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San Diego Wild Animal Park
Rating Details »
Categories: Amusement Parks, Zoos, Parks [Edit]
15500 San Pasqual Valley RdSan Diego, CA 92027
(760) 747-8702
- Hours:
Mon-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
147 reviews for San Diego Wild Animal Park
We all know the San Diego Zoo is world-famous and pretty much amazing (if you haven't gone yet, you should!), but the lesser-known Wild Animal Park is also a really neat experience. Here you'll have the chance to enjoy exotic animals in a more spacious, safari-like environment.
The San Diego Wild Animal Park is in northern San Diego, so it'll be about an hour drive for all you downtown people. There are a couple things you should know: it gets hot here. Really, really hot. So lather on sunscreen, wear a hat, and avoid coming in the middle of the day. There's also a lot of hills, so bring your walking shoes (they also have tram tours for anyone who isn't up for the trek).
And make sure to feed the Lorikeets - they're adorable.
We purchased a San Diego Zoo membership, with the notion that we would eventually make it up to Escondido to check out the Wild Animal Park. I remember the days where all there was tram that led you around the property, but this place has really grown.
+ Free Wild Life Shows (Bird show is fun!)
+ Wide open spaces for the animals
+ Giraffes, Rhinos, Antelope, and more in the same space
- Melting Hot in the Summer
+ Non-Profit Organization
+/- Expensive but very tasty food
+ Wild life conservation efforts
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I am a long-time member of the San Diego Zoo. We often go to both the Zoo and the Wild Animal Park (particularly as the latter is 15 minutes away).
Both places are amazing. Being an animal lover, I would prefer to have animals remain in their natural habitat. But being pragmatic, I suspect that the Zoo's animals would probably prefer living in the zoo. The enclosures are spacious, beautiful and well-kept. The animals are well-cared for and given plenty of stimulation. Also being a pragmatist, I know that much of the natural habitat for many of these animals no longer exist.
The zoo does an amazing job with its research endeavors and conservation efforts. Both parks have world-class exhibits that educate the public and provide as natural a habitat as possible for the animals. The new elephant enclosure at the Balboa location is really fun. Not only is it a an animal zoo, it is also an amazing place for plants. We love to go to the Wild Animal Park just to hike through the extensive botanical gardens.
If you are a San Diegan and care about environmental conservation and wildlife, I highly recommend supporting this society by becoming a member.
REAL live animals, at a REAL cool place.
Commercials for this place are on all channels, it looks fake, yet, the animals here are real, no, not robotic, real with hearts and feces.
The stuff here is pretty cool, a lot of exhibits, obviously, yet there's also a lot of fun stuff here to do and view. The Journey to Africa Tour was real long (Which is good.) It is barely crowded, also, and the service was excellent.
The problem with this place is the lack of transportation. At the zoo, you are able to go on a bus, which will take you around the park. There's also a chairlift, I think. But here, there's only a chairlift which would only take you from the middle of the park to the middle-end part of the park.
If it weren't for the long walks, this place would rock.
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For photos and my complete blog post, click here:
http://www.mcginty.us/...
It took us less time than expected to get there from Long Beach, as it is 30 miles North of San Diego in Escondido. We were lucky we didn't run into much traffic on a Sunday afternoon.
When arriving it was a bit confusing where to go to get your tickets. To the left is a stand for memberships, and to the right is the stand for regular tickets. There are also premium packages available if you want to take a Segway Tour or do the African Safari in a smaller, more personal vehicle. Since the Zoo is non-profit, the prices are relatively reasonable for the value of the experience. 1 Day Adult tickets were only around $30 with AAA discount.
Upon arrival, I recommend you sit down and one of the tables near the entrance and plan your day out. The park is unique in that you are a spectator in the natural habitat of the animal. This makes the facility very large, so be ready to walk several miles.
The park exudes a natural, peaceful aura. This experience was unlike any other zoo I've been to in the respect that the animals seemed more natural in their large habitats. It was particularly amazing to watch the gorilla in a more natural environment. I couldn't believe how human like their movements are.
We spent about 4 hours at the park and saw most of the big name animals, but I'd definitely like to go back and spend a full day. They have a hot air balloon ride that caught my eye (but the parent's wouldn't go for it!).
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THIS IS A REVIEW FOR THORNTREE TERRANCE....
We had been walking in the Wild Animal Park for 4 hours. Our feet started to feel tired and our stomachs were in desperate need of food. We went into to Thorntree Terrance to get lunch. There were quite a few food stands inside the Wild Animal Park. Each one has its own specialty. Thorntree Terrance specializes in burger, sandwich, and wrap. The price was a bit high, just like most touristy places. But knowing the money will go back to the zoo toward the animals, we didn't mind spending a little bit more money at all.
