San Diego Zoo v. Zoo Safari Park

[BlueChariot]

We are leaving on Sunday for a short stay at San Diego, to which we've never been. We are arriving on the 20th and have only the 21st and 22nd in San Diego before we head to Anaheim on the 23rd.

So my question is, given the limited time we have, can we do both the Zoo and Safari Park in one day? If not, which would you choose to do with a 16 month old??

Thanks!!!

 

[Rhonna]

Personally, I wouldn't try it. Both are large and take time. Some people don't realize they are not near each other. It's 30 miles outside San Diego to get to the safari park but you have to consider the traffic getting into and out of San Diego. We made the mistake of coming back into San Diego during rush hour - awful! We just left when the park closed and didn't think too much about how bad it could be.

The winter hours for your dates are:

Zoo: 9am - 8pm

Safari park: 9am - 6pm

Maybe someone with experience in the area might know how to manage both in one day. But I really think you will be pushing to get both done and may not enjoy either park if you feel rushed, especially with a little one. They both need a full day. Especially if you've never been (and even if you have).

I would personally really recommend the zoo. It is top notch, really beautiful and great enclosures for the animals. A large zoo with a LOT of variety of animals. Also, if you did happen to end early, Balboa Park is right there - the zoo is actually considered part of it.

There are activities for families with children too:

http://www.balboapark.org/visit/kids

If you go to the zoo with a little one, I would recommend paying the extra to take their tram around. You can get on and off at points. I remember the hike up to the polar bears was a HIKE.

The zoo website has an activity page for children:

http://kids.sandiegozoo.org/

There are also special experiences you can pay extra for to get up close with some of the animals.

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/zoo/index.php

There are only three zoos in the US with pandas. San Diego (has three), Atlanta and Memphis. (The Smithsonian in D.C. was suppose to give back their panda in 2010.)

I would happily go back repeatedly to the zoo. If I was told I couldn't go back to the safari park it wouldn't bother me.

This map may give you an idea of the scope of the zoo:

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/zoo/zoo_map

If you download the pdf file of the map and enlarge it you will see on the far left down low there is a petting zoo and a Fisher-Price discovery playground for little ones. There are several "theaters" with live shows during the day.

 

[Huff]

No way can both be done in a day. Both are large parks. The zoo is one of the largest in the country and has a few shows to see besides the animals.

The safari park is about 35 miles north of the zoo. They are both excellent but also different experiences. The zoo is much larger and far more animal exhibits. There are double decker bus trams that take you around the zoo. Highly recommended as its rather large to try to walk the entire zoo. Theres also an sky tram that connect two sections of the zoo.

The safari park isn't as large but has more animal interactions, shows and the ability to see animals much closer and in natural environments compared with the zoo. There is an excellent tram tour that takes you through open safari areas to see some of the animals.

One isn't better than the other. Depends on what type of experience you enjoy more. One thing to note, it will be about 10-15 degrees warmer at the safari park. That could be good or bad depending on weather.

 

[Rhonna]

No way can both be done in a day. Both are large parks. The zoo is one of the largest in the country and has a few shows to see besides the animals.

The safari park is about 35 miles north of the zoo. They are both excellent but also different experiences. The zoo is much larger and far more animal exhibits. There are double decker bus trams that take you around the zoo. Highly recommended as its rather large to try to walk the entire zoo. Theres also an sky tram that connect two sections of the zoo.

The safari park isn't as large but has more animal interactions, shows and the ability to see animals much closer and in natural environments compared with the zoo. There is an excellent tram tour that takes you through open safari areas to see some of the animals.

One isn't better than the other. Depends on what type of experience you enjoy more. One thing to note, it will be about 10-15 degrees warmer at the safari park. That could be good or bad depending on weather.

We kind of felt the safari park was not quite what we expected since the train ride around the park was quite a distance from most of the animals. You needed a pair of binoculars. The only closer encounters I can remember were the walk through aviary (be prepared for poop) but I think the zoo has that too. And there may have been an insect up-close encounter also.

The zoo has shows to see the animals closer, the exhibits let you see them closer up and I think they have done an amazing job of making the exhibits feel like the real thing rather than a concrete enclosure at older zoos, etc. The San Diego Zoo is one of the best in the country. I think especially with a small child that OP will do better at the zoo. The child can see the animals very close. I just was surprised how far away (or in hiding) the animals were at the safari park when we went.

 

[ImarriedGrumpy]

I have only been to the zoo, but DH has been to both and he says hands down the safari park is the more unique experience of the two. His comment on it is that he had a lot more up-close experiences with the animals at the safari park than at the zoo, and there were as many animals hiding at the zoo as at the safari park. He did say that they were there right at park opening, so that might be part of why they saw more animals. He also mentioned that there were some special areas for little kids at the safari park that other members of his group took advantage of while he and a couple friends went on a paid safari tour. That area had some books, puppets, toys, and crafts with some safari park staff who led little animal themed activities for the kids.

