San Diego Zoo in the morning or in the evening

[Baxhappyplace]

We have two options to do San Diego Zoo in the middle of July. We can either get there around 12pm-1pm (the day we drive from Anaheim) and stay until it closes or we can do the zoo another day (the day we leave San Diego) and get there before it opens. The day we get there in the morning we would have to leave around 2pm to drive back to AZ. I have read that when it gets hot you don't get to see the animals or they are not active (something like that) so if we get there midday when would they be better to view? 5pm? I don't want to be walking around for hours with nothing really to look at. I haven't been to this zoo since I was a kid so I don't know what to do. Need suggestions please.

 

[Kruuzin]

I don't know if the time of year will make a difference, but when we went in the middle of April the zoo was packed first thing in the morning. By the time the middle of the afternoon rolled around there were significantly less people there.

 

[Purrkins]

In July you have the wonderful option of the Zoo at Night - stays open until 9 pm.

I'd actually do the zoo from something like 2- 9 PM or even better, 5 - 9 PM. It gets "hot" (well, not AZ hot) in July and lots of animals are more active in the early morning or early evening.

But there are plenty of indoor enclosures to see and the grounds are stunning as well.

Crowds are pretty thick about an hour after opening until around 4/5 pm.

Weekdays are always better. Cloudy rainy weekdays, the best.

 

[summerw]

In July you have the wonderful option of the Zoo at Night - stays open until 9 pm.

I'd actually do the zoo from something like 2- 9 PM or even better, 5 - 9 PM. It gets "hot" (well, not AZ hot) in July and lots of animals are more active in the early morning or early evening.

But there are plenty of indoor enclosures to see and the grounds are stunning as well.

Crowds are pretty thick about an hour after opening until around 4/5 pm.

Weekdays are always better. Cloudy rainy weekdays, the best.

Good post. I agree with it all.