They are both awesome. For me it just depends on how I feel and what I want to see and deal with. The zoo has more people, more shops and animals and more to walk. The safari is calmer and fewer shops.
What you are doing for the San Diego zoo with your blogs is incredible! I’m a hardcore theme park goer like you and an avid TH-cam theme park vlog watcher! You have a great little nitch doing the zoo videos! Keep it up! I will watch every one! I just got my San Diego annual pass and will be a big supporter of yours!
We absolutely love the Zoo and Safari Park. We used to go to them a lot more often before starting the channel and needing to keep tabs on all the other theme parks, but they’re still some of our favorite places to visit.
Nice breakdown. I haven’t been here in a little while but I wanted to thank you for all the awesome videos! My trip to San Diego was last month and you always give helpful tips and such. I already feel like I want to go back!
Both are awesome. San Diego Zoo feels like adventuring in a Jungle and you could walk for hours getting lost along the trails under the canopy of trees and foilage they have among the exhibits for the animals. Granted it has more shops and more people but you could walk for some time between sectionsa and be alone for a good number of minutes in some places. Safari Park is pretty much more of well a safari. more open ground lots of visible space less stores and people and indeed calmer. it does have a more adventure feel given the enviornment the park sets itself as. Of the two. Safari park is far larger although the Zoo has several levels of trails that does make up for its size. The Casowary at Safari park still hates me -_-. I think Safari Park has a shoebill stork and he's really awesome and quite polite.
Growing up in SD I was a big animal kid, so I had the year pass for both parks ever single year. Safari Park definitely has the cooler mor chill vibe. I definitely enjoy how expansive it is compared to the zoo, but both are great
Hi @SoCalDisneyDad ! Thanks so much for all the park info you’ve provided. The fam is taking a trip to LA this March and doing Disney, LEGOLAND and the San Diego Zoo. I have a question about strollers and the free bus ride at the zoo. I have a 1 year old so definitely need the stroller. Will I be able to store the stroller on the zoo bus or should we do the bus first thing then go back to the car and grab the stroller afterwards? (If we are allowed to go back to our car and back into the zoo). What do you recommend? Thanks!
I’m a San Diego native & I love both zoos. But I prefer the SD Zoo over the Safari Park because the Safari Park gets hot in the summer time. Plus there are a lot of other things to do in that area besides the SD Zoo. Like Balboa Park, the museums & the downtown area. There’s not a lot to do around the Safari Park because it’s basically in the middle of nowhere lol
@@SoCalDisneyDad I think the Safari Park is a better facility as a zoo in a whole. I used to enjoy the old “tram” (or whatever it was called) they used to have. But I enjoy making a day out of going to the SD Zoo & the surrounding areas. My favorite pizza joint is minutes away (Bronx Pizza) ✌🏾
Thank you so much, im planning a trip to San Diego and this is super helpful. So i was wondering...perhaps you know if the zoo and safari park are okay with taking photographs? Im a professional photographer and the camera tends to catch a lot of attention being so big. Maybe you have seen other photographers there. Thanks in advance, im grateful for your content.
The Zoo and Safari Park are a photographer’s playground. Both are excellent places to bring your camera. Lots of great photography opportunities. Large cameras are more than welcome, as they are always looking for more content for their social media pages :)
We are planning to go here next month. How many days would you recommend to visit both if we are going there with kids? Are 2 days enough to see both parks?
Hi I am planning to visit one of them in 2 weeks. I will be bringing my almost 2 year old. I am wondering which one is more infant friendly given the weather in December?
Both are about the same temperature this time of year. I do feel like the Zoo is more of a go-to for a first visit. It also has a lot of foliage and valleys so it’s more protected from the wind. Both are enjoyable as an experience, but I’d say the Zoo itself is more classic than the Safari Park.
One question. At either of these locations, are there opportunities to touch or interact with snakes? Do the staff bring them around the zoo to show people? Thanks.
The admission grants you entrance to the park and nothing else with the exception of the Africa Tram. Everything else aside from walking around and seeing animals costs extra (so zipline, tours, lorikeet feeding, etc all cost extra). There is also a parking fee that isn’t included with admission.
I would not recommend doing both parks in the same day. While it’s possible, you will feel rushed to get your money’s worth. Keep in mind the two parks are a 45 minute drive away from each other. It is not necessary to pay extra for one of the paid safaris at the Safari Park. You can go and enjoy the park as a Zoo and ride the free Africa Tram. The Safari park is actually larger than the Zoo in physical size and each has their own unique animals. Definitely love both of them equally.
They do have a ticket you can buy that’s multi day multi park. But I believe the single day park tickets are park specific to whichever one you bought it at.
I believe you can as a part of one of the paid tours, like the Wildlife Safari or something like that. I would ask at the ticket booths for these extra activities inside the park, or call. But they don’t offer it for anyone walking around like they do at the Zoo. All you have to do at the Zoo is line up at the right time and pay a nominal fee for the food.
Hello there! thanks so much for such informative video. We are going this week and I am wondering if we can bring our backpacks with hydration bladders ? Also wanted to know if we can bring in our own food & snacks? Thanks so much for your time!
I have never taken in one of those backpacks but I don’t see it being an issue. We take our own snacks all the time! As far as food, you won’t be able to take in any name brand stuff, like don’t try to walk in with a bag of McDonald’s. But if you pack bread and peanut butter, that’s totally fine (we do it all the time).
