we assembled a panel of experts and asked them to consider some essentials: Are there lots of fun things for kids to do? Can kids get up close to the animals? Are barriers placed low enough for a stroller-eye view? Are the signs easy to read? Selecting the finalists was no easy decision, but all those chosen offer an unmatched opportunity for your little cubs to cozy up to Mother Nature at her finest.
THE SAN DIEGO ZOO
The San Diego Zoo, conveniently located in Balboa Park just north of downtown San Diego, is the place to see rare giant pandas. Of course this world-famous zoo has a few other things going for it: for one, sheer numbers--more than 4,000 animals representing 800 species are spread out over 100 acres. Other exhibit highlights include Ituri Forest with its hippos and myriad primates, and Australasia, which has the largest koala colony on this continent. Call (619) 234-3153 or visit their Web site.
SIZE: Over 100 acres, more than 4,000 animals representing 800 different species, and over 6,500 plant species.
ADMISSION: A deluxe ticket package, which includes Zoo admission, guided bus tour, express bus, round-trip Skyfari aerial ride, and all shows and exhibits is $32 for adults, $19.75 for kids ages 3-11, and free for kids under 3.
DON'T MISS: The Giant Panda Research Station, where you can see the giant pandas. Also, don't miss the Skyfari Aerial Tram. Enjoy wonderful views of the whole zoo as well as Balboa Park as the tram takes you airborne over treetops to deliver you to the other end of the zoo.
KID THRILLS: "The Wild Ones." Visit predators and prey from around the globe and get a chance to participate in the show!
INSIDER TIP: Try to head for the Giant Panda Research Station as your first destination. The line to see these animals can get pretty long because of the popularity of the pandas.
If you're in the mood for some good eats, head over to Albert's next to the Gorilla Tropics. It seems not a lot of people know about this fine restaurant so use that to your advantage since it is one of the best at the zoo.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS: San Diego Zoo offers a variety of seasonal-themed tours. Depending on the time you visit, you and your family may take a themed tour such as "It Began with a Roar," "Walk on the Wild Side," "Passport to Asia," or "Breakfast with the Big Guys." The fee for the tours vary and space is limited so reservations are required. Make sure to call for dates and availability: (619) 557-3969 or (760) 738-5057.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:Call 619-234-3153 or click here.
THE SAN DIEGO WILD ANIMAL PARK
If your family is into safari-type adventures, visit the San Diego Wild Animal Park in Escondido, California--it's the closest thing to a real safari this side of the Serengeti. A sister to the San Diego Zoo, 30 miles to the south, this is a zoo unlike any other. For starters, it covers 1,800 acres. For another thing, its major exhibit is viewed by putting the people in cages. Well, in trams; the Wgasa Bush Line Railway, a monorail that loops around the park, lets guests peer down on a savanna where herds of elephants, zebras, and giraffes, as well as a crash of rhinos, a pride of lions, and a family of pygmy chimps, roam. The 50-minute, five-mile
ride thrills kids as much as any theme park attraction. Be sure to visit Condor Ridge, which is spacious enough to show off the flying abilities of the gigantic California condor. And as far as hands-on attractions are concerned, forget about barnyard animals: Here kids can pet antelopes, hedgehogs, even aardvarks. When it's time to blow off steam, head for Mombasa Lagoon, where kids hop on giant lily pads that creak under their weight, crawl into "bat caves," and climb into a giant tortoise shell or a weaverbird's nest.
SIZE: 1,800 acres, more than 400 species, and more than 3,200 animals.
ADMISSION: $28.50 for adults, $17.50 for kids ages 3 to 11 and free for kids under 3.
DON'T MISS: Hidden Jungle, where you walk among free-flying hummingbirds and butterflies and a colony of leaf-cutter ants. Dress your child in bright colors (red or orange is best), and the birds and butterflies are likely to land right on her.
KID THRILLS: Animal feedings at the Heart of Africa safari walk. Here your kids can feed giraffes and let tiny, brilliantly hued lorikeets perch on their forearms, shoulders, even heads, to sip nectar from little cups.
INSIDER TIP: Head for the Petting Kraal as soon as the park opens. Unlike most petting zoos, this one is filled with exotics, such as black buc, impalas, and sika deer, many of which have been raised by humans after their mothers rejected them. First thing in the morning, keepers let the nursery animals out in the Kraal to exercise them, so you're likely to see a wider mix of species--and more babies.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS: On Wild Encounters ($59 per non-member person), families with children 8 to 17 years old can travel in special open-air jeeps onto the East Africa and Asia plains, where giraffes surround your vehicle looking for biscuits and Indian rhinos come over for apples. Families also can spend the night on the savanna during Beastly Bedtime (for kids 4 to 7 years old accompanied by an adult; $85 per camper,
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Call (760) 747-8702 or visit the Web site.
Lisa Stiepock is a FAMILYFUN magazine contributing editor and Gregory Lauzon is a FAMILYFUN magazine staff writer.
Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated August 2005.