Either one you pick, I think you'll have a great time! But I agree - you can't get to both in one day, especially w/ a 16m old. Have a great trip!

 

[Huff]

The zoo has shows to see the animals closer, the exhibits let you see them closer up and I think they have done an amazing job of making the exhibits feel like the real thing rather than a concrete enclosure at older zoos, etc.

I just didn't see it that way at all on my visit last year. Most of the exhibits were very small enclosures typical of most zoos. For example, the bears, gorillas etc. are typical small enclosures far from anything natural and open as is the case at the safari park.

Because of the expanse open safari enviroment you are correct that on some days the animals may not be close. Mornings and evenings are usually much better when the animals are active.

I found at the Safari park they had quite a few animal encounters, shows where they brought out several animals within a few feet of us. At one such they brought out a leopard. He was not in any cage but rather on a grassy area opposite a small wood fence. I really enjoyed the far more natural open design of the safari park with free roaming animals rather than the exhibition style enclosures of the zoo.

That said, the zoo is one of the largest and best in the country. I enjoy both parks.

 

[Rhonna]

he had a lot more up-close experiences with the animals at the safari park than at the zoo... he and a couple friends went on a paid safari tour.

A PAID safari tour at the safari park is a completely different experience than the regular tram/train tour that comes free with admission. We did the regular tram ride that goes in a circle above the savannah. Another time my friend did the paid one that took them out onto the savannah in a truck so they could actually have the animals (she's nuts about giraffes) come over to them to be fed.

I just didn't see it that way at all on my visit last year. Most of the exhibits were very small enclosures typical of most zoos. For example, the bears, gorillas etc. are typical small enclosures far from anything natural and open as is the case at the safari park.

Because of the expanse open safari enviroment you are correct that on some days the animals may not be close. Mornings and evenings are usually much better when the animals are active.

I found at the Safari park they had quite a few animal encounters, shows where they brought out several animals within a few feet of us. At one such they brought out a leopard. He was not in any cage but rather on a grassy area opposite a small wood fence. I really enjoyed the far more natural open design of the safari park with free roaming animals rather than the exhibition style enclosures of the zoo.

That said, the zoo is one of the largest and best in the country. I enjoy both parks.

At the zoo, I think some enclosures may be done up better than others but I just can't remember any being sub-par. I remember a lot of foliage and trails leading up to where the red pandas were. I think another good one was the meerkats exhibit? The panda exhibit is huge and very open - great viewing for large numbers of people. We could have stayed there all day as they were out and about the whole time.

We did the safari park quite a while ago and haven't gone back. Maybe they have more animal encounters that are planned but I still can't see how the tram ride is any better. Maybe it's because there is a drive through wild animal park in my state and the animals are right there - or because I've been on an actual African safari.

But I still felt at the safari park in SD that 1) the animals on the savannah were far away and 2) the ones in enclosures on the opposite side of the tram were not nicely done - just rocks - and when we went none of them were out for viewing.

Now your being able to see the leopard up close would be awesome!

Maybe it's a nicer experience now but I would still recommend the zoo to OP because of the drive, having a little one and the pandas!

 

[BlueChariot]

A PAID safari tour at the safari park is a completely different experience than the regular tram/train tour that comes free with admission. We did the regular tram ride that goes in a circle above the savannah. Another time my friend did the paid one that took them out onto the savannah in a truck so they could actually have the animals (she's nuts about giraffes) come over to them to be fed.



At the zoo, I think some enclosures may be done up better than others but I just can't remember any being sub-par. I remember a lot of foliage and trails leading up to where the red pandas were. I think another good one was the meerkats exhibit? The panda exhibit is huge and very open - great viewing for large numbers of people. We could have stayed there all day as they were out and about the whole time.

We did the safari park quite a while ago and haven't gone back. Maybe they have more animal encounters that are planned but I still can't see how the tram ride is any better. Maybe it's because there is a drive through wild animal park in my state and the animals are right there - or because I've been on an actual African safari.

But I still felt at the safari park in SD that 1) the animals on the savannah were far away and 2) the ones in enclosures on the opposite side of the tram were not nicely done - just rocks - and when we went none of them were out for viewing.

Now your being able to see the leopard up close would be awesome!

Maybe it's a nicer experience now but I would still recommend the zoo to OP because of the drive, having a little one and the pandas!

DD does LOVE Pandas!!! She has a stuffed one that she sleeps with.

Anyway, you bring up a good point about the cost of the Safari Park. It seems like if we want to do any of the really cool stuff, it will cost us an arm and a leg. I'm thinking we are going to stick with the regular zoo....