On any trip to San Diego, the famous San Diego Zoo should definitely be on your San Diego itinerary. But with two globe-class zoos in the expanse (both office of the San Diego Zoo), which should you lot visit? Hither we'll expect at all the differences betwixt the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park to help you choose which one to visit.

Honestly, if you accept time though, visit both! Both the Zoo and the Safari Park offering completely different experiences and we really loved our visit to both of them! (Nonetheless, nosotros did have a favorite…I'll explicate at the terminate.)

Merely if you're trying to decide betwixt the San Diego Zoo vs. San Diego Zoo Safari Park because you only have fourth dimension for one zoo on your trip, here'southward the comparison you need to help you make a decision.

San Diego Zoo vs. Safari Park: History + Mission

When comparing the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, let'due south take a look at their history starting time, because these two parks exist for entirely different reasons.

The San Diego Zoo began as a traditional zoo with animals that were left in San Diego after the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. Since then information technology has grown to a world-famous zoo, with all the traditional things you expect to run across at a zoo.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park was a natural offshoot of the San Diego Zoo that focuses on conservation. (Note: both zoos focus on conservation, but information technology is an fifty-fifty bigger focus at the Safari Park.)

On our visit, we were talking to a Safari Park volunteer and she explained that the reason the Safari Park exists is because keepers noticed that animals weren't breeding well in the cramped quarters of the San Diego Zoo. Moving animals out the Safari Park gave them the room they needed to feel comfortable breeding, and thus the Safari Park became an important office of the San Diego Zoo'south conservation mission.

Wide open spaces at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

San Diego Zoo vs. Safari Park: Location

Perhaps the biggest difference between the San Diego Zoo and the Safari Park is their location.

The San Diego Zoo is located near downtown San Diego in Balboa Park. This means it's easy to visit the Zoo on a short San Diego trip, every bit it is central to probably everything else you'll exist doing.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park, however is located about xxx minutes northward of San Diego in Escondido. This means that it could be a little trickier for your family to make information technology up to the Safari Park.

If you are looking to stay shut to central San Diego on your trip, then the San Diego Zoo is probably the right choice for you.

San Diego Zoo vs. Safari Park: Size

Because of the different focuses of each zoo, their size differs profoundly. The San Diego Zoo is 100 acres, while the Safari Park covers 1,800 acres.

Information technology's important to note though, that a lot of the Safari Park is dedicated gratis-roaming space for animals. So while the actual property is bigger, the area guests will walk in is very similar in both parks.

San Diego Zoo vs. Safari Park: Walking + Park Transportation

In both parks you'll need to be prepared to walk. But the experience is going to exist unlike in each park.

The San Diego Zoo is congenital into a canyon, which means there are A LOT of hills within the zoo (and it as well means the fashion the space is used is very creative). This means there is some steep terrain yous should be prepared for.

BUT the San Diego Zoo has as well has some free transportation options to brand this a piffling easier. There are several elevators throughout the park to help you go up and downward to the different levels.

There is also a bus system called the Kangaroo Buses that you tin can hop on and off throughout the correct side of the park.

And of class there is the Skyfari, which are sky buckets that can take you back and along between the front and the back of the park. (Plus, they are just fun to ride and requite you dandy views of San Diego and Balboa Park!)

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is non quite as hilly (although there are some hills), which ways the walking can exist a little easier. Only it also does not have the same in-park transportation options. There is an elevator in one surface area, just other than that y'all will need to walk pretty much everywhere you want to go.

The multiple levels of the San Diego Zoo.

San Diego Zoo vs. Safari Park: Animals

You may not realize information technology, but the animals between the San Diego Zoo and the Safari Park are vastly unlike!

Because the San Diego Zoo is a more traditional zoo experience, you lot volition find a bigger variety of animals here. From lions and tigers and elephants to koalas and penguins and tortoises, the San Diego Zoo has almost every animal y'all might want to encounter.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park, however, focuses more on African animals, with more limited selection of species. There are still lots of animals to come across though! Giraffes, elephants, all kinds of gazelles, lions, and gorillas.

The Safari Park also has an Australian section with kangaroos and platypuses, and a Tiger Trail with tigers. (And then don't worry…it'due south not JUST African animals.)

