San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Like a journey to Africa, a day at this spectacular park lets you see some of the world’s most magnificent—and endangered—animals at close range and in expansive naturalized enclosures. A tram ride leads you past roaming groups of rhinos, gazelles, giraffes, and other species ranging freely through savannah-like expanses. African lions wrestle with their cubs in specially designed enclosures that look like part of the whole, but are safely contained from other animals. There’s plenty to see on foot too: the amazing Tiger Trail exhibit lets you get remarkable underwater views of Sumatran tigers swimming in the Tiger Trail exhibit.
"Static-line hot-air balloon rides and a long, long zip line ride offer great views of the park and surrounding region."
For even more up-close looks at the park’s animals, including premium behind-the-scenes tours, plus unique experiences such as the Cheetah Safari, where you can watch as these amazing cats reach speeds up to 70 mph/113 kph. Special Jungle Ropes Safaris are a great way for your little monkeys to burn off some steam. Static-line hot-air balloon rides and a long, long zip line ride offer great views of the park and surrounding region. And for a California-style hint of what sleeping in the African bush might be like, Roar & Snore Safaris let you spend the night in large tents (some even have beds and electricity) at a campground overlooking the African Plains exhibit.
Come for the animals; then take time to see the plants. The park has extraordinary landscaped areas, all worth strolling. Especially beautiful in spring is the Nativescapes Gardens, focusing on drought-tolerant species adapted to the region’s sunny, dry climate. Free, guided tours are offered at 10 a.m. the second Saturday in April and May.
Southern California
Spotlight: San Diego Zoo
Visiting this expansive zoo in San Diego’s Balboa Park is more than a chance to see animals from all over the world: it’s a chance to see one of the world’s finest facilities for seeing and learning about rare and endangered species, all in carefully naturalized enclosures spread across 100 acres/40 hectares in Balboa Park. More than 3,700 animals from 650 species are showcased here, including crowd-pleasers like giant pandas and fuzzy koala bears and intriguing oddities like naked mole rats.
Plan to spend at least a day at this extraordinary site, and wear comfortable shoes—you’ll likely do a lot of walking. If you have to cut your visit short, no worries: just log onto a collection of entertaining animal cams, which let you see what’s going on with a variety of species—the koalas and pandas as well as Sumatran tigers, polar bears, California condors, and more—even if you’re not in the park.
Giant pandas
With their cartoon-cute looks and roly-poly gait, the zoo’s giant pandas are no-brainer favorites. The zoo’s resident trio—Gao Gao, Bai Yun, and their child, Xiao Liwu (born in 2012)—lumber about in their bamboo-shaded enclosure, munching away on leaves (about 700 pounds of bamboo are harvested per week) and seemingly oblivious to their adoring fans. It’s a rare chance to see these charmers—only an estimated 1,600 giant pandas are left in the wild, roaming the high mountains of western China.
To avoid crowds, consider joining the Early Morning Panda Tour, which includes access to the park before gates officially open. You’ll see the bears get their breakfast, then take a guided shuttle tour of the zoo.
Conrad Prebys Australian Outback
Whether it’s a bounding kangaroo, a feisty Tasmanian devil, or a stuffed-animal-cute koala bear, the fascinating animals of Australia are an entertaining assortment. This expansive exhibit aims to let you see and learn about these intriguing creatures—some of them extremely rare—in attractive enclosures that mimic their natural habitats Down Under, and provide clever viewing areas. For example, wide decks wrapping around Queenslander House (a replica of an 1800s house from Queensland, Australia) overlook the koala colony, putting you at eye level with the bear-like creatures. Here you can watch the fuzzy marsupials groom, nap (which they do a lot), and eat from their high perches in the enclosure’s trees. See if you spy little koalas, called joeys, clinging to their mother’s backs. Inside Queenslander House, find out about what these animals eat with a peek inside the koala food prep kitchen. Walk to nearby enclosures to hear cockatoos squawk and see wallabies hop. You can also take a special tour to learn more about koalas, and take a guided overview of the park via motorized cart.
Special Experiences at the San Diego Zoo
Whether it’s a chance to get an early-morning peek at pandas, or a special sleepover once darkness falls, special tours and insider activities take you from just looking at zoo critters to learning even more about them, and even meeting special zoo “ambassador” animals. Inside Look tours let you learn more about the zoo’s elephants, polar bears, and other creatures. Themed sleepovers let families and adults bed down in snug tents in a special area of the zoo, and take private tours and walks after dark. The ultimate way to go? It’s undoubtedly the Exclusive VIP Experience, a totally customized tour where you can design a special tour that best fits your own interests, so you can talk with animal experts, see off-exhibit areas, and have special animal interactions.
Other Exhibits
Sure you’ll want to see lions, tigers, and panda bears, but take time to visit some of the zoo’s less familiar species too. In the tropical African rainforest exhibits of Lost Forest, you’ll expect to find gorillas and hippos, but bonobos? Believed to be one of the world’s most rare and intelligent animals, these primates have a fascinating and complex social structures ruled by females. In the Arctic area (fittingly situated at the north side of the park), you’ll find enormous polar bears, but also the beautiful arctic fox, with special adaptions, like hair on the bottoms of its paws to help grip on ice, for living in a wintry world.
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