San Diego Zoo Reviews

Should be 3 1/2 love the redo but an over priced price gouging tourist trap 98 bucks 1 Adult 1 child sodas are 4 bucks icees 8 just ridiculous been going there for 50 years love the old zoo this one not so much

It's easy to see why this place is world renowned. The habitats are roomy, and most of the animals looked like they were thriving. There was s great variety to see and learn.

Large open walkways that allow for easily walking around the zoo. However some of the escalators are broken so the stairs and steep roadways can make it a tiring zoo to complete if your not in decent shape. Some exibits are active and some appear empty depending on what time of day you visit so don't expect to see them all. Food and bathrooms are scattered throughout and are fairly convenient. Enclosures are somewhat small at times and it can be a little depressing but overall it was a great experience!

Good place for children.one day pass includes skyfari and tour bus, very good for holiday active

Prefer the Safari park over the original zoo. Enclosures here are smaller but lots of new areas; animals hide out a lot. Food and drink options could be vastly improved.

It's really fun and there's literally over 100+ animals other than birds and fish. It has plenty of fun places like the sky-fari where you can go in these cute baskets from one side to the other while seeing all the animals.

I am going every year for last 12 years. Good place to take kids. My son enjoys going there & also to the safari park. If you get an annual pass worth the money.

We love the SD Zoo! Specially in the mornings. You definitely need the whole day to enjoy and walk all of the zoo. We have the season pass so we enjoy going for little walks. One day we'll do one part of the zoo and another day, another part. Our kids love it.

One of the very best Zoos in the world. I've been to a few and this one ranks at the top. A little expensive for a zoo, but they money goes to a good cause.

The zoo is an amazing place. You can see so much and learn a lot of amazing facts. They really care about conservation and it shows. As an attraction, there is a lot to see and the food and drink options are fantastic (though expensive). Sky buckets, a bus tour, or just walking around is an amazing experience.

Beautiful landscaping and happy looking animals. There were many species I had not seen in other zoos. Riding the skyfari was also fun. "Remember, you are not a bird."

Huge! Great layout. Well kept. Plenty places to eat. Wear comfortable shoes! Would definitely go back.

It's smaller than some zoos, but that makes it easier to see everything in one day. There were also volunteers around telling visitors interesting facts about the animals. The enclosures were a bit small, which sucks for the animals, but great for the visitors since we could actually see the animals up close.

Always love visiting the Zoo! I had not been back since the opening of the new Africa Rocks area, and, well, it does in fact rock! For anyone unfamiliar, there's a lot to see, and lots of chances to get pretty close up views of lots of the animals. My daughter is 5 and had a blast!

The SD Zoo is very clean, and the animals are clearly extraordinary well cared for. Snacks and food are pricey, but that's expected. There is lots of shade and tons of benches to sit on all over the park. You sometimes have to park far away, but I've never not found parking. Paths and signage are well maintained and easy to understand. Great Zoo, great experience!

Hot, full of people, but arguably one of the best zoos in the world

Amazing place easy to walk but also has trams and gondola with great tours. I live in San Diego and we get yearly passes, summer can get crowded but it is still manageable. Take your time and plan your walk you can get more down hill paths. Remember it's San Diego the weather will be stable you can count on good weather year round a bad day in San Diego is still a great day.

Nice big zoo for a visit with family. The tram and gondola make it really easy to go from one end of the zoo to the other. Make sure you stay hydrated as it can get really hot in summer here

I had a great experience here.
Very clean and organized park, staff are very polite and attentive.
Good food, great atmosphere.

I love the new addition, Africa rocks has so many new animals on display. The kids LOVE the new waterfall. What a great way to cool off on warm days.

If you don't mind the crowds full of crying kids than it's for you! Animals and memories. More than just an experience for the whole family but it will make a lasting impression.

