In April, I visited the San Diego Zoo. It was my first time since I hadn’t been to the San Diego Zoo in about 2-3 years. I was very excited to see the animals and learn about conservation efforts.
I always study the map to find all the useful tips I can. I want my group and I to have a wonderful day!
This post will be about my favourite moments from the day. I’ll also discuss what I found to be successful, what I think I can offer in the way of new tips, and what I would do differently. Let’s get started!
Travel Tips
Plan!
Plan your trip early! I marked on the map the exhibits I wanted to visit. I planned my route to allow me to accomplish as much as possible.
You can also save money by doing this! You can save $5 on your tickets if you purchase them in advance rather than at the door. You may be able to get corporate discounts. A friend of ours had a corporate discount, and we were able to save $10 per ticket.
Arrive early
The Zoo opens every day at 9 am. Arriving early has many advantages. Early in the morning, there are fewer people because they’re not all present. San Diego’s climate is very sunny, so it’s cooler in the morning. It’s better for you and the animals. By midday, the animals (like me) were mostly in the shade. In the morning, they were still active.
Take the Bus Tour
The bus tour is a MUST. You’ll find the bus tour at the entrance of the park, on your right. You can’t miss it. You can sit and enjoy the park! You will be standing for the entire day; I guarantee it. This was the first activity we did so that I could get a feel for the layout of the exhibits. I also noted the ones that I wanted to see up close. You can cover 70 per cent of the park in 20 minutes. You can see the views from the double-decker in the morning without feeling as if you are baking.
It is funny that the morning lines are longer on the upper floors while the afternoon lines are longer on the lower floors.
Fill your water bottle in restaurants or food service stalls.
Spend your day doing something fun, such as exploring, watching a movie, or participating in some other activities. Don’t forget to drink lots of water. I brought my water bottle to the Zoo and asked nearby food and drink stations to fill it up for me. All of them were very kind! Amusement parks are expensive for food and drinks. Avoid spending $6-$7 per bottle of water. There aren’t many water fountains in the Zo.
Use the park transportation system!
If it wasn’t clear, you walk a lot in the Zoo. The best way to save on energy and have a great time is to take advantage of the available transport options. The double-decker Kangaroo bus makes several stops and travels throughout the park. The most flexible way to get from one place to another is to use the kangaroo bus.
A unique attraction, the Skyfari Tram, is also an option. The Tram will take you to the rear of the Zoo near the polar bears. It can be beneficial to go against the crowd since most people tend to move from the front to the rear. The slope is steeper from the back to the front, so it’s easier to climb uphill.
My Thoughts
The animals were all very interesting, and I learned a lot about them. San Diego Zoo does a good job of keeping the animals happy and healthy, even though the idea of animals in a zoo can be unsettling. San Diego Zoo focuses on and preaches conservation. It also provides a variety of educational materials to help you care for animals. The Zoo exhibits are spacious, giving animals ample room to move. The Zoo’s recreation of habitats is also well-thought-out.
The transportation was great. We walked quite a bit, but it was easy to get around. When needed, the kangaroo bus was there!
San Diego Zoo food and drink are not an exception. I found out that there is a restaurant at the San Diego Zoo that has a reservation system and that serves really good tacos. The restaurant was not on my radar, but it is something I’ll consider next time. All of us ended up eating together at Hua Mei Cafe, near the Asian Passage. It seemed to be the most popular spot. The food was varied, with Americanized Asian dishes such as orange chicken and classic theme-park foods like chicken tenders and burgers. Even though we arrived during lunch, the food was ready within minutes. It was a standard meal, but the price tag was a little high (to be expected). However, it is okay not to bring your food. Bring your snacks so you’re able to stay full all day.
Favorite Exhibitions
Bears
Have you ever seen a real bear scratching its back? Yes, I did! I think it was my favourite part of the day. I felt that the bears looked hilarious, and they were enjoying themselves in their hammocks and swings.
Peccaries
The animals I saw when I was young were still around! These animals are adorable and fluffy! When I saw these animals on the bus tour, I knew I wanted to see them more closely!
Elephants
The Zoo has a sanctuary dedicated to elephants. Elephants can move freely in large, spacious areas. One of the elephants was playing with a stuffed toy.
Giraffes
I was thrilled to see a giraffe. They are my favourite animal.
Hummingbirds
The hummingbirds were not on my bucket list, but one of my closest friends insisted. The hummingbirds live in a building near the Discovery Outpost. There is a limit to the number of visitors allowed in because it’s so narrow. This could result in a long queue. Once we were inside, it was incredible to see all the different species of hummingbirds! The hummingbirds were amazing!
How can it be improved?
The one thing that doesn’t sit too well with me that I will harp on is their lack of environmentally-conscious food and drink utensils, specifically the plethora of plastic water bottles I saw for sale all over the park. The organization places a lot of importance on conservation and sustainability because they protect our ecosystems and animals. I was surprised by the few water fountains and lack of water bottle filling stations. You can find plastic bottled water everywhere. San Diego Zoo would be one place where I’d encourage guests to bring their reusable water bottles. Sustainability seemed to be a low priority. Although I understand the need to make money to run the Zoo, we all know how bad the plastic pollution problem is – there are plenty of signs encouraging people not to use them. It was not very good.
I’m not a fan of “compostable” plastic utensils. They aren’t really compostable if they require an industrial facility to “compost”. However, I was shocked at how dependent the Zoo on plastics is. The process of progress is slow and often difficult. I think they are moving towards sustainable methods. I hope they can and will do better. They serve so many clients every day that even small changes to their system can have a big impact.
I had a great time in the park and saw many animals. It’s a great trip for family and friends. Please do your best to protect animals and their habitats.
Click on the images below to view the animals that you can expect to see at the San Diego Zoo.