I didn't know they sell beer in the zoo. Dr. P got an order of Corona. It came in a little plastic cup. It was very expensive for $6.49. But the cold beer was sure refreshing.
Dr. P got a cheeseburger. It was a simple burger and Dr. P really liked it. The burger also came with French fries. I like the fries.
I ordered Greek Chicken Wrap. This was one of the specialty items at Thorntree Terrance. I loved this chicken wrap. It had my favorite, feta cheese, in it. The grilled chicken was tender. The cucumber yogurt sauce was tasty.
When we were eating, a lot of bees came to visit. They didn't bother the people too much. But they loved ketchup. Also a lot of birds were walking around. Everybody was being good and didn't feed the birds. After our relaxing lunch, back to the zoo to see more animals....
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I cannot believe I overlooked TWAP! I forgot to review one of the coolest places in the USA!
We've bought annual passes 3 years consecutively and it it The Best spent money ever. Free parking discounts and The chance to walk The grounds any time we want, this makes us so happy.
We've visited dozens of times and each brings us a new favorites inside The park.
Bring walking shoes, water, and energy because every acre is worth seeing.
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Finally I went to the Wild Animal Park last Sunday, it was a hot day!
From Flightline, Safari tours, Yellow balloon ride a 400 feet above San Pasqual Valley, Dino Mountain, watching the Gorillas and Cheetahs during feeding time, the cheetah baby cubs; oh they are cute, their little skulls need to be kissed.
If you plan to visit; drink lots of water, bring a few of iced cold bottled water, dress light and comfortable shoes, a good sunblock and if you like to try the flightline $70. for you to zip around above for 2 hours ( from training to preparing your gear for the flight).
Enjoy your visit!
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This place was amazing! so much better than the san diego zoo. it's an open range animal park that just lets their animals roam free on the terrain. here, you will actually see animals moving and interacting with one another. whereas at the san diego zoo, all the animals are couped up in cages and sleeping as fit their food were laced with msg.
My bf and I came here (and the san diego zoo) during our trip to SD. it was so much fun. we went on a safari ride throughout the park and got a guided tour. I recently found out from a friend that you can also do zip-lining through the park too, so do that if you are ballsy enough.
I've been a zoo member for a while and had been to the zoo several times, but not to the Wild Animal Park since I was around 13-15 years old... about 20 years. *gulp* The only thing I really remembered about it was the tram ride through the park and seeing a tree sloth.
For a friend's birthday, we decided to put our zoo passes to good use and hit the Park as it opened on a Wednesday... well before it got too hot, right? RIGHT? Oh my god, WRONG. It got up to 100+ degrees. Our bad for going in August.
We saw the Dino-Mountain exhibit for an extra $3.50 a piece, which was cute... mostly for kids. One of the animatronic dinos that was supposed to "spit" had some kind of malfunction and just drooled a bit. Sort of anti-climactic, but a lovely mini-hike through pretty trees and I got to enjoy the lily pond. Hokey dino-attack photo ops abound. So there's that.
We also cruised the Sumatran tigers, looking for the cubs that were allegedly out in the morning, but there wasn't a tiger to be seen. Not to say they weren't there, they just couldn't be seen. But we did see lots of antelope and baby giraffes! Yay, baby giraffes!
Then, we went to the main event -- the Flightline zipline. I didn't do it -- I just bought it for my friend for his birthday, but I was there with the video camera. He really enjoyed it, but heads up -- it takes a good hour or more and you definitely want to do it early in the day, before it gets too hot. Or very late in the day when it might be cooler, but you'll likely have more people in your group -- so it may take longer.
We also took the Journey into Africa tram after that, which is what I recalled from my youth -- though they called it something else then. That wasn't too bad except it was hotter than Hell hit with a hammer and after just hiking all over (quickly! uphill!) to meet the zipline crew in that heat and guzzling 32 oz of water... the incessant stop and start was not my friend. The tour guide also sounded like he worked on QVC, which kind of detracted. It was 25 minutes and had I been cooler and/or had a snack, I might have enjoyed it more. Instead I barfed water over the side in front of the lions as the tram rounded the corner in front of a tram station packed with onlookers. AWESOME.
All in all, it's a great place to see some amazing animals in a very natural setting, but a few tips:
-- Bring comfortable shoes that lace up if you want to go on the zip line - no sandals or flops. You will be doing a LOT of walking -- it's a few miles all around the trails and a lot is uphill.
-- Bring or buy LOTS of water, especially if you go in the Summer.
-- BEWARE THE BEES. There are a LOT of bees here. Way more than at the Zoo. They have no qualms about hovering around you and will chase you down in some cases. Mostly swarm the garbage areas. Very frustrating -- especially for someone allergic.
-- The map is a bit confusing, so figure out where you are a LOT or you'll end up back in the same place without realizing it after hiking up a hill for half a mile.
