Activities

ZOO ACTIVITIES INCLUDED WITH PAID ADMISSION:

Guided Bus Tour

9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Last tour departs at 4 p.m.
Enjoy a 35-minute narrated tour on a double-decked bus covering about 70 percent of the San Diego Zoo. The Guided Bus Tour is included in the 1-Day Pass admission price. Members pay $8.50 per adult, $5 per child, ages 3 to 11, for a day of unlimited rides on the Guided Bus Tour and Express Bus.

A Spanish version of the 35-minute tour is offered Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m.  Reserve your spot at the Tours and Tickets Booth on the front plaza prior to 1 p.m.

Guided Bus Tours in Spanish are available for groups of 20 or more with advanced notice. ASL-interpreted tours are also available with advanced notice. For all guest-interpreting requests, reservations should be made one week in advance of the day of the visit by calling 619-231-1515, ext. 4526.

Express Bus

10:30 a.m.–closing
There is so much to see at the San Diego Zoo. The Express Bus allows you to hop on and off at five different stops throughout the Zoo. Just wait at one of the stops for a bus with a green Express banner to arrive.  They come by each stop about every 15 minutes. One-Day Passes include the Express Bus as do Member Guided Bus Tour tickets.  Member Express-Bus-Only tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for children, ages 3 to 11 (limit one per member with ID card).

Petting Zoo

9:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Pet the wooly coat of a sheep or comb a gentle pygmy goat’s hair.

Skyfari® aerial tram

10 a.m.–5 p.m
Take an airborne shortcut over the treetops to the other end of the Zoo and enjoy spectacular views of the Zoo, its animal and plant collection, and surrounding Balboa Park (children under 8 must be accompanied by an adult).

Insect House

10 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Sometimes, the littlest things have the biggest impact. That’s the philosophy behind the Insect House. Just down the path from the Children’s Zoo’s Petting Paddock, it’s an area abuzz with wonder!

Zoo Characters Meet & Greet

Weekends only, various locations 9 a.m.–1 p.m.
Say hello and pose for photos with Sydney Koala and his friends.

ZOO ACTIVITIES NOT INCLUDED WITH ADMISSION:

Ice Age™ 4D Experience!

at the San Diego Zoo 4-D Theater
Daily. Last show begins one hour before the Zoo closes.
See it, hear it, feel it! Immerse yourself in our new 4-D Theater Experience, a cinematic adventure that combines high-definition 3-D high projection with thrilling sensory effects such as wind, mist, snow, and more! Tap into adventure with “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs,” just another reason to chill out with us.

Located across from Skyfari west.

Cost: $6 general admission ($5 for members)

Balboa Park Miniature Train

Weekends and holidays only, 11 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Daily during the summer, June 17–September 1, 11 a.m.–6:30 p.m.
All aboard! The Balboa Park Miniature Train is operated by the San Diego Zoo. The train pulls out of the station for 3-minute rides around a portion of Balboa Park. The train station is just east of the Zoo’s exit. Train tickets are $3 for ages 1 and older; younger than age 1 is free. For safety reasons, ages 5 and younger must ride with a paying adult.

Giraffe Feeding

Weekends only, noon–1 p.m.
Offer tasty biscuits to our giraffes! $5 for 3 biscuits, cash only. Tickets go on sale at 11 a.m. Limited number of tickets available.

Lighter Side Comedy Tour

Offered select days, 2–3 p.m.
Laugh Your Day Away! Ride this enhanced 50-minute comedy version of our regular Bus Tour with the professional comic and animal sound impersonator “Zooman.”  Enjoy more animals, more fun, and more humor as you embark on this hilarious journey through the Animal Kingdom at the San Diego Zoo. Tickets are $5 in addition to your One-Day Pass or other Bus Tour equivalent ticket. Limited number of tickets available. See Zoo Calendar for specific dates. Purchase tickets with reserved time and day at all Zoo ticket booths and kiosks.

Special Tours

Take your group of 25 or more people on a special tour! These guided tours are offered with various topics to suit your group’s interests. Call Reservation Sales at 619-718-3000 to get pricing for your group size.