San Diego Zoo Reviews

It was a great experience. All of the animals looked stimulated and the habitat/exhibit design is superb. The zoo is very large, so if you want to see at least half of it, the bus tour is your best bet. The top isn't worth the hype, the bottom saw better views of the animals. Kangaroo buses are also good but the wait times can be pretty long. Very cool, and numerous gift shops throughout.

The guides were very informative, the zoo was very clean and the staff very friendly, and all the animals looked very healthy and very well taken care of.

We left before we got in. Look at the wait times, highly suggested to go as early as you can. We got there at 10am and there was already an hour wait line. Hours are 9am to 7pm. I am giving it a 5 start rating because it's good they are doing the best they can to keep everyone safe, happy, healthy and stay open.

What an amazing zoo! We spent eight hours here walking at a steady pace. The animals were lovely! Zoo grounds and washrooms were very clean. We had a very fun time at San Diego zoo! We took the tram which was a lot of fun. Great place for kids!

many animals species
the panda i love the most

I loved this zoo, everything here felt more alive, no other words needed

Africa Rocks- nee since my last visit, lots of cool things to explore ! A great experience !

I can see why this zoo is rated #1 nation-wide! What an experience! Our family of 4 had an amazing day seeing incredible animals and this impressive park. The animals had plenty of space, yet there were enough angles and views for us to see all of them. The gondola was great, and the kids loved it. Definitely take the bus tour in the early morning, it's worth it. Also, sit on the lower deck on the passenger side! Most of the attractions are on the right side while you're on the bus, a great tip from our waiter at Sea180!

My favorite zoo by far! So many different animals and so much ground to cover at least a two day trip to really enjoy the whole zoo. My wife and I are members of the zoo and we plan on renewing and upgrading are membership.

By far the most amazing zoo I've visited! You can easily spend the whole day walking around, seeing thousands of plants & animals. I took the 1-day pass plus, which includes a bus tour that is nice to start with since it gives you an overview of the park (includes a 4D movie, perfect for children). They offer a student discount (15%). With any admission you can take the Skyfari Aerial Tram (even if the line seemed long, it took no more than 10 mins), which takes you back to the entrance. I suggest bringing a lunch, as the food is expensive (which is normal for a place like this), there are several dining areas. This zoo is very focused on animal conservation, and is a nice place to teach children about the matter!

Lovely place. A little deceiving because they advertise events and exhibits at Safari park which made it confusing

Huge place, easy to get lost w all the exhibits & animals!

Park got more interesting as the day went on. Spent last part of the day with the monkeys.. Awesome

It was nice. Kinda experience saying some exhibits were closed or things closed down early (giraffes) at 3 on a Saturday. But it was a beautiful zoo

This was a nice zoo, and we enjoyed it, though it wasn't an exceptional experience. We'd definitely be willing to go back, as we were unable to see everything in one trip.

Animals are kept in their natural habitat. Feels like roaming in a real forest. Lot of restaurant to eat and relax. Bus tour, Kangaroo hop-on hop-off bus, Skyfari (cable car) are worth riding to see exhibits. Great place for kids and adults.

The animals have more of a natural environment there even though it was fake most of it was pretty real

Fun but HOT. There were a couple of places to hang out outside that felt like A/C. It will be really fun when they finish with the secret construction.

Best Zoo experience. Friendly staff and well designed walking area. Get the 3 in 1 pass for value

Don t even live in San Diego and I have an annual pass. Best zoo ever!

DEFINITELY my most favorite zoo of all time. No wonder why its world renowned! It's well worth the money.

One of the best places I been to in San Diego. If your an animal lover you must go. I was doing research there and was one of the best moments I had

My kids are 20, 15 & 11 and I bet they ve each been to the zoo over 100 times. Yes... that many times. One month we went every weekend a few years back. It s never the same whenever we go. Animals are always doing something new and exciting. I know it s usually empty of cloudy days but honestly those are the best days to go. That s when the animals are out and about. We are local zoo people and have been to about 15 different zoos Nationally and there is no place like the San Diego Zoo.

Onw of my favorite places in California! The zoo is so big that it doesn't ever feel too crowded. The animals are very close and the zoo keepers are amazing! Parking is free but it fills up fast. I'd recommend an annual pass since it pays for itself with 2 visits.

