San Diego Zoo

Room for discovery

What can you explore?

• Denny Sanford Wildlife Explorers Basecamp features more than three acres of nature-play areas where visitors can climb, scramble, jump, and encounter wildlife.
• The included Guided Bus Tour is a narrated, round-trip 35-minute ride around Zoo grounds; strollers must be parked before boarding.
• The Zoo is in Balboa Park at 2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego—not the separate Safari Park in Escondido.

Suggested interest ages

Suggested interests: ages 0–17

Editorial age guidance

Suggested for ages 0–17 as a broad family outing: animals and the interactive Basecamp offer varied ways to engage children, while the bus tour adds a narrated overview. The source describes a venue for visitors of all ages; babies and toddlers can attend, though steep grades and walking make planning for mobility and rest useful. This is an editorial interest range, not a safety or admission limit.

Visitor planning notes

Check the date-specific official hours before visiting; the official page displayed 9 a.m.–9 p.m. for October 9–11, 2026, not a promise of year-round hours. Paid parking is $16 per car/motorcycle and $44 for oversized vehicles per day as of January 5, 2026; parking is first-come, first-served. Strollers are welcome and rentals are first-come, first-served. Strollers cannot board the bus tour; unattended stroller/personal items are left at visitor risk. The Zoo notes steep grades in parts. Tours, habitats, restaurants, transportation, entertainment, or other services can change or close without notice; check current app/site schedules.