San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo is one of the most famous zoos in the world and regularly ranks among the top 10 best zoos worldwide. So, if you plan a visit to California, you shouldn’t miss this gem.

The San Diego Zoo is the most visited facility in the United States and one of the best zoos in the world. It covers an area of ​​40 hectares and is home to more than 3,700 animals representing more than 650 species. The San Diego Zoo is a pioneer in naturalistic exhibits. It was one of the first zoos to abandon traditional cages and create natural habitats for animals. Thanks to this, you will not only see the locals in their more natural environment but also have the opportunity to get even closer to them.

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Where to find the San Diego Zoo?

The San Diego Zoo is located in the heart of Balboa Park in downtown San Diego, California, USA. Its location makes it easily accessible by both car and public transportation. If you fly into San Diego International Airport, the zoo is approximately a 15-minute drive away.

About the San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo has a rich history dating back to 1916, when it was founded after the success of the Panama-California Exposition of 1915–1916. Inspired by the abandoned exotic animal exhibits from the exposition, Dr. Harry M. Wegeforth decided to create a permanent zoo in Balboa Park. In 1921, a permanent site was set aside for the zoo, and a year later, the animals began to be moved to its current location. Since then, the zoo has been constantly growing and innovating to provide the best conditions for animals and visitors.

The San Diego Zoo is guided by a philosophy of conservation and public education. As an international non-profit organization, it focuses on integrating animal care, science, and education to develop sustainable solutions for the protection of endangered species. Their mission is to inspire people to love nature and support global efforts to preserve biodiversity.

Animals at the San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo is home to more than 3,700 animals representing over 650 species and subspecies, all on an area of ​​40 hectares. The individual parts of the park are then divided into natural areas with names such as “Northern Frontier”, “Asian Passage”, “African Rockies”, “Lost Forest” or “Inland”. In addition, you will find some animal species together for the most part, regardless of their original habitat. For example, bears are placed close to each other, except for polar bears, which can be found in the freezing section of the “Northern Frontier”.

The animal enclosures are modern, mostly without cages, which are replaced here by glass and various natural obstacles. The paths through the zoo are winding, imaginative, and interwoven with a variety of interesting plants and natural features. You may easily pass under a waterfall or find yourself on a high footbridge a few meters above the animal enclosures.

Pandas

Seeing a panda outside of China is a rarity. At the beginning of 2024, this animal was not on loan from China to a single zoo in the US (the last panda was taken from San Diego in 2019). Until August, when political relations between the two countries finally settled and pandas Yun Chuan and Xin Bao were brought back to San Diego. After a month of acclimatization, the panda enclosures were then opened to visitors. We were in the area in November, so we could not miss the opportunity to visit these creatures.

Everyone wants to see pandas, and there are queues because access to them is strictly limited. So even if you have bought a ticket to the zoo, it is still not guaranteed that you will see them at all. You have several options to choose from:

• Buy early morning access, when you get to the pandas first before regular visitors are allowed in. In addition, this tour is guided, so you will learn many interesting things. The big disadvantage of this service is that it is much more expensive than the ticket to the zoo itself, which, by the way, is not included in the price and you have to buy it anyway.
• Reservation of access to the panda enclosure for a certain time. As soon as you pass through the entrance gate to the zoo, you will see a large banner with a picture of a panda and a QR code for the reservation system. I recommend downloading it immediately and choosing a date that suits you. This reservation is free and with it, you will get guaranteed access to the panda quarters for about 10-15 minutes.
• You can queue by simply arriving at the panda exhibit and seeing two lines, one for those who have made a reservation in advance and the other for everyone else within the allowed number. If the reservations are full, you can easily stand here for hours.

So when you get to the pandas, the staff will warn you to be as quiet as possible. No talking or shouting is allowed here, which is understandable. In addition, you will be asked to always move slowly so that everyone can get to the animals one by one. And if you are “lucky” like us, you will only see a furry, motionless ball of a sleeping teddy bear.

TIP: You can also see the pandas from the "Bashore bridge". They can be seen from here without any restrictions and if you bring binoculars or use the zoom function on your mobile phone, you will have a lot of fun watching their tricks.

Koalas

The Koala Bear is another representative of the cutest animal species at this zoo. And San Diego has something to be proud of. You won’t find just a few individuals representing this species here, but the largest koala colony outside of Australia. There are dozens of them living here, and the local facility is doing well with their reproduction and breeding.

Access to koalas is not restricted like with pandas. These are enclosures similar to those that other animals in the zoo have. The only difference is that males have their own enclosure and females with cubs also have their own. They are territorial animals and this separation prevents any fights.

The path between the koala enclosures is also elevated. These bears like to rest in trees and can be observed more easily this way.

Monkeys

The monkey enclosures in this zoo intrigued us and kept us entertained for a long time. The path to their enclosures is overgrown, so you are hidden from the extremes of the weather and most importantly, it is 2-level, so you can observe the monkey tricks of the local inhabitants, both from the ground and from the footbridge that leads above your head.

As for the representatives of this species, you can find almost everything you can think of here, from small monkeys to the popular lemurs and chimpanzees to the majestic baboons, gorillas, and orangutans. The enclosures of all of them are beautiful, and large and the animals live mostly in colonies.