-- SUNSCREEN. I can't say this enough. SUN. SCREEN. Unless barfing in front of lions are your thing. I don't judge.
-- Bring healthy snacks (if that's how you roll) because their offerings are meager. When I was feeling bad, I couldn't find an apple or a banana to save my life. In a ZOO where animals eat things like apples and bananas. I had to settle for a Minute Maid Frozen Lemonade. While yummy, not exactly the nutritious, blood sugar-balancing option I was seeking. But if you're looking for authentic African safari nachos, this is the place for you.
I love the SD Zoo and the Wild Animal Park both. I'll definitely be back ... though perhaps next time... in the Spring.
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I love animals and I love watching them. Back in the day, my mom and I would sit and watch the Discovery Channel for hours. However, I feel a sense of simultaneous sadness and joy at the idea of going to a zoo. While I understand that many of these animals are offered a certain protection by these establishments, it's sad when state funding is drastically cut and most of the animals then have to be transported or euthanized. The Franklin Park Zoo back in Boston is battling with this currently.
Either way, I became a SD Zoo member last year as I heard it was a far better deal. I was excited to go as this particular zoo-park set up is world renowned! At Christmas, my ex's mom was visiting from New England, and we were trying to come up with entertaining ways to show her San Diego. As a member, you get several free passes for family and friends, so we decided to make the drive and check out the WAP.
As Zoo members my ex and I had the extra privilege of going on the Journey Into Africa tour. We had to pay an extra $10 for a guest, which was fine, but something they don't explicitly state on the ticket. Either way, we walked inside, made it past the billions of vendors selling cutsey animal knicky-knacks, and found the petting zoo. Sweet! Deer! We didn't spend long at this location as the deer were clearly bored and/or jaded. A particular doe was resting on the ground and as I approached, I caught my reflection in her large doe eyes. "Tourist." Ugh.
So, we left and proceeded to find some more exotic animals. Gibbons! They were cool! So graceful and agile! Most of our meandering was an attempt to find the where the tour started. After a few twists and turns and some helpful signs, we found ourselves in line with lots of other wildlife fanatics. This tour takes you on a 2.5 mile journey to see antelope, rhinos (with a baby!), giraffes, lions (snoozing mostly. except their man was chowin' down on a big hunk o' meat). All the while your tour guide gives you fun, interesting factoids on your favorite African species.
This was a cool chance to see a part of what makes San Diego so popular. Make sure to check out the elephants! Not just the ladies, but the big grand daddy bull who chills by himself in a separate pen. His tusks were HUGE! The tigers were not available the day I went, which was very disheartening.
If you go in December like I did, bring a sweatshirt or beanie as the wind picks up. It can be sunny, but cool. Be prepared to walk a lot, and up and down hills. Apparently there are numerous reviewers here that forgot they were going to a "wild animal park". This means the animals will need a realistic amount of space to live on. aka. you will have to walk. I have yet to return, but I will. Hopefully when I have a brand spankin' new camera so I can get some bad ass shots of that bull elephant or daddy lion.
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i love this place.
it has changed a lot recently. unless you have a season pass you have to pay separate for the train that takes you around the park. it is a shorter trip but it is still cool.
i love the lion exhibit, you are right up next to the glass and the lions are close enough to touch.
the wild animal park is beautiful, with a capital B.
as a friendly reminder, it is SUPER hot in escondido for quite a few months out of the year. if you have a pass wait until after october or before may. if you are visiting from out of town during the summer, bring lots of water and hang out in the shade. it is still very beautiful.
and, most of the animals are native to a place 40 degrees hotter, i guess we can handle it.
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Zoos make me sad. The captive animals always look so defeated and sapped of life. That's why I like the San Diego Wild Animal Park. First, they have tons of land for the animals to wander, much more than a zoo would offer. Second, they're here for a great purpose: because they're on the endangered species list and being protected, or injured and being nursed back to health. It's easy to spend an entire day here wandering the various exhibits--butterfly's, birds, etc., or riding the tram, but make sure to wear sunscreen and a hat, as the sun beats down relentlessly. They also serve beer in plastic cups, which makes learning about nature much more fascinating.
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The Wild Animal Park is the Pepsi to the San Diego Zoo's Coke.
That is to say, they're both delicious if you happen to be a lover of wild animals. The Wild Animal Park is in Escondido near San Pasqual HS in what we native San Diegans call North County. Being a little bit out of the way (but still easily accessible) means the animals have a little more room to roam. The Wild Animal Park takes advantage of this and puts most of its effort into the vast expanse of land recreated as close as possible to the native habitats of many animals from around the world. In recent years the tram ride has been re-worked to get you even closer to the animals. Giraffes, Lions, Cheetahs, Tigers, Hippos, Rhinos, Zebras, the list goes on and on. This experience itself is worth the price of admission.
