San Diego Zoo Reviews

Beautiful place to take a walk and enjoy with the family and friends

Amazing! This is one of my favorite places by far! The customer service here for trying to get around is amazing. If anyone does go, I would take the short tour that lasts around 30min or so. I highly recommend the SkyTram. Is like a ski lift, but It takes you over the most amazing sights around the park, or should I say above the park. Ha.

Awesome place to go! Nice, well kept park. Very relaxing just walking around. (Maybe we were lucky only a third of the parking was full). We saw about 90% of the park in 3.5hrs with a baby.

The best Zoo on the planet. It's massive with fabulous exhibits and gives you enough to see and do that you could turn a visit into a full day event (easily) or come back time and time again without getting bored. One of the "must sees" of San Diego.

My wife and I stopped in here for a quick bite and found ourselves quickly overwhelmed by the range of fresh protein options available on the menu.

Very educational and was impressed by the friendliness of all of the staff. The bus tour is a great way to start to get a full overview of the zoo before starting a walking tour. If we make it back to San Diego we will definitely plan to spend more time there. Also, pretty great that you can buy some quality beer and tour around with a beverage in hand!

This zoo is a collection of all the basic animals at every other zoo. There is nothing special about this zoo. It's just large. If you're deciding between this or Sea world, 100% choose Sea world

So much fun but crowded!! It s so big that you can t see all the animals in one day but it s nice to spend the day there. It s definitely a must see in San Diego. We enjoyed the 4D Rio Show and did the Skyfari twice!!

Best zoo we've ever been to. Great variety of animals and zoo bus to help get around the zoo.

We love the place,but it needs several play structures for kids. Espesially to a toddlers. They get tired walking long distances from animal to animal and losing interest. They need a change of activity-lije playgrounds and then-they ready to go explore further..
Also every bathroom should have baby changing station or family bathroom. Zoo is mostly THE place for kids and families !!

Excellent place to spend the day it's not one or two

An amazing place in San Diego, California to spend the day with the family. Even if you've visited before, it's always nice to come back and contribute to the preservation of the animals.

Definitely one of the most amazing Zoo's I have ever been. It is so large that it's really hard to see everything. Definitely be there as early as possible in the morning to avoid long waiting lines (especially on the bus tour). Also a ride on the cable car is a must! Bring comfortable shoes.

Great zoo with a large footprint. Awesome weather and not too many people.

Gotta come back to finish the zoo! It's been a long time since I have seen elephants in the zoo! Beautiful place!!

Only complaint is it takes 2 or more days to do it all. Amazing zoo. And this comes from someone who has seen zoo on three continents.

This is the best zoo you can go to. So many animals, easy to navigate, and always a great time.

This zoo is one of a kind in the world. The displays and areas are as realistic as it can be, the animals seems very relaxed in their habitat, and there are so many animals there. I particularly like the Africa Rocks area, so realistic and beautiful. You have to spend the whole day here, since there are so many things to see. This is the best zoo in the world, IMHO.

Always a great day at the zoo! We got a pass when my baby turned 1 and he loves watching the animals eat and play.

Loved the African bird aviary. Wear comfy shoes.... It's huge. Well worth admission. A great experience.

Great place for all. Rides and pick ups if you cant walk far, and they do your bus rides. Beautiful enclosures for the animals. Lots of employees to ask questions about animals. They feed the animals throughout the day which was fun for my daughter to watch. We spent 4 hours and only saw about half. It's a never ending fun day for all.

We had such a great time at the zoo. A lot of walking but it was all worth it. Staff was always extremely friendly and knowledgeable. My recommendation is to do the bus tour first so you can eliminate some of the walking out of your day. We did not do this and our legs were sore. All-in-all we had a terrific day. The gorillas, toucan, and green mamba were some of the highlights.

It's the San Diego Zoo, what can I say? Great place to visit. You'll get some good exercise while animal viewing, due to the geography. Lot of hills. Which is good. Love the bears, love the birds. Birds don't get enough love.

Always a ton of helpful people, employees and volunteer, to help you with whatever you need.

Parking is ample, bring your own food, koalas and the pandas are a huge waste of time. Seriously, they don't do anything. It's like looking at a teddy bear in a toy store window.

What an experience! We took the whole family there and it was a success. Fun for everyone. Make sure you do the bus tour first. Lines start quickly for that. Do the skyfari too. It was amazing!

We had a great family day out. The zoo is very well organised and well laid out. The animals were more active later in the day probably due to the heat.
Well worth a visit.