I will go on a trip to SoCal, I only have one day to go to San Diego and I thought I could go to both parks in one day (I will go in winter) Good video
You’d be hard pressed to get both in in a day. You could do it, but you’d have to start at 9 AM and switch parks by 12 PM to 1 PM factoring in a 45 minute drive between the two parks. It wouldn’t give you much time to enjoy either park.
One thing I really enjoyed visiting the San Diego Zoo, Safari park and other Southern California attractions was the food was generally decent and flavourful, most always good enough the price doesn't sting. Here in Australia food and zoos and parks is always horrifically overpriced and so bland you would think it had sat in the fridge uncovered for a fortnight... so if you visit my country, remember always; Pack a Lunch. Our zoos are great otherwise, cannot recommend the Australian Zoo, Taronga and Melbourne Zoo enough if you like Zoos.
I enjoyed the Taronga Zoo. Was it a San Diego Zoo? No, but we had a good time overall. I don’t remember the food at all. And it was before I vlogged, so I have no footage to remind me.
Awesome video, are there souviner store identical ? I like to collect magnets for each zoo/museum I visit, are the magnets identical at both locations or are they different ?
@@SoCalDisneyDad I’ll definitely check it out one day, btw when your at LA, I’d highly recommend you visit the La Brea Tar Pits, there a bunch of pits where ice age animals got trapped, it’s kinda like a extinct zoo of sorts( the San Diego zoo, Elephant odyssey references it & was influenced by it) the museum is small but they’re going to dramatically expand it, I’d recommend visiting it in 2022 before they tear it down & rebuild it.
I would probably say the Zoo. There are a few indoor exhibits there where the Safari Park doesn’t really have any. Plus there’s a lot more trees for cover, etc. The Zoo also has a 45 minute tour bus that might be a decent way to see the Zoo under a bit of cover (it’s big and open, so rain might still get you) provided it’s running.
gosh for the Safari Park, all the attractions cost extra. So if you wanna do everything, would the total come out to $500+? Examples: Wildlife $89, Behind-the-Scenes $89, Cart $55, Sun Up Cheetah $99, Flightline $77. That's on top of the $65 admission ticket and the $15 parking.........
Yes, true. But you wouldn’t do all of those things in a single visit. A few of those tours are nearly the same thing but the more expensive ones have better perks. For your admission, if you don’t do any paid activities, you can still spend a good 4-5 hours there. I’ve actually never paid for any of those things on any visit in the last 5-6 years of regularly visiting. Except for the Lorikeet Feeding. Which is a great thing to do and pretty affordable.
If u ever decide to go to Melbourne australia you should make a tour of Melbourne zoo even tho it doesn’t have a lot of animals I love it! There’s Pygmy hippo
It will take you 45 minutes to get to the Safari park from the airport. So factor in getting bags and rental car, you’d likely not make it there until 1:30 at the earliest. The Safari Park closes at 5 PM. So that’s a little over 3 hours. It’s possible to see a good chunk of the Safari park. You probably won’t make it up to Australia, Condor Ridge, or the Tiger Trail. But you should be able to see the elephants, lions, Africa Tram and Gorillas in that time frame.
@@SoCalDisneyDad I double checked. We actually land at 10 so that would give us more time. I think we are going to try and make it happen! Thank you for your feedback!
There’s almost nothing now by way of precautions. There used to be, but they are following state guidelines and they’ve all but removed any restrictions. The only one currently in place is that masks indoors are recommended, but not required. It’s the same for SeaWorld and Legoland.
We would probably recommend the zoo. The exhibits are easier to see and you can take the bus tour and ride the sky ride. The Safari park is still good for those ages though if you decide to go there instead.
@@vanessaramirez1015 You will have to fold it up. But it should be fine. I might have said differently in the video. I don’t remember. But they have changed their policy since then and I’ve seen strollers folded on the sky ride no problem as of late.
Do you know if you get to see/feed Giraffes at the safari park ? Where thinking of purchasing tickets to get on the truck to take us around do you know what kind of animals we’ll see on the truck ? Up close
It looks like the Wildlife Safari is the one that lets you feed giraffes. I would confirm with them before you purchase as I've never done it, but here is a link: sdzsafaripark.org/safaris/wildlife-safari
Quick question by any chance do any of you guys knows if they rent electric scooters or wheel chairs. I want to take my mother but she wont be able to walk that much. 😔
Yes, they do have ECV rentals available on a first come first serve basis. Both rental areas are inside the parks just past the turnstiles where you scan your ticket to enter the park.
Safari Park is my favorite. I could go everyday. If I lived there. I do wish I would of went back to San Diego Zoo. And just take my time. I felt rushed. So next time will definitely slow down and make it a 3 day experience. Where Safari Park you can do in a day. It was hot but the misters helped a lot. I would live to go on a rainy day. Animals are always more active.
I feel rushed at the Zoo every time I go. It’s always so crowded. You feel like you can’t enjoy things as much during the busy season. This time of year it’s really good because it’s just locals for the most part. The Safari Park never feels crowded but it’s also a lot bigger and spreads people out more.
@@lisabostrack24 February is good. March and April, for spring break, is super crowded. Maybe even more so than Summer. We haven’t gone to many San Diego places this summer as we usually try to avoid them. Went different places around the state, and to Disney a lot. Should hopefully resume our usuals here soon. We would have gone to Legoland two weekends ago if not for COVID.