When it comes to the rest of the park, be sure to check out the Gorilla exhibit. I go every time just to observe them. (so much like us!) When it comes to the inevitable comparison with the San Diego Zoo, the zoo will always win. But this is no Arena League to the SD Zoo's NFL. The Wild Animal Park can easily rival many of the zoos you'll find in cities across the country.
One more thing, this part of SD County can get really hot in the summer, so keep that in mind. The San Diego Zoo is near downtown, by the water and thus stays a little bit cooler.
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At dinner parties and events of the like people say they go to the zoo and feel sorry for the animals in cages. Their swanky friends nod in agreement but interject that they must see the San Diego Wild Animal park instead where the animals roam free. My take is a little different. I think if you inquired to the great lions of Africa if they would like to live out their days in an enclosure without worry of poachers or needing to hunt for food they wouldn't discern between the SD Zoo and the Wild Animal Park.
I visited the park on a steamy Sunday afternoon in Escondido and am not upset that I went, but not jumping up and down to go back. It's nice to see all the animals but a bit anticlimactic. This isn't the circus however so what can you expect? You see all different types of plains animals and the tram tour guide is very knowledgeable about different types of grazing animals that seem to all look alike. The giraffes hippos and rhinos are most interesting. I was a little let down to barely see the tigers. We observed the cheetah feeding which was interesting yet anticlimactic. The lions were very easily observable enamored with sleep as they often are about 20 hours a day. For me the highlight of the park is the gorillas. One female was quite active. I went in October and many of the guests were in Halloween costumes. The gorillas noticed this difference and were a bit peeved about it, which was cool to see. They definitely were on their toes when two eccentric adults came by in hideous costumes while riding bikes.
In terms of food this place serves a lot of overpriced crap so it would be a better idea to eat beforehand unless you like 8 dollar hot dogs that sell for $1.50 at Costco and include a drink.
Also worth noting that kids are free in October for Halloween. I am not around kids a lot so it was just as interesting to observe the kids in their costumes as it was the animals.
The place was huge and proved to be good exercise, as we hiked through almost all of it. The exhibits are overall well-designed, with viewpoints well-placed for viewing the animals (particularly the lions).
We got really lucky during the Journey into Africa tour and saw lots of animals, including the baby giraffes and baby rhino. We were a little sad that the lorikeets weren't very hungry, but it was still fun trying to feed them. The elephants were fun to watch and we were lucky enough to see one of the tigers. We enjoyed the animal encounters and got see a pair of New Guinea singing dogs.
On the flip side, it was pretty hot in late July. Thankfully, there's a decent amount of shade, so it was bearable. Go on the Journey into Africa tour before noon (or maybe near dusk), so you have the best chance of seeing animals and avoid the crowds. And wear comfortable walking shoes!
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Holy Crap! It's hot in Escondido..and it's freakin 7pm!
Dino Mountain is closing this week. It's really pretty cool. Animatronic dinosaurs and all...but the fact that they charge and extra $4 to get in...not cool. I know, they have to earn money for the animals some how, but I thought buying the yearly pass every year did that. Oh well. If your kids like dinos, then it's worth it. Otherwise, just keep going past it.
It's very different than the SD Zoo. It always has been. It's more an open area for the animals to roam, rather than smaller exhibits. But, there are definitely less animals to see. It's a great workout with your major means of transportation being your very own legs. Hmm, imagine that. Lazy tourists beware, cause you actually have to work on this one. Lots of hills and trails and no, you can't hitch a ride on the service vehicles. You'd better fake a cardiac arrest to get some help.
That being said, if you have toddlers, bring a stroller and tons or water and snacks. The Wild Animal Park doesn't do vigorous bag checks as most other parks, so you can easily bring in your own food. In fact, I think it's allowed. The food here is minimal and not very good.
I think I like looking at fake animals better.
For the price of admission and the extra costs to do things in this park, I'd rather go to Disneyland.
Tickets were $38 for an adult and includes the Tram safari ride, viewing of the animal dens, a dinosaur show, and some cheesy animal act. Those poor poor animals.
Everything else at this park will run you an arm and a leg.
I think the fine for hunting down and grilling up an antelope would've been cheaper than their sandwich and drink combo.
My cousin got a sandwich, large drink, and medium sized bag of chips= $18
holy moly, there better be some giraffe meat in that sandwich for that cost.
Some of the other activities require an additional charge. You can enter the cute little bird cage for free, but to feed them will run you $3 for a little cup of nectar. $3?!!?!? I could get 3 chicken sandwiches at McDonald's for that. I hope those birdies are cannibals.
There are also some really cool attractions like a hot air balloon lift, segway safari tours, and a zip line. All of them were about $50 and up. To be honest, I'd rather do that when I'm out on vacation in South America or Hawaii, San Diego isn't exactly what I would call adventurous and exotic.