Really enjoyed San Diego Zoo even thou I'm not really cool with seeing animals behind glass and out of there environment. The park was really big and for as big as it was the place was really clean. A good family environment and everything was beautiful the plants were really green and lush and was just a good zoo overall , the only thing I guess was that me and my wife went about mid morning amd stayes till about 5ish and alot of the animals were sleeping or we couldnt see them, maybe cause of the heat but were gonna try again soon to see if the weather had an effect. Overall decent place

It's The San Diego Zoo BEST Zoo Ever & Soon It Will Be Even Better As They Are Adding More Attraction's & Show's*

Just wish the animals were more lively but this is seeing them in their natural habitat. At least as close as we can simulate it to be

I don t know if it necessarily lived up to the hype and it s a bit pricey; but overall a nice experience. Zoo layout can be a little confusing for first time visitors but the animals did seem quite active. I would go again definitely recommend.

So many animals, so much space! Big, sad disappointment to start out with :-( the pandas are gone! Nooooooo--that is the main reason we came here. I mean, we could have just gone to some other panda-less zoo in case they had some animals there that we could see and entertain. My GF was suuuuuper mad that they didn't have pandas and she was like "if you really loved me, you would have taken me somewhere they have pandas," and I was like "come on baby, just look at the grizzly bears or the black bears and imagine some white on their heads and bodies and they're JUST like pandas." She tried but apparently it didn't work so she said if this happens again, that we are THROUGH.

Listen, pandas aside, this zoo is fantastic. For example, even though I was skating through thin ice with my gf, the pygmy hippos were fun to see, and some birds pooped on the ground between me and her, so it didn't even actually hit either of us! So, we were like so relieved that happened/didn't happen. The spaces for the animals are roomier than you see in most other zoos, and the assortment of animals is so much greater than you see at other zoos, as well. So much so, that it is difficult to see all the animals the zoo has to offer.

My bud and his gf (different girl) took the bus tour around the zoo, and they said it made it pretty easy to see everything, while not getting so tired and sunburnt walking around everywhere, but I'm allergic to vinyl, and I thought the seats or something on the buz might be made of vinyl so I was like "ain't no way I'm getting on that bus" and so my gf was suuuuuuper mad, but then she realized that we would get some exercise (bye, calories) and it would give her more time to visualize the pandas where they used to be. I think she might actually be falling for me. :-) :-) :-) The bottom line is, GO TO THE SAM DIEGO ZOO! It's the greatest zoo I've been to, and I've been to several.

Come on, what do I need to say that hasn t been said before. The San Diego zoo is hands down the best zoo I ve ever been to. Coming from Ohio this zoo stands it s own

Came in a weekday and wasn't crowded. Everybody wore mask. Even thought it was hot in summer but it was worth to see these animals.

Alot of walking but nice to see animals and plants up close.

Always a beautiful time. Grounds are amazing. Animals were active. Perfect place.

A great place to visit and learn. Kids absolutely love it. So many great animals.

By far the best Zoo I have ever been to. Lots of animals to see. My family had a great time visiting and would definitely do it again.

The zoo is a very special place. I hadn't been there in a few years. There were two very nice surprises. The bridges and elevators on the back side of the park made the journey much less taxing. And the line for the pandas was less than 15 minutes.

Great experience for kids of all ages. You can enjoy the walk or take a guided bus tour that allows you get on and off at certain points. Craft beer for parents and plenty of changing rooms for babies.

One of the best places to visit on the planet. Make sure to bring a camera and your walking shoes. Check out my photography from our most recent trip.

The San Diego zoo was amazeing. This is my 3rd time back here and i absolutely love it. I often take friends here to see all the attractions and they are always adding and changing it up every few months. Ive been to a few zoos from the Bronx zoo and smaller ones. But this one was the best. Family friendly, great for kidsn for sure a full day event

Having lots of fun at the San Diego zoo. Exhibits are all so beautiful and well kept and the animals all seem happy and well cared for. Food has been good, drinks have been plentiful (although pretty expensive), and the scenery is beautiful.

Always great. See Anthony from the wildlife conservancy, he is very knowledgeable, friendly, great talking to him.

Huge zoo. Plan your way before going it will make it easy and wear comfortable shoes for long long long walk!