@@SoCalDisneyDad yes definitely not Spring break. Sorry you missed these last couple of weekends. But looks like your doing good. And off to Disneyland you go. Yay, I'm so excited for you. Just a few more days away. And I hope Amy's taste buds and smell come back.
They are charging for the butterflies now too. That was free pre-Covid. Now they are trying to reduce the number of people and avoid crowding so they decided to start charging.
Thank you so so much for the video! It helps a lot. I have some questions. Which one is more expensive? If we only do the free rides, which one is better? Can we rent wheel chairs or scooters in both parks? One of my sisters will need one and the other one is very pregnant lol, knowing this, which park would you recommend? THANKS!!
It really depends on what you want out of your visit. The Zoo has a bus tour, but you can see everything without taking it, whereas the Safari Parks Africa Tram is something you can only see on the tram. The Zoo also has the Skyfari which is fun. Both of them have scooter and wheel chair rentals. No issues there. I usually recommend the Zoo for first time visitors if you can only do one. But the Zoo also has lots of hills and steep inclines, whereas the Safari Park, while not completely flat, has much easier incline grades. Both are fantastic, and you can’t go wrong with whatever you choose. Oh, also, if going in the next week or two, keep in mind that the Safari Park is very hot this time of year.
Very helpful video, going next weekend,I think we are going to the San Diego Zoo can you tell me how expensive is the sit down restaurant ? We are traveling from Idaho and with the gas prices right now we may have to do some adjustments in our budget. Thank you 😊
Not too pricey. Albert’s is the name of the restaurant and I’d say you can order items for about $20 to $25 or so. This is compared to the $13-$15 at the fast food locations.
Hi there, I've been to San Diego zoo with my wife and toddler, but was planning on visiting the Safari park this weekend. I was visiting the San Diego Safari site and it didn't mention the tram, so i'm glad to have learned about it on your video. My question is, do you recommend purchasing either the Cart Safari($55+) or Wildlife Safari($89+) or does the tram do the same as those paid safaris? Do you see the same animals when on the tram as when you're on one of the safaris? Also, can the safari be toured in one day? I feel like the zoo is too much to accomplish in one day with a 3 year old, but maybe the safari can be done?
The Safari Park is much larger than the Zoo and takes my family about 4 hours to walk through the whole thing and eat lunch. But it’s less confusing than the Zoo. It’s all one direction looping through the whole park. Where the Zoo has a lot twists and turns that make it complicated. The Tram is easy to see animals but they are off in the distance. The up close safaris will be better for getting “up close”. I know the giraffe one lets you feed the giraffes (if they’re still doing that with COVID). I’ve not actually done one of the paid safaris, so I can’t speak from experience. We have a 7 year old and a 4 year old but have been going to the Safari park since they were much smaller. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Ive never done the cart safari, but from their website it is basically an "up-close" tour of the animals, instead of going around the paved road the tram is on, you get to drive along the pavement closer to the field with your chosen animal group (asian or african), it is also a smoother ride since youre on paved roads. I did the wildlife safari and it was an incredibly memorable experience. You are in the back of a truck and ride inside the field, which does make it a bit of a rougher ride, but you do get to see animals you typically wouldnt. and also, you are able to feed the giraffes and pet the rhinos.
We'll be in San Diego for a day on a cruise in the fall. We've been there twice before and we did go to the Zoo once. Loved the elephants and the giraffes. I have two wonky knees, so we're wondering if there's a lot of walking at the Safari Park. If so, it might be best for us to visit the Zoo again. Your thoughts?
The Safari Park is larger in terms of walking, but I feel that most of it is pretty level or with gradual inclines. The Zoo has steep hills, but those can be avoided well enough. Either one of them are going to be a lot of walking truthfully. You could always a rent an ECV electric scooter if you really wanted to enjoy it without worrying about the walking.
That’s probably fair, especially with the new Wildlife Explorers Basecamp (opened since the video was made). The Safari Park does have two playgrounds and a water playground though, plus a secondary water play area with a small dump bucket. The Zoo only has the one playground/water playground in the new area. That new area, though, is a massive hit with my children.
Thank you so much for this video planning a trip with 4 littles this is super helpful! We have some of the Safari Park Animals at CALM a local animal zoo! So I think we will opt for the zoo instead of the Safari.
This should be a good video to watch.. especially for someone who hasn't been to either one. Amy sandwich looked like a philly cheese steak.. yom yom.. I like that they have scooter rentals.. i hate thinking i may need to use one right now but anyways its good to know.
Thanks for the recommendation! In my experience, our kids didn’t really notice much or enjoy the zoo at that age. You’re more or less going for you and hopefully your kids have fun too! I wouldn’t say there are any particular activities designed for kids that age. But I’m sure they’d enjoy giraffes and elephants. Once the Children’s Zoo opens, we will see what’s available and for what age groups and I’ll definitely report on it.
Recently me and my family purchased the season pass for the zoo/safari park., I have to say that my boys loved it.. But personally I enjoyed the zoo a little bit more because they opened the new Basecamp for kids Wich is an amazing area for children's.. but the safari park it's sooo beautiful and huge! Both parks are so amazing and ideal for family's and kids💕💕💕❤️❤️
Yes, this video was made before Wildlife Explorers Basecamp was open. I agree, the new area is great. We are going again on Saturday as it’ll be my oldest son’s first time to the Basecamp area. We are taking a change of clothes and letting them get wet.