Tips: Not good for little kids, sure there are lions and tigers, but a majority of the animals we saw were Antelope, something like 24 different kinds. Meh, Where's Simba and Nala?
Bring your own food!!! Everything here is $$$ and not that appealing to the palate.
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Boooooo! Once upon a time, a trip to the Wild Animal Park was little Lo's dream come true. Now it's just not all that cool.
I'm all about supporting local non-profits. Shoot, I work for one. But come ON, I pay to be a member, so why must I be charged for EVERY single thing/event/attraction located in and around the Wild Animal Park? $6 to park is bad enough when I still have to schlep uphill to the entrance. $10 to see the new Dino Mountain exhibit just plain sucks. For $10 on top of admission, you better show me some real damn dinosaurs!
I will say that the safari was pretty cool, with the coolest part being watching the giant lions sleep on a Jeep maybe 20 feet from me ... while waiting in line for an hour. Meh. But I got to see some hippos and huge ostrich eggs, so I was happy.
I'm glad my membership is good for the zoo, too. If you're visiting San Diego, seriously, skip this joint and head straight for the zoo. They have monkeys!
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I hadn't been to the Wild Animal Park since I was, at most, nine years old. I still have fond memories of face paintings and the wonder of seeing wild, exotic animals and believing I was in fact on an African safari. Like most things remembered from a child's perspective, the magic was gone. That guy in the Mickey Mouse suit at Disneyland wasn't actually Mickey, and the Wild Animal Park wasn't as wild as I'd remembered.
Maybe it's because the last time I was there, my parents paid for everything. Yes, that must be at least a part of why the magic has faded. I can't fault the WAP for its location, or for the bees and wasps everywhere, or for the heat. I went on a Wednesday, around 3:30, after the scorching midday sun had eased (duh, people--it's hot everywhere at noon), and easily parked right in front of the main entrance.
My main complaint, and it seems I'll be echoing most of the other reviewers here, is the fact that you do in fact have to pay for each additional exhibit/attraction. $4 for Dino Mountain (which was disappointing considering two of the dinosaurs were being repaired--"And this dinosaur here was the famous ladder-and-tool-kit-o-saurus"). $6 for the Dino 4-D adventure. $3 for a Dixie cup of nectar to feed the annoying Lorikeets (sorry, they annoy me--I lived in Australia for a year, they're freaking everywhere in Sydney/Cairns/Townsville). $10 for the Journey Into Africa. My boyfriend and I knew better than to risk breaking the bank by eating at the park, but dared to purchase a bottle of water and an Icee, which cost us just under $11.
I just think it's, frankly, a bit tacky to charge for everything. I'm sure there's a reason for it, and it could be that all this money goes toward conservation, but it's a bit ludicrous to expect people, especially families, to pay this much for a day out--and in this economy! My boyfriend and I were fortunate enough to have been given several coupons by his grandma, but were it not for those, our day would have cost us well over $100--for two adults, no meals, very limited participation at attractions/exhibits! Yikes.
The animals are amazing, I will give it that. If you do go, make sure you go early in the day or late in the evening--if it's too hot for you to enjoy yourself (i.e. midday in Escondido), it's probably too hot for the animals to be out, as well.
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Totally awesome experience!
The best part are the large enclosures and happy animals- but that's already been said on here!
A lot of people on here complain about the walking, which made me hesitant on going, but it wasn't bad at all. It is no more walking that the zoo. infact, i think i walked a lot more at the zoo. June is the perfect time to go because of the overcast- it was the perfect walking weather for a couch potato like me. Not too hot or cold. We went on a Sunday and there weren't too many people at the park.
We were there from 1130 to close ( approximately 5.5 hrs) and it was enough time to see all the animal exhibits, eat lunch and chat, and ride journey into africa.
the journey into africa line took 45 minutes to get through, but worth it, and worth the $10.
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I've been to the Wild Animal Park plenty; they are a non-profit which means that all the money you spend on admission, food, souvenirs, etc. all go direct to maintaining the park and caring for the animals!
So you can go enjoy the animals and spend spend spend while giving back - woot woot! SDWAP rules the roost, dude. It's as close to being in the wild as you can get without actually being in the wild. Thee Four Seasons of natural habitats for its inhabitants for sure.
I took my BF here last weekend to celebrate his birthday. I booked us for the Advenure Caravan Deluxe "$150 per person, plus Wild Animal Park admission for nonmembers. 3 1/2 hours, including pre-tour presentation, with a visit to both Asia and Africa field exhibits and opportunities to feed rhinos and giraffes, and a brief snack stop."
The snack stop is in the middle of part of the exhibit area with amazing vista views. They have these deluxe port-a-pottys and a real sink to clean up. They provide the snacks (chips, fruit leathers, soda, water).