Some notable animals y'all'll find at the San Diego Zoo but NOT at the Safari Park:

  • Brownish bear
  • Leopard
  • Jaguar
  • Koalas
  • Chimpanzees
  • Galapagos tortoise
  • Mandrill
  • Orangutan
  • Polar bear

Most of the animals you'll notice at the Safari Park you tin can too find at the San Diego Zoo, with the big exception of the platypus. Note that you can ONLY see the platypus at the Safari Park. In fact, the platypuses at the Safari Park are the But platypuses anywhere in the world exterior of Commonwealth of australia!

If there is a very specific animal y'all want to see on your zoo visit, be sure to cheque the website to meet which zoo you might find it at.

San Diego Zoo vs. Safari Park: Experiences

Both the San Diego Zoo and the Safari Park have some actress free (!) experiences that make them unique.

At the San Diego Zoo you lot can take a free passenger vehicle tour that will take you effectually almost of the park and let yous encounter the animals. (I definitely recommend doing this first matter in the morning, when the animals are almost likely to be agile!).

Y'all can too ride the Skyfari for aeriform views of the zoo for free.

Plus keeper talks and animate being shows are likewise included. (Cheque the 24-hour interval's schedule because what's available is subject to change.)

The San Diego Zoo besides has a new children's zoo expanse called Wild animals Explorer'due south Basecamp that opened in 2022.

At the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, the master free "extra" is going to be the Africa Tram. This 30 minute (ish) ride takes y'all back to some of the more open up areas of the zoo to get closer to some of the African animals. Information technology doesn't become you every bit close as some of the paid safaris, just it's definitely yet must-do at the Safari Park!

At the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, your admission also includes admission the Cheetah Run, by far the about popular show at the park. (Be sure to bank check that day'due south schedule because what'due south available is subject to change.)

And if y'all're visiting with kids, the Safari Park has a carousel. Information technology'southward not free, only one $6 ticket will give you unlimited rides all day. And another plus with kids? The Safari Park has several pocket-size play areas that kids (and parents) volition love.

San Diego Zoo vs. Safari Park: Paid Upgrades

If you are interested in paying to add to your zoo feel, both the Zoo and the Safari Park have extra options.

San Diego Zoo upgraded experiences include:

  • Inside Wait Tours (you lot tin choose different animal focuses)
  • Animals in Action (meet animal ambassadors)
  • VIP Experiences
  • Early Morning Cheetah Experience
  • Discovery Cart Tour (more private guided bout of the zoo)
  • Crazy Almost Cats tour

These experiences all require a ticket in addition to your zoo access. Prices range from $55 to $92 per person, with the VIP experience being $675+ per person.

And every bit much as the San Diego Zoo offers, the Safari Park offers even More unique experiences:

  • Wildlife Safari
  • Backside the Scenes Safari
  • Cart Safari
  • Dominicus Up Cheetah Safari
  • Ultimate Safari
  • Roar & Snore Safari (you tin actually camp overnight in the zoo!)
  • Flightline Safari (zilch line)
  • Balloon Safari (tethered hot air airship)

Most Safaris are in the $90 range per person, while the overnight costs $149 and up and the Ultimate Safari is $675 and upwards per person. The extra paid experiences are a big depict to the Safari Park, and yous might experience like you demand to do one of them. Merely I hope y'all can have a great 24-hour interval here fifty-fifty without a paid upgrade! (Nosotros did!)

Whichever zoo you visit, be certain to wait upward details and purchase whatsoever tickets for additional events before your visit!

Overnight tents at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park

San Diego Zoo vs. Safari Park: Which is Better?

Whether the San Diego Zoo or the Safari Park is meliorate is obviously a completely objective opinion.

However, I volition say that our favorite visit on our trip to San Diego was to the Safari Park. The San Diego Zoo is great, but the Safari Park really surprised us with how much we enjoyed it.

Reasons we loved the San Diego Zoo Safari Park? The beautiful wide open spaces, the lower crowds, and the unique animal experiences (like the platypus and getting to walk through the kangaroo enclosure).

Only the more important question here is which park is right for y'all. Considering while nosotros beloved the Safari Park, if you only have time to visit one of the zoos yous want to make the right decision for your family unit.

If you want to stay close to the metropolis, see as many animals as you tin, and bank check a world-famous zoo off your saucepan list, then go to the San Diego Zoo.

If y'all want a unlike kind of zoo experience, desire to avoid the more than crowded and cramped zoo, and have time to bulldoze to Escondido, so go to the Safari Park.

Either way though, you'll have some awesome animate being experiences and a fantastic fourth dimension!