This is the only place we visited in San Diego - Balboa Park and the zoo is amazing. Loved the bus tour, and Kangaroo Hop on and off bus rides. There are so many animals and you need to spend a whole day at the zoo. We got a $5 coupon from the hotel for a day pass. Polar bear and panda exhibits are very nice.

There are just way to many restaurants and vendors. It's almost like they are less worried about to patrons seeing the animals and more worried about selling food and souvenirs. The enosures are much smaller then I have seen T the Mempgis and North Carolina zoos.

This zoo gets you really close to the animals and also have workers who are knowledgeable of them.

Zoo gets 5 stars along with their Covid protocols. But food service operations horribly understaffed and poorly run. They need to hire some grownups. I'm sure the young employees were doing their best, but obviously lacked experience and/or were woefully understaffed. Good news: they serve alcoholic beverages and those lines went quickly. A marguerita did wonders for my outlook!

I love going to the zoo. Specially now during Covid quarantine our options are so limited. We go there while being safe, practicing social distancing. I feel the zoo is a safe, clean place to go with family or to get distracted from all the madness, it brings a sense of normalcy

In addition to seeing all the wonderful animals, the exhibits and pathways were so beautifully situated and peaceful environmentsin which to spend the day. We did it with our young grands in two 4-hour days, and we loved it!

I have always heard great things but I was disappointed. The animals just seem to be in distress. Better off giving your money and time to a sanctuary.

Find a better zoo......you wont......been to 17 countries and 27 US states.....you can see most everything in a day but you should have 2 days, get the coupons online.....and a damn good pair of shoes, water, and protein bars....you wont disappointed

Recently joined with a friend, and we're taking our time seeing it. Enjoyed the bus my first time, and the overhead tram my second visit in addition to lots of walking. Yes, I was a zoo member for years when I first moved here, and I guess traveling has re-ignited my love for all that's San Diego.

I love going to places like the zoo! Went with my kids and they loved seeing the animals and riding the sky ride it was fun watching their faces!!

I would do the Safari park only if I was to go back to the San Diego zoo again.

One of the best zoos in the US. You can easily spend a multiple days here. They keep the lines to popular attractions like the panda exhibit moving nicely. Even when you're in line it doesn't feel like it's stopped. Quick tip if you get there early is to take the tram up to the top and spend the day walking down and see the exhibits along the way. Of course the food options are overpriced in a place like this but they're pretty good for an amusement park.

Now open! There is so much to see at the San Diego Zoo. There is a lot of walking, and steep hills, but very enjoyable. The shows, bus tours, and aerial tram are temporally unavailable due to Covid-19.

Visited for the first time in over 10 years and it was nothing short of amazing. I took the "behind the scenes" tour as well as the "animals in action" show. Both were incredible! I was able to see some of the animals and exhibits up close and personal and even got to feed an okapi, a kangaroo, and a RHINO! If at all possible request Zak for your behind the scenes tour he is AWESOME!!

The best zoo I ve ever seen or been to, hands down! Military folks - be sure to check out MWR for a discount for your family, Active Duty visit is free! Once there just go to the main entrance and show your id/ticket for the family. Lots of thought out space for animals, the territory is also accommodating for all types of humans: there are elevators, busses, tons of walking trails, restaurants, gondola that carries you through the air and gives you one more look of the zoo, so much vegetation, smart consumption of water, ambassador program for some animals. The panda section seems to be very popular but the line moves at a decent speed. It s only a short section when you get to see pandas themselves and is over before you know it. The stuff rushes you to move along and let other people see those cute lazy animals. Overall great experience!

Quite informative,the animals wow awesome ,were able to experience more of God's creative power,the little side shows like the bouncing elves and the men singing carols oh awesome I like ...I really did .

I loved this zoo!! Usually I wouldn't support zoos, but it's very spacious for the animals. It's beautiful and I had a great time when I went.

This is a world class zoo it is downright impressive. Unfortunately we only gave it 3 hours. Now we are going to have to go back as we missed few animals. Certainly one of the cleanest and best maintained zoo's I have ever been to. We were fascinated by the extensive foliage not only throughout the zoo but also that which was in with the animals.

Anytime your in SOCAL the zoo is a must see. Plan on a long day to see everything. The free buses are a great break from walking. Great food at the little restaurants

Such a fun time! The exhibits were super awesome and the staff was super helpful and informative. Really made me feel like I was on an adventure! Definitely worth the money!