Polar bears

The San Diego Zoo is home to three playful polar bears (and a new cub). They can be found in the freezing part of the zoo called the Northern Frontier. One of the best places to observe polar bears is definitely the underwater observation room. Here they swim around happily in the water and you are separated from the bears only by thick glass.

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Attractions and other entertainment options

The San Diego Zoo facility offers a wide range of attractions that allow visitors to get to know wild animals from other angles. What’s more, most of these activities are already included in the basic admission price. And what else can you experience at this animal park in Southern California?

Skyfari Cable Car

Cable cars at the zoo are not very common, although they can be found in various animal parks all over the world. The cable car in San Diego is an open cabin that provides a view not only of the zoo from above but also of the surrounding area of ​​Balboa Park and part of the city. In addition, it is a great shortcut to get from one end of the area to the other. There is no charge for the cable car ride, it is already included in the admission price. It is in operation daily, the only exception may be adverse weather when it does not run for safety reasons.

Guided bus tour

As you walk through the zoo, you cannot help but notice the double-decker buses with tourists passing by you. And you will also have the chance to participate in such a tour. The bus platform can be found a short distance from the entrance to the zoo. Tours take place daily at various intervals of 15 minutes – 1 hour, depending on the current occupancy of the zoo. During the ride, you will not only listen to an interesting and humorous explanation from the guide, but you will also have the chance to see the animals from a different perspective.

Guided double-decker bus tours are available for a fee and are included in the basic admission price.

Wildlife Show at Wegeforth Bowl

Every day at 2 p.m., the Wegeforth Bowl Amphitheater hosts a show where wildlife specialists introduce you to some of the species that the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance supports around the world. You’ll meet wild animals—from the Amazon to California—and learn what each of us can do to help protect the wildlife in the world we all share. The show is included in the price of basic admission.

4D Cinema

Who doesn’t love a movie, and this one’s in 4D. You can get to this show, which is not about animals, for a fee of 8 USD (paid directly in front of the cinema. Or you can have the entrance here purchased in advance as part of the entrance fee, when the ticket price is 1 USD cheaper.

Admission prices and how to save

The price of the basic entrance fee for visiting the San Diego Zoo is approximately $76 (11/2024). The discount for a child (3-11 years) is minimal approximately $10, children under 3 years are free and you would be hard-pressed to find something like a family ticket here. The price includes entrance to the zoo, the opportunity to see pandas, a cable car ride, and a guided bus tour. Of course, there are some things that you can pay extra for if you are interested. Whether it is a 4D cinema or various packages with VIP access to the animals.

Tips on how to save on admission to the San Diego Zoo:

• Buy tickets online and choose from the so-called “Value dates” in the calendar, i.e. less busy days.
• Combined multi-day tickets to several animal parks are cheaper. For example, San Diego Zoo + San Diego Zoo Safari Park or San Diego Zoo + San Diego Zoo Safari Park + SeaWorld San Diego.
• Look for flyers in the hotel and at information booths in the city and surrounding areas, they often have a discount coupon.
• The park occasionally lists discount events, a month before our arrival it was posted that for every paying adult, a child under 11 years old gets in for $1 (instead of the original $66). Therefore, keep an eye on the park’s website, especially during a significant date such as Black Friday, Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, or Veterans Day.
• Get a “flyer” for local attractions. For example, with the San Diego City Pass or GoCity Pass San Diego, you get free admission to certain attractions for a certain number of days, including the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, SeaWorld San Diego, Legoland, or the USS Midway Museum. The downside is that the fewer attractions you visit during the paid days, the less you save. But if you’re an action-oriented person, go for it.
• Discounted admission is often offered by intermediaries, such as Get Your Guide or Undercover Tourist.
• Additional discounts can be found on discount portals such as Groupon.com

Our other tips, advice, and observations

• The ideal time to visit the zoo is on a weekday, outside of holidays and public holidays. This way you save yourself some stress because despite the high admission price, the San Diego Zoo is one of the busiest places in the USA and the enclosures can be quite crowded.
• The parking lot at the zoo is large and there is no charge for parking. It can still be crowded on the busiest days, so you have to expect that.
• There is a wifi signal throughout the zoo, so it is good to have the official app with a map downloaded on your mobile phone to help you not get lost.
• Toilets are on every corner, they are large, and clean, with changing areas.
• In order not to carry around an unnecessarily large drink package, you can take a refillable bottle with you, where you can refill your water whenever you need it. There are fountains for filling bottles in the zoo, but there are few of them, so plan your stops in advance. The official map of the zoo on your mobile phone will help you.
• At several places in the zoo, you will be forced to have your photo taken, and then when you leave the attraction you will be offered a set of photos as a souvenir. The price is high and if you don’t want to, you don’t have to buy your photos.
• Don’t forget to pack sunglasses, sunscreen and maybe a cooling towel. All attractions are outdoors and the California sun can be treacherous.

But our biggest advice is – come for the opening, stay until closing, and enjoy it! The San Diego Zoo is simply beautiful and worth it.

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