It was not quite what we expected as we are used the Omaha Zoo, but the koalas and pandas were worth it! Negatives... The layout is confusing, there is no great loop, and the maps leave a lot to be desired. Positives... The animals, especially the hippos, koalas (21 of them!), and the pandas.
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This zoo is beautiful and very well maintained. I guess that's why it's known as one of the top zoo's in the world. It has everything.. took me about 5 hours to get through the whole thing but it was well worth the money. A must if you are visiting the area!
Go on a weekday, if possible. This place should be explored leisurely.
And if you live nearby, get the annual pass. Two trip pays for it and you can treat it like a walk around the park, except with animals. You can especially lose yourself in the aviary.
Amazing animals AND gorgeous plants and flowers. Definitely one of our favorite places. Eat in Treetops restaurant. One of the best meals we had in SD.
Wonderful Zoo but lots and lots of walking up and down hills. Buses have very few stops so plan on a lot of walking if you want to see anything. Also many strollers always in the way and running into you
So many people raved about this zoo, and said it was a must do in San Diego. This is the best zoo I've ever been to. It's huge, and the scenery/vegetation is so lush and well thought out. You can actually get very close to the animals, and it's like you really are seeing them in their natural habitat. The animals seem happy. The zoo is easy to navigate. Be prepared to spend several hours here. I highly recommend riding the guided tour bus as soon as you get there. Be sure to sit on the top because you get a great view of the enclosures. It's a great tour, and helps you get your bearings of the zoo.
Amazing place. We spent 8 1/2 hrs here. Still didn't see everything. All the people who work or volunteer here are friendly and helpful. Beautiful. Not our first time and not our last.
Easy free parking. Easy access to entrance. A large variety of animals to see. Lot of walking through hills and nice areas, good exercise. Food is ok. Lot of restaurant choices. Lots of shops and stops. Lots of exotic animals. The staff look happy and were nice. Fun place to spend with family.
We were there on December and we really didn't see much. A lot of the animals we were told were either in training or eating. It is huge and if we had better luck I think we would've enjoyed it a lot more. There are a few things did kids around to play as well.
Being from St Louis and having a free zoo, this is worth while! Even though there's a price for entry, it's well worth it as you meld into a luscious green environment. The park is well kept, and provides a surreal view from the parks lift showing hidden paths that lay below.
Try planning your visit out ahead of time and pay close attention to the map, as you might accidentally walk by your intended destination.
There are additional packages that you can purchase, but will increase your overall cost, and just getting around to all the exhibits is time consuming enough.
Big place, very beautiful full of nature. I only give 3 stars because they don't have enough parking. It took us 30 min to find parking. So arive super early to make sure you get one. I got there ag 10 and it was already full. But we had an amazing time
We spent half a day here and ran out of time! It is a great place to spend with the family. It is pretty big, wear comfortable shoes and bring snacks and water. The food counter will fill your water bottle for free. You dont have to walk everywhere, can take the tour bus that drops you off in different stops and the cable cars. We were fortunate to see the panda bear before leaving and returning to China. He was gorgeous and so beautiful to watch! You will defenitely enjoy your day. It's very pricey but they offer children's tickets, senior citizen tickets and free to the military and family.
Still the best zoo overall anywhere but not a good visit. Many animals off display including ones we were hoping for our 19 month old to see, like elephants. Also bus tour was not up to normal standards. Driver would stop where he had good view but back 1/4 of the bus view blocked by plants or wall or other things. We will go back on weekday and hopefully see more animals that interest our little one.
To help with time and walk, be sure to take advantage of the kangaroo bus stops. It will help get you to your next animal site quickly. Also try and go earlier in the day, when it is cooler and and animals or more active. We also just did a one day pass, and didn't get to see it all. Might be something to keep in mind.
Wonderful zoo lots of different animals, just keep in mind everything in the zoo is expensive so be sure to bring your own food/water, but since they are a non-profit all proceeds go to the animals .
I highly suggest you take the bus tour so you get a good overview of what the zoo has to offer. PRO TIP: Sitting in the lower deck will give you shade and have better viewings of the animals.
