One trip to the San Diego Zoo will have you chanting, “Pandas and cheetahs and koalas, oh my!” Of course lions and tigers and bears also reside in the zoo so you won’t be disappointed. San Diego Zoo is an absolute must do if you are traveling in Southern California. This world renowned zoo is amazing! This size of the zoo is unbelievable. We only visited one day, but if you or your children love animals, you could easily spend multiple days exploring and learning about hundreds of birds, reptiles, mammals, amphibians, insects, and even animals that are now extinct. We chose to just meander around using the map as a guide. We should have started with a bus ride. The Guided Bus Tour is a 35-minute tour on a double-decker bus covering about 70% of the San Diego Zoo. This would have been a great way to get an idea of the layout of the park. We truly had no idea of the size so we walked and walked and walked. We could have hopped on an Express Bus to travel from one area to another. Again, we walked. Clearly you need to pack some comfortable shoes when you visit the zoo. By walking, however, we were able to take time for the little details. The absolute most amazing sight involved a dog and a cat. Doesn’t sound too exciting until you consider the cat was a cheetah. These Animal Ambassadors are unlikely pairs.
You may find a cheetah and a golden retriever on exhibit together. You may see a cheetah with an Anatolian Shepherd. We had the unique experience to see the dog and cheetah outside of the exhibit…walking right past us! As we entered a path we were told to step back. Soon after, a cheetah walked past us on a leash-actually on two leashes. It was so cool! Where else are you going to see a dog and a cheetah walk right past you? Later that day our favorite animals were elephants, polar bears, koalas, pandas, and the tiny spider monkeys. There are so many unique animals to see that you lose track of time just observing a single exhibit. Like I said you could go back day after day after day. With special tours and behind the scenes programs, camps for children, and even facilities for weddings and social events, the San Diego Zoo has it all. You can even revisit the animals at home with live cams and videos on the zoo website. San Diego Zoo is like no other zoo that I have ever been to. A visit will be an adventure you won’t soon forget.