~~ Highway Robbery at the San Diego Zoo ~~
Written: Jan 03 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A wide variety of animals, lots to see, free parking
Cons: Expensive, exhibits are hit or miss depending on animals
The Bottom Line: The San Diego Zoo was a fun place to go with plenty of animals to see just be prepared to spend a lot of money at the zoo!
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| ms_pookie's Full Review: San Diego Zoo |
My husband and I decided to visit the San Diego Zoo. Neither one of us had been there before and thought it might be a fun little day trip.
General Information
San Diego Zoo
2920 Zoo Drive in Balboa Park
San Diego, CA
For general information, call (619) 234-3153.
Ticket Prices
General Zoo admissions: $21 for adults.
Best Value Package: $32 for adults, $19.75 for children.
(Includes Zoo admission, with unlimited use of Guided Bus Tour, Express Bus, and Skyfari Aerial Tram.)
Parking
There is a parking lot in front of the zoo and parking is free. (Thank goodness!) I was a bit surprised that there was no cost for parking. There are signs posted throughout the parking lot that there is no cost for parking and that should people try to get you to pay, they are NOT zoo employees and are trying to scam you.
Food
Both my husband and I were turned off at most of the food available at the park. Most were offered at the “cafes” and reminded me of amusement park food … only now in the zoo. The menu included overpriced burgers, hot dogs, nachos, and fries. It was crazy to think of paying $7 for a burger that looked as though it was snatched from an elementary cafeteria.
We decided to try Albert’s Restaurant, which is located in the treehouse complex. Complex it was to try to figure out how to get to the third level as it was difficult to find the stairs! The restaurant was a nice rest-stop. We sat indoors, though there is outdoor seating available. Service was excellent and the food was very tasty! Though the food was a bit overpriced but was a much better alternative than eating the burgers and hot dogs. We both had sandwiches (blacked chicken and fresh fish) that came with delicious beer battered fries. Total cost came to about $25 for good food and great service in a nice, relaxed environment.
Shops
There are a lot of gift shops placed strategically at the exits of many of the exhibits. If I had children, I would find this a bit of a nuisance as I can just imagine the endless pleading for stuffed animals, trinkets, or other merchandise displayed. We did not stop by any of the shops for any souvenirs!
Exhibits
The San Diego Zoo has a large number of exhibits that are scattered throughout the enormous park. Be prepared to walk a lot during the time spent at the zoo. The panda exhibit is one of the main attractions to the zoo and unfortunately was one of the biggest disappointments. My husband and I decided to visit the exhibit; we were greeted by a huge line leading up to the exhibit. There was a zoo employee narrating quietly as to not disturb the one lone panda on display. There was a television that showed the baby panda that was housed indoors. We waited in line for a long while just to get a glimpse at the one panda. Somehow we thought there would be more to see – we were wrong.
We went to see the polar bear exhibit but unfortunately, they were taking a nap. The exhibits can be hits or misses depending on whether the animals are sleeping or away. The gorilla exhibit was spectacular. It was lunchtime for them so it was neat to watch them eat their broccoli and apples. We even had a gorilla right sit right in front of the plexiglass to munch on his lunch. That was neat to see. The hippo exhibit was also fun because they were quite playful and active.
Kids seem to really enjoy the snake exhibit, which I frankly did not enjoy at all. My husband enjoyed seeing the different types of snakes. Scary. The flamingo exhibit was fun but quite pungent to the olfactory senses, as were the elephant and camel exhibits.
Miscellaneous Tips
- Bring a backpack along to carry items such as cameras, water bottles, and snacks. My husband and I found the backpack to be convenient to stow away our stuff.
- Plan out your trip so that you minimize the amount of uphill walking, as it can get rather tiring. Also make use of the people-movers.
- Keep the zoo map that you get when you pay for admissions! That will be your guide through the expansive zoo.
- Wear good walking shoes. My husband and I just purchased the general admission ticket. We ended up doing a lot of walking, but not so much that we were overly tired or dragging.
Overall Thoughts
The San Diego Zoo was a fun place to go with plenty of animals to see. However, you’ll need to be prepared to spend a lot of money at the zoo!
Thanks for reading!
Pooks
Copyright 2006
Recommended:
Yes
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