San Diego Zoo Reviews

I absolutely loved my time here! The zoo is beautiful by itself, and then you get the most up close and personal experience with the animals! We did the animals in action for a little extra, and it was so worth it. Fed a rhino, petted a zebra, amoung other amazing things. The entire staff from the trainers, to the gift shop workers were great. I'd recommend going right when they open to be able to experience the entire zoo. Please go, you won't regret it!

So much to see! Definitely more action from animals in cooler parts of day! Loved it! Big place, lots to see and do!

An excellent zoo with nice landscaping and well laid out enclosures.

This zoo is by far my favorite one that I have ever been to! The exhibits are well displayed and they have many different exotic animals to look at! There are plenty of zoo keepers and employees around the zoo that are more than willing to talk to you and answer any questions that you may have. Every single employee that I encountered was friendly, no matter what their job was. Whether they were giving tours, or sweeping the floors. All of them were friendly and said hello to me and my family. It definitely helped us enjoy our visit more. I really hope I can visit again soon!

I've been to several zoos across the country and San Diego Zoo is by far the best. It is very large and therefor can difficult to do it all in one day with small children. We have the membership so we can come back often to do a different area. The trails are easy to walk with the exception of two steep hills. The exhibits are spacious and beautifully done. My favorite thing to eat is the BBQ nachos from Sydney's Grill.

My first time at the zoo since Covid 19, felt really good about the experience.
Before getting to the park entrance from the parking lot, we were all asked 5 questions and then proceeded into the park, MASK ARE REQUIRED and ENFORCED and hand sanitizers are spread out throughout the park, and postings on the ground for distancing. The tram was down, and a few other places, but most were open.
Loved being back at the zoo! Cute zoo masks for sale also!

Huge zoo. Panda left but still many animals. Good location, you can go balboa park after zoo, so you can spend one day there. Parking is free.

Wow! What a big zoo and lots to see! Seen almost every animal at the zoo which was nice. The 1 year old we traveled with was fully entertained. Only reason I gave 4 stars is because of the fact that this must be off season, so quite a few of the food stand weren't open. Or maybe because it was a week day? Not sure.

First time going to the zoo at 6:40pm. It was nice to get a few miles in while seeing all the animal. It wasn't crowded with a bunch of people on Sunday evening, but some animals were already hiding or in the back of their exhibit.

One of my favorite zoos. It's huge!! Been multiple times. Military gets in free. A must if you ever are in the area.

Perfect spot to bring kiddos & really people of all ages loved my experience!

Great fun. Lots to see. Plenty of animals. Love the options for navigating the zoo. Would defintely go back!

Always a nice place to visit, and enjoy the animals

This zoo was amazing! We came while on vacation and decided to spend two days here. It was a great choice for us and our toddlers. We were able to do the right side of the park on day one and the right side of the park on day two. We had a wonderful time and were even able to get our reusable water bottles filled inside of the restaurants and eating places. All employees were also wonderful to interact with. I would highly recommend anyone visit here. I'm already looking forward to getting to go back one day.

It was cool, just wish you could see the animals ( not sleeping) and that the gift shop had "lemer" stuff for sale, also that the big paper bags they use in the gift shops, with the lion & baboon, would actually be one of the designs they sell for the reusable bags. Lower the alcohol drink costs and you will sell more.

This zoo keeps the highest standards of animal care in the world. The zoo also has the largest education experience for all ages.

Amazing zoo! So many incredible animals to see in more natural environments. A lot of great information and very caring staff.

Fabulous zoo. Tonz of animals which are easy to spot. Well maintained and super clean

Beautiful place with lots of animals, pretty birds and picturesque atmosphere. Tough to cover the entire thing in one day. If you are a student, ask for student discount.

Beautiful grounds, every animal you can think of. The animals are well kept. Hours of exciting exploring. A good variety of food, beverages including alcohol, souvenir and there is a gondola from one end of the zoo to the other. Scooters for handicap or disability available. I love to visit often.

A lot of walking, only because there's a lot to see. Prices are high though it's pretty much expected at a zoo. I do believe this is something everyone should experience at least once. I absolutely LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the 4D movie experience! It's a must!

Great stop. Tons of animals and they look healthy and happy. Good deal if you get the zoo and safari package.

Had a blast with my wife and kid. Staff was very friendly. We got the bus tour but we didnt go because my child was crabby

Love this place. My favorite animals to see is the cheetah with her dog. The staff was super friendly and helped us find our way to an exhibit we wanted to see.

Beautiful habitats for animals. Fantastic flora simulating forests and jungles. And the food at Albert's, while not cheap, is absolutely worth every penny. And free parking! We WILL be back.

The animal enclosures and the lush surrounding landscaping are always in tip top condition and are constantly being updated and enhanced. It's just about perfect. The new Africa Rocks exhibit is my favorite right now.

Excellent zoo with a very nice layout, even long walks don't feel that bad with the abundance of shade and benches. The animals and habitats are amazing, and the available food was very good, as well! Definitely worth the trip.

Totally worth getting a 2-Day pass!! There is so much to explore!! Great Zoo experience.