I will always place my vote on the San Diego zoo being the better of the 2 but the Wild Animal Park (yup still calling it that) has my favorite exhibit of both parks and that’s the bird cage where you get to feed cups of nectar to those green parrots
The new Komodo Dragon and Hummingbird Exhibits are pretty great. That’s for sure. It’s not in this video because it’s newer than when I made it, but the new Wildlife Explorers Basecamp is awesome as well.
Thank you for watching! If you found this video helpful, please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE for more theme park, zoo, and aquarium videos in Southern California.
Yes, you can bring your own strollers, wheelchairs, or scooters. They are just available to rent if you’re flying in and can’t bring your own or don’t want to hassle with it on the plane.
I was unable to find anything about platypuses in Houston. Both wikipedia and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park's website list that it's the only location to see the platypus in the US: sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/species/platypus
@@SoCalDisneyDad oh sorry this was like 10 years ago tho Im from Houston that’s how I know😅! I went to the zoo yesterday tho where’s the platy couldn’t find him?!
Zoo is trash rn, just went with my mom and yet there was about 9 animals missing (lions, gorillas) etc. We saw about 1 gorilla when 6 years ago there was 13. Never going anytime soon.
Great video. I've been to the zoo which was great and was thinking of doing the safari next month when I go back. I think I still prefer the zoo though 🤔
They are both great. If it’s been awhile since you’ve been to the Zoo and you want to go back, there’s nothing wrong with that. But the Safari Park is also great and I love going there so I’d recommend it for sure.
They are both awesome. For me it just depends on how I feel and what I want to see and deal with. The zoo has more people, more shops and animals and more to walk. The safari is calmer and fewer shops.
Completely agree! The Safari park has a more relaxing feel to it for sure.
What you are doing for the San Diego zoo with your blogs is incredible! I’m a hardcore theme park goer like you and an avid TH-cam theme park vlog watcher! You have a great little nitch doing the zoo videos! Keep it up! I will watch every one! I just got my San Diego annual pass and will be a big supporter of yours!
We absolutely love the Zoo and Safari Park. We used to go to them a lot more often before starting the channel and needing to keep tabs on all the other theme parks, but they’re still some of our favorite places to visit.
This is such a comprehensive review. Thank you so much! This is soooo helpful!
Everyone should listen to this guy. We did both and totally worth it. Awesome narrative
Going tomorrow never been but after this video I decided I'm going to the safari park thank you so much!!
A great choice! We love the Safari Park.
Thank you so much for all the info! Your video and commentary were super helpful!! 😊
Nice breakdown.
I haven’t been here in a little while but I wanted to thank you for all the awesome videos! My trip to San Diego was last month and you always give helpful tips and such. I already feel like I want to go back!
Thank you! I appreciate it and am glad you enjoy the videos.
Any thoughts about the *Busch Gardens Tampa Bay* theme park in FL in your personal opinion? 🦁✨️♥️💯
Both are awesome.
San Diego Zoo feels like adventuring in a Jungle and you could walk for hours getting lost along the trails under the canopy of trees and foilage they have among the exhibits for the animals. Granted it has more shops and more people but you could walk for some time between sectionsa and be alone for a good number of minutes in some places.
Safari Park is pretty much more of well a safari. more open ground lots of visible space less stores and people and indeed calmer. it does have a more adventure feel given the enviornment the park sets itself as.
Of the two. Safari park is far larger although the Zoo has several levels of trails that does make up for its size.
The Casowary at Safari park still hates me -_-.
I think Safari Park has a shoebill stork and he's really awesome and quite polite.
I think all cassowary’s are kind of scary looking. 😂
Growing up in SD I was a big animal kid, so I had the year pass for both parks ever single year. Safari Park definitely has the cooler mor chill vibe. I definitely enjoy how expansive it is compared to the zoo, but both are great
We love both for sure!
Hi @SoCalDisneyDad ! Thanks so much for all the park info you’ve provided. The fam is taking a trip to LA this March and doing Disney, LEGOLAND and the San Diego Zoo. I have a question about strollers and the free bus ride at the zoo. I have a 1 year old so definitely need the stroller. Will I be able to store the stroller on the zoo bus or should we do the bus first thing then go back to the car and grab the stroller afterwards? (If we are allowed to go back to our car and back into the zoo). What do you recommend? Thanks!
Thank you for the great review. I am taking the family for the first time, and this is exactly what I needed. Thanks!
I’m a San Diego native & I love both zoos. But I prefer the SD Zoo over the Safari Park because the Safari Park gets hot in the summer time. Plus there are a lot of other things to do in that area besides the SD Zoo. Like Balboa Park, the museums & the downtown area. There’s not a lot to do around the Safari Park because it’s basically in the middle of nowhere lol
Fair! Definitely agree when you factor in the outside area. I think we still prefer the Safari Park as a park itself. But it is pretty far out there.
@@SoCalDisneyDad I think the Safari Park is a better facility as a zoo in a whole. I used to enjoy the old “tram” (or whatever it was called) they used to have. But I enjoy making a day out of going to the SD Zoo & the surrounding areas. My favorite pizza joint is minutes away (Bronx Pizza) ✌🏾
I definitely recommend the San Diego Safari Park because there is a lot more to do.
I like it better, personally, as well! But often recommend the Zoo for first timers with only a single day.
Thanks for the useful guide!
You’re welcome. Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much, im planning a trip to San Diego and this is super helpful. So i was wondering...perhaps you know if the zoo and safari park are okay with taking photographs? Im a professional photographer and the camera tends to catch a lot of attention being so big. Maybe you have seen other photographers there. Thanks in advance, im grateful for your content.