Awesome zoo! Lived up to the hype :) very well laid out, lots of walking but busses and sky tram greatly shorten certain sections

Fantastic. You will enjoy. Don't miss if you are in San Diego

Beautiful zoo...a definite must see place in San Diego. Buses are convenient for families with older folks or small ones. Not too busy this time of year with lots of military families on Fridays after graduation from Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego.

Wonderful zoo. Big and well sorted. Animals seem to have enough space and adequate habitats. Good for all ages and family trips.

An amazing array of nature's wonders. The animals were amazing and the size of the enclosures along with trying to replicate the animals home territory was wonderfully staged and stationed. I came away feeling more knowledgeable about different animal species and also appreciated the after dark hours to get to see the more nocturnal creatures come awake and take part in their evening routines. The price is high, but once you're inside you see why. One of the best zoos I've seen and I make a point of visiting the zoo in major cities that I travel to.

It's not that good. Waste of money.its very small and there r nothing much to see.
Animals count is very less than expected.
I felt very excited seeing all reviews..but it's no so

Absolutely amazing. The best zoo in the US without question. Absolutely worth traveling to. Great for the kids. You will not be disappointed.

A wonderful zoo for people of all ages to enjoy! They're open till 8pm in the summer and you are more likely to see nocturnal animals active. We got there right at 5pm and we were able to buy tickets and get in with no wait time. There was no line to see the pandas (at 6:30pm, one was sitting up and eating while the other had its back to us and sleeping). Maybe a 3-minute wait to ride the gondola.

Aits everything you've heard and more. Just an amazing place.

. Not only is it April Fools' Day, they are celebrating Caesar Chaves Day here. No school today. The line for the zoo was very long, but moved fast. The San Diego zoo is unique in that it is a non profit enterprise. All proceeds from the admissions, restaurants, gift shop, along with donations go to support the zoo and it s research. One of the exciting projects currently is their attempt to save the white horned Rhinoceros. There are only two in existence, and neither are able to breed. The zoo has a bank of sperm and eggs from many species of animals. They are going to attempt to inseminate another form of Rhino with the egg and sperm of the white horned variety. The surrogate will help the species from going extinct. They also have an elephant and koala hospital. It was fascinating!

We had a warm, sunny day. We road the double deck bus and road the skyway gondola. We saw the polar bears, the grizzly bears, koala bears, monkeys, elephants and so many more. I was said to hear that the Panda s that have been in San Diego since they were born, are going back to China April 27, 2019. Something about our President imposing tariffs on China so they want their bears back. The lines are always the longest to see the Pandas. Since so many of these animals are nocturnal, they were doing just what they should be sleeping. I was happy to see them at all!

Have to walk more , too sunny all the time n not more verity of animals
Ok to go one time

I really loved this zoo and it was my first time in California!! The only heartbreaking thing was the too small enclosures for the big cats for some and they were pacing a LOT! Don't understand that at all when they lead the way for everything great they do. Sooooo much to see you night not be able to do it all so get there first thing!! Got to see a baby sloth!!

It's beautiful. But if you have leg or knee issues rent a scooter. It's a lot of up and down hills.

Good vibes with my date and everyone had great attitudes and were really helpful

Beautiful! Amazing! I hadn't been to the zoo in over 10 years and had come when I did because it was a field trip with my plant biology class. I found the Fern Canyon Trail and the Scripts Aviary to be two of the most tranquil places I have been to in a long time. The grounds were clean, the food was not overpriced, and the employees were pleasantly helpful anytime I needed assistance or guidance. Before I left, I bought a Keeper's Club season pass. Now I can come back anytime I want and bring a friend with me for free!

Way too much to explore you have to keep coming back! Simply the best

Absolutely wonderful place to visit! Love the pandas and the giraffes! You ll need a whole day to explore the zoo. Go in early!

Fun place to explore and enjoyed all the animals. Just not the heat.

One of the best Zoos in the country. If you are visiting, be sure to check this zoo out while you are there. You can ride on an overhead gondola called Skyfari for overhead views, Ride the zoo bus, which takes to across most of the zoo. Check out educational films & more!