Feeding the giraffes and rhinos were the highlight - they are so amazing close up and it's such an experience. We got lots of great photos of the prey animals and our guide was incredibly knowledgeable. We learned a lot about some of the species.
A special portion of the ride was when we saw the south African rhino. I forget what species, but there are only a total of SEVEN left in the entire world. SEVEN! The last surviving male was at the park, and two females. Because of eventual issues with inbreeding and genetics, it is likely that in a few years, we will never see one of these incredible beasts live and in person. It's such a shame, but I feel privileged to have been able to see him up close and personal. It's a good thing organizations like the wild animal park help to bring awareness and maintain the population of endangered species.
The safari caravan is definitely a must do. A little pricey sure, but it's a priceless experience and after all, it's for a good cause.
Visit the lorakeets and feed them nectar for some more great shots. The elephants, lions, and gorillas are a must see. Stay at the Holiday Inn Express in Escondido - perfect for a quick overnighter walking distance to food and Starbucks and it's a quick 7 mile ride to the park.
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Hm ... I think the only thing I really enjoy here is the tram tour.
Everything else is OK. The thing I think I hate the most is the parking situation and the hills. Basically, starting from the parking lot, I found myself walking uphill most of the time while I was here.
The animals are cool, I guess. But, meh ... I've experienced better.
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I've been a member for over 5 years. (maybe 8?). I love this place.
Best time to go is evening, esp during the late hours because that's when the animals are the most active. Esp the lions. I always see the lions in action when I go during the winter lights festivals.
I've been up close with the cheetah, feed the giraffes and rhinos, and i love every moment. I wanted to get married here. sigh.
Membership is the best deal because it comes with free tickets to bring your friends, andyou can go back many times through the year.
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I've been going here since I was a kid and it never gets old. So much to do. With some of the most beautiful creatures ever on display in their natural habitat, a plethora of interesting shows, and now Segway tours through the park, you could find yourself wanting to come back for more. Make sure you go visit the lions lookout. I recommend you bring your own lunch as the park is a bit pricey for food and definitely bring lots of water because its in the heart of San Diego valley so it gets really hot in the summer time.
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Wild Animal Park is very cool! It's much more exotic a lot less cement than the zoo. While I do love the Pandas at the zoo, the wild animal is like a giant safari surrounded by mountains! The animals live in a much more natural environment which lots of room to roam!
Highlight: seeing a Cheetah less than 3 feet away! Definitely check out the animal trackers show where you'll find yourself upclose and personal with many different animals! Sooo cool!
While parking is an additional $6-9, and plenty upgrades available (extra moolah) for dino mountain, an overpriced zip line... While extra money being collected throughout the park for extra acitivies is never fun... we still had a great time just wondering through the park checking out all the cool animals!
Don't miss: the lions(simba & nahla!!), gorillas, cheetahs, meerkats, monkeys, crazy birds, and the safari outlook where you can see rhinos & gazelles & giraffes roam freely!! It's basically the real life Lion King! :) Check it out!!
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For one, this place is way over rated and over priced.
The entrance fee is $38 per person and this is not on top of the other fee you pay for the Safari Ride. I think that one is $80 per person to feed the animals on the tour..
Likes : View, Scenery, Free refills, and not crowded (but now i know y.)
Dislikes : Not many animals, Bubble Show, Price, and distance.
Did i mention that they were hundreds of not thousands of BEES flying around everywhere.....
If you are allergic and have a bee phobia then this place is not for you...
*DONT BUY ANYTHING TO DRINK OR EAT IF YOU DO NOT WANT BEES ON YOU..!! Oh and they also chase you if they smell something they like...
So.. If you are interested in going to the Animal park for animals..... You wont be seeing many, most likely you will be running from bees all day . Have fun...
Those of you who are thinking about going...Here is a checklist.
1) Sunblock
2)Cool clothes
3) Spray Bottle
4) Hat or sunglasses
5) Bee repllant
5) Maybe a net for your strollers because the bees dont care who or what they land on... When you leave your stroller unattended they rush over to it trying to find something to snack on..
6) Water
7) A Wad of dollar bills because everything here is EXPENSIVE!
So not worth it............
Oh and the pictures that are posted are either from a very good camera with a very good zoom or they paid that $80 for the safari ride.... the rhinos are not that close and i didnt even see the zebras..
this place has a really nice collection of animals; very exotic and most of them have a nice piece of land to play around on.
it was super hot there and they have been experiencing bee and wasp problems (ahh!). they sell the same over-priced drinks as any other attraction park does but does not sell straws or lids (for animal safety).
the place is walkable in a day and the shows are short and sweet, with just the right amount of information.
they offer lots of other programs and events (for additional fee) but i think you can stay busy with just the walking tour and safari ride. if i went back, however, i would probably pay the extra money to get to pet the animals and get the giraffes to come over to the safari vehicle.