What an incredible place.
Start to finish such a good time.
They really care about the animals here. And treat them well.

Staff was smiling throughout.

My advice is enter and take the guided tour. That way you'll see what you want to see in more detail. At the end of the tour take the Skycarta to the Arctic Parks. Then walk and take the kanagroo busses.

That will get you 80% of everything and walking a planned route will get you the rest.

This place is special to me, I have grown up here in SD so I have always had the opportunity to go but havent for the last 20+ years, amazing environment and friendly staff everywhere I went, Thank you.

Best time ever! Good dining and staff are just the sweetest people! As always the Animals are the best, healthy and happy.

Loved getting to see all the animals. All the staff are so sweet and willing to help. Definitely made the trip a lot more enjoyable. Went on the bus and sky tram to help save time and see more which definitely was worth it. Such a fun place to go with family and friends!

This was so much fun! Things were well priced and the animals were all available to be seen. The exhibits were large and looked to encourage the animals to move around and keep active. Lots of seating and shade. Kind of hilly for those in wheelchairs or strollers but still very nice.

Fenomenal Zoo Well designed layout, amazing variety of species, including very rare once such as Gorillas, Snow Leopards and Polar bears. Animals are very well taken care of and there are tons of opportunities to help and support their protection. Highly recommend to visit this place.

Really great zoo, a must see if you are in SD. Very walkable but there is also a great transit system. Large selection of animals including a reptile house and petting zoo. Like most zoos it is a bit expensive between admission, food, gift shop, and the performances but it is still an amazing experience and must see attraction for San Diego.

Great place to see the animals in their natural habitat. Amazing staff who can answer any queries you may have about the animals too. Must visit if you are in San Diego. But keep the whole day off.

SO much family fun! Take the bus tour for sure!!! All the staff were super friendly too!!

Visited this zoo and most probably the best zoo i have ever been to. Easily you can spend a whole day here. Highly recommended.

A great place to spend a day. Lots to see, lots to eat and lots to buy. The guided bus tour and the skyfari are the best way to get a quick overview of what the zoo has to offer.

Awesome place with many animals which have a nice and wide area to roam. People also very nice and explain stuff in case you want to know more. It's so big I'd suggest spending your whole day there

World class zoo. You can skip some walking by taking the kangaroo bus that let's you get on and off, or a tour. If you want to see active animals go on a not hot day. Lots of knowledgeable volunteers and educators if you have questions about animals or programs. Lots of extra stuff to do as well.

Beautiful zoo with a LOT of different, and rare, animals. The zoo looks really nice and is very clean. They got some really beautiful exhibits where the animals have lots of space. But there are also exhibits that are small for the specie of animals it contains. Also some social animals that use to life in groups are kept alone, without explain why.

Plan a full day.. That zoo is really living up to its reputation.

My family and I have had memberships to the Zoo/Safari Park for years and always find something new to appreciate and learn about. The SD Zoo is such a huge part of global conservation efforts and the animals are a joy to see. We are going to miss seeing the pandas, but there are still plenty of other animals to learn about! We spent a lot of time today around the reptile house and wandered over to see the Galapagos tortoises! They were all out and about which was fun to see.

Damn good zoo, but pricey. The zoo in D.C. is better in my opinion.

Don't get me wrong, this zoo is awesome! I can tell that they really care for their animals. I personally thought it was too much to do in one day. The petting zoo was not much of a petting zoo, there was only one goat that the kids were able to touch. There was no other animals. The employees were all nice and the food was good but very expensive. We didn't get to see the pandas, the line was too long. My favorite was the skyfari, the view was breathtaking! Overall it was a great day. I just wouldn't say it's the best zoo in the world or anything like that.

You can bring in backpacks with food and drinks. Really pretty zoo and lots of cool animals to see! Beware though, the food and drinks are very expensive!

Good zoo. Not as great as hyped. Maybe my expectations were too high because I've always heard the San Diego Zoo was one of the best in the world, but I don't see that it lives up to the hype. There were a lot of empty exhibits and it was very crowded. Still a great zoo to visit, it's clean, nice, and there are some unique animals. Definitely visit when your in San Diego.

Best zoo in the country! I would recommend doing the suprise tour in the morning.

The food is really fine with bakery to die for! Coffee is exceptional. Thanks for the breakfast, but get there early, the neighborhood descends on it quickly!