I've been a zoo member for years now and its really worth the price, it pays for itself after two trips. The new Africa rocks is great and the waterfall they put in along with the bridge is awesome.
This zoo was amazing! They offered a tour ride to start off wich went into detail on what to expect in the zoo as the size is massive (expect lots of walking) but they have a hop on hop off bus system that takes off the stress of walking. They have 4D shows (we saw Rio) that are interactive and play areas for the kids. A sky ride that overlooks the parks and has some amazing views. So many animals...The two night time shows are not to be missed. Definitely Recommend visiting here if you are in the San Diego area.
Wonderful way to spend the day. Plenty of parking but come early on the weekends and public holidays. Also get plenty of sunscreen, a hat and a water bottle to stay hydrated.
San Diego has the BEST Zoo & the animals are so hsppy & active...I got to see slmost every animal & I walked almost every inch of the zoo & enjoyed every minute I was there
insanely overpriced everything. they dont check bags.... and they NEED TO RELEASE the black panther, people constantly taunt it and the poor animal shows every sign of anxiety and distress.
Panda Canyon As of April 2019, the panda exhibit is not in operation. The pandas were repatriated to China after successfully serving the larger conservation effort for pandas.
In the past, the San Diego Zoo was one of four zoos in the U.S. which had giant pandas on display, and was the most successful in terms of panda reproduction. The first two giant panda cubs in U.S. history to have been born in the U.S. and survive into adulthood- Hua Mei (female, born to Bai Yun and Shi Shi) and Mei Sheng (male, born to Bai Yun and Gao Gao)- were born at the San Diego Zoo, in 1999 and 2003, respectively. After that, three more giant panda cubs- Su Lin and Zhen Zhen (both females) and Yun Zi (male)- were born to the resident giant panda parents Bai Yun and Gao Gao. Xiao Liwu (meaning "little gift"), was born on July 29, 2012, and was let outside for visitors to see on January 9, 2013. All of the cubs except Xiao Liwu have since been sent back to China to participate in the breeding program there.
In addition to being able to view this rare animal species, the nearby Giant Panda Discovery Center had interactive exhibits that let the visitor experience first hand what the animals smell and sound like. Since the closing of Panda Trek, there are now more native Chinese animals, including Sichuan takins, a red panda, Mangshan pitvipers, and an exhibit comparing several types of bamboo which are still visible. There is also a slope featuring Amur leopards and snow leopards.
Great experience, wide variety of animals and jungle like foliage. A little pricey for a zoo, many of the animals were hiding to escape the heat so it may feel more worth it to plan your trip for slightly cooler weather (today it was in mid 80s)
43 dollars to get in was really hard to swallow. Seeing the pandas during feeding time and paying for my friend to get his face painted like a 5 year old girl made it better.
This place is amazing. The moment you walk in you get to see the beauty of animals bestowed upon you. This place is pretty massive but they opened so many options for fast and easy travel through the area. There was a food stand in almost every corner so whenever you got hungry you could grab something to eat. All of the employees were very nice, polite and respectful. This place is a lovely place for all types of occasions. I recommended this place for anyone.
One of the best Zoos in the world in my opinion. (a close second to Sydney Zoo) A must see while in SanDiego. Don't miss exceptional Panda and Koala exhibits. They are always improving the experience and check your daily schedule for one of the zoo keeper talks and close encounters.
Fantastic zoo, love the way they've organized compatible animals into common pens to make things seem more natural. As you might expect, food and drink is pretty expensive. Still. Had a wonderful day.
Beautiful exhibits, very spacious and lots of plants. Souvenir shops are well priced. Only problem was the maps were IMPOSSIBLE to read. And some of the animal locations didn't make sense
I have had an annual pass for the last two years and it is hands down a beautiful experience that never gets old. I love the zoo and the wild animal park and the care, knowledge and rehabilitation they provide for every animal there.