You’re totally fine! I see professional cameras (the big like two foot long ones with tripods) on nearly every visit!
The Zoo and Safari Park are a photographer’s playground. Both are excellent places to bring your camera. Lots of great photography opportunities. Large cameras are more than welcome, as they are always looking for more content for their social media pages :)
Thanks for the information! Planing a trip and this video helped alot
Hope you enjoy your visit!
Thanks a lot for the awesome review!
I want to see the animals in San Diego zoo I know they’re going to be super awesome
Social Disney dad I’m a big fan
Very helpful
Great video!
Both equally awsome!!
I agree! We love them both.
Great video. It felt like I was on a trolley and getting the grand tour.😊👍
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!
@@SoCalDisneyDad You’re welcome
Great video!!! Its my dream to visit both places one of these days!!!
We are planning to go here next month. How many days would you recommend to visit both if we are going there with kids? Are 2 days enough to see both parks?
Yes! One park per day will be just fine.
what do you recommend me the zoo or safari?? to take my wafi and my 1 year old?? need an answer asap please thank you
I will always recommend the Zoo first, especially if it’s your first time.
@@SoCalDisneyDad thank you i appreciate it. yes its my first time 👍
Hi I am planning to visit one of them in 2 weeks. I will be bringing my almost 2 year old. I am wondering which one is more infant friendly given the weather in December?
Both are about the same temperature this time of year. I do feel like the Zoo is more of a go-to for a first visit. It also has a lot of foliage and valleys so it’s more protected from the wind.
Both are enjoyable as an experience, but I’d say the Zoo itself is more classic than the Safari Park.
One question. At either of these locations, are there opportunities to touch or interact with snakes? Do the staff bring them around the zoo to show people? Thanks.
Possibly? But it’s not a regular occurrence.
Thanks for this video. We are headed that way in April and this is some great info.
Glad to be of help! Hope you have a great trip!
Thank you for the video
Hi! If I have 3 hours to explore, which one is better? Zoo or Safari park?
I’d say the Zoo for sure.
I’m going to the safari next month, what does the admission come with
The admission grants you entrance to the park and nothing else with the exception of the Africa Tram. Everything else aside from walking around and seeing animals costs extra (so zipline, tours, lorikeet feeding, etc all cost extra).
There is also a parking fee that isn’t included with admission.
Do I need a day for each? Also if I pay for the safary park does it worth to also pay for a safary? If so which is the best?
I would not recommend doing both parks in the same day. While it’s possible, you will feel rushed to get your money’s worth. Keep in mind the two parks are a 45 minute drive away from each other.
It is not necessary to pay extra for one of the paid safaris at the Safari Park. You can go and enjoy the park as a Zoo and ride the free Africa Tram. The Safari park is actually larger than the Zoo in physical size and each has their own unique animals. Definitely love both of them equally.
If I purchase a ticket for the zoo can I also use it for the safari park ?
They do have a ticket you can buy that’s multi day multi park. But I believe the single day park tickets are park specific to whichever one you bought it at.
Great video! If going to the Safari Park, but don't plan on paying for the extras besides admission, is it worth it?
I think so! The Safari Park is an amazing zoo. Well worth your visit.
Think I heard there is a paid VIP or private tour of the zoo?
There are a variety of paid tours you can go on. You’d have to check their website for more details as there are half a dozen in each park.
About Disneyland VS Disney California Adventure
That would be a good one! Thanks for the recommend!
Do you know if you are able to feed the giraffes at the safari park?
I believe you can as a part of one of the paid tours, like the Wildlife Safari or something like that. I would ask at the ticket booths for these extra activities inside the park, or call.
But they don’t offer it for anyone walking around like they do at the Zoo. All you have to do at the Zoo is line up at the right time and pay a nominal fee for the food.
Amazing vidoe thooo!!!🙌🤩
Very Informative, my friend
Thank you!
Hello there! thanks so much for such informative video. We are going this week and I am wondering if we can bring our backpacks with hydration bladders ? Also wanted to know if we can bring in our own food & snacks? Thanks so much for your time!
I have never taken in one of those backpacks but I don’t see it being an issue.
We take our own snacks all the time! As far as food, you won’t be able to take in any name brand stuff, like don’t try to walk in with a bag of McDonald’s. But if you pack bread and peanut butter, that’s totally fine (we do it all the time).
I will go on a trip to SoCal, I only have one day to go to San Diego and I thought I could go to both parks in one day (I will go in winter) Good video
You’d be hard pressed to get both in in a day. You could do it, but you’d have to start at 9 AM and switch parks by 12 PM to 1 PM factoring in a 45 minute drive between the two parks.
It wouldn’t give you much time to enjoy either park.
@@SoCalDisneyDad Thanks for the advice! Your videos are helping me a lot to planify my febreaury trip to SoCal
@@mariogamarra380 Let me know if you have any questions. Always happy to help.
They’re both cool and awsome
Thank you very much for your work!
Much appreciated! And thank you for watching!
One thing I really enjoyed visiting the San Diego Zoo, Safari park and other Southern California attractions was the food was generally decent and flavourful, most always good enough the price doesn't sting. Here in Australia food and zoos and parks is always horrifically overpriced and so bland you would think it had sat in the fridge uncovered for a fortnight... so if you visit my country, remember always; Pack a Lunch. Our zoos are great otherwise, cannot recommend the Australian Zoo, Taronga and Melbourne Zoo enough if you like Zoos.
