San Diego Zoo Reviews

Very nice zoo with a good variety of animals. The aviaries were a favorite. Take the bus tour first, then visit your areas of interest.

Beautiful zoo! It is fairly large and if you want to enjoy the views and enjoy the experience definitely take two days to complete the entire zoo it is worth the two days. Other than seeing the animals there is some amazing views and scenes. The shops there are very nice and clean. The bathrooms are not to bad, I wish they were a little cleaner, but they are okay.

This zoo is huge! It's an entire's day adventure and we still didn't cover 100%. :)
There is a lot to see, it's fun for kids and adults.

Tips:
Use the busses to get around.
Take the bus tour for an overview and lots of info about the zoo. Oh and sit on top!
There will be lots, lots of walking!
Have a water bottle, sunglasses, sunscreen, a hat.
Don't forget your camera.

It's reputation is well deserved. It truly was the best zoo experience that I have ever experienced. My 5 year old daughter was captivated and the rest of my family felt like kids again. Must see attraction in San Diego.

We walked the whole zoo! Food was delicious! Animals were amazing! Best part? The lady who was speaking at the panda trek! She was amazing, full of knowledge, and made the audience a part of the exhibit!

We had a great time here a few months back with the whole family. The facility was very clean. I always say you can tell a lot about a place by how they keep their bathrooms clean.

Amazing zoo! Highly recommended. We got there early and had great parking. We spent 6 hours there easily with just myself and my husband.

So much better then I remember. Took my kids on a trip there. I went 20 plus years ago. Staff and volunteers are super friendly and everyone took time to explain or direct us to locations. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch at the treetop cafe. Animals all out and looked happy and healthy. Fun walking through the bird cages. Hope to do it again.

Definitely a must visit for everyone who comes to San Diego. A huge park with well-organized exhibitions, large collections of healthy and happy-looked animals, and lots of activities. Environment is clean and public transportation is not bad. Expect to spend one whole day here. Interesting and educational for both kids and adults.

We purchased a family membership well worth if you live nearby or can visit several times. We just enter for a few hours at a time and use the safari bus to select the areas to visit depending on which animals are active. I had visited the polar bears many times by foot and the best view is from the tour bus.

Undoubtedly the best zoo i have ever been too. I have an annual pass and attend every week for exercise. The animals are usually very active and the staff and volunteers are enthusiastic about teaching. A must do in San Diego

I liked it for the most part but it killed me to see the polar bear. they had ice but to be honest? I thought he'd be in an enclosed area where he'd be kept in colder temperature. To me? It seemed like it was too hot for him. Other than that? I really did enjoy our visit and if you do visit? Make sure that you have comfortable shoes and clothing cause there will be a LOT of walking! And it's on hills... so it's a workout.

One of the best zoos, they really do take care of the animals and it s always clean

San Diego Zoo lived up to all the hype that I've been hearing since I was a child, which is quite a remarkable feat. The zoo is organized masterfully, and there are numerous modes of transportation available to spare your feet as needed. I really can't overstate the superb quality of the habitats and the dizzying quantity of creatures. The flora was also very impressive, which is a critical nice touch for most zoos but is really emphasized and celebrated here. The interpretation by the zookeepers was excellent and informative, and I walked away feeling like I learned a lot without even realizing it. Tons of fun, 10/10 must go again.

Worth every penny. They have so many animals I have never seen at other zoos and the enclosures are designed for optimal viewing.

Love the zoo. Kinda crowded, as excepted. But the boy loved seeing all the animals.

This is one of my favorite places. I love going to San Diego to visit the zoo. There is a lot to cover in one day and so many animals to see.

This zoo is beautiful! The animals all look very happy and are well taken care of. Sometimes when I visit a zoo the animals just lay around and are very lazy and do nothing. Not here! They are up interacting & moving around. You could spend an entire day here

Awesome experience the day was clear and the temp was perfect I had an iced peppermint mocha that i bought by the Orangutang exhibit. It was delicious but an extra shot of espresso would of made it extraordinary. Wish they offered the option of a having third espresso shot. ;)

Worth every penny.
Make SURE to bring water! And Snacks! And take a map and draw TWO routes/itineraries, one hitting all the things you want to see and one with just the highlights.

Best zoo in the world. Never saw something like that.

The San Diego zoo is amazing. If you didn't know, the food places inside will fill water bottles for you. This saved us a lot of money on a hot day in July.

