Activities
Zoo activities included with paid admission:
Animal Encounters
9 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily
Meet some of our exotic animal ambassadors up close on the Front Plaza Stage.
Guided Bus Tour
9:30 a.m.–4 p.m. Last tour departs at 4 p.m.
Enjoy a 35-minute tour on a double-decked bus covering about 70 percent of the San Diego Zoo. Your bus tour ticket also includes use of the Express Bus, double- or single-decked buses with green signs on the sides that allow guests to hop on and off at five different stops throughout the Zoo. The Express buses pass by the stops every 20 minutes or less and provide transportation around the Zoo. Bus Tour tickets are included in the 1-Day Pass Admission price. Members pay $8.50 per adult, $5 per child, age 3–11.
A Spanish version of the 35-minute tour is offered Saturdays and Sundays at 1 p.m. Guests should make reservations at the Bus Ticket Booth on the front plaza prior to 1 p.m.
Guided Bus Tours in Spanish and French are available for groups of 20 or more with advanced notice. There are ASL “signed” bus tours available for the hearing impaired. 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.
Children’s Zoo and Petting Paddock
9 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Don’t let the name fool you–our Children’s Zoo is for everyone to enjoy! But there are more than 30 special animal exhibits and activities designed with our younger visitors in mind, and the popular Petting Paddock allows kids a chance to feel the wooly coat of a sheep or comb a gentle 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 adults).
Insect House
11 a.m.–3 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!
Lost Forest Live - Throughout Lost Forest
11–11:30 a.m.
Uncover the secrets of animals from some of the world’s most exotic forests. Learn from our keepers as they talk about our gorillas, orangutans, monkeys, tigers, hippos, and more! You never know what you might discover in the Lost Forest. Presentation locations vary each day,
Elephant Odyssey Experience - Throughout Elephant Odyssey
Noon–1 p.m.
Wander the vast landscape that was San Diego 12,000 years ago! Learn what it takes to care for the world’s largest land mammal, meet exotic cats, rattlesnakes, camels, and some of California’s original inhabitants. This trip-through-time experience is not to be missed! Presentation locations vary each day.
Discovery Outpost Revealed - Throughout Discovery Outpost
1:30–2:30 p.m.
Visit the home of many of our animal ambassadors and get an up-close opportunity to watch a fossa play, an ocelot hunt, and a pangolin climb! Every turn in this outpost reveals the secrets of some of the Earth’s most unique animals as they come out of their exhibits, ready to connect with you. Enjoy the surprises around every corner and then stay for the sea lion show right next door! Presentation locations vary each day.
Zoo activities not included with admission:
Happy Feet™ 4D Experience!
at the San Diego Zoo 4-D Theater
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 “Happy Feet,” just another reason to get your happy feet over to the Zoo and chill out with us.
Located across from Skyfari west.
Cost: $6 general admission ($5 for members)
Balboa Park Miniature Train
Weekends and holidays, 11 a.m.–4:30 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
Saturdays and Sundays, noon–1 p.m.
Offer tasty biscuits to our giraffes! $5 for 3 biscuits, cash only.
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.