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If I was an animal, I would definitely want to be an animal living in the Wild Animal Park. I feel like they treat their animals well, and as an animal lover, I very much appreciate that.
It's completely different from the zoo in the sense that it's a lot more open. There are a few small exhibits, but the star of the place is the "Heart of Africa" tram tour. You sit on a tram and are driven for about 25 min. all around their open air wild park. I would suggest going at 4:00 pm, because apparently that's when all the animals are most active. Also, for the cheetahs, watch them around 1:00 pm because there's some sort of feeding or some deal that goes on. I was too hungry to wait and missed it.
The food's not bad either! They aren't all about amusement park food with the burgers and fries. They actually had a decent selection of sandwiches with salad and grapes. The salad dressing was bomb too. And try their loaded nachos. MMM. They are not scheisty with their nachos.
And if you don't have a phobia of birds like my sister does, go and try feeding the Lorikeets at Lorikeet Landing! It's a little bit pricey, 3$ for a tiny little thing, but it's a good experience. Their feet actually don't hurt when they land on you- more like rubbery little things- and they were a lot lighter than I thought. They do bite if provoked so as long as you don't poke them you should be fine. Sometimes when 2 land on your arm they'll start fighting over the food which can get a little scary, but still, an experience!
So do something different on a nice day (try to go on a day that isn't hot because it gets hot walking around) and go have fun at the park! You'll be getting time away from fluorescent lights and air conditioning (if you work in an office like me) and supporting the animals too!
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Worth every penny! We paid for the Best Deal Package ($35), which includes the Journey into Africa Tour, but got a $4 discount on each of our tickets because of a coupon in the Entertainment Book.
We were a bit hesitant coming here because of the FEW negative reviews on yelp, but I'm soo glad we didn't back out because this place is awesome!! I can't believe people would give this place anything less than 4 stars. You see plenty of animals in their natural habitat - because there are no cages blocking you from the animals it's really neat to see them right at you with wide-eyed curiosity.
For the first timer, you really don't need to pay extra for the tours because the walking tour and trying to get through all the animals will keep you plenty busy for a good 3-4 hours. Even though our ticket included the Journey into Africa Tour, we ended up not riding it because the wait on a Saturday afternoon was 1.5 hours long and we were already pretty tired. We saw a good amount of animals, and even though it would've been nice to see the rhinos, giraffes, and gazelles up close - we were still able to see them from a distance without riding the tram.
Yes, buying food and drinks in here can cost a pretty penny, BUT it's nice to know that your money is going back to the preservation of the habitat, and not necessarily to corporate greed like Disneyland.
My favorite exhibit was the gorillas... AHH nothing is more exciting than watching gorillas eat at feeding time - they were soo cute!
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I did not like this park.
I am a fan of the SD Zoo.. and I was expecting around the same caliber here.
There is a lot of walking here... and it's hot. I am pretty young.. but it's miserable when they are hills and it's hot. The signs aren't very good here either so you could walk in circles and not know it.
The best part of the zoo is the 20 minutes ride around the part where animals are grazing. Everything else costs more.. the safari ride, the balloon ride, etc. Come on!
There are tons of birds to see in this zoo I suppose.. if you're a fan.
I know that this place doesn't make profits but instead is used directly for conserving the animals. But they need to make some changes to make this place better.
Oh yeah.. and the parking lot requires you to walk uphill right when you get there. There is no trolley.. nothing. And it was hot because it was so far inland!
I'M LIKE A BIRD! I WANT TO FLY AWAY...
This review is for the new FLIGHTLINE they have opened at the Wild Animal Park!
Imagine going up 480 feet above the San Diego Wild Animal Park strapped to a harness dangling on a wire. Then 3, 2, 1, wooosssshhhh.....
Flightline opened at the Wild Animal Park and it's a minute and a half (times may vary depending on your weight and since I'm a BIG BOY, I went fast!!!), ride over animals at the Wild Animal Park! It's such an exhilarating new ride that the Wild Animal Park has added and I LOVED it!
Do you really get to see animals below you? I don't really know, cause I was too busy flying down 480 feet at 45 mph!
It's for sure a fun thing to do, NOT for $70 but if you want to do something close to skydiving or bungee jumping but don't want to do either of those things, YOU SHOULD DO THIS!
The total time for this attraction is about 3-4 hours. One hilarious part of it, is for sure when you check in, you have to step on a scale to see if you "pass" the limit! (You better be nice to the person who sees your weight, just in case you want to keep your weight a secret!) You go through harness training, a mini fledgling flight, and then a mini tour as you head up to the top of the Flightline! Just remember to keep your "legs open and apart the whole time". (You know what I'm talking about if you try Flightline!)
