Must See at the San Diego Zoo?

[j9psu]

So I need some help. I'm getting flack from my family because I'm insisting on a day at the San Diego Zoo. Not sure why, because who doesn't love a good zoo, right?! Anyway, I want to arm myself with tips and info. about what we absolutely must see in order to make our visit the best it can be. I want to prove to them that this wasn't a waste of a day. In fact, I'd love for them to look back on it as one of the best parts of our trip! We'll also be visiting Legoland, Santa Cruz and San Fransico. Thanks for your help!

 

[sonnyjane]

Hooray for the zoo! (I work there, so I'm a bit biased lol).

I usually recommend that you start your day off with the bus-tour (included with most tickets), which is a 40 minute tour that shows you most of the zoo. Then, you can go back and see the specific exhibits that excite you. The zoo is huge, so this is a good way to get a general idea and cover a lot of ground without walking too much in the beginning.

An absolute must-see is the pandas. Only 4 zoos in the country have pandas, so be sure to see them. Now that summer is over, the line is not nearly as long (could be more than an hour in the summer!), but still hit them earlier in your day (pre-lunch) to maximize your time. They do also offer "Inside Look" tours that cost a bit more, but get you on a small 10-person golf cart, so it's more personalized. You also get to stop and feed animals (which ones will vary), so it's a nice way to ensure a more memorable trip, but certainly don't feel it's necessary - just something to look into on the website if you're interested.

We also have LOTS of babies around the zoo! We had two baby giraffes born this year, so check them out in Urban Jungle across from the rhinos. We also have two baby twin tigers. Right now, they are only on exhibit in the morning (go in around lunchtime) so be sure to ask when you arrive about their schedule. We also have a baby hippo that is on exhibit half of the time, so hopefully you luck out and come on a day that he's out with mom.

Elephant Odyssey is one of the newest areas in the zoo (opened May 2009) so spend some time there as well. Polar Bear Plunge is a newly redesigned exhibit that opened last year with lots of interactive parts for kids, so check that out as well - very cute.

I actually like the food in the zoo a lot, but you are always allowed to leave and come back later in the day if you wanted to eat somewhere else.

Let me know if you have any more questions!

 

[j9psu]

Thank you so much for the recommendations! They will be a huge help. You have definitely gotten me started on a game plan for the day. Thanks! Now I'm even MORE excited to visit the zoo!

 

[Camonkeygirl]

In addition to the babies that Sonnyjane mentioned - there is a baby sloth, baby silver leafed langur (primate), young koalas, baby takin (adorable mammal). The baby tigers go in at noon right now.

There is a great insect house in the Children's Zoo which is kinda cool, even if you don't care much for insects. The best time to go see the pandas is either before 11 or after 3:30 if you want to spend time with them, without crowds. I usually recommend after 4 as that is about the time they get fed their dinner and you are most likely to see them awake. Polar Bears are most active in the morning when they come out.

I also work at the Zoo, so I may be a bit biased too.

If you like elephants though, the San Diego Zoo's Safari Park has had 7 or 8 babies born in the last 6 years. They focus more on African Animals

 

[j9psu]

A slightly less critical question for you awesome zoo insiders... where should we eat while visiting the zoo? It's great connecting with people in the know!

 

[sonnyjane]

A slightly less critical question for you awesome zoo insiders... where should we eat while visiting the zoo? It's great connecting with people in the know!

For sandwiches, the new "Sandwich Co." near the front is really good. Sabertooth Grill in Elephant Odyssey is really good too, and for Asian food, the Canyon Cafe near pandas is pretty yummy.

 

[Camonkeygirl]

A slightly less critical question for you awesome zoo insiders... where should we eat while visiting the zoo? It's great connecting with people in the know!

There is also the Treehouse Cafe which has sandwiches, hot dishes and Salads. If you want a really nice restaurant - I recommend Alberts. it is a bit on the expensive side, but the food is great, and you have the choice to sit inside the restaurant or outside on the patio. This is the only restaurant that has table service too

 

[Squirrel!!!]

I do not work at the zoo, but am a frequent flyer since I live less than 15 minutes away.

My favorites are the Galapagos tortoises and the Takins, oh, and the Tapirs.

The tortoises are just magical, some of them are estimated to be older than 100 years of age. How can that be....I must see them each time.

The Takins are right as you get off the sky-ride and look like Dr. Seuss invented them. Cute and bizarre and worth a look.

Tapirs are along Tiger river and are huge and pig-like kind of. I just like them.

I usually eat the Pad Thai down near the pandas when I go. It really bears no resemblence to actual Pad Thai since I think it is made with spaghetti pasta, but it is edible.

Have fun at the zoo, and do not allow your family to be spoil sports!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Camonkeygirl]

I do not work at the zoo, but am a frequent flyer since I live less than 15 minutes away.

My favorites are the Galapagos tortoises and the Takins, oh, and the Tapirs.

The tortoises are just magical, some of them are estimated to be older than 100 years of age. How can that be....I must see them each time.

The Takins are right as you get off the sky-ride and look like Dr. Seuss invented them. Cute and bizarre and worth a look.

Tapirs are along Tiger river and are huge and pig-like kind of. I just like them.

