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Zoos

San Diego Zoo

📍 San Diego, IL

4.7(65,211 Google reviews)💰$$$👶All ages

San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park houses giant pandas, hundreds of species, and Denny Sanford Wildlife Explorers Basecamp spanning three interactive acres. Admission includes guided bus tours and the Skyfari aerial tram for all ages.

Giant pandasGuided bus tourSkyfari tramMilitary discountFull day neededHilly terrain
★★★★★Featured review by Lilly Bemiller

This is one of the most AMAZING zoos I’ve ever been to! The ticket price is on the higher end, but it is so worth it! For those active duty military you’re able to get in for free, and dependents are offered a discount! We were able to take a bus tour of the entire park and see so many animals without paying anything additional. We also were able to take the sky tram which was free and made it easy to travel around. I didn’t feel like I was being nickel and dimmed and forced to spend even more. The animals were all visible for the most part. I recommend getting there early when they open to get good parking. I would also plan on being there all day… we spent five hours there and could’ve easily spent more!

🏆 Family Action Verdict

Best for families prepared to commit a full day to walking hilly terrain. Toddlers through teens all find traction here: little ones love the Explorers Basecamp, older kids gravitate toward close-up predator exhibits. Military families get the best value of any zoo in the country. Book upgraded encounters in advance — they sell out fast.

ℹ️ What to Know Before You Go

💡Arrive at opening to claim parking and beat crowds at popular exhibits
Take the guided bus tour first for a full-park orientation before exploring on foot
🎟️Book Zoo Discoveries or Wildlife Adventures encounters well ahead of your visit
🚗Active-duty military enter free — bring ID; dependents qualify for discounted entry

💬 What Families Are Saying

View all reviews →
4.7

65,211 Google reviews

Outstanding animal variety45%
Included transport options30%
Full day required15%
Hilly walking10%
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Lilly Bemiller

3 weeks ago

This is one of the most AMAZING zoos I’ve ever been to! The ticket price is on the higher end, but it is so worth it! For those active duty military you’re able to get in for free, and dependents are offered a discount! We were able to take a bus tour of the entire park and see so many animals without paying anything additional. We also were able to take the sky tram which was free and made it easy to travel around. I didn’t feel like I was being nickel and dimmed and forced to spend even more. The animals were all visible for the most part. I recommend getting there early when they open to get good parking. I would also plan on being there all day… we spent five hours there and could’ve easily spent more!

T

Thiago James

a month ago

Words aren't enough! Hands down the best Zoo I've ever been. The most thoughtful and generous to all animals. The design of the entire place is incredible! From catering to the animals to landscaping, everything is top notch. You must reserve a full day to experience this entire place, stroll at your own pace, soak up on every view and information about every animal. Enjoy delicious food and also the air tran and bus tour. Do not be hung up on the Pandas, it's cute but they oversell it and over hype it. There is so much more to be enjoyed than just the Pandas

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Andres Ayala

a month ago

What an amazing experience. We started off by taking the tram around the zoo. It gave us an opportunity to see the different areas of the zoo. Next we jumped on the safari ride which gave us an aerial view of the zoo. We were able to see various animals living in their habitat. The zoo was very walkable just beware there may be some hills which may be hard to walk. They have plenty of rest areas though.

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Maureen Aguon

3 weeks ago

We had an awesome time at San Diego Zoo! Everything was great—from the animals to the atmosphere. My daughter really enjoyed it and had so much fun exploring and seeing all the different animals. It was a wonderful experience for us, and we would definitely love to come visit again! 🐘🦒🐒😊

Reviews from Google

Overview

Set across Balboa Park, this zoo features giant pandas, diverse global wildlife, and the three-acre Denny Sanford Wildlife Explorers Basecamp for hands-on nature play. Included guided bus tours let families survey the full grounds before choosing where to linger. Upgraded experiences — Zoo Discoveries and Wildlife Adventures — add behind-the-scenes animal encounters. Active-duty military enter free; dependents receive discounted admission.

🕐 Opening Hours

Monday09:00 – 19:00
Tuesday09:00 – 19:00
Wednesday09:00 – 19:00
Thursday09:00 – 17:00
Friday09:00 – 19:00
Saturday09:00 – 17:00
Sunday09:00 – 19:00

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