Absolutely love this zoo! Staff is passionate about their work. Always have a great time and would highly recommend their membership if you love zoos, it practically pays for itself. I can't say good enough stuff about the San Diego Zoo.

Great place to see animals from a polar bear to a lion. Very cool

Loved it, and was nuts -- munching those bamboo sticks like pastas, lol.

I had to give San Diego zoo 4 stars because the food was horrible, we ate at two different food areas and all the food we got lacked taste, the healthiest salad you will eat is iceberg lettuce. We brought snacks but we also wanted something warm to eat. I wished their options were better. The rest of the zoo was beautiful, so many things to see, we liked the hummingbird excibit. The big insect exhibit was also nice and there was also a petting zoo for kids. Only bad thing is that while inside the park you must pay for a small novie theater and for the bus if you want to get on it, I thought that would have been included with the price.

Probably my top pick for zoos that I have visited across the US. I love how they encourage recycling and recognizing ways to help the animals. The tropical plants are gorgeous. Clean place

Incredible zoo that amazingly setup and designed. The variety of animals and the beautiful layout in the balboa canyons can t be beat. Perhaps a little expensive.

I've been to several zoos and especially enjoy this one. This is a fun place to spend the day with the family. Ticket prices for a one day pass as of November 2019 are $56 for 12+ and $46 for ages 3-11. Other options and annual passes are also offered.

I haven't been to the zoo since I was about 14. I'm 26 now and my best friend invited me to go and take our children. I expected it to be like how it was when I last saw it but I was wrong! It's so much bigger and beautifully done. The animals seem so happy and very well taken care of. The employees and trainers seem to genuinely care about the animals well-being. My daughter learned so much about the animals there and we can't wait to go back again.

The best zoo in the world! We have been members for decades and love it. We strolled in the afternoon, enjoying numerous animals, paused for happy hour at Albert's restaurant, and resumed enjoying the animals in the evening. A delightful way to end the summer.

Zoo was great. Animals were easily seen from almost any vantage point. Get a map as you go in

It was good, definitely do the bus around the park first so you can see where you want to go.

Tickets are a little pricey but the zoo is amazing. The panda exhibit it's totally worth the wait!

Great zoo with a huge variety of animals. We could have easily spent all day here. Skyfari got very busy very quickly - we were in line right at 10am and rode it only once although the kids would have loved to go again. Polar bear addition is wonderful. Great insight and messages about caring for animals and our planet.

Despite exhibits being closed due to COVID, it was still a pleasant experience. Employees with hand sanitizer at shops and restaurants. Areas roped off that kids would normally be able to play at. Food was pricey but to be expected in this environment. Overall it was a great experience for my family

I was at the zoo on the 3rd and the zoo itself was amazing! Loved the walkways and so many animals and plants to look at. We had a great time that was ruined by the most rude tour bus lady. We had accidently walked down the bus lane instead of the pedestrian path. All of us were literally standing still on the side of the road looking at the lions and the tour bus pulled up. A simple, "Excuse me ladies but You are in the wrong spot. Can you please leave?" Would have been perfect. The tour guide instead made a huge show of embarrassing us in front of all the people on the bus and on the other side of the enclosure. She berated us and made fun of us. Not very good customer service if you ask me. And with an attitude like that she surely shouldn't be driving people around!
So high 5 to the lady driving bus 10 on February 3rd! I'm sure we weren't the only ones who noticed your rude self.

The best zoo around; can't see it all in one day. Food remains somewhat pricey but you are allowed to bring your own food and nonalcoholic drinks in (no hard coolers). Wear good walking shoes and if it's a hot day, don't forget a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen. Recommend you take the bus tour for a nice overview of the zoo and to rest your feet. The sky ride is also fun as it runs across the zoo to the far end. A great zoo.

Great place. Annual member pass best savings. 2 free guests, 2 50% off guests, free bus tour and team, 10% off food n gifts. Great day and fun.

Went to the zoo's annual Food Wine and Brew night charity event. Like last year it was a great time. Amazing variety of gourmet and comfort foods with equally great beers and wines from all over Southern California and elsewhere. Come with lots of room in your stomach. Well organized with great music and all for a great cause.

So many unique animals that you wont see anywhere else

Always enjoyable! New things to see! Our grandson who is still young, really enjoys our trips to the zoo!!

