San Diego Zoo had been on our radar long before we booked the trip. Every family travel forum, every person who’d done California with kids — they all said the same thing: it’s one of the best zoos in the world. We were a little skeptical in the way you get skeptical about anything described as “the best”. It turned out they were right.
We paid $250 for three of us to get in (our youngest was free), walked about 10,000 steps, left at 4pm on completely drained legs, and went home with two stuffed pandas. We loved it.
San Diego Zoo is genuinely one of the best zoos in the world — that’s not travel blog hyperbole, it’s what you feel standing in it. The enclosures are enormous, the animals are remarkably close, and there’s enough here to fill a full day without it ever feeling like a slog. If it’s on your San Diego list, go. If it’s not, put it on.
🎟 Book San Diego Zoo tickets →
We visited in February with a 3 and 5 year old as part of our one-week San Diego itinerary. Here’s what the day actually looked like.
The Double-Decker Bus Tour — Do This First
The zoo runs a 40-minute double-decker bus tour that covers most of the park and gets you surprisingly close to the animals. The queue was long — one of the longer waits of the day — but it was completely worth it.
We got lucky and grabbed the top deck, front seats. I cannot overstate how good this is. The bus passes enclosures at the same level as the animals, and from the top front you are close in a way that doesn’t happen at most zoos. We passed a lion lounging on a platform and it was barely an arm’s length away. The kids were speechless. So were we.
Do this at the start of the day, before the queue builds and while everyone still has energy. It also gives you a fast overview of the whole park so you can plan where to spend more time on foot.
Tip: queue early and aim for the top deck. Front seats if you can get them — the views are on a completely different level.
What We Saw
After the bus tour we walked the park at our own pace. Highlights:
- Giraffes — right at the fence, eating from a feeder. Close enough that you’re eye-level with them.
- Hippos — they have an underwater viewing area where you can watch them swim. Our kids pressed their faces to the glass for a long time. The hippos were unexpectedly adorable.
- Okapi — one of those animals you’ve never heard of and then can’t stop thinking about. Striped legs, giraffe-like face, entirely calm in the enclosure. The kids had no idea what it was and loved it.
- Baboons and monkeys — a large open enclosure with lots of activity. Our 3-year-old could have watched them all afternoon.
- Condor — saw one spread its wings fully on a perch. Impressive and slightly terrifying in scale.
The Panda Enclosure — Book a Timed Slot
We had timed entry tickets for the panda enclosure at 2:30pm, booked in advance. We saw both the red panda and the giant panda. If pandas are on your list — and if you have small kids, they are — book this slot when you buy your main tickets. It’s a separate timed entry and fills up.
Both kids left with a stuffed panda from the gift shop. We didn’t fight it.
Practical Tips
Arrive at opening (9am) — animals are most active in the morning and the bus tour queue is much shorter. We arrived early and had a completely different experience from the families we saw joining the bus queue at noon.
Download the map before you go — the zoo’s guide map is essential. The park is large, laid out across hills, and easy to accidentally loop through the wrong way. Note that some sections are steep — worth checking the map before heading off with a stroller.
The refill bottle — the zoo sells cups with the zoo logo for around $20+ with free Coca-Cola refills at stations throughout the park. Almost everyone seemed to be walking around with one. If you’re spending a full day in California sun, it’s probably worth it.
Bring snacks — food inside is expensive and the lunch queues were long. We packed snacks and ate a proper meal after leaving.
Plan for a full day — we arrived at opening and left around 4pm, about 6 hours and 10,000 steps. The kids were done before we were. With young children, 5–6 hours is realistic before the tiredness wall hits.
Strollers are fine throughout — paths are paved, though some sections are hilly.
Tickets and Pricing
One adult ticket at the gate costs around $69; children (3–11) around $59. Under-3s are free. For our family (two adults, two kids — youngest got in free), we paid $250 at the gate — which, coming from Europe, was genuinely surprising. It’s the most expensive zoo we’ve visited.
That said: book online rather than at the gate — it’s cheaper and skips the ticket line on arrival. We use GetYourGuide — straightforward, instant e-ticket on your phone.
🎟 Book San Diego Zoo tickets →
Our Verdict
Yes. It’s expensive — we won’t pretend otherwise — but it’s also genuinely one of the best zoos we’ve ever been to. The enclosures are large and thoughtfully designed, the animals are visible and active, and the variety is exceptional. The double-decker bus alone is worth the trip.
For kids in the 3–6 range, a full day here is as good as it gets. Ours talked about the hippos swimming and the lion on the bus for days afterwards.
Quick reference:
- Opening: 9am daily
- Budget: allow a full day (5–6 hours with young kids)
- Must-do: double-decker bus tour — queue early, top front seats
- Book in advance: main tickets + timed panda entry
- Steps: ~10,000 — comfortable shoes, stroller-friendly paths
- Nearest area: Balboa Park, central San Diego