I had a blast at the zoo. You definitely need to plan out your trips or visit the zoo twice to view the whole zoo for its entirety. Highly recomend to visit San Diego Zoo.

Awesome zoo, with some amazing attractions. The jaguars and lions were awesome to see. My only gripe would be not having enough to see, we ended up getting through the entire park in a few hrs which was meh :(. Overall tho the facility was great, and I really enjoyed seeing the jaguars and Panthers :))

Amazing zoo! It s really big and most animals were seen at exhibits, of course it was pretty hot when we went. We spent 5 hours here from 12pm-5pm. I feel like you need at least 5 hours if not more to check out the entire Zoo. If you buy the all day pass it s about 55 for adults and like 45-50 for child (my kid is 9). We were able to do the bus tour which last about 30 min I think, then we used the skyfari. It was so much fun. They had lots of places to eat at while here but of course a tad bit expensive like most zoos, but worth it in order to take care of all animals. Not to ruin it for anyone but some cool animals not found at least in NYC zoos . Great spots to take pictures. If you pay a little extra you re able to get minutes with some of the animals up close. Amazing experience and everyone was so nice and friendly!

Great place to walk around but I feel some Animals need more space to roam especially the cheetahs.

Best zoo, hands down. I think the cooler weather makes the animals a tad more friskier.

Very hilly. Great variety of animals. EXPENSIVE to have snacks or meals of any kind.

Loved the zoo!! 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 kiddos!

It was a good time walking around and seeing all the wonderful animals. There is definitely a lot of planning and though that has gone into the animals well being. Many of the animals were fairly active and the one that weren't (if you could find them in their enclosures) seemed to have nice secluded spots. The zoo is really big and kind of hilly so bring water and good shoes. My wife and I walked over 9 miles in the time were were there last.

best zoo I've been to. early morning is best as the animals are out more for the cool air

Great zoo! The animals look well taken care of. I would take the 35 minute tour first. Then go back and see the zoo. The kangaroo book only has 4 stops but is a great way to see the park. The tram ride is a fast way from the front to back or back to front. Also buy a refillable cup. It is free to get soda refills!

Nice zoo, lots to do, and plenty of animals to see. Been here twice and both times ran out of time before I got to see it all. Plan on lots of walking

Absolutely fabulous! Best zoo ever! Check my other reviews under Balboa Park.

Enjoy everytime we go with the kids. My sons lobes the zoo. So worth purchasing the annual pass.

Fun place to visit, although ne prepared to walk up and down a lot of hills.

This is hands down, the best zoo I have ever been to! You get a great workout and get to enjoy the animals in wonderful exhibits. My children love the children's zoo, bus, and skyride. And of course they love the animals. If you are military, active or national guard/reserve, you get in for free. Children can get an annual pass for the cost of a day trip. You can also bring your own food and drinks!!

This zoo is amazing, such a variety of animals, I feel like you could easily spend 2-3 days here. They have a variety of food to choose from and the animals seem well taken care of. The gondolas offer a great view of the zoo. We spent a day here with our two toddlers and they absolutely loved it.

Lots of diverse animals. Its a huge place and a great experience

Easy to get lost in the place but the quality and amount of exhibits are great

I was impressed by the free parking area available to visitors. I really enjoyed my time at the Zoo. I also took advantage of the UCR student discount offered through my school! So if you are planning to visit make sure you check out their discounts! They allow you to take water and food from the outside which can be pretty cool if you re on a budget! There s also food available for sale inside! They have a lot to do and see, so make sure you get there early to have enough time to cover every space! We took way too long looking at the snakes and couldn t cover all the zoo. Also, if you go early you get to go around balboa park after since they re so close to each other.
This was my date, we had breakfast early and then head out to San diego(I live in riverside so it s a drive). Once we got to the zoo, we found free parking right across the entrance. Printed our tickets on their booths, we brought only water with us so we had to have lunch by the area of the pandas which was nice! Then we went to the beach, which is also fairly close. It was a super nice get away from the normal routine! Highly recommended! Not only for families, but also for adults (dates, get away with friends, etc.)
If you are in San Diego, make sure to visit!!!!!

One of my fondest memories was here in the Zoo. I would definitely recommend it to anyone as everything here is better than most zoos. I have been to other zoos and this is one of the best I have been to.

We have the keepers season passes. They are the bomb. We've been season ticket holders , for years . It's always nice to go and spend, at least 4 hours there. The changes that have been done, are nice. The Great San Diego Zoo , has so much to see and Enjoy

Great place to walk around! We didn t see many animals till later in the day!

Spent almost 8 hours here in one day. Could easily spend two days here if you really take your time.

Pygmy hippos & Silverback Gorillas were having a wonderful day!

This place is beautiful and huge. It is definitely a workout to see everything but worth it.

They say it's the world's best zoo. It's all that and more. They are always improving and updating. I went with a wheelchair this time and it is extremelly well-designed for access.

Only negative is the cost - be prepared. In the positive side the value is there.