Terrific place - well known for having excellent animal exhibits. There also is a nice, uncluttered feeling about the entire place. Lots of food and drink opportunities, but prices are high - as one would expect. It's OK to bring your own food and non-alcoholic drinks is in soft-sided bags.

San Diego Zoo is awesome! Well worth the price of admittance! Lots of animals that you want to see. I think the bear area is the best part of the zoo. Panda bears, sun bears and koala bears were great to watch!

It was a wonderful day of exploring in the world famous zoo! Please remember to bring your lunch.

I ve wanted to visit this zoo since watching the zoo exhibit show on the discovery channel in the 90s. It met all my expectations and more. And it rained for most of the day. The rain kept people away and unfortunately kept most monkeys indoors.

The San Diego Zoo is literally one of my favorite places on earth! They do amazing conservation and preservation work here! I applaud every employee for the work that they do.

very nice zoo. we arrived when it opened and left at closing and still did not see everything. had a great time with my family.

Kids enjoyed and learnt a lot. Staff were very friendly.

Place was massive! I could see if you went the wrong way, you would get one heck of a hill climb in. But so much to see! Kids all had fun, but be prepared for a walk.

A little pricey but a top-notch attraction for the whole family. Bring your walking shoes and hat (some areas have no shade). Your kids will love it!

Best zoo I have ever seen. Friendly helpful staff, clean handicap friendly trails. I Enjoyed this trip very much

The San Diego Zoo is a really fun place with wonderful animal exhibits and very nice staff. It is great for typical zoo fun or just for a good walk. If you live in San Diego, near by, or just visiting I highly recommend going.

I've head good things about this zoo and it didn't disappoint. The Christmas set-up is worth trying it out in December.

This zoo was absolutely breathtaking. They care they show toward the animals AND plants shine through. We took a guided tour ride with Amy as our guide and she was the best guide we had all day. If you can get on a tour with Amy consider yourself lucky. She makes the tour interactive and fun. My favorite animals were the baboons, hippos, penguins, apes, and lemurs. The children's petting zoo was nice because the kids were able to walk freely among the goats and sheep. The food is decently priced and so is the children's gift shop. We had a great time at this zoo and I would highly recommend it.

Long walk but enjoyable... If u have small kids pack snacks and lunch (food is allowed in and I didn't know unfortunately)or buy snacks inside ... Zoo Bus tour is around 13$ extra once inside but small kids may get bored...Bathrooms are clean and spread about... Skysfari (air lift) is free.. Fast moving line

I love The San Diego Zoo. The park is always clean and every staff member is very nice and we'll knowledgeable. Sadly the Panda exhibit will be closed after today, since the Pandas were on loan and today is the last day to see them, but staff members assured me that the zoo is working with China to bring them back

I never get tired of the Zoo! You just have to come here to see it!

Had a great time here. Fun walking, plenty of amenities and lots of sights to see. The animals looked to be well taken care of which makes the whole experience very nice.

I have long been morally opposed to zoos. That was half a lifetime ago. I thought I was taking a superior moral stance in saying "these animals need not be caged!" How foolish I was. Yes it is true some zoos are worse off than others, but many (if not most) are dedicated to conservation and education. As I was blessed with a child and he grew and showed interest in animals we visited zoos. I felt iffy during my first visit in adulthood thinking about how better off these animals might be in the wild. And then I visited another zoo, much larger, and remarked at how well the grounds were kept. And then another (and others) before finally making my way to San Diego Zoo. San Diego Zoo truly is the greatest zoo I have walked. It's large to be sure. You will traverse much land to see all the animals here (though even if you spend an entire day here you might be hard pressed to see everything you want). The habitats are varied and spacious. The many employees and volunteers you'll come across are helpful if not well versed on many of the animals there. I never felt uncomfortable for myself or for any of the animals held in captivity. For sure it seems like a lovely place to live. And if I, in my excitement, ever managed to fall into a predator's habitat and only had a few minutes before I was discovered and promptly disposed of by said predator I would still think to myself "this is a lovely place to be."

One of the best zoo I have ever visited. Lots of different animals, great park design and overall cosy things give you stunning impressions of the park. Best place in San Diego for family visits

Beautiful grounds and a large selection of wildlife

The San Diego Zoo is always a great place to visit with family and friends.

The collection and scale of animals is obviously great, with information about each animal provided. The free bus tour was good too. It's a little confusing the best way to navigate around the park on foot.

Awesome!! Always is. So much help with handicap. So educated on all exhibits.

