San Diego Zoo V Safari Park

[marvel]

Just wondering if any AusDissers have been to either park and their experiences. I have checked the other DIS threads but want an Aussie perspective. We have a pretty awesome Zoo in Melbourne and Sydney but have heard good things about the Backstage tour of the San Diego zoo where you get to pet a Rhino.

Anyone been to either zoo or safari park?

 

[WanderlustNZ]

I have been to the zoo but not the safari park.

I've been to zoos all around the world and thought the San Diego one was one of the better ones. There was even one animal there that I hadn't previously heard of before (bearcat).
The zoo is quite hilly, but there are also quite a few ways to get around the zoo without walking (a bus tour, aerial gondolas, and from memory even some escalators which I found quite amusing).

We did San Diego zoo as a day trip from L.A. and I wouldn't recommend that. Too long of a day. But if you're in San Diego, I think it's definitely worthy of a visit.

 

[Caroline NZ]

We have also just been to the zoo and not the park. I would think a visit to the zoo is worthwhile, we enjoyed our day there

 

[miss.potatohead]

I too have been to the zoo, but not park. I was a bit annoyed that we were going 'to another zoo' instead of spending another day at the Disney parks (took a group bus tour to the zoo from Anaheim) but it was a pretty good day. Lots of animals, even a few Australian species and we certainly did a lot of walking that day. There is a cool double-decker bus tour that drives you around the outside of the park and the gondolas as previously mentioned. And yes yes yes the escalators haha they were very much appreciated going up a steep hill.

 

[PrincessInOz]

I haven't been to the zoo in years...but it is one of THE best zoos in the world.

The Park? I was last there in 2008.

If you haven't been to either the Zoo or the Park and this is the first time, I would choose the zoo. It really is a terrific zoo and Balboa Park is gorgeous. The zoo is set on and in between two inclines; rather like being in a shallow gorge. So, the setting is quite different.


Check out the museums at Balboa Park and see if there are any you want to do as well, if you have time.


The African animals are at the Park and I can't remember if there are any real close encounters i.e., feeding/petting. But you can do close encounters at Werribee Park Zoo?
The Park is out near Escondido and if you have a car, it should take you about 45 minutes from SD to get there. There are a couple of wineries along the drive close to the Park. I didn't do any of the close encounter safari rides; just the general one and caught the bird show.

 

[marvel]

awesome. We are staying in SD for 5 nights, and i think the zoo and sea world will be on the list. We went to SD 5 years ago, but the kids only remember bits and pieces and we didnt go to the zoo.

I also had the thoughts of, oh no not another zoo, but from all reports the SD zoo seems to get rave reviews.