I enjoyed the Taronga Zoo. Was it a San Diego Zoo? No, but we had a good time overall.
I don’t remember the food at all. And it was before I vlogged, so I have no footage to remind me.
Awesome video, are there souviner store identical ? I like to collect magnets for each zoo/museum I visit, are the magnets identical at both locations or are they different ?
They have the same overall San Diego zoo wildlife alliance logos/magnets, but there are unique items at each as well.
@@SoCalDisneyDad I’ll definitely check it out one day, btw when your at LA, I’d highly recommend you visit the La Brea Tar Pits, there a bunch of pits where ice age animals got trapped, it’s kinda like a extinct zoo of sorts( the San Diego zoo, Elephant odyssey references it & was influenced by it) the museum is small but they’re going to dramatically expand it, I’d recommend visiting it in 2022 before they tear it down & rebuild it.
@@Phytosaur Thanks for the recommendation.
Which should I go to if it’s gonna rain. We are able to go to both but one of the days we are going It’s planned to rain 😢. What do you think?
I would probably say the Zoo. There are a few indoor exhibits there where the Safari Park doesn’t really have any.
Plus there’s a lot more trees for cover, etc.
The Zoo also has a 45 minute tour bus that might be a decent way to see the Zoo under a bit of cover (it’s big and open, so rain might still get you) provided it’s running.
@@SoCalDisneyDad thank you so much!
gosh for the Safari Park, all the attractions cost extra. So if you wanna do everything, would the total come out to $500+?
Examples: Wildlife $89, Behind-the-Scenes $89, Cart $55, Sun Up Cheetah $99, Flightline $77.
That's on top of the $65 admission ticket and the $15 parking.........
Yes, true. But you wouldn’t do all of those things in a single visit. A few of those tours are nearly the same thing but the more expensive ones have better perks.
For your admission, if you don’t do any paid activities, you can still spend a good 4-5 hours there.
I’ve actually never paid for any of those things on any visit in the last 5-6 years of regularly visiting.
Except for the Lorikeet Feeding. Which is a great thing to do and pretty affordable.
@@SoCalDisneyDad Ahh thank you greatly for the honesty and pro-tips, and quick response! I should check out more of your channel. :D
How much are the tickets to get in
I’m not sure. You’ll have to check online. But I’d guess around $50/person?
If u ever decide to go to Melbourne australia you should make a tour of Melbourne zoo even tho it doesn’t have a lot of animals I love it! There’s Pygmy hippo
Fun! I’ve only ever been in the airport in Melbourne. I have been to Sydney’s Taronga Zoo though.
@@SoCalDisneyDad also have you ever heard of planet zoo? It’s a very good and realistic animal zoo game and maybe your kids could play it
@@thefiendbraywyatt6436 I am familiar with the name but haven’t played it.
@@SoCalDisneyDad well u should watch the trailer and maybe you would like it :)
this is super helpful.
Thank you!
Thank you Dad 👏💕👏💕
Do you think we could do the safari park in a half a day? We land in SD at noon and have a free afternoon. At least go and do the Africa tram?
We have a full day planned for the zoo
It will take you 45 minutes to get to the Safari park from the airport. So factor in getting bags and rental car, you’d likely not make it there until 1:30 at the earliest. The Safari Park closes at 5 PM. So that’s a little over 3 hours.
It’s possible to see a good chunk of the Safari park. You probably won’t make it up to Australia, Condor Ridge, or the Tiger Trail. But you should be able to see the elephants, lions, Africa Tram and Gorillas in that time frame.
@@SoCalDisneyDad I double checked. We actually land at 10 so that would give us more time. I think we are going to try and make it happen! Thank you for your feedback!
@@Katiiiitak That would give you plenty of time. Yes. 5 hours is more than enough to do the whole Safari park.
@@SoCalDisneyDad awesome!! Thank you for your help!
Any info on the how they are handling COVID precautions?
There’s almost nothing now by way of precautions. There used to be, but they are following state guidelines and they’ve all but removed any restrictions.
The only one currently in place is that masks indoors are recommended, but not required.
It’s the same for SeaWorld and Legoland.
Hi I have a question which park is better for ages 2 years old and 6 years old?
We would probably recommend the zoo. The exhibits are easier to see and you can take the bus tour and ride the sky ride. The Safari park is still good for those ages though if you decide to go there instead.
Ok thank you! Do you know how it works the sky ride with a stroller?
@@vanessaramirez1015 You will have to fold it up. But it should be fine.
I might have said differently in the video. I don’t remember. But they have changed their policy since then and I’ve seen strollers folded on the sky ride no problem as of late.
Do you know if you get to see/feed Giraffes at the safari park ? Where thinking of purchasing tickets to get on the truck to take us around do you know what kind of animals we’ll see on the truck ? Up close
It looks like the Wildlife Safari is the one that lets you feed giraffes. I would confirm with them before you purchase as I've never done it, but here is a link: sdzsafaripark.org/safaris/wildlife-safari
Both are Great
They are! I agree.
Quick question by any chance do any of you guys knows if they rent electric scooters or wheel chairs. I want to take my mother but she wont be able to walk that much. 😔
Yes, they do have ECV rentals available on a first come first serve basis. Both rental areas are inside the parks just past the turnstiles where you scan your ticket to enter the park.
