Monkeys, flamingo, elephants, oh my! Planning an outing with the kids is always an event and sometimes this mom isn’t into it, but it was so easy to plan a fun trip to the San Diego Zoo when we went recently. It’s only about an hour and a half to San Diego from Orange County on a good day, so I planned a trip for my family of five to visit the world-famous San Diego Zoo.
I grew up in San Diego and visited the zoo many times with family and on school field trips. Going back as an adult is always such a new experience, and adding your own kids into the mix brings more responsibility.
Here are 5 tips on making your experience at the San Diego Zoo more fun and easier on mama:
#1 – Get to San Diego the night before your visit if you can.
Luckily, my parents are in San Diego, so it’s a double whammy of seeing the grandparents and seeing the animals. The traffic on the 5 is horrid on a Saturday and will increase your commute to an hour or even two hours more. So, check traffic times and plan accordingly.
#2 – Parking is free.
This is a great perk, since almost every theme park charges so much for parking. We got there early and were able to find parking in the parking lot. There are shuttles for the parking lot, but the walk to the entrance isn’t far either. I am assuming parking fills up, so if that happens to you, there’s always Balboa Park right next door.
#3 – Bring a stroller for anyone under 5.
Those little legs aren’t made for walking the San Diego Zoo. I have two older ones and a toddler and it was so helpful to have my trusty BOB stroller to roll around the toddler in. He walked some of the time, but when naptime hit, it was so nice to keep walking around without carrying him. Plus the stroller gives holds your cups, jackets, and other children supplies.
#4 – Get the refillable cup!
We brought our water bottles, but for adult beverages (my favorite were the frozen margaritas) and soda, you get a discount for refilling your souvenir cup. Also, they give cool aluminum beer cups for the craft beer sold throughout the park. We had our filling stations marked on the map, so we didn’t have to back track.
#5 – Prioritize seeing your favorite animals.
I wish I had planned this better for our trip, so if you can ask each member of the family what animals they want to see at the park in advance, this can help you plan your trek around the park. There are so many animals to see and they have the map to show you were they all “hang” out.
Bonus tips to help you plan a fun trip to the San Diego Zoo!
- Be prepared to walk a lot. It is one of the biggest and most beautiful zoos at over 100 acres.
- Also, take breaks where you find seating and enjoy the animals. Our family loved the polar bear and monkey exhibits.
Hope these tips give you some ideas when planning your next visit to the San Diego Zoo! I know for sure you and your little ones will have a memorable time.
