Attraction of the Week: The San Diego Zoo
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The world famous San Diego Zoo, one of the most visited (in 2024, the zoo saw over 4 million visitors) and priciest ($70+ per person!) around, is the city’s most prominent tourist attraction. The zoo opened in 1916, and continues to be popular with tourists across the world.
This was number 1 on my bucket list when visiting the city for the first time. I really wanted to see the panda and also heard from family members that it was incredibly landscaped. I was impressed with the variety of animals and gorgeous setting.
It is located on 100 acres in gorgeous Balboa Park so the setting is especially nice. At times, I felt like I was at a park rather than a zoo. The diversity of plant life is really impressive. Over 3700 animals and 700,000 exotic plants call the beautiful park home. The zoo houses an impressive number of endangered species.
Home to the Giant Panda
The zoo is most notable for the famous Giant Panda Exhibit, being one of only a handful of US zoos to house pandas. As of fall 2025, only 3 other zoos house pandas, The National Zoo in Washington DC (this zoo is fantastic!), the Memphis Zoo, and Zoo Atlanta. I was able to see pandas in both D.C. and Atlanta.
If you head straight to the panda exhibit at opening, you will avoid the lengthy wait (oftentimes up to an hour) and have more time to explore without feeling rushed. At this time, it’s easier to obtain crowd-free photos and videos of the adorable pandas. We headed right over to this exhibit to get the best possible pictures. Fortunately, they were super active at this time, eating and walking around.
Update: The Giant Pandas we saw during our visit were on loan from China. In 2019, they returned to their homeland. In 2024, the Zoo welcomed 2 new pandas: Xin Bao and Yun Chuan. Meet the new pandas!
Zoo tours & rides
Your admission ticket includes a few cool extras. The double decker Guided Bus Tour takes you on a 35 minute tour through most of the grounds. This is where you will find the best overviews of the park, and hence, the prime photo opportunities. It’s a relaxing addition to your day of walking. I recommend taking the tour mid-day after your feet start tiring. As you can see in the photo, the grounds are so lush with palms and other tropical plants everywhere you look.
The Skyfari Aerial Tram ride provides a convenient and scenic means of transportation from one end of the park to the other. It’s also a fun ride where you will enjoy nice views of the zoo, the Museum of Man, and even a peek of the San Diego skyline. I always loved going on these sky rides at old amusement parks when I was kid, so I was happy to relive some nostalgia.
More must-see exhibits
My favorite exhibits were the underwater hippo viewing area, the underwater polar bear viewing area, Australian Wonders (home to several koala bears), and Gorilla tropics (a lush tropical walk through pretty waterfalls).
The underwater hippo viewing is pretty cool. This is a unique feature I have not come across at any other zoos. I have seen bears swimming underwater (at the Brookfield and Pittsburgh Zoos), but never a hippo.
Koalas are so adorable. If you have the time, definitely attend one of the zookeeper talks. You will learn many interesting (and disgusting!) facts. We were shocked to learn that baby koalas eat poop. You can learn more about why in this National Geographic article.
Consider yourself lucky if you have the opportunity to see a polar bear swimming. They only spend about 10% of their day in the water, according to the zoo. Strangely enough, I have seen them swimming at several US zoos – I guess I got pretty lucky!
The gorilla exhibit is pretty fantastic and a beautifully landscaped portion of the zoo. This gorilla is looking right at the camera as they tend to do most of the time.
Animal Ambassador Program
The San Diego Zoo is also known for its’ unique Animal Ambassador program. During our visit, we saw Cheetahs and dogs living together! We learned that the dogs and cheetahs are paired together at a very young age to establish a bond. The purpose of the pairing is to make the cheetah more comfortable as dogs have a natural tendency to be relaxed around people.
Be prepared for a workout!
Be aware that there is plenty of walking required at this zoo. The terrain is pretty hilly so dress appropriately (gym shoes and preferably workout clothes). On the bright side, you will get in your daily workout and more as those miles will quickly rack up by the end of the day. Let’s just say we got in more than a few miles. On average, it will take about 4-5 hours to walk the entire zoo, although you can see more in less time via the guided bus tour.
Meet the Animals
In the meantime, enjoy this photo tour of some of my favorite animals.
Locations, Hours, & Pricing
Address: 2920 Zoo Dr, San Diego, CA 92101.
Hours: 9am-6pm. During the summer months, the zoo stays open until 9.
Tickets are $76 per adult, $66 per child (ages 3-11). You save $4 by visiting on a value day. The 4D show is an extra fee. Pricing is current as of fall 2025. For details on membership and special experience pricing, visit the the ticketing page.
How to prepare for your visit
- Wear gym shoes. You will be doing lots of walking up hilly terrain.
- Bring a few water bottles and snacks. Fortunately, you can bring outside food and drinks in. I recommend wearing a backpack for easy access as opposed to lugging a cooler around.
- Wear sunglasses and bring a bottle of sunblock so you do not have to waste money at the gift shop.
- Arrive right at opening. There will already be a line, however, it will be much more crowded later on.
- Head straight over to the more popular attractions like the Panda exhibit or the Skyfari ride to avoid the lengthy waits later in the day.
- If you live in the city, purchase a membership – it pays for itself in less than 2 visits. If you live in California (outside of San Diego), purchase a membership (more expensive, yet still pays for itself in less than 3 visits).
- Look for coupons in the brochures at your hotel. We found a nice $5 off each adult ticket on the back of a flyer.
- Plan a picnic lunch to save some money. There are lots of shady places to eat and enjoy nature at the same time.
- If you prefer to eat at the zoo, The Sandwich Company is a pretty good value. Or you can always leave the zoo (get your hand stamped and return later in the day).
- Plan the bus tour in the afternoon hours to give your feet a break!
