The San Diego Zoo is world-famous for a reason, serving as both a world-class facility for endangered wildlife rehabilitation and global conservation, and an exceptionally beautiful place to visit. Should you remove all the animals (please don’t) the San Diego Zoo would still be one of the more remarkable botanical gardens in the United States.

It is so great that as residents we may visit the zoo for as little as 20 minutes on a lunch break. We would dare to say this is a transformative experience. Will you see every animal in the zoo in a single day? No. But most people do not because the zoo is massive, which is why we made this great itinerary for you to easily navigate and maximize your time here.

And as adults, you can walk around with an ice-cold beer. It is perfect

The Itinerary

1. San Diego Zoo Tips
2. Be Greeted By The Flamingos
3. Walk Down Fern Canyon
4. The Bears On “Center Street”
5. Beer After Bears
6. The “Urban Jungle”
7. “Africa Rocks”
8. “The Asian Passage”
9. Cross The Bashor Bridge
10. “The Northern Frontier”
11. “The Lost Forest”
12. “Treetops Way”
13. Bonus: “Reptile Walk”
14. Map to this itinerary

A Few San Diego Zoo Tips And Notes

Price: If you live in San Diego do yourself a favor and get an annual pass for $129. Otherwise, it is $72 for a day pass for adults. You can purchase tickets at the zoo or on the San Diego Zoo website.

Hours: During the summer, the zoo is open from 9AM to 7PM. During the winter it is open from 9AM to 5PM. If you are a San Diego zoo member, they have early morning access once per month beginning at 8AM before they open to the public which is a great perk.

Dining options: The San Diego Zoo provides quite a few options for dining and adult beverages – sandwiches, cafes, a grill, ice cream. The food is decent if somewhat expensive, as would be expected. We recommend you try to eat before you go or bring your own snacks (and beer).

Backpacks: You are allowed to bring in a backpack or bag with your own food, snacks, and water bottles Sometimes people choose to fill those water bottles with something other than water. They do not typically check the bags.

Navigating: The San Diego Zoo app is available to download, and they also provide a PDF map of the zoo (you can always grab a paper copy there). However, we have created a map for this itinerary that shows our recommended route. Around the zoo you will also find numbered location signs called “Map Location” to help you identify just where you are on the map – keep an eye out for these to get your bearings as they are quite helpful.

Best time to visit: Any time of the year is a great to visit the San Diego Zoo. Even during the warmer summer months the lush foliage cools you down and brings relief from the heat.

Maintenance and closures: The zoo is here to help provide the best possible habitat for these animals. From time to time this means certain exhibits or pathways will be closed to the public for maintenance or construction. Be prepared to shift your planned route if necessary.

San Diego Zoo vs Safari Park: The San Diego Zoo is located in Balboa Park near downtown San Diego, and should not be confused with the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, which is in Escondido roughly 45 minutes north of San Diego. While the Safari Park is great, it is a completely different experience than the Zoo. We’ll set up an itinerary for that soon enough.

San Diego Zoo cams live: Maybe you don’t live in San Diego but you were so enamored with the animal encounters that you want to check up on them, maybe stay in touch with the red river hog you befriended. No problem, as the San Diego Zoo live cameras are available so you can observe your animal friends from afar.

Numbered map locations to help navigate through the zoo

Be Greeted By The Flamingos

Upon entering the zoo you will be placed on Front Street where you will see a board with maps and other informational pamphlets. Feel free to grab one and then walk straight ahead you will see “Map Location 4” which is where you will find the flamingos. Say hello to the them and admire their amazingly pink plumage and stalk like legs. They will say something back. Maybe it’s “Hello,” or maybe “I don’t really like shrimp.”

Walk Down “Fern Canyon”

At “Map Location 4” you will be at the intersection of “Treetops Way.” Head down this path about 100 feet until you see a trail to your right labeled “Fern Canyon.” This is our favorite “non-animal” part of the zoo and you will immediately see why as you descend down a staircase through a stunning jungle of ferns, cascading waterfalls, and beautiful foliage.

With several benches and stopping points along the way, we suggest you walk slowly and enjoy the complete transformation from an urban environment into a wild botanical garden. If it is a hot day, you’ll appreciate the immediate drop in temperature from the cool water and green canopy. At the bottom of the trail, you can either go left, or right. Take a right and make your way on to “Center Street.”

Check Out The Bears On “Center Street”

Take a right on Center Street. Here, you’ll encounter some of the first large animals in the zoo. It might as well be called “Bear Street” because you’ll find grizzly bears, Andean bears, and sloth bears. We will say this time and again, but take care to read the signs and information about these incredible creatures and how they arrived at the zoo in the first place. Two grizzly brothers named Scout and Montana originally resided in Yellowstone National Park in Idaho, but sadly their mother had begun teaching them a bad habit of looking for food in a campsite. This puts both the bears and humans at risk, potentially even resulting in euthanizing them. Thankfully, the National Park Service was able to send these bears over to the San Diego zoo and is now providing them as best of a life as possible.

