The San Diego Zoo is obviously one of San Diego's biggest attractions, but I think one of the things that makes it truly special is something visitors may not notice: locals actually hang out there.

On any given morning you'll see huge groups of people heading into the Zoo ready to spend the entire day. And honestly, it deserves that kind of visit. We are pretty spoiled in San Diego. I don't have a lot of experience visiting zoos in other cities because I grew up with this one, but I have yet to visit anything remotely comparable.

The Zoo itself is massive, beautifully landscaped, and constantly evolving. Elephant Odyssey opened in 2009. The old Children's Zoo was completely rebuilt into Wildlife Explorers Basecamp in 2022. Africa Rocks transformed another eight acres, and Panda Ridge was refreshed and expanded when giant pandas returned in 2024.

Wildlife Explorers Basecamp — not just for the kids

For little kids, Wildlife Explorers Basecamp is particularly good. It isn't simply a collection of smaller animal exhibits. There are places to climb, scramble, explore, and play, so you can spend quite a bit of time there even if your kids aren't interested in walking from animal to animal all day.

The Wildlife Explorers Basecamp bug area — the kids-focused build-out that opened in 2022 and covers more than three acres.

Why locals actually use it

My favorite part of the San Diego Zoo has less to do with its size or reputation.

My daughter loves the Zoo, and we'll sometimes go over in the afternoon and meet friends for just a couple of hours. We walk around, let the kids play together, see a few animals, and just relax. During the summer, Zoo at Night makes those casual visits even better because the Zoo stays active later into the evening with entertainment and live music.

There’s something kind of funny about being able to meet friends at one of the most famous zoos in the world the same way someone else might meet friends at a neighborhood park.

Skyfari — the shortcut with a view

The Skyfari is another favorite of ours. Besides being a very convenient way to get from one side of the Zoo to the other, you get a great aerial view over the Zoo and surrounding Balboa Park. From up there you really get a sense of how big and lush the property is.

The Skyfari — part shortcut, part sightseeing ride.
Balboa Park from the Skyfari — the reason to look down.

If it’s your first visit

The Guided Bus Tour is worthwhile. It's a narrated 35-minute loop that covers a large portion of the Zoo and gives you a much better sense of where everything is before you start exploring on foot. Both the bus tour and Skyfari are included with regular admission, subject to availability.

The Guided Bus Tour — 35 minutes, narrated, and a great orientation before you head out on foot.

The landscape does a lot of the work

While the animals obviously get most of the attention, the landscaping is a big part of the experience too. The Zoo sits on roughly 100 acres and is actually an accredited botanical garden, with thousands of plants and multiple accredited plant collections throughout the grounds.

San Diego Zoo · 2920 Zoo Drive, Balboa Park Open in Google Maps →

The best compliment I can give it

For me, the biggest compliment I can give the San Diego Zoo is that it isn't somewhere we only take out-of-town guests. We actually use it.

Sometimes that means spending the entire day there. Other times it means meeting friends for two hours, letting the kids run around, having a beer while listening to music, and riding Skyfari back toward the entrance before heading home.

Elephants at sunset — the kind of scene that only happens because you happened to still be there.

That's what makes the San Diego Zoo feel like much more than a tourist attraction. It's genuinely one of the great amenities of living in San Diego — especially if you live in one of the neighborhoods around Balboa Park like Bankers Hill, Hillcrest, North Park, or South Park.

Note: The San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park is a separate location from the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido. Hours, admission prices, ride availability, and special events (like Zoo at Night) change seasonally — always check the official website before your visit. A single-day visit can be expensive, particularly for a family; memberships often pay for themselves after two visits.