This is a great place to visit koalas bears lions. Very big zoo and loads of conversation efforts for animals. Elephants are amazing and have lot of space for them. There multiple bus tours to take around the palrm it roughly takes 5 hrs on walk to liesurely watch the animals. We have couple of food options. Pro tip: don't miss pandas in there. They are cute as hell.
During theboandemic you can se almost all animals. Most food places inside are open. Even if people donnot have kids its thenperfect getaway during the pandemic. They do sell beer inside, craft and draft. I would recommend coming in early and star on the monkey trail. Most people take the Australian Outback which leads to the giraffes.
Expensive, poorly managed and rude volunteers. I was obviously lost and I asked the gentleman by the panda restaurant who was under the umbrella for a map and he was extremely rude to me, did not smile once and was short his directions also got me even more lost. I hate when I have relatives who come visit San Diego and want to go. Its not worth the 60 bucks it takes to get in. Half of the exhibits always seem to be empty or under some sort of construction. Plenty of other fun things to do in Southern California that are way more worth your 60 bucks
Nice place to make family memories. Be prepared to pay large amounts of money. A souvenir cup is about $12 but you get free refills throughout the park on the day of your purchase.
Went for my first private night tour. After 7 years as a member, I wasn't expecting much new even though my out of town colleagues were psyched. It ended up being pretty entertaining when the guides would actually stop talking.
The SD Zoo is a nature lover's paradise - exotic and beautiful plants and animals in every possible nook and cranny. Both are well taken care of, healthy and exhibited in as natural an environment as possible. Every visitor's entry fee goes towards conservation efforts, to continue the Zoo's mission of teaching about these creatures and their importance in the world's life cycle. Also, they have the best soft serve.
My son isn't super interested in animals but the couple times we've gone to the MN zoo he has enjoyed himself. He has a great time just walking around and checking things out. I like that there are plenty of places to eat and we always bring our own lunch and snacks to help save a little money. They do a lot of fun events throughout the year too. We are excited to go to the Pumpkin Trail for the first time this year.
Had an awesome day with my family! We enjoyed all the animals, especially the lions,snow leopards, elephants, monkeys, polar bears and can forget the lovely pandas and koalas bears. Thanks so much San Diego Zoo! See you soon!
This zoo is amazing. It has so many different varieties of animals. All of these animals are in really large contained areas. Not small cages by any means! I very much enjoyed this zoo. Where comfortable shoes, lots and lots of walking!
Everyone & i mean EVERYONE must go to the zoo! They have remodeled & revamped and it's magical! I'm getting a season pass/membership next time I go! Love love
Best zoo I ve ever gone to hands-down. When you enter the zoo make sure you get on the bus and get a tour of the property before you start walking around, you ll have a much better understanding of the property layout.
Great place for a walk and a peaceful afternoon. Lively music and lush landscaping makes the visit with the animals special. I am a member and this is now my walking place.
I personally love the safari park. The San Diego Zoo is absolutely beautiful but it's very packed. I go here often but we go to the safari park even more. The San Diego Zoo is a great place there's a lot of parking and once you get inside there's tons of shade so when you're ready to sit down and eat lunch you can find a beautiful spot in the jungle areas or with the primates. I really love going here with my kid
Just an outstanding local zoo. In fact, maybe the best I have ever been to visit. If we must have zoos, they should be kind, caring, and purposive. The San Diego Zoo is all of those and more. They really do care.
The best exhibits are spread out super far. I wanted to see animals without feeling like I walked across 4 countries. My legs were spent the day after the zoo. Extra special props for the polar bear sharing her #1 and #2 with all of us and then going back to her nap. Haha
Awesome zoo! There were a ton of things to see. We easily could have spent another day here. It was super clean, the staff was great, the maps and signs were well marked and well placed. There were plenty of places to sit and most of the paths were shaded - either by trees or by buildings. There was a sky tram that took us from one side of the zoo to the next. It had a great view of zoo and comes free with most passes (besides educator and student passes). There were penguins, sharks, giraffes, elephants, pandas, reptiles, turtles, hippos, and just about every other animal you would want to see at a zoo, and then some.