The Daily Aztec and its writers are not affiliated with the San Diego Zoo. This writer is simply breaking down what she experienced in her own time working for the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance to help Aztecs better enjoy their experience!
How to maximize your day:
Before we start, there is never a guarantee that the animals will be out when recommended. Every day is different and some days the wildlife care specialists deem it best for the animals to not be out.
We all know the biggest question: when should we see the pandas?
Well, great question!
The best time to see the pandas is around opening for the shortest lines! We however recommend you see the pandas in the evening because pandas tend to be more active at night. The zoo changes hours in November to close at 5 p.m. rather than October’s 6 p.m. As a result of this time switch, we recommend pandas to be seen around 4 p.m.
Okay, now with panda questions answered let us start with where you should start your day!
Get to the zoo early. Every day of the year, the zoo opens at 9 a.m. This means in order to get the most out of your day you should be at the turnstiles at 8:55 a.m. Parking at the zoo can get pretty hectic on weekends and holidays, but if you get there at 9 a.m. or earlier you should be fine. The zoo also holds a bird flight around 8:55 a.m. every morning, and if you wish to witness this be there a little earlier to have the time to walk up and get your ticket scanned.
If you haven’t had your morning coffee we recommend you to take the time to grab a morning coffee from ZooBrew.
Before you start your adventure make sure your water bottle is full so you can stay hydrated throughout the day! Bring your water bottle to any food stand, you can have it refilled with ice.
We recommend starting your zoo adventure by heading straight through the monkey trail. This will allow you to see many of the apes and monkeys in the morning when they are most active. A personal favorite on this path is the orangutans, specifically the baby orangutan.
If you do start with the monkeys, head across Bashor Bridge and make a left to get to the next stop.
An alternative morning route is Upper Center Street near signpost eight, which features the Andean bears, lemurs, grizzly bears and black bears. This is great in the mornings and early evenings when the bears are most active. If you take Upper Center Street, I recommend starting at signpost eight and working your way downwards because walking up can be a hike.
Next, follow Lower Park Way up until you reach the top of the hill.
However, if your day is starting a little later, the Skyfari is a great shortcut to our next spot! This short five-minute ride provides a bird’s eye view of the zoo and transports you from the front of the zoo to the back.
No matter which route you choose to start your day with, around 10 a.m., head to the Northern Frontier and check out the polar bears. From my experience, polar bears are most active in the mornings after they have been fed. This is the furthest point in the park making it not too busy in the mornings compared to the early evenings, another great time to see the polar bears.
After checking out the polar bears, head down to Elephant Odyssey and check out the lions, elephants, capybaras and so many more animals. Elephant Odyssey will lead you to Africa Rocks. This is one of the newest sections of the zoo and features iconic African wildlife like African penguins, leopards and Hamadryas baboons.
Africa Rocks leads into the Outback and Urban Jungle. These areas feature giraffes, koalas and wallabies. Both areas are quite small, but definitely not a skip, as they feature some of the most iconic wildlife the zoo has to offer including cheetahs and zebras.
By now it is probably lunchtime. You have been walking around for a while and your feet deserve a break. You are in luck because the zoo has many food options for you to choose from.
Some options in the area include Syndey’s Grill in the Outback for BBQ, Treetops Bistro for sandwiches and Busy Bee Cafe for burgers. My recommendation is the artichoke sandwich at Treetops Bistro. It comes with a side of chips and it is an easy-to-enjoy yet filling lunch that won’t make you feel heavy while also enjoying the rest of your day.
After lunch, the next stop is Wildlife Explorer’s Basecamp. On the outside, this area may appear to be for children, but this spot features wildlife that appeals to many guests including insects, red pandas and caracals. Coincidentally, near this area are the famed Reptile House and Komodo Kingdom.