Safari Park is my favorite. I could go everyday. If I lived there. I do wish I would of went back to San Diego Zoo. And just take my time. I felt rushed. So next time will definitely slow down and make it a 3 day experience. Where Safari Park you can do in a day. It was hot but the misters helped a lot. I would live to go on a rainy day. Animals are always more active.
I feel rushed at the Zoo every time I go. It’s always so crowded. You feel like you can’t enjoy things as much during the busy season. This time of year it’s really good because it’s just locals for the most part.
The Safari Park never feels crowded but it’s also a lot bigger and spreads people out more.
@@SoCalDisneyDad my dad and I went for my birthday in February in 2010 to both zoos and it wasn't that bad. I should visit in the winter time.
@@lisabostrack24 February is good. March and April, for spring break, is super crowded. Maybe even more so than Summer.
We haven’t gone to many San Diego places this summer as we usually try to avoid them. Went different places around the state, and to Disney a lot.
Should hopefully resume our usuals here soon. We would have gone to Legoland two weekends ago if not for COVID.
@@SoCalDisneyDad yes definitely not Spring break. Sorry you missed these last couple of weekends. But looks like your doing good. And off to Disneyland you go. Yay, I'm so excited for you. Just a few more days away. And I hope Amy's taste buds and smell come back.
@@lisabostrack24 Yes, I think they have. At least partially. Not sure either one of us is 100% in that taste department. But it could be worse.
Good review...I'm excited 2 c both...
Hope you have a great time!
$8 to feed the lorikeets 😳 i remember it was free when I visited on a field trip in the 90’s
They are charging for the butterflies now too. That was free pre-Covid. Now they are trying to reduce the number of people and avoid crowding so they decided to start charging.
@@SoCalDisneyDad seriously? That used to be free unless you wanted to reserve your spot
Thank you so so much for the video! It helps a lot. I have some questions.
Which one is more expensive? If we only do the free rides, which one is better?
Can we rent wheel chairs or scooters in both parks? One of my sisters will need one and the other one is very pregnant lol, knowing this, which park would you recommend?
THANKS!!
It really depends on what you want out of your visit. The Zoo has a bus tour, but you can see everything without taking it, whereas the Safari Parks Africa Tram is something you can only see on the tram. The Zoo also has the Skyfari which is fun.
Both of them have scooter and wheel chair rentals. No issues there.
I usually recommend the Zoo for first time visitors if you can only do one. But the Zoo also has lots of hills and steep inclines, whereas the Safari Park, while not completely flat, has much easier incline grades.
Both are fantastic, and you can’t go wrong with whatever you choose.
Oh, also, if going in the next week or two, keep in mind that the Safari Park is very hot this time of year.
Very helpful video, going next weekend,I think we are going to the San Diego Zoo can you tell me how expensive is the sit down restaurant ? We are traveling from Idaho and with the gas prices right now we may have to do some adjustments in our budget. Thank you 😊
Not too pricey. Albert’s is the name of the restaurant and I’d say you can order items for about $20 to $25 or so. This is compared to the $13-$15 at the fast food locations.
I was wondering, do both parks have giraffes and monkeys?
Yes
I wish my job was to go to theme parks all day.
At the campground can we bring our own tents?
No, there are no spots for self-setup. There are several dozen permanent tents they have setup there that you’ll be assigned to.
Thanks for your help you are doing a great job your videos are really helpful.
@@mariomasters8196 Thank you! Much appreciated.
The normal San Diego zoo looks super Duper massive than the San Diego zoo Safari Park They’re both still awesome and beautiful
Hi there, I've been to San Diego zoo with my wife and toddler, but was planning on visiting the Safari park this weekend. I was visiting the San Diego Safari site and it didn't mention the tram, so i'm glad to have learned about it on your video. My question is, do you recommend purchasing either the Cart Safari($55+) or Wildlife Safari($89+) or does the tram do the same as those paid safaris? Do you see the same animals when on the tram as when you're on one of the safaris? Also, can the safari be toured in one day? I feel like the zoo is too much to accomplish in one day with a 3 year old, but maybe the safari can be done?
The Safari Park is much larger than the Zoo and takes my family about 4 hours to walk through the whole thing and eat lunch.
But it’s less confusing than the Zoo. It’s all one direction looping through the whole park. Where the Zoo has a lot twists and turns that make it complicated.
The Tram is easy to see animals but they are off in the distance. The up close safaris will be better for getting “up close”. I know the giraffe one lets you feed the giraffes (if they’re still doing that with COVID).
I’ve not actually done one of the paid safaris, so I can’t speak from experience.
We have a 7 year old and a 4 year old but have been going to the Safari park since they were much smaller.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
Ive never done the cart safari, but from their website it is basically an "up-close" tour of the animals, instead of going around the paved road the tram is on, you get to drive along the pavement closer to the field with your chosen animal group (asian or african), it is also a smoother ride since youre on paved roads. I did the wildlife safari and it was an incredibly memorable experience. You are in the back of a truck and ride inside the field, which does make it a bit of a rougher ride, but you do get to see animals you typically wouldnt. and also, you are able to feed the giraffes and pet the rhinos.
@@booksnbeardies Ah, thank you for the clarification. So the Wildlife Safari has the feeding. And the Cart Safari is the tour type one.
Where is the lion reside? Is it San Diego Zoo or Safari Park?
They have lions in both, but I feel they’re more active at the Safari Park.
@@SoCalDisneyDad Thanks!
