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Highlights :
Exhibits :
Getting Around :
Dining & Shopping
| Logistics
| Getting
There
Highlights
Join the wild bunch at the San Diego Zoo
and discover why folks return again and again to San Diego’s
most famous attraction!
Exhibits
The first exhibit you’ll see at the San Diego Zoo is the much-photographed
Flamingo Lagoon. Also near the entrance is the Children’s
Zoo, which features 30 child-size exhibits, the Petting Paddock,
and a baby animal nursery. These are the best stops for children,
along with the Wegeforth Bowl (home of the popular Sea Lion Show)
and the Hunte Amphitheater shows. Then there’s the Giant Panda
Research Station, home to the San Diego Zoo’s most famous
residents. Other attractions include Polar Bear Plunge and Elephant
Mesa, where you can watch the chimps play and listen to colorful
birds sing. The whole family will enjoy the gorilla and orangutan
exhibits. And, while it’s easy to be enraptured by the animals,
don’t forget that the San Diego Zoo’s broad mesas and
steep canyons host an astounding variety of tropical and sub-tropical
plants. Many feature interpretive signage with information about
their country of origin.
Getting
Around in the Zoo
Explore the San Diego Zoo on foot, take a guided bus tour (for an
additional charge), or try some combination of both. Keep in mind
that walking the entire park can be very strenuous, especially for
elderly folks and children (parents may want to rent strollers).
The bus tour is ideal for families with children under 6 and for
those who prefer to relax as a knowledgeable guide shares stories
of the Zoo inhabitants. You’ll see 75 percent of the Zoo on
a 40-minute tour. Express buses stop at five locations throughout
the Zoo (these stops are also included with the bus tour). For an
aerial view of the Zoo and Balboa
Park, Skyfari—a great option for families—has east
and west terminals.
Dining
& Shopping
Dining choices abound throughout the Zoo. Food carts are always
close for a quick snack or a cool drink. The Treehouse Café
(in the Treehouse complex near Gorilla Tropics) offers casual meals
in a beautiful garden setting. Albert’s is another favorite.
The Zoo’s world-class gift shops, with their international
flavor, make fun destinations on their own.
Logistics
You can park in the Zoo lot off Park Boulevard.
Parking is free and abundant, but it’s always wise to get
an early start during the summer months and on weekends and holidays.
You can buy film, sunscreen, and treats at the Zoo entrance; strollers
and wheelchairs are also available there for rent. For current information,
visit the San
Diego Zoo website or call (619) 234-3153.
Getting There
The San Diego Zoo is located in Balboa Park
just north of downtown San Diego. Southbound from I-5, take the
10th Avenue exit, turn left on A Street, left again on Park Boulevard,
and follow signs to the Zoo. Northbound from I-5, take the B Street
/ Pershing exit to Pershing and then go left on Florida Drive. Turn
left on Zoo Drive, left onto Park Boulevard, and follow the signs
to the Zoo. Southbound from Highway 163, take the Park Boulevard
exit, turn, and follow the signs.
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