San Diego Zoo

San Diego Zoo: What to Prioritise in a Full Day

San Diego Zoo covers 100 acres of Balboa Park and houses around 3,500 animals across 650+ species. It is one of the larger zoos in the United States and requires a full day to see the main exhibits without rushing. Admission in 2024 runs USD 64 for adults, USD 54 for children 3-11, with discounts available for San Diego residents and military personnel. Book online in advance to avoid the ticket queue.

The zoo’s Conservation Science division has led successful breeding programs for multiple endangered species - the California condor recovery program, which brought the species back from 27 individuals in the wild in 1987, is the most well-known. Context on these programs is available throughout the exhibits and at the Hummingbird Aviary.

Which exhibits are worth the walk

The Canyon area in the central part of the zoo contains the giant panda exhibit. San Diego Zoo has housed giant pandas for decades and the program has produced successful captive births; check current status as panda loans from China rotate. The viewing area allows relatively close observation without the crowd crush found at some other panda facilities.

Elephant Odyssey, in the south part of the zoo, groups African and Asian elephants with an outdoor viewing area and accompanying paleontological context (the La Brea Tar Pits fossil record is referenced throughout). The enclosure is substantially larger than zoo elephant habitats from 30 years ago. The herd dynamics are observable from the main viewing platform.

Africa Rocks, opened in 2017, groups African penguins, meerkats, hamadryas baboons, and West African dwarf crocodiles in habitat-based sections. It is the most recently designed section of the zoo and the enclosures show it - more naturalistic planting, less concrete than the older areas. The penguin section maintains a colony that is involved in breeding programs for the critically threatened African penguin species.

Polar Bear Plunge has underwater viewing through glass panels at the base of the enclosure. The morning feeding demonstration (check current schedule at the main entrance board) draws crowds but is genuinely interesting.

Practical details

The Skyfari aerial tram runs from the Africa Rocks end to the main entrance and costs USD 5 per person. It is not worth the money for the view, but is useful if you have covered the far end of the zoo and have limited energy for the walk back. The terrain is hilly; comfortable footwear is not optional.

The Guided Bus Tour (USD 20 extra) gives a 35-minute overview of the entire zoo from a narrated tram. It does not allow you to stop but is useful for orienting yourself on arrival and identifying which sections to return to on foot.

The zoo opens at 09:00 daily; arriving at opening gets you the first 90 minutes before coach tour groups arrive. The big cat enclosures (lions, tigers, cheetahs) see the most animal movement in the first two hours of the day when the animals are most active.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park

The Safari Park, located 32 miles north in Escondido (about 45 minutes by car), is a separate facility on 1,800 acres with animals in larger, less confined spaces. An Africa Tram ride across the savanna landscape is the main draw. It requires a separate admission (USD 64 adults) and a full additional day. The two facilities are operated by the same organisation but are distinct destinations; trying to do both in one day is not recommended.