4 hours to spend at San Diego Zoo...help me prioritize!

[8lovesmickey]

I haven't been to the San Diego Zoo since I was a kid; this week I will be at a conference in San Diego and have free time one of the days for about 5 hours. Leaving some time to get there and back (staying at Hotel Palomar) I figure I will have four quality hours at the zoo. I have already bought and printed a ticket online (with a AAA discount) so I can avoid that line.

Tell me what to do with my time. I have looked around the zoo's website but still don't know where to start. I do want to see the pandas for sure, but other than that I love animals in general and would be up for whatever. It's just me - one adult, capable of getting around at a pretty good pace. Do I start with the guided tour? Or something else? Then what? I will also be there over the lunch hour - I can probably just grab a snack but would love recommendations about that as well.

Thanks for whatever info you can give me! Looking forward to some great California time!

 

[Camonkeygirl]

I haven't been to the San Diego Zoo since I was a kid; this week I will be at a conference in San Diego and have free time one of the days for about 5 hours. Leaving some time to get there and back (staying at Hotel Palomar) I figure I will have four quality hours at the zoo. I have already bought and printed a ticket online (with a AAA discount) so I can avoid that line.

Tell me what to do with my time. I have looked around the zoo's website but still don't know where to start. I do want to see the pandas for sure, but other than that I love animals in general and would be up for whatever. It's just me - one adult, capable of getting around at a pretty good pace. Do I start with the guided tour? Or something else? Then what? I will also be there over the lunch hour - I can probably just grab a snack but would love recommendations about that as well.

Thanks for whatever info you can give me! Looking forward to some great California time!

You might look at the Discovery Tour. It is an additional $39 for the ticket, but will be more of a personalized tour. There are 8 people on the cart total, and the guide will personalize the tour depending on what the most popular of the guests. They will also take you inside the panda exhibit through the exit, which can save time.

If you don't want to do this, my suggestion is to go see the pandas first, so that you miss the line, which can be over 30 minutes long at times, then take the bus. While waiting for the bus, look at the map, and go for the animals you don't want to miss. There are baby Jaguars in Elephant Odyssey right now, born at the end of April, a baby Giraffe in Urban Jungle that is about 3 weeks old right now (and another one on the way), just a couple of suggestions. Also the keeper talks are usually about 10 minutes, and can be a great photo op with an animal you may not see any where else in the Zoo.

 

[rsleleux]

We went in May and was there before it opened (15mins) after ropedrop went straight to Pandas, they were munching on some bamboo and we stayed there for a while then rode the bus around the zoo, then took the sky tram to the other side of the park after that we walked to the kiddie playground. We spent 4 hours 9-1 and saw a good bit but we all had our tennis shoes on and we ate a big breakfast before and ate lunch in Balboa Park after. we saw alot of animals and it was a great day! Pandas first definitely made all the difference in our time! We walked through a trail, it was a path to the right and there was a waterfall, to get to the Pandas. I cant remember the name but maybe Camonkeygirl or Sonnyjane can help you with that? Have Fun!

 

[Camonkeygirl]

We went in May and was there before it opened (15mins) after ropedrop went straight to Pandas, they were munching on some bamboo and we stayed there for a while then rode the bus around the zoo, then took the sky tram to the other side of the park after that we walked to the kiddie playground. We spent 4 hours 9-1 and saw a good bit but we all had our tennis shoes on and we ate a big breakfast before and ate lunch in Balboa Park after. we saw alot of animals and it was a great day! Pandas first definitely made all the difference in our time! We walked through a trail, it was a path to the right and there was a waterfall, to get to the Pandas. I cant remember the name but maybe Camonkeygirl or Sonnyjane can help you with that? Have Fun!

It is called Fern Trail, and located right behind the Tours and Tickets Booth.