Make sure to be at Wegeforth Bowl, in Centennial Plaza, at 2 p.m. to experience an animal presentation and see the wildlife in action. The animals featured are constantly switching allowing for a unique experience every visit. In the past, Andean condors, cheetahs and even golden retrievers have all been featured. The presentation typically is over in 30-45 minutes
It’s now time to explore the part of the zoo you didn’t choose in the morning. If you saw the bears go check out the monkeys and vice versa. No matter which you choose, head toward the Asian cats afterward on the Asian passage. In the Asian Passage, remember to visit the neighboring pandas.
Somewhere in this time, you also need to find yourself at a soft serve stand. The zoo has a great soft serve that gives you a sweet treat while you adventure.
Your last stop of the evening will be Tiger Trail, which is accessible via the Hippo Trail. The tigers are a must-see at the zoo but are typically most active in the evenings. As a result, try to see them around sunset if possible and take the trail down to the front of the park where the exit is.
If you want to do some last-minute shopping, hit the gift shops on your way out, but other than that you have seen the San Diego Zoo!
Navigating ticketing:
When looking to go to the zoo, as with any amusement park, the first step is purchasing your ticket.
One-Day Pass:
The most basic ticket option is the one-day pass. As of October 2024, the price is $74 for those over 12 years old, and for 11 years and under it is a $64 ticket. When looking at the online website, value day tickets are an option for $4 cheaper. These tickets are only valid on certain days and are not what is the cheapest option for spending one day at the zoo. If you go in person to the ticketing window, you have more discount options than if you shop online. Examples of discounts offered include military (with I.D.), AAA (with card), senior discount (with I.D. only for those 65+) and student discounts (with student I.D.)! Each of these discounts is only able to be applied in person and on the regular price one-day pass. This drops the price down to $66.60 for an adult day ticket, making it cheaper than the value day ticket.
Is a Two-Day Pass worth it?
Membership Aztecs and seniors are in luck because the student and senior discounts are also applied to membership costs for certain memberships! It is cheaper for Aztecs and all San Diego County Residents to purchase a membership than to purchase the two-day pass. A two-day pass is as of October 2024 $126 for a single person. This is in comparison to the $99 San Diego Resident membership. This price is before the 10% student discount!
Membership Breakdown:
Students who have never been members in the past get a student discount on memberships! Show RedID at the window when signing up to receive a discount. If you have been a member in the past no worries, a $10 discount is added to your price as a thank you from the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance for renewing your membership!
San Diego Resident for $99:
The San Diego Resident membership is the most basic of all the membership options. It does not include admission on weekends or holidays. It includes two half-price discount coupons for admission for two of your friends or family members. In the zoo, 5% discounts are applied on all food, merchandise and beverages except alcohol.
San Diego Resident Premium for $129:
The San Diego Resident Premium membership is similar to the San Diego Resident in a lot of ways. The main difference is that with this level comes the ability to go any day of the year regardless of holidays or weekends. If you aren’t sure if you are ready for the $30 commitment upfront these memberships can also be upgraded at the ticketing window on any blackout day so the membership holder can visit the zoo that day.
Wildlife Protector for $149:
The Wildlife Protector membership goes back to blackout days on holidays and weekends. The higher price does, however, have benefits. For students interested in the Safari Park, the membership includes parking which is $20 a car as of October 2024. The zoo doesn’t charge for parking, but this membership does still carry benefits for those only interested in the zoo. This membership comes with two half-price admission coupons, one free admission ticket and a 10% discount inside the zoo.
Wildlife Protector Premium for $169:
The Wildlife Protector Premium is similar to the Wildlife Protector but without any blackout days for the user. Like the San Diego Resident Premium, users can also upgrade to premium at any time to enjoy the zoo on a blackout day.
Higher level memberships?
These are the most basic of the levels of memberships broken down. For questions regarding the high levels, we encourage readers to refer to the zoo’s membership page or a membership window at a membership window in front of the zoo!
Specialty events:
The zoo offers a variety of special events throughout the year. The most popular of these is the Nighttime Zoo. This occurs every summer and offers visitors the opportunity to see the zoo in the dark. For animals like large cats and wombats, these are the hours the animals are most active!
