San Diego Zoo Help critique my San Diego Zoo itinerary please

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David Henkemeyer

New Member
I am taking a soccer team of 11 and 12 year old girls to the San Diego zoo on Sunday Aug 5th, and I'm interested in making the most of a 1/2 day visit. They have a game that evening, so I don't want to wear them out. Here is what I have so far:

  • Leave hotel at 8:15am
  • Arrive at zoo ~8:45am (9am is opening time)
  • Go to the Panda Trek exhibit (lines will be short early in the morning)
  • Walk to Polar Bear exhibit
  • Take Arial Tram across the zoo from the Northern Frontier to the zoo entrance area (may freak out people who are afraid of heights)
  • Bus Tour (wait for the upper deck - its better)
  • Lunch (either in the zoo or after we leave the zoo)
  • Leave the zoo
Does that seem like we'll be done by about 1pm or so? Any other suggestions on changes I should make?

Thank you!
David
 
Last edited:
David Henkemeyer said:
I am taking a soccer team of 11 and 12 year old girls to the zoo on Sunday Aug 5th, and I'm interested in making the most of a 1/2 day visit. They have a game that evening, so I don't want to wear them out. Here is what I have so far:

  • Leave hotel at 8:15am
  • Arrive at zoo ~8:45am (9am is opening time)
  • Go to the Panda Trek exhibit (lines will be short early in the morning)
  • Walk to Polar Bear exhibit
  • Take Arial Tram across the zoo from the Northern Frontier to the zoo entrance area (may freak out people who are afraid of heights)
  • Bus Tour (wait for the upper deck - its better)
  • Lunch (either in the zoo or after we leave the zoo)
  • Leave the zoo
Does that seem like we'll be done by about 1pm or so? Any other suggestions on changes I should make?

Thank you!
David
Click to expand...

I assume this is the San Diego Zoo? Welcome to ZooChat by the way.:)
 
The zoo tour is an excellent idea to see maybe 60-65% of the zoo quickly. A quick question, which path are you planning to take to get to Panda canyon in the morning. If you want to see monkeys I would go through a part of Lost Forest, and then head down a path called Aviary Trail to Panda Canyon. (Its just above Owens Aviary on the map.) If you prefer a simpler path, I would turn right when you enter the park, and go to Center Street. Walking down that road will have you pass multiple bear species, as well as otters, and I believe snow leopards.

If I've done it correctly, the zoo map should be linked below. Let me know if I didn't make sense, I do that a lot ;).

Find Your Next Adventure on the San Diego Zoo Safari Park Map
 
After the pandas, I would go see the Amur leopard cubs. Then the hippos (or this could done on the way down).

If there is a long tram line, you could just walk across the bridge, and maybe check to see if the baby tapir is out.
 
San Diego Zoo is a big zoo. I suggest that you ask the girls what they want to see and plan an itinerary linking up the most popular animals. Please note that you can change the itinerary if one species is inactive or can't be seen, while another animal is being very active nearby.
 
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