First time to San Diego zoo and was great. If you are going during summer plan to get there early so you will see the animals up and about and not hiding in the shade. The skyfari west was nice to do to see how big the zoo actually is, if you can plan you walk around to avoid going up and down hills as they can be quite steep.

great place to spend time with family. The place is beautiful and no animals look great.

Alberta's restaurant at the zoo is great. Bartender Jennifer is awesome!

Thanks to this place I am reminded that the experience here is the best

I've been wanting to visit the Zoo since I was a kid, and finally got to. I was not disappointed at all. It's a nice place, the exhibits were fun, and the food was surprisingly affordable. There is a great selection of animals and I thought the way they do the enclosures makes it very convenient for viewing. The staff were very helpful. We did the bus tour first to get a feel for where everything is, and early on did the Skyfari gondola for an aerial view. My favorite exhibits were the reptile and primate exhibits. I definitely want to visit again some day.

I love the San Diego zoo! Spacious enough that it wasnt crowded. Bathrooms were clean and stocked. Staff at the snack bars were friendly and genuine. Best of all for me, the reptile exhibits had animals I havent kept before. I was supremely bummed that the insect exhibit was not available (I live really far away) but who knows what the future holds for the new exhibits being constructed?!

Never stop learning interesting facts!! The world famous San Diego Zoo does not disappoint with value and family friendly fun for all ages. Plenty of creatures to gaze upon along with guided bus tours and a sky tram to ease weary feet made this Thanksgiving a fun day trip. The hospitality facilities including food stations and restrooms were clean and stocked. And the prices for snacks and drinks were in the moderate range with plenty of value built in. My $6 soft serve in a waffle cone was huge!! Huge I say!! So much to see, but the sun started to set, so I had to go. But I can reuse my ticket for a future visit, making it an even more valuable experience. Bucket list item... .

Awesome zoo animals are well taken care of and seem really happy

Great way to spend the day here. Fun staff, wonderful volunteer members, cool items at gift shop, and clean environment.

Easily one of the best zoos I've ever seen. If you don't want to wait in line for the panda there is a bridge that runs above the enclosure and you can see them chilling from there.

it's a great place to make memories that will last a lifetime with you family.

Beautiful plants throughout the zoo. Friendly staff. Clean rest areas. A lot of animals were not in their exhibits. Waited a long time to see the pandas. I imagine because of the photo area causing delays. I think that was poorly orchestrated.Only one panda was out and getting ready to eat so we could barely see him, distant. They should have his feeding times posted. We were rushed through once we finally got to his enclosure.

Very accommodating for people with disabilities (sister with walker). Various options for transport help over greater distances in the park.Lots of seating sprinkled throughout the zoo for the occasional rest. You are allowed to bring in your own lunch and drinks as long as you can carry them which means you can splurge on drinks and ice cream later. Several gift shops and casual food eateries throughout the park. Of course the animals are the highlight!

Lot's to see and do. Bought my tickets online and got them cheaper great exercise with all the hills.

Early morning panda tour is the way to go! What a wonderful overview of a beautiful zoo that focuses on sustainability and truly cares for their creatures. They walk cheetahs with their companion dogs!

The San Diego Zoo was awesome! There is so much to see! Definitely plan for about 4-5 hours.

The parking was free which is a big plus and getting around was easy. They have some of the most interesting animals and the place is kid friendly. Had an amazing date here! A little expensive for what it is but still a good time.

My kids, wife and myself loved this place. To be honest first time at a zoo! I couldn't believe the size of some of the animals! My kids enjoyed the petting zoo. It took us almost a whole day to see every attraction in detail. Food isn't bad also.

So much fun! The park is clean, staff is knowledgeable and friendly. Loved seeing all the animals, especially the primates. Great place for a family outing. Can t wait to go again!

A fun place where you get to see the animals up close and witness their personalities. Great walking roads and trails that have some complexity so you get a feeling of adventure.

We'll kept zoo with lots to see. There protocol for operating during the pandemic made us feel safer. Worth a visit.

There's a reason they say it's one of the best zoo's in the world!
Tons of fun activities for the whole family to enjoy, educational experience popping up throughout the park with talks and feeding times posted clearly, and well designed enclosures providing a comfortable environment for the animals and a great view for the visitors.
Be here!

Best Zoo in the country! I really liked the walking paths to see the animals, I didn't feel like I was at a zoo most of the time. Our boys loved it.