Our friendly City Sightseeing bus tour driver, Emmitt, a lifelong San Diego native, suggested we disembark to spend a half day at the San Diego Zoo. So that’s what we did. Having heard about "the world-famous San Diego Zoo," we were nevertheless surprised by its size. Being pressed for time, we decided first take in as much as we could via the zoo’s own bus tour. I recommend taking this tour when you arrive—preferably in the early morning when the animals are out. Try to sit on the right side facing the driver to get a better view. We were lucky to see so many animals from the bus. The only animal that didn’t make an appearance was the polar bear. Our driver noted special shows or feeding times for some of the animals.

The tour also helps you get the lay of the land: you’ll traverse much of its 100 acres, learn about its exotic plant life, and plan which areas to revisit. With our overview of the zoo complete, we realized the enormity of our task: we had to hustle to see our favorite animals up-close and catch our city bus home. We were able to revisit our favorites: the hippo, pandas, monkeys, and koalas. The hippo was visible underwater through a transparent wall. It’s amazing how long it could hold its breath before raising its nostrils above water. We had fun trying to hold our breath for as long. Human lung capacity doesn’t compare to a hippo’s. The pandas drew us too. My 7 year-old daughter commented that the large crowds were "annoying" since they blocked her view but said she "learned a lot" from the commentary of the panda expert. She was surprised that pandas aren’t aware that they are giving birth until they actually see their baby. I think this fact pleased about her mom’s attentiveness…

My daughter loved the antics of the Allen’s Swamp Monkeys, even remembering their names when questioned about her favorite animals at the zoo a month later. She was fascinated by their acrobatics, their tail-grabbing, and their general frolicking as they played in their tree house. We had to pry her away half an hour later. To us, the cutest animal was the koala. You could see the koalas both in their native habitat, the eucalyptus tree, and up-close, in a special glass viewing exhibit. Shy creatures, they tended to avoid eye contact with humans. Be patient for them to turn their heads towards you, and you’ll be rewarded with vulnerable-looking teddy-bear smiling at you. Memories of a visit to this zoo will leave you smiling, too. Enjoy your excursion to the zoo, but if you have time, spend an entire day there. Your family will appreciate taking their time, and your legs will, too. Boarding the city tour bus to leave the zoo, we were pleased that during the city tour to be seated.

Before I start, I have to tell you I have a love-hate relationship with zoos. I personally would rather see any animal roaming free in their own environment than be confined in any type of enclosure. Having said that, I know what an important role zoos have played in the study of animals, breeding endangered animals and protecting animals who are near extinction. I see how my kids learn and love seeing the animals. As long as the areas are not confining and are open, I will tolerate a zoo for these reasons. The San Diego Zoo is easy to tolerate, as they take extreme care of their animals and do everything possible to maintain a stress-free, natural environment.

The zoo is located in Balboa Park. The admission price is $21 for adults and $14 per child. They offer a transportation package for $32 for adults and $20 for kids. This is the best deal, as it includes your admission and you have unlimited transportation within the zoo. You can take the tour bus or the express bus, or ride the Aerial Tram to your heart's content. Because the park is so big and has so many steep hills, it's nice to have the option to jump on any one of these transportation methods as you desire. The day we visited, the Aeriel Tram was closed due to high winds. Before buying the package, I suggest you make sure all the transportation options are up and running!

We started out by taking the bus tour. This is a double-decker bus with the top open. This was spring break and the lines were long; the wait was about 20 minutes. Once on, this is a super way to get your first glimpse of the zoo and get an overview of what you want to head back to on foot. Because the bus is open, you get a clear and bird’s eye view of a lot of the animals. The tour guides are great and have a lot of interesting facts. The tour takes 30 minutes and is the best way to start out your visit.

We then headed back on foot. We did it all! There are lots of steep hills, so I suggest you wear comfortable shoes. Our family enjoyed the pandas, all the primates, and the reptiles the best.

This is a beautiful zoo. The landscaping is lush and tropical. It's clean and very well maintained. The employees have a love of this place, and you can tell there is a real pride here. The San Diego Zoo is worth a visit, and you most likely will want to give it a full day.

TIP: Most animals are the most active in the morning and at dusk.

First we went on the bus, to get a tour of the zoo. It was quite good, and when we got to the polar bear enclosure, it seemed as if the bear was playing around just for us! It even stood up to play with it's half a ball! How cute! ^_^

After that, we started to walk around. We didn't get a full day there, so we only managed to get about half way around the zoo. We saw the sea lion show, where the sea lions (there were two of them) did tricks on the stage, and a wolf was brought on, and it howled after they got us, the audience, to do so. It also went swimming - it was cute, too!

We also managed to get to see the giant pandas before we left, too!! There was only one out, though, and it was sleeping. (Of course!)

Find out more about the San Diego Zoo at http://www.sandiegozoo.com/

I visited the San Diego Zoo in mid-August of 2005. My friends and I hopped in our rental car and we all were so excited—none of us had been before. Upon entering the grounds, an amusement park-like atmosphere was all around us. balloons, big signs, and friendly employees greeted us at the gate. We were all ready to enjoy the trip.

Living near a large zoo, I guess my expectations were high, but the sad-looking animals and overcrowded walkways made the experience nearly unbearable. My local zoo (the National Zoo in Washington DC) had many of the same animals, all available for view for a minimal parking fee. Don't get me wrong, I'm still glad I went. The San Diego Zoo, however, did not stack up to my lofty expectations.