We'll be in San Diego for a day on a cruise in the fall. We've been there twice before and we did go to the Zoo once. Loved the elephants and the giraffes. I have two wonky knees, so we're wondering if there's a lot of walking at the Safari Park. If so, it might be best for us to visit the Zoo again. Your thoughts?
The Safari Park is larger in terms of walking, but I feel that most of it is pretty level or with gradual inclines. The Zoo has steep hills, but those can be avoided well enough.
Either one of them are going to be a lot of walking truthfully. You could always a rent an ECV electric scooter if you really wanted to enjoy it without worrying about the walking.
@@SoCalDisneyDad Thanks so much. Lots to think about.
I think the zoo would be better for a 17 month old right?
That’s probably fair, especially with the new Wildlife Explorers Basecamp (opened since the video was made). The Safari Park does have two playgrounds and a water playground though, plus a secondary water play area with a small dump bucket.
The Zoo only has the one playground/water playground in the new area. That new area, though, is a massive hit with my children.
Thank you so much for this video planning a trip with 4 littles this is super helpful! We have some of the Safari Park Animals at CALM a local animal zoo! So I think we will opt for the zoo instead of the Safari.
Happy to be of help. If you have any questions, let me know.
The Children’s Zoo opens next Friday, the 11th, at the main Zoo too so that’s a plus!
This should be a good video to watch.. especially for someone who hasn't been to either one. Amy sandwich looked like a philly cheese steak.. yom yom.. I like that they have scooter rentals.. i hate thinking i may need to use one right now but anyways its good to know.
She said it was a French Onion Dip or something like that. She told me last night while I was editing and I’ve already forgotten. 😂
Would love to see a video about visiting with small children. Planning on going with our one year old but wondering what experiences would be good
Thanks for the recommendation! In my experience, our kids didn’t really notice much or enjoy the zoo at that age. You’re more or less going for you and hopefully your kids have fun too!
I wouldn’t say there are any particular activities designed for kids that age. But I’m sure they’d enjoy giraffes and elephants.
Once the Children’s Zoo opens, we will see what’s available and for what age groups and I’ll definitely report on it.
Awesome video, one of my favourite San Diego guide channels this.
Thank you!
Recently me and my family purchased the season pass for the zoo/safari park.,
I have to say that my boys loved it..
But personally I enjoyed the zoo a little bit more because they opened the new Basecamp for kids Wich is an amazing area for children's.. but the safari park it's sooo beautiful and huge! Both parks are so amazing and ideal for family's and kids💕💕💕❤️❤️
Yes, this video was made before Wildlife Explorers Basecamp was open.
I agree, the new area is great. We are going again on Saturday as it’ll be my oldest son’s first time to the Basecamp area. We are taking a change of clothes and letting them get wet.
I refuse to do the safari park in the summer. Its usually over 105 degrees. It's fine any other time.
Agreed. We usually avoid it in the summer too. Way too hot.
I will always place my vote on the San Diego zoo being the better of the 2 but the Wild Animal Park (yup still calling it that) has my favorite exhibit of both parks and that’s the bird cage where you get to feed cups of nectar to those green parrots
The lorikeet feeding is an awesome experience!
I love the San Diego zoo I visited once And now I'm crying My favorite part was the Koalas And the dragon well Comodo dragon
The new Komodo Dragon and Hummingbird Exhibits are pretty great. That’s for sure. It’s not in this video because it’s newer than when I made it, but the new Wildlife Explorers Basecamp is awesome as well.
Thank you for watching! If you found this video helpful, please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE for more theme park, zoo, and aquarium videos in Southern California.
Is your name Trevor or Travor?
@@TrevorCollin_ Traver actually. It’s a pretty unique name.
@@SoCalDisneyDad cool close to mine Trevor
@@SoCalDisneyDad just visited the San Diego zoo for the first time today.
@@TrevorCollin_ Hope you had a great time!
Can we bring our own scooters?
Yes, you can bring your own strollers, wheelchairs, or scooters. They are just available to rent if you’re flying in and can’t bring your own or don’t want to hassle with it on the plane.
Thanks for your help
I’m going to the normal San Diego zoo in 2023
Hope you have a great visit!
Safari is much better
Im sorry but Houston texas also haves a platypuses
I was unable to find anything about platypuses in Houston. Both wikipedia and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park's website list that it's the only location to see the platypus in the US: sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/species/platypus
@@SoCalDisneyDad oh sorry this was like 10 years ago tho
Im from Houston that’s how I know😅!
I went to the zoo yesterday tho where’s the platy couldn’t find him?!
@@diegogodzilla Ah! Makes more sense. Thanks for the update!
Zoo san diego 2
And the panda bear????
The panda has gone back to China sadly and is no longer at the San Diego Zoo. They have Red Pandas in its old exhibit.
Zoo is trash rn, just went with my mom and yet there was about 9 animals missing (lions, gorillas) etc. We saw about 1 gorilla when 6 years ago there was 13. Never going anytime soon.
That means the zoo is doing a good job since their job is to rehabilitate and send them back out to the wild
I 😢🎉
Uuy
I’m a big fan socialdiseny dad
Great video. I've been to the zoo which was great and was thinking of doing the safari next month when I go back. I think I still prefer the zoo though 🤔
They are both great. If it’s been awhile since you’ve been to the Zoo and you want to go back, there’s nothing wrong with that. But the Safari Park is also great and I love going there so I’d recommend it for sure.
The dude went to where Jawed went for his first video.