San Diego Zoo 1-Day Pass: Any Day Ticket

From USD 76

4.66

3,145 reviews

Check availability

Overview

Mobile ticket

The San Diego Zoo is a 100-acre wildlife park and home to over 12,000 rare and endangered animals, representing more than 650 species and subspecies. Located just north of downtown San Diego in Balboa Park, the Zoo is also an accredited botanical garden, caring for more than 700,000 individual plants, including a prominent curated assemblage of close to 13,000 specimens, representing 3,100 species.

The expansive new 3.2-acre Wildlife Explorers Basecamp is designed to appeal to all ages and foster empathy for wildlife by exploring nature. Built on the site of the historic Children’s Zoo, the basecamp features fresh and innovative elements, including eight buildings and habitats dispersed throughout four different habitat zones: Rainforest, Wild Woods, Marsh Meadows and Desert Dunes.

Tickets must be purchased at least one day prior to visit.

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap

Transportation options are wheelchair accessible

All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible

Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness

Strollers and wheelchairs are available for rental at the front plaza near the entrance

Please visit the San Diego Zoo's website for more information on complimentary timed tickets and standby lines for the giant panda viewing

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

*Unlimited use of Skyfari Aerial Tram

*Unlimited use of the Guided Bus Tour

Tickets good one year from original date of purchase

Food and drink

Hotel pick up and drop-off

Options

San Diego Zoo

Reviews

4.66

3,145 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

2503

394

135

An Immersive Zoo Experience—Just Bring Patience
Lauren T,
Apr 30, 2025
- Viator
3.00
The San Diego Zoo is massive, lush, and one of the most beautiful outdoor zoos we’ve visited. It’s a lovely way to explore the hills and trees of San Diego’s landscape while checking out incredible animals along the way. That said—be warned—it’s a huge park and nearly impossible to cover in one day. My family and I made a game plan using the San Diego Zoo app, which helped set expectations, but the map (physical, digital, or posted) was still tough to follow. Thankfully, the staff/volunteers in red shirts were super helpful whenever we needed directions. We had a serious stroke of luck with the pandas—a volunteer told us they usually go into a backroom during feeding time, but we decided to take our shot when we were in that part of the zoo & the lines were short… and it paid off! I’d say the wait is worth it either way since there are only 4 pandas (total) in the U.S. Other highlights: the aerial tram is a fun and relaxing way to get to the Northern Frontier (especially nice for tired legs), there are tons of seating and shade throughout the park, and the enclosures felt more spacious and thoughtfully designed than what we’ve seen at other zoos. As a bird lover, I especially appreciated the huge variety of birds throughout the exhibits. A couple things to note: The zoo is entirely smoke-free (just something to plan for), and while most kids were having fun, we did witness a group that was antagonizing the monkeys—really upsetting to see, and unfortunately, no adult stepped in. Hopefully, that’s the exception and not the norm. All in all, it’s an incredible experience, especially if you’re an animal lover. Just wear comfy shoes, pack your patience, and enjoy the adventure!
Zoo
deedav123aolcom,
Apr 29, 2025
- Viator
3.00
To much walking and confusing map. Bus tour was great. Volunteers friendly and very helpful. Food was good.
Excellent day. Low crowd...
Robyn C,
Apr 24, 2025
- Viator
5.00
Excellent day. Low crowd level . Cooler temperature in the morning, perfect afternoon temperature. Plenty of animal activity.
Beautiful zoo! Plan for a full day!
Suzy D,
Apr 10, 2025
- Viator
5.00
Awesome! We only made it half way through the zoo and ran out of steam. Next time, we'll take the tour bus. 😆 Loved the pandas!
More guides needed
Patricia R,
Apr 8, 2025
- Viator
3.00
Complicated map to follow. They should have some guides we can ask which way to a certain animal. Friendly staff at the kiosk