OT: Knotts or San Diego Zoo?

[TigerBear]

If you could only go to one, which would you go to?

I am planning what will likely be my only trip to the L.A. area (with 4 other adults). We plan on doing the following:

tour of Beverly Hills and Hollywood
Universal Studios
NBC Studios Tour
Descanso Gardens
2.5 days at DLR
Day trip to Catalina Island

We have one more day that will either be spent at Knott's Berry Farm or San Diego Zoo. We like animals (Animal Kingdom is one of my favorite WDW parks), but we also really enjoy rides. How to decide?



I would appreciate any opinions
THANK YOU!

 

[JenniferWooster]

I would go for the San Diego Zoo since you like animals and it one of the most fantastic zoos you'll ever see. I like Knott's ok, but it isn't as nice IMHO compared to the other amusement parks and you are already going to them so I would go for the variety. San Diego is a bit of a drive and so plan it on a day you feel refeshed or even spend the night down there. Also, ask the locals for the traffic so you choose a day when traffic won't be too bad. Have fun!

Jenn

 

[Tink33]

What time of year is your trip?

My first choice is San Diego Wild Animal Park (if you enjoy animals out in the open like at Animal Kingdom). They also offer a photo caravan and you can even sleep with the animals at Roar and Snore.

Wild Animal Park Link


The San Diego Zoo is fantastic too.

San Diego Zoo Link

You can see the pandas, polar bears, hippos and koalas as well as lots of other animals. The zoo also offers a sleepover.


If you are coming during rainy season, I would choose Knotts Berry Farm.

 

[TigerBear]

When is the rainy season? We will be in Cali in mid-March.

Thanks JenniferWooster and Tink33. Any other opinions?

 

[year2late]

San Diego Zoo is truly special. Adjoining the zoo is Balboa Park which is filled with museums and artsy-fartsy shops. My son is a model train fanatic and they have a great model train museum.

Knotts is ok, but San Diego Zoo is great.

 

[Douglas Dubh]

For just one day, I would probably stay close to DLR, either hit Knott's or the Wild Animal Park. It would be a very long day to drive down to San Diego, see the zoo, and drive back. I doubt you'd have much time to see Balboa park. If you're going to be in San Diego for a couple of days, it's definitely worth hitting the zoo, but personally, I preferred Sea World.

 

[Amy1013]

TigerBear,

As far as the rainy season in California goes, January and February are typically the heaviest months for rain. March can get wet too, although it's more 50/50 as compared to the first two months of the year. I have to agree with Douglas Dubh- the San Diego zoo is great and definitely worth a visit, but if you are only planning to spend one day in San Diego, it would be going out of your way to visit and you should probably stick with Knott's. It's a two hour drive down to San Diego from Disneyland- you'd have to consider whether you really want to drive that long (and back again?) for a day visit to the zoo. Although I'd definitely recommend the zoo to anyone who has a little more time to spend down in that area.

Amy

 

[TigerBear]

Thanks everyone! That is a long commute for a day!

So it sounds like the Wild Animal Park is closer to DL? Has anyone been to both the Wild Animal Park and Animal Kingdom at WDW? The themeing at Animal Kingdom is so fantastic that I'm scared that I would be dissapointed with another wild animal park.

 

[Amy1013]

I haven't been to WDW Animal Kingdom, so I can't compare it, but I have been to the Wild Animal Park many times and it's a pretty cool place- although I can't say it has much in the way of "themeing"- certainly not anything like a Disney park does. Basically, the set up with the Wild Animal Park is the attempt to be as close to the animal's natural environment as possible. The main attraction there, and the majority of the park is seen this way, is a monorail tour which takes about 50 minutes and encircles the park's many acres of open exhibits in which the animals roam freely (well, there is a fence, lol). The idea is to view the animals natural behaviors while not being enclosed in small areas. There is an area of the park also, not on the monorail tour, where there are smaller exhibits and a few animal shows, plus the restaurants and shops. There is a nice area called the Heart of Africa, which is all outdoors and showcases cheetahs especially, but it's mostly a big outdoor exhibit you hike through- the landscaping here and all over the park is beautiful. It totally doesn't compare to a Disney type experience, but is lovely and you can spend a nice, full day there (although there isn't as much to see as at the San Diego zoo overall). However, while it's closer in distance to DL, you can still count on about an hour and fifteen minute or so drive from Anaheim to Escondido (the city where the park is located).

Amy

 

[Douglas Dubh]

The aquarium at Long Beach is supposed to be pretty nice, and much closer to Anaheim.

 

[LuvTigger]

Personally, I wouldn't go down to San Diego unless I was spending the night there. I really love it there, and there are lots of beautiful places to see, but driving time for a round trip would take at least 3-4 hours out of the day. Maybe you could talk to your travelling partners and consider spending a night or 2 there? There are really lots of neat things to see and do there.

I've been to both Animal Kingdom and Wild Animal Park. I don't really want to say that one is better than the other, because they're both great in their own way, but Wild Animal Park is really not like Animal Kingdom as far as theming goes. Like Amy said, it allows people to see animals interacting together in as natural an environment as possible.

I like San Diego Zoo and the Animal Park, but I think for a first time visitor I would recommend the Zoo first, because it is so well known, and it has so many animals, and is really a nice place. Just be prepared to do lots of walking. There is also a double-decker bus tour.

Someone else mentioned Sea World, which might be a good comprimise. It is very different from the Sea World in Orlando, it's right along the bay. There are several rides there, plus the sea life shows.