The world Famous is a crown jewel in this city. A MUST see and experience for the whole family. Wear comfortable shoes and be ready to experience animals at a premier care facility. These animals live better then most humans. They are part of the Global effort to end extinction in the wild and by your visiting you are helping to preserve species. If you love it and want to help all year just ask how. There are many ways to ensure the species survival. Enjoy and plan for at least 4 hours. The food is very good at the Zoo as well.

Beautiful. What a great place to take the kiddos. Learning about the amazing creatures in this world and how we can help protect them. Well maintained and organized. Didn't feel lost in the MASS AMOUNTS of people the zoo serves on a daily basis. Food and souvenirs were reasonably priced IMO. Would absolutely go here on the regular if we were local.

I have been reading about this is you since I was a child. It was as good as they say maybe even better.

Other than the heat, it was a great 4 hours. No summer crowds, plenty of parking. Saw 3 animal behaviors we had not seen before!!

My favorite zoo that I've visited. I purchased an annual pass.

Very well done zoo. So much to see! Paths are so varied and interesting, I love how they are screened from view from other guests and provide different views of the same animal area for the best viewing.

Several of the exhibits are empty or arw a repeat. Great to explore but not as good as it use to be.

A very fun experience had by all. If one were having to choose between the zoo and safari park, I d say purchase the pass to go to both!!! As there is no better way. We were able to go to both places within one day. Highly recommend for children and people of all ages. Bring your walking shoes!

As being the only zoo I'll ever probably be to, it's the best one and every trip I see new animals :)

Really great zoo. Lots to see and everything was fairly close so we were able to pack a lot in during the day. We spent the entire day there and brought lunch and snacks for the kids. Also rented a stroller (a must if you have little ones). We didn't get a chance to go on the double-decker bus but it looked like a lot of fun. A lot of the animals were out and about so we were able to get some really close-up looks.

Best zoo that i have ever been to. Been 3 times this year and find new stuff every time. Take the tram or just walk at your own pace. Avoid the weekends and is peaceful place for a great walk. Kids love the petting zoo and playgrounds

The annual pass is awesome! The best zoo I ve gone to.

This is an incredible Zoo!!! Put on your walking shoes. Also a good idea to go straight to the bus tour when you enter the zoo to get a general layout and tons of background information.

Always a great place. The orangutan exhibit never disappoints. The reptile exhibits are some times overlooked but are worth of checking them out.

I went as a chaperone for my school's third grade class trip. All the kids had a great time, enclosures were clean and well maintained, and all the animals appeared healthy. In addition, the private tour we did was amazing! Our guide was very knowledgeable and funny, and our kids enjoyed their behind-the-scenes look at their favorite exhibits.

Wow, this zoo is just so beautiful!! The setting of the park itself and all its plants and vegetation are so wel thought truh. The animals have big and clean habitats. And they sell beer wine margaritas and more

A really good zoo. If you live here and have a child, get the pass. If you visit, the admission price is high but worth it.

The best zoo. Beautiful exhibits. Perfect San Diego climate.

First time here, the tickets are really reasonable, they let us bring in backpacks which was great because we had drinks and snacks along the way, lots of people here ve prepared to walk alot, we took a tour on the bus as soon as we arrived thankful we did because we didn't reach most of the park on foot due to it being so massive, great friendly atmosphere lots of families and couples, perfect for both had such an amazing time I will be back thanx

They have a covid-19 to ask you questions now and then you get in line to pay for your ticket is very expensive so it's cheaper to buy a two day pass and go to the zoo one day and the wild safari park about an hour north or you can do two days at the zoo if you prefer it is a lot of walking bring a water bottle to refill bring some snacks cuz nothing in the zoo is cheap they do close the stores and restaurants early lots of primates big enclosures hadn't been in 20 something years loved it sore the next day from walking they could do better with their signage letting you know where things are and where the exit is

So big. Lots of walking. Very clean. The exhibits to see.

This place was amazing right from the get go. It took us two days to go through everything without rushing (a couple hours in the morning, a break, and a couple more in the afternoon). The price for a two day pass was very reasonable for how much there is and you get unlimited visits within those two days. I was happy to also learn about their conservation efforts and their work with endangered species.

The bird facility they have built was a lot of fun and very big. I think my daughter enjoyed that the most because of how close and intimate it could feel. It was exciting to have a bird swoop past you and be able to feel the wind of it in your hair.

The bus tour was very informative and gave some better views than walking from the top deck on the right seats (can't speak for the lower deck or the left seats) but it is definitely worth walking around as well. I wouldn't recommend the bus tour with a squirmy or restless kid under the age of 4 as there isn't a lot of room for that and they much prefer to get up close while walking and it can be just a bit too long for them at that age.

The San Diego zoo is always a classic. Beautiful Christmas decorations are up! My only complaint about the zoo would be how smelly The Flamingos can get, like really repulsively stinky. But still a great experience for the family!

Huge zoo so even if there are a lot of people it never felt crowded. Food is crazy expensive but you can bring in your own so that helps. It's all in the time of day whether or not the animals are out but when they are out they ate not at all phases by people and almost seem to play to the crowd.

Weather was great,little rain ,sun shining most of the day. the bird Avery's work were very very nice.all the birds were active an voicetress.