Probably the biggest zoo in USA (guessing) there are lots of animals and it looked like a natural habitat. There are bus services to take you around from place to place. I couldn t check of the polar bears last time will definitely go again to check those out.

Beautiful zoo and they are very handicap friendly. I took my 78 year old mother in a wheelchair and the staff were extremely helpful and nice. We took the bus ride and the air tram. We had no problems seeing the various animals.

Nursing mothers of active babies! We went to the zoo when my son was 9 months old. He doesn't sleep at all in the stroller and cries out for a long time before sleeping if not in a quiet space. This zoo was ready for this situation! They have a closed in nursing area by the first aid station which is great! Electrical outlets, changing station, a bench and a fan. The exhibits are fantastic and the animals are not pacing which is a great thing to see. Just wanted to give this zoo credit for being prepared! Would go back in a heartbeat

Amazing! Grew up visiting since grade school and now support it as a member.

Great family experience. Love the easy access busses and the guided tour!

The kids loved the variety of animals available here, and the open bus tour. The guide was very helpful!

Every visit is a nice Day. very nice and big Zoo. You need a lot of time. There is a lot to see. For the first visit, we recommend drive with the bus through the zoo first. Then you have a complete overview. Then you can plan the tour. The zoo is highly recommended. Every Time again.

Always great. The 4D movie was not worth the $. The 3D component didn't even work.

Keep in mind the close at 6p. We didn't know. They should have offered a lower admission price for afternoon entry!

One of the biggest Zoo in the United States. See the map and make sure that you are visiting all the blocks with in the Zoo. It requires whole day to see the ZOO

Love the zoo. Get there early to get a good parking spot. They allow food and drink inside in a backpack, not a igloo. Food is expensive. Love the Africa side. :)

No one does it in such a humane way, it is unfortunate that animals have ro be caged but the research and commi that the San Diego Zoo has to oreventing species extinction is applaudable.

This is a place for everyone. You can tell that the animals get a lot of love. The habitats are well thought out and very clean. It did not feel too crowded and the parking is easy. The food was good and reasonably priced for this type of attraction.

I went there with my whole family drove 2 hours away after hearing how great this zoo was BIG MISTAKE! The food was over priced and I barely saw any of the animals on the map. I will never recommend this place. The place is big for nothing, lots of empty cages and a big disappointment. This is not worth the pricey tickets nor the drive.

It's world famous for a reason. In addition to the animals there are some great shows here too!

I always love the zoo. I remember coming as a kid and now I get to take my son to see it too! We came at an off time however, because quite a few animals were not out, or their habitat was being worked on. Which I totally understand, just bummed us out. Definitely buy your tickets online to save some money before you go.

Definitely worth a visit. Take the double decker bus tour around the park first, then visit the most interesting attractions. The sky tram ride was fun.

My wife and I bought a season pass to take our child. I absolutely love the zoo. It's by far the best zoo in America. There are so many things to see, really good food, and the events are informative.

Sneakers, cap, fluids and get ready to have the best time . You'll find something to look at and enjoy wherever you walk, there are many animals of different species. In the place is clean and so so huge, you can't go over it all in one day. Many refreshments and snacks booths in every direction, and even that when you hit the parking lot and see all those cars, you won't feel that it has that much of people in there, really it's huge. The bus ride at the beginning is a good idea if you want to be prepared to what you're gonna see or to make a plan where to go, or just grab the map and start walking

So much to see and do. Loved feeding the giraffes. Animals kept under humane conditions, environmentally friendly

Really clean, family oriented,amazing display, what els can I say?! Fun, fulfilling experience, over all one of the most beautiful zoo's I've visited!

Really clean. Staff was amazing and knowledgeable.
The gorillas were really cool, try to go during feeding time.