You may notice some odd happenings including smoky smells, mist, and other seemingly natural occurrences that would only happen in natural environments. Bears are used to these smells and sights, and it is one of the San Diego Zoo’s efforts to replicate their natural habitat and make them feel at home. Respect the bears and their place.

After The Bears, Grab A Beer

It is time for an adult beverage. As you make your way up Center Street you will encounter a hub of food and refreshments at “Map Location 8.” You will find Stoney’s Grill to your left and a beer garden to your right. You still have quite a sojourn through the zoo, so fuel up.

Beer at the zoo is expensive – around $17 per pint. You will get a souvenir cup which you can bring back home, and it brings your beer refills down to an astound $16. Fine, it is not astounding, but the cost of your beer helps support the bears and other animals. So in a way, drinking beer at the San Diego Zoo aids in conservation. It’s a win-win.

After grabbing your beer and food, go see the chubby unicorns.

Loop Through “The Urban Jungle”

To the left of Stoney’s Grill you can enter the “Urban Jungle.” This is a small loop but is packed with some exciting animals including rhinoceros (chubby unicorns), cheetahs, porcupines, zebras, and giraffes. We do not know why this is called the “Urban Jungle” because as far as we know rhinos and cheetahs do not reside in the city. But we do not question the naming conventions here, we just show you where they are.

Head Down Into “Africa Rocks”

After looping through the “Urban jungle” you will continue up “Center Street” towards the “Africa Rocks” exhibit.

A long and winding path, the “Africa Rocks” exhibit gives you an amazing glimpse at the savannahs and grasslands of Africa. At first you will encounter the baboons and their giant red butts. They have a massive grassy playground and they take full advantage roaming and playing with each other. Do not fret if they are not immediately visible as the path through “Africa Rocks” provides multiple viewing options for the baboons.

About halfway down you will come upon one of the more exotic and rather intimidating animals in the park: the leopard of the acacia woodlands. Powerful and beautiful, the leopard is an iconic species that is humbles you with it’s sheer presence. The leopards have two separate sections that are connected via a rocky tunnel, so if you do not see them in the first viewing area just head slightly down and you may find them in their other locale.

Around the corner from the leopard you will find the vervet monkey – a small, cute monkey with white fur. Unless they are napping, these monkeys love to wrestle, play, and we have to say it…monkey around. Fine, we did not have to say that but we did.

Around the corner from the vervet monkey you will encounter the first aviary of your zoo trip – the aviary. Do go inside. It is a most excellent and memorable experience. You must enter through a set of double doors, with one door being closed at all times. Do not fail to abide by this small rule as you do not want to be the person who let loose the spectacular blue throated king fisher. These birds will be flying all around and zipping past you. You’re in their home. Hang peacefully over the edge of the balcony and marvel and the modern day flying dinosaurs.

As you approach the tail end of the “Africa Rocks” exhibit, you will find some other curious creatures including the fossa, lemurs, dwarf crocodiles, and of course the South African penguins.

Refill Beer And Grab A Snack At “The Asian Passage”

Exiting the “Africa Rocks” exhibit you will find the “Asian Passage.” This starts at “Map Location 13” and has several options for food, snacks, and a refill on your tasty cold beer. Restrooms are available here as well. Take a minute, regroup and refresh. Then, look above you to see the “Bashor Bridge” which you will be crossing to your next wild exhibit.

Walk Across The Bashor Bridge

There are elevators and stairs leading up to the Bashor Bridge. Pick your fancy and get up there. From the bridge you will see incredible views looking over the canopy of the zoo to your south, and to the north you will see come other iconic landmarks of Balboa Park including Balboa Tower. But no need to linger on the urban world as you are in a jungle paradise. Cross the bridge, make a wish, and continue your journey.

Loop Around The “Northern Frontier” On “Park Way”

Over the bridge you’ll find yourself on “Upper Park Way” next to “Map Location 19.” Make a left to see some more large mammals including the maned wolf. A fascinating canid species, the maned wolf looks like a fox/wolf combination on stilts. Just on the other side you will (maybe) see the elusive American mountain lion ( a.k.a. cougar, puma, banshee – it has tons of names but it is all the same beautiful species). Stoic and shy, this large cat is found from the southern tip of Patagonia all the way up to the Canadian Rockies.

Further up the “Upper Parkway” you will see signs for the “Northern Frontier” top your right, This is where you will find the polar bears and is a small loop which you can walk through in just a few minutes. Is the San Diego zoo an ideal climate for these polar bears? Perhaps not. But do not forget the purpose of the zoo, as these polar bears are here as refugees due to the destruction and loss of their habitat from human development and pollution. They live as good of a life as they possibly can here, and we are thankful the San Diego Zoo has made a home for these incredible animals.