Highly recommend it!! Our kiddos were 4 & 2 when we went & they absolutely had a blast! It is the best zoo we have been to so far! Also- if you are choosing between Seaworld or the Zoo.... hands down I would recommend the Zoo! We did both and the entire group agreed that the Zoo was way better quality wise, cleanliness and also better for younger kid

I loved the zoo. But the guided bus tour was horrible. Couldn't see anything through the trees. The breaks on the bus squeek so bad you can't even hear the driver who is talking about it.

Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!
The most amazing, wonderful, amazing way to spend a day. Or, what a cool place to have a snack. Right inside the gate, you will find a cherry snack bar hidden behind the gift shop. You could be joined by a passing peacock who wonders through. Enjoy!

Good work ,friendly staff, who doesn't love exotic a imals

Best zoo ever enjoyed the entire day there people very friendly

Great zoo to see the animals plus the elephants seem to be thriving and healthy. The entrance fee is a little steep but is all for a good cause.

Take the kangaroo bus tour for hop on hop off fun. We took the regular tour bus, which was good, but I'd have liked to stop at each place for a little but. Good time, overall.

It was amazing seeing all those beautiful animals and ill defenitley go back there soon :)

i guess there is a reason this zoo is so popular! it is huge so it requires SO much walking. the nature is beautiful and it is obvious they really tried to make the animals feel more at home by implementing necessary surroundings for them. one thing i saw there that i haven t seen at any other zoo is they have shops specific to the area each animal is. so by the polar bear there is a shop outside of the area to buy polar bear specific items. speaking of polar bears, i docked a star due to the fact that it is significantly warmer and different in climate than where polar bears come from and the habitat built for them did not seem like it was for a polar bear. it looked hot, dry and full of dirt. the polar bear was actually dark grey in color from the tiny bit i saw of it. i m not the most educated on this topic but i personally felt maybe a polar bear needs to be a habitat that is cold and icy? i didn t feel it belonged here at all. i could be wrong but it just didn t seem right to me. i know they are very threatened right now due to climate change so i can always appreciate the zoo trying to bring their numbers back up. other than that i don t have any complaints. also i absolutely loved just how many koala bears they have though! that was one of my favorite things about the zoo, it was my first time ever seeing a koala in person. it was a very cool experience seeing so many animals at this zoo, i did enjoy my day here for sure. i recommend seeing this zoo and would probably go again someday!

Our family had so much fun here. Spent the entire day at the zoo. Started the day with the bus tour and saw 70% of the zoo s animals, pretty close up, in only 30 minutes. Was also a great way to see the park for the first time. The only bummer in the day was the lines to see the pandas. We saved those for last and saw them at 6:00 when there was no line at all. Also really like that they let you bring in your own food. Great way to spend the day with family.

Immaculately clean park with friendly helpful staff. The volunteers are also wonderful. The multitude of different animals they have is amazing. A must see in San Diego.

The best Zoo on earth.
Friendly staff all throughout the park.
Discounts and coupons available online. When you buy an annual pass you get into both parks for the entire year
The Wild Animal Park is an amazing with it's wide open set up and many many animals. Very sweet accommodating staff.
In the very best city

We have been members for years and always enjoy visiting. Definitely worth the cost if you live in San Diego, plus the money is going to conservation efforts for endangered animals...so its also a great cause.

Even with all the new restrictions our kids had a great time. The SD Zoo is a great place to visit and always will be

World class zoo. One of the best destinations in San Diego for good reason. Just as popular with locals as tourists. Very hard to see it all in one day. Good dining options and plenty of adult beverages. We bring the kids there at least once a month. There is a different highlight every time.

Over rated zoo. To small spaces. Outdated place. Far to expensive

Great place to spend a couple of hours with family. I only gave three stars because I have visited other zoos around the world. For a city zoo, it is not bad. I wish there were more variety of animals. It just seemed too basic. I expect more from such a big city. I did not visit Safari Park, which may have made up for the deficiencies.

I almost forgot how much I paid to get in because of how fun it was and how much i got to see. Take the bus tour before you wall the park. If you've got a kid get the free refill cup. It seems expensive, but it's worth it.

We had a most wonderful experience here with all the animals the education the art work the statues the photo Ops everything was absolutely wonderful thank you San Diego zoo

Great zoo. Lots of proper protocols. Took about an hour to get in but went by quickly

I have nothing but great things to say about this wonderful place. I just miss the pandas great place for kids and adults!