It is huge! I recommend the bus tour. Has hop on and off bus to get to places in the zoo, which is helpful. The skyline and bridge are great views of the zoo, but you can't see into any of the zoo exhibits from up there. The zoo keeper talks are great, and they'll answer your questions. The 4d experience is fun too. Free parking.

Went in the afternoon/evening and it was great. Small crowds, great photo ops of animals and cool weather.

I went there once. I like to see the animals there. It is one of the best zoos.

Of course, I'm here for the animals. But from the last time I came here many many years ago, this place has not only gotten larger in size, but is much better than I remembered it to be!

I wish I could say that you could explore this place all in one day, but it'll only work like that if you decided to run around the park! This is a two day kind of place!

MaN this zoo is off the chain good WOW the space or some of these animals is just great the maintenance on everything is on point
The staff looked very caring when they did little shows it was COOl to watch the zoo is SO BIG it took us 6 hours to c the entire zoo so take practical shoes and wardrobe I know us girls like to look cute but b comfortable and cute the prices on food were like but hay that's at any zoo anyways so worth the money and go during winter time cause if it's hot it can b overwhelming all the walking then heat for us the weather was perfect (February)
And dude they have polar bears how cool is that TO COOL but yeah dont miss anything see it all take breaks in between you will love it take a backpack with things u need cause u will need them hope yea enjoy
(In my photos I have a pic of my son with a fake turtle man the real one no joke r the same size it was like that's big lol)

First time visiting this zoo. It's everything I had heard it was. Huge, well laid out, animals and exhibits the kids and I had never seen before. Only challenge is with little kids can get worn out and there are quite a few stairs. So if you have a little who likes to ride on your shoulders might want to book a chiro appointment in advance.
But it's a great place, best zoo I've ever visited.

The San Diego Zoo is a great organization and an awesome experience for the whole family. This world famous zoo is a great place to witness up close the amazing accomplishments in preserving wildlife all across the globe!

Maybe a little overhyped. Comparable to other nice zoos but I do love the San Diego weather and the pandas are cool, although you may have to wait in line for each Panda and they're leaving at the end of April (2019). It's cool, good zoo.

It's the San Diego Zoo - what a great time and unlike some zoo's animals were out and able to be seen. Top notch experience.

Always a great place to take the family to learn and explore together. With little one I would definitely recommend taking a stroller as well as paying for the bus pass to make it easier to traverse the park to see more of the paddocks.

I love the amount of trails and alternative ways to see a section. There are places to take a break everywhere. On the other hand, there is a lot of options to eat. The zoo is full on personal that will help you in anything you need. Really nice place to visit. Definitely, it is one of those places you want in your list of places to visit during your journey in San Diego.

Had a great time at this zoo. We walked 20k steps. I did take one star off because I believe the company could be doing much more for the environment with the plastic they are using for cups and popcorn! It s kinda nuts!

All and all the animals seem well taken care of.

This friend I met he s pretty cool except for when he starting pounding on the glass at me like let me out! That made me sad.

Beautiful place to visit. Not too crowded now that school is in session and on a weekday. Great zoo.

Great place to get up and close. SD Zoo has done a great job. Suggest getting year pass and coming early and often

One of San Diego's many gems. Located in historic Balboa Park. Constantly updated with new habitats and activities for the animals and learning experiences for guests. Wear comfortable walking shoes if you are not doing the bus tours, as you will not notice how far you walked, until the end of an amazing day. This is the world's best zoo. Do. Not. Miss. It.

Expensive as all get out (I didn't expect anything else) but a great zoo. Plan for ambiance all day trip because it is huge and has a lot to see. And take the free bus tour, it's really good.

large and beautiful but it will be nicer if they have more animals

Family trip to this zoo is worth experience with Hop On -Hop Off bus ride with guides!! Lots of fun and learning!!

Never a dull moment. Fun times for the whole family.

Great place to visit. Outside beverages and snacks allowed.

