but it's a lot to try to see it all. I like to pick a few things to do and avoid trying to do it all in a short time. Pick a few animals or areas, check them out in detail, and don't feel the pressure to see and do everything. The Sky Tram is a great way to save some walking and get a good view of the Zoo and the city around.

Food options are better than you might expect and there are some good spots spread throughout. Beer options are pretty good, and have fun animal themed names. Prices aren't cheap, but they aren't sports stadium expensive either.