After the polar bars, continue on the “Upper Parkway” towards “Map Location 17” where you will see lots of ungulates (what?). Ungulates just means hooved animals, such as antelope, kudu, bontebok, and the zebra. Maybe not as exciting to some as the other exotic animals, these creatures need all the love from humans they can get. Pay them a bit of attention and understand they are here for the same reasons as other animals – conservation and preservation due to habitat.

After the ungulates the pathway will start to loop around and you will be presented with a quick detour which we highly recommend: “The Eagle Trail.” There are many different species of eagles in the wild and this trail demonstrates that well. The Steller’s sea eagle, Bald eagle, Crowned eagle, Harpy eagle, and the Golden eagle are sure to impress with wingspans of up to 6.5 feet. These occupy every range of habitat from high alpine environments, mountains, deserts, and dense tropical jungles. Raptors of the sky.

Should you need it, restrooms are available at the end of the “Eagle Trail.”

Turn Right On The “Hippo Trail Into “The Lost Forest”

After exiting the “Eagle Trail” you will want to cross directly over the “Lower Park Way” and on to the “Hippo Trail.” From here begins a whole new journey on the western side of the zoo.

The first animal in the “Lost Forest” is the red river hog. A goofy looking creature with bright red hair and pointy ears, they deserve a gander from you and your party.

This may come as a surprise, but they have hippos on the “Hippo Trail.” Just past the red sand hog. The most dangerous animal in the world (in terms of fatal human encounters), these hippos are thankfully behind the safety of a wall. If you have never seen one up close before, prepare to be awed by their enormous size, weighing in up to 4000 pounds and quite literally the size of a VW bug. A semiaquatic species, you will most likely find them splashing around in a pool of cool water and hippo feces…but let us not judge the hippos and their personal sanitation practices.

Further down the “Hippo Trail” will intersect with the “Tiger Trail.” However, stay to the left on the and do not proceed down the “Tiger Trail.” (if you wish to continue with this itinerary). Do not panic – you will still have viewing opportunities for the tiger! Follow the “Hippo Trail” towards the “Scripps Aviary.” Just past the entrance to the “Scripps Aviary” you will have a great view down into the tigers habitat. This tiger recently gave birth to two incredible tiger cubs in 2023. Take a moment, as we know you will, to marvel at the beauty of one of the most incredible species on the planet.

Afterwards, head in to the Scripps Aviary. There is no bad aviary, but this one is by far our favorite. You be the judge. Once again, these birds are flying all around in the open air zipping past you and observing you from their perch above in the treetops and branches. To see so many unique birds in one single spot can only be had by traveling into the tropics. But we think they do a fine job here of creating a healthy and happy habitat for them.

After the aviary you will continue briefly on the “Hippo Trail” to where it intersects with the “Monkey Trai.” Here you will see your closest cousins including gorillas and bonobos. For the record gorillas and bonobos are not monkeys – they are apes. But the “monkey trail” does initially begin with amazing monkey habitats, so don’t hold it against the San Diego Zoo. As you might expect, seeing your closest relatives up close is a humbling reminder that we are all part of the animal kingdom. Their huma-like attributes and curiosity can be marveled at for hours. Take your time here.

The “Monkey Trail” will bring you to the “Treetops Plaza” which intersects with the home-stretch of your experience at the San Diego Zoo (still more to see, relax).

Take “Treetops Way” Back To The Entrance

“Treetops Way” continues your journey amongst the primates of the zoo. But first, need a coffee? The “Zoo Brew” is located just before your next wildlife viewing area. Get a coffee, water, or snack and recharge for a moment.

Right past the “Zoo Brew” you will find some more of your cousins, the orangutans. A newborn orangutan named Kaja entered the world in 2022, and hopefully you will see the already fearless child climbing and exploring in its home. Oftentimes the orangutans will be glad to greet you at the glass, returning to you the same inquisitive gazes that you press upon them. Enjoy them and their majestic presence.

Just past the orangutans you will see the familiar “Fern Canyon” where the main entrance and exits lie just beyond on Front Street. Congratulations, you have just journeyed through the epic San Diego Zoo. While you have not seen the whole zoo, that should only further validate how incredible of a place it is and how much there is to see and enjoy.

Bonus: Do The “Reptile Walk”

Pay your respects to the tortoises, as they are as old as time itself. But on a more serious note, the San Diego Zoo maintains one of the largest colonies of Galapagos tortoises outside of their natural habitat, and they were instrumental in helping to repopulate them on the Galapagos Islands. The entire reptile exhibit is highly recommended, and is basically on your way out of the zoo.

Make a left on Front Street and grab one more beer or an ice cream as you make your way to “Map Location 3.” This is where you will find the “Reptile House” which is a square path that displays amazing snakes, turtles, and lizards behind their glass domains. It brings out a bit of that ancient, primal fear staring into the eyes of a green anaconda or pit viper. On the other side of the “Reptile House” you can continue outside for the “Reptile Walk” where you’ll find the enormous Galapagos tortoises, alligators, and other amazing reptilian creatures.