This zoo is absolutely amazing. Not only do they have a wonderful variety of wildlife to view, they have an educational tour bus, a sky tram, and a kangaroo bus to help you get around quickly. The zoo is also involved in a number of conservation efforts, some of which are critical to the survival of endangered species and so this is a great place to spend your money and also get to see a lot of different animals, including lions, polar bears, monkeys, pandas, two avairies and many more.

I grew up going to the San Diego Zoo. As zoo s go, I m not a fan of seeing wild animals in captivity. We had family in town and our nieces really wanted to go. We took the trek from Los Angeles to San Diego, one of the hottest days of the summer.. we took advantage of the safari tour bus to get the overview of the park, as it is huge! I would very much suggest doing that, and then you can plan the exhibits you want to go see more of. Hands down, San Diego Zoo is the best zoo I ve been to. The elephant exhibit was one I was looking forward too most. I must say I was disappointed. I expected them to have a more natural habitat, that s what they have always strived for. They had huge showers and holding areas for them and I m sure they are well taken care of- less cement and more vegetation would be nice to see. The living desert museum in Palm Desert did it right in their Safari Exhibit. Unfortunately, there was a power outage due to the extreme heat- all of Balboa Park, (surrounding area) was out of power. This happened around 2:00 pm. None of the vendors we tried to get water and cold drinks from were set up to do manual sales. I find that unfathomable. How do you have over a 100 acre park and not be able to offer your paying guests cold water in the sweltering heat? They were guesstimating that they would have power back by 3:30pm. Good thing we had an ice chest in the car with cold drinks and sandwiches. We planned one meal in the park and lunch in the picnic area- instead, we cut our visit short and tailgated in the parking lot eating our lunch as we couldn t find the picnic area. We saw it as we were driving out. We spent 5 hours driving and hundreds of $ for our large family to spend the day at the zoo, that ended up being maybe a three hour visit. Instead, we took the family home and let the kids go swimming to salvage the last day they had in their vacation. Not being set up for manual sales is the reason for the 4 stars. San Diego Zoo, I hope you read this and take note...

Pretty good zoo. Wish animals were free range.
Most cages and enclosures are far too small and verge on being cruel.
All prices high. Free parking.
Food ranges from ok to not too bad.
Nice spot to spend the day.
Finding a parking spot, and exiting the park can be very lengthy.
Within walking distance of museums and Balboa Park.

The hills were very difficult for anyone who had a hard time walking or was using assistance (wheelchair, scooter, electric chair, etc.).
When the construction is complete hopefully it will be easier. The staff was friendly was helpful.

Great place its nice and ckean and love the animals

Play, run, laugh, enjoy, eat and learn. A must visit zoo in one of the nicest cities in the US.

One of the best zoos in the world. A lot of amazing animals. I recommend to visit this place in San Diego. I can say all the good things about this day at the zoo. It's a big zoo, so it's better to come here in the morning to see everything. A good place to relax with family and friends.

Fun for all ages, kids and adults. Could literally spend all day in here. Spent from opening to 1700. If you are visiting San Diego use the go San Diego website because the buses and safari are included for cheaper than a normal ticket. We saw a lot of animals while they were awake even though it was hot. They had so many animals! Definitely one of the best zoos I have ever been too. All the staff is friendly and helpful. The map can be a little confusing but the staff help with that.

Came here for a few hours with a family group of seven. Did the narrated double decker bus tour 5/5 (do this first if you can), sky tram 5/5, stroller rental 4/5 (seems pricey but hope it s for a good cause), and then walked about. Our bus tour guide gave good tips on what to see first in the morning (ie: who is more active) and who to see later on in the day. Actually were able to see many of the snakes. All of us wished we could stay longer and see more. You could easily spend opening to closing here. Feel free to pack food if that s your thing, save some money. Would recommend and hope to come back. If we were local, we would get memberships.

The San Diego Zoo is amazing!! The staff is great and super helpful.