No trip to San Diego is complete without a trip to the zoo! It’s one of the best zoos in the world and if you are an animal lover then this is your spot. Check out some of my helpful tips on visiting the San Diego Zoo to make your trip as fun as possible!

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This 100 acre zoo is located in downtown San Diego’s Balboa park. The zoo is home to more than 12,000 rare and endangered animals and more than 700,000 plants!

The San Diego Zoo first opened to non-members in 1923. Tickets were just 10 cents each! One of the first animals at the zoo was a Kodiak bear named Caesar.

For more on the history of the San Diego Zoo click here.

Helpful Tips & Tricks

1. Purchase your tickets ahead of time. While I have never seen the line to be too terribly long, even spending 30 minutes standing in a line isn’t the most fun way to start the day. Popular times such as weekends and school breaks will cause the zoo to be very busy meaning longer wait times.

2. Be prepared. Comfortable shoes, a lot of sunscreen, hand sanitizer or wipes, drinks and snacks are just a few things that will make your day more enjoyable. Because we have two little ones, we also bring handheld misting fans to cool our kids down, especially at their nap time. Not only will being prepared make for a more enjoyable day, it will also save you a ton of money!

Click here to shop the handheld misting fans that we love. We also use this fan that clips right on the stroller for when the kids are napping.

3. Both outside food and beverage are allowed inside the park. I always make sure to pack snacks for the kids and bring beverages in a lunch box with ice packs. We always buy our lunch at the park to make things easier but we make sure to have plenty of drinks and snacks for the day!

4. Plan on arriving as soon as the park opens. The park is much quieter in the morning and gets much more crowded in the afternoon. The mornings are also a great time to see animals during their feedings. Later in the day, as the sun comes out, the animals like to hide out in their shady areas.

Alternatively, if you are visiting the zoo during the summer extended hours, the crowds start clearing in the late afternoon and then you can enjoy the park until 9pm with much smaller crowds!

5. The bus tour is a great way to check out where some of the major parts of zoo are but you may want to skip if you have a child that doesn’t like to sit still for long! Our 5 year old loved sitting on the top of the double decker bus to see some of the animals but the 40 minute tour was a bit too long for our 2 year old.

6. There are some steep hills through out the park that can be very difficult to navigate with limited mobility or even with a heavy stroller. The Skyfari Aerial Tram or the Kangaroo Bus can assist you getting around!

Want even more time with the animals? Check out my post Visiting the San Diego Zoo Safari Park!

7. The elephant area is mostly in direct sunlight. Try to visit this part of the park early in the morning, before the sun is at its highest. This will allow you to check out the areas of the park with shady areas when the sun is hottest.

8. Get a birds eye view of the park by taking a ride on the Skyfari Aerial Tram but keep in mind, you can’t ride this round trip. Once your ride ends, you must get back in line to ride back to your original start. The line can be quite long and you may be waiting a significant amount of time.

This can be a great way to get to the other side of the park but just remember, if you have a large stroller, you will need to leave it at one side of the park and then wait to get back on the tram to get back to the other side.

9. The park offers free admission for children for the month of October. Expect higher crowds during this month!

10. The Kangaroo Bus is a hop on, hop off bus that has four stops around the park. The bus stops at each location every 15 minutes and strollers are allowed onboard as long as they are able to be folded up.

11. There are many areas throughout the park with play areas for kids to climb and play. Use this as an opportunity to take a break on one of the benches and have a snack and drink.

Dining

There are currently 26 dining options located throughout the park, ranging from a sit-down restaurant to food carts.

We have tried quite a few of the dining spots throughout the park including the sit-down, Albert’s Restaurant. While we enjoyed our appetizers, we didn’t care for our entrees.

We actually prefer the other food options located throughout the park more!

The food has always been good and fresh. The pricing is what you would expect for a tourist spot and there are many options to choose from.

Tickets

One Day Pass

Adults (12+ years) – $62

Child (3-11 years) – $52

Two Day Pass

Can be used at either the San Diego Zoo or the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

Adults (12+ years) – $104

Child (3-11 years) – $94

Click here for the most up to date pricing and to check out more ticket options such as the Go San Diego Pass.

Hours

The hours of the park vary depending on the time of the year. Typically, the park opens at around 9am and closes at 9pm in the summer months. During fall, winter and spring, the park typically closes at around 6pm.

Location

The zoo is located right in the downtown area of San Diego – right next to Balboa park.

2920 Zoo Drive

San Diego, CA 92101

Parking is free at the park.

Guest Services

The Guest Services office is located right at the front of the park and can assist you with rentals (wheel chairs, strollers & electric scooters), lost & found, first aid, and also has an ATM.

Comment below and let me know some of your favorite tips for visiting the San Diego Zoo!