Actually a great zoo, easy to walk through and see all the exhibits. We did see most of the animals.....would recommend

This zoo is always always amazing. On this day things were just GORGEOUS

This place is always some sort of busy! The reason? This Zoo is a blast! The trails can be confusing at times, but then just look around for a red shirt(Volunteer help). The wonderful Volunteers will direct you right to where you or your party are trying to get to. This place has programs a many and a great(and expensive) food and beverage selection thought out the Zoo. Dont miss coming here whether you live here or visiting!

I loved the zoo. They offer bus tours and a skyfari. I recommend taking lots of water and comfortable shoes. Tip: the zoo lets you bring in outside food.

I walked around Balboa Park. I did see the employee entrance and the backside of the zoo. It was the nicest backside of any zoo I've ever seen and I've seen one.

Zoo that's like Disney Land. Worth the trip if you are in San Diego and have kids.

Fantastic day, elephant experience was great. Will return when in SD. Would suggest 2 day if strolling to really take it in. Could fast walk in one. Fantastic how the primates wake up in the evening.

My son enjoyed the animals but I wish they had more space to roam.

Beautiful grounds, interesting collection of animals and displays, admirable mission. Money well spent for a good cause. Bus tour was informative and inspiring.

We liked the zoo. The guided bus tour was not so good for the kids though.

An outstanding experience. The volunteers and staff are friendly and helpful. The grounds and rest rooms are very clean. They were filming for their 2nd TV season coming in August or September. A great show to watch!

Best zoo I've ever been to! I love the newer Africa Rocks exhibit. And all the aviaries! Great, informative staff. Take all day to see every animal. Will come back when I can! Thank you!

Awesome place for the whole family. Like a safari trip without the long plane ride and drive. Recommended for those that haven't seen all the different animals up close and personal.

This a FANTASTIC zoo! This one of the world's best zoos. I loved seeing animals from all over the world.

Every time I go I get to see a different animal up close and being active.

It's a zoo. I saw some animals I had not seen anywhere else at other zoos I have visited. The park was clean, animals looked well cared for and most were active and easily spotted. The walkways are very narrow in some parts of the park and the buses that run tours are large and share some of the walking space with pedestrian patrons. My wife and I had lunch - my chicken parmesan sandwich was okay, my wife's pepperoni pizza was bland and under-cooked - both were overpriced but that is expected at a touristy place like a zoo. We brought in extra goodies and drinks so lunch wasn't an entire waste.

The San Diego Zoo continues to impress, and improve. Really enjoy the new Africa Rocks exhibit, along with many of the great existing exhibits - including the Polar bear, and hippo enclosures. Absolutely world class - arboretums, aviary spaces, great food options (including recently, offering more earth friendly food options), and shows. During summer months, they are open later - a great evening venue to see the nightlife.

Excellent variety of exhibits, the panda section was amazing, and the enclosures were much like the animals natural environment.

Awesome place for the kids lots and lots of animals to see.

700,000 plants? Yes please! Dr. Suess got inspiration here for his books...must see!

So many happy and well fed animals in a human controlled environment. Peace.

Loving the weather not too too cold but not hot yaaaasssss. Had a great last minute trip with the kids

Amazing San Diego and Zoo.. Widespread and lot of animals to watch

Got here when the zoo opened - 2 year old love the opening flight from the macaws! This is the 4th or 5th time I've been at this zoo and I love it every time.

Best to go right when they open. Bring snacks and water as the food is pricey. Especially after paying the entry fee. That being said, one of the best zoos I have ever been to.

Bummed that the pandas went back to China, but besides that this is the best zoo in the US.

Great place! There is so much to see! The zoo is large but very accesible. The people working there are friendly and nice. They also have huge lockers for storing bags and suitcases for a small fee.

There's so much to see. The grounds are beautiful. The staff are helpful and informative. I highly recommend visiting and allowing a full day to see everything.

Great experience every time. We have a yearly pass and visit almost every week for an short walk out for a longer visit. Always fun!

Enjoyed my visit. It was very hot so some animals were not to be seen others just sleeping. It's a lot of walking, and some of it on steep gradients. The work they do for conservation is to be applauded.

This is the best zoo I've ever been to. The zookeeper talks are awesome to attend. Almost all of the animals were out and visible to see (except the polar bears). It's a great place to get a good walk in as well. All around it was a good time.

We had a ball, food was good. Great place for families.