We love the San Diego Zoo, and were excited to take the boys on their first adventure there recently. Check out our experience with little kids on their first trip to the San Diego Zoo.

The boys loved the huge elephant standing guard at the entrance. They also loved the Reptile House which is located near the front of the zoo. They could have stayed there much longer checking out the slithering creatures but the San Diego Zoo is huge and there was a lot more animals to see.

From there we rode the Skyfari to the back of the zoo. The boys loved flying over the top of the zoo, even if it made Peter a little nervous. Elliot wouldn’t stop wiggling around. 😉
I love that admission to the San Diego Zoo includes access to the Guided Bus Tour, the Kangaroo Express Bus and Skyfari Aerial Tram. The San Diego Zoo is very large and these attractions help when visiting with little kids.

The Polar Bear exhibit is close the Skyfari stop so we popped over there to see the polar bears and play with some interactive features. The boys loved exploring the polar bear snow den.

The children’s zoo area was another big hit with the boys. There is a large jungle gym and petting zoo that are perfect for little kids. Plus they had a kid sized hand washing station and wipes dispenser.

After a little more exploring on foot, we caught the guided bus tour. It’s really the only way to see a lot of zoo easily with one day tickets. The boys loved sitting on top of the bus because they could see everything really well. Thankfully it was an overcast day, so the sun wasn’t too hot on us.

How to Save Money at the San Diego
- Bring your own water, snacks, and lunch. There are picnic areas outside the main entry or you can venture a little further into Balboa Park.
- If you’re a soda addict, definitely invest in the refillable mug. It was the best $8.99 we spent. Free refills all day with your receipt and $1 refills on return trips.
- Sometimes you can find zoo admission deals on Groupon or you can invest in a Southern California City Pass which offers admission to multiple attractions.

Shondra says
Wow…looks like you guys had a blast! And congrats on surviving…I have an almost 3-year-old and an 11 month old, so I know how it can be without naps.
I’d love to feature this on our San Diego-based site. Email me if you’re interested…
shondra (at) dwellable (dot) com