I usually eat the Pad Thai down near the pandas when I go. It really bears no resemblence to actual Pad Thai since I think it is made with spaghetti pasta, but it is edible.

Have fun at the zoo, and do not allow your family to be spoil sports!!!!!!!!!!

The Takins are now on Center Street, just west of the pandas. They were moved to be part of the new Panda Trek exhibit, since they live in the same area as the pandas in China. Some of the Tortoises were adult size when the Zoo received them in the 1920's, which is why they are estimated to be over a 100 years old. If you look at the numbers painted on the shells, look for the lower numbers for the older tortoises.

 

[Squirrel!!!]

The Takins are now on Center Street, just west of the pandas. They were moved to be part of the new Panda Trek exhibit, since they live in the same area as the pandas in China. Some of the Tortoises were adult size when the Zoo received them in the 1920's, which is why they are estimated to be over a 100 years old. If you look at the numbers painted on the shells, look for the lower numbers for the older tortoises.

Wow, I didn't know the Takins had been moved. I haven't been to the zoo since August, I guess. I hope their position makes them more "popular" since they are really amazing and with their location before they seemed kind of on the way to elsewhere...an after thought.

Thanks for letting me know.

 

[Camonkeygirl]

Wow, I didn't know the Takins had been moved. I haven't been to the zoo since August, I guess. I hope their position makes them more "popular" since they are really amazing and with their location before they seemed kind of on the way to elsewhere...an after thought.

Thanks for letting me know.

Your welcome.

They are getting a lot of attention now, especially since they have the baby that was born at the beginning of summer. Their new exhibit actually is part of the hill side so it is cool seeing them walk around in the trees. There is also a red panda (young female) and a pit viper in the new Panda Trek area, as well as the new entrance into the panda exhibit.

 

[mjmcnns]

On a similar note to the OP....my GF and I will have about 5 hours at the Zoo in early December. Any recommendations for the best way to go about experiencing the zoo in that time frame?

 

[sonnyjane]

On a similar note to the OP....my GF and I will have about 5 hours at the Zoo in early December. Any recommendations for the best way to go about experiencing the zoo in that time frame?

With only 5 hours, DEFINITELY take advantage of the bus tour to cover a fair amount of ground in a short time. Then spend the other 4 hours at the big exhibits like pandas, elephants, hippos, gorillas - things that you can't see very well from the bus tour.

 

[Camonkeygirl]

On a similar note to the OP....my GF and I will have about 5 hours at the Zoo in early December. Any recommendations for the best way to go about experiencing the zoo in that time frame?

Also, depending on when you are going, we will start our Jungle Bells Promotion on Dec. 9, which means we will close at 8 instead of 5.

I too vote for the bus tour, but depending on the time of day, there may be a long line or a long period of time before the next bus will leave. I usually suggest going up to the loading area, and ask when the next bus will be leaving, and if you have a bit, then walk around and see the Primates, right by the entrance to the bus. Also, take a minute or two and look at the map, make sure to see animals that you want to see.

SonnyJane - it was good to see you this morning.

 

[mjmcnns]

The bus tour, is that different from what is described here: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/zoo/special/discovery_tour

We'll be there Dec 6 most likely, so not quite in time for the holiday hours.

I suspect I know the answer to this question given the audience, but if the choice is to spend a full day at one park and 5 hours at the other, which would you do the full day: SeaWorld or Zoo?

 

[Camonkeygirl]

The bus tour, is that different from what is described here: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/zoo/special/discovery_tour

We'll be there Dec 6 most likely, so not quite in time for the holiday hours.

I suspect I know the answer to this question given the audience, but if the choice is to spend a full day at one park and 5 hours at the other, which would you do the full day: SeaWorld or Zoo?

The tour you linked to is an upgrade from the regular tour. It is good because they can personalize is a bit more than the regular tour, and only holds a very small limited amount (I think 9 or 10 is the max). The regular tour bus is about 30 minutes in length, and the bus is about 100 people http://www.sandiegozoo.org/zoo/plan_your_trip/activities. I have not done the Discovery tour, but have heard a lot of great things. The difference is that the regular bus is included with all of our admission tickets, where as you would have to pay an additional $39 for the Discovery tour. Usually when guests ask me how long it takes to see the Zoo, my answer is 4 - 6 hours minimum, because it depends on what you want to do. For the time of year you will be here, our hours will be 9 - 5.

As far as which park to spend the full day at, I prefer the Zoo. But I also understand that for some people Seaworld is where they want to be. I would check out their web page and look at what there is to do and make your decisions that way. Seaworld can be good, but it is mostly about the shows. Depending on the day, they have limited schedules, and the shows will fill up very quickly, which you will need to consider also. I do like going to the different aquariums that they have, but the polar bears (which we also have at the Zoo) and the penguins (which we do not have), along with the Pets Rules Show are on my must do list. For Seaworld, I have spent as little as an hour there and at the most 10 hours - depending on the time of year, and what is going on (I do have a membership to Seaworld, so it does not cost extra for me to go in for an hour). For the time you are going to be here, it looks like Seaworld will be open 10 - 5

 

[blamar]

for me the zoo fav's are the Koalas, Gorillas and Pandas. Tree house is the best place for adults to eat. And my all time fav thing to do is travel across the valley in the cable cars.