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4/11/2009
"CAUSE I WANT TO LIVE LIKE ANIMALS, CARELESS AND FREE LIKE ANIMALS, I WANT TO LIVE, I WANT TO RUN… Read more »
We visited this park after San Diego Zoo. Long drive from the city. Except for the tram tour, nothing else was worth it. Even in the tour, more than the animals, information shared by the tour guide was more interesting. Many rides will cost you extra. Very hot. Pakring is extra unlike SD Zoo.
One of our main frustration with this park was their map and sign boards - I can't swear enough about that - very confusing, not to any scale, you will back to the same point without knowing it. Map doesn't even start from the entrance. On top of it, one of the park employess guided us wrong. Map and sign boards don't match in most of the places. Bees were buzzing over the food every where.
Don't even get me started on the food price- outrageous.
Animals and birds in natural or nature like settings - animal photographers might love this place. I wouldn't go back even if they let me in for free.
I was a little afraid to try this place out once I read the reviews about the walking and the bees and the prices but I'm glad I went!
As for people complaining about prices, if you go to the website you can get a Best Value Ticket for $35 which includes admission, the Journey Into Africa Tour, and a ride on the Conservation Carousel. Whoever says they'd be better off going to Disneyland, think again. We are Disneyland passholders and you will spend MUCH more money there. Plus all the money you spend goes directly back into the zoo and the Wild Animal Park.
Loved seeing all the animals roaming free in the open space they had. They seemed happier then they did at the zoo. I think since they have more freedom. The best part was seeing the female lion fighting with the male lion to share his seat on top of an old jeep! No, you will not see the same variety of animals you will at the zoo. This is supposed to be like Africa and they don't have koalas and pandas in Africa.
Walking - yes you will do quite a bit but it isn't not-doable. We went in the middle of August so it was pretty hot but get there when they open and you'll have a few hours before the sun really hits. We took the tram ride about 11:00 and it was perfect because nobody had lined up yet and it wasn't blazing hot. We didn't do Dino Mountain (I went to see real animals, not fake ones) and it was pretty hot and we were pooped so we didn't make it up in the very corner to see the birds of prey. Next time we'll go in winter so it won't be so hot. I really don't get why people were complaining about "so much walking". You do just as much at the zoo. Lazy freakin' Americans.
Swarms of bees? Not really. Around the trash cans and food areas, yes. There aren't swarms chasing you around the whole park. Plus they have signs up that say "Due to the drought, our wasp and bee problem have gotten worse. We apologize." Get over it people. Swat them away with your maps. No biggie.
I do admit the map is really hard to read. I have no sense of direction and it's just plain not a good map. Luckily my fiance is good with maps so I let him lead.
This is definitely a place to check out. No, it's not a zoo. It's like a reserve. Bring some binoculars, wear comfy shoes, maybe go when it's not blazing hot and you'll have a good time. And please don't scream at the animals. People were standing right next to the gorilla habitat and screaming at them, whistling at them, and clapping at them to try and get them to look towards them for a picture. They have a person stationed there specifically to tell people to stop making noise at them. Sad and pathetic. Makes me embarrassed for our culture.
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Where else can you spend an hour feeding elephants and watching rhinos from a safari vehicle? Africa? Well, I didn't want to travel that far and get a bunch of shots. This was good enough for me.
I took my girlfriend and her 10-year-old daughter and we all had a great experience! We did opt for an extra ticket (on top of the general admission) because we wanted to spend time feeding the giraffes, etc. It was called the Photo Caravan Safari, and it was well worth it. Our guides were very friendly and knowledgeable, and it provided us with a unique adventure that we will not soon forget.
We drove into parts of the park that are not accessible by general ticket holders. It was like Jurassic Park where we sat in our safari vehicle, waiting for one gate to close before the next gate opened. Very cool. Once inside, there were animals roaming freely, many of which came up to the car for food and attention. This is not something you can expect to experience anywhere else in the world.
In addition to the safari, we enjoyed wandering this enormous park. We saw giraffes, gorillas, rhinos, gazelles, and a laundry list of other exotic animals. This is a perfect place to take children as they enjoy seeing the animals while learning quite a bit.
Be sure to wear comfortable shoes as there is quite a bit of walking. We spent 4 hours at the park, and I estimate that we only saw 40% of the park. Keep in mind that several hours were spent on the safari, but either way, this place is BIG.
pros... it has been so long since i have seen you. i wonder what is new? well i can tell you that i want to see you just to go on the new zip line that is there. just came back from vegas where the longest zip line on the continental u.s. is based, and i want to try out this one at the park. i hope i can see you when it's not so hot, i don't like heat.
cons... why are you so far away? and you really made it so real for your animals, cause it feels as if it really were africa with all this heat!
This is way better than the San Diego Zoo, although the San Diego Zoo is also world class! For some reason, it seems like the animals here are happier and in their "almost" natural habitat. There are some pretty unique things here at the park--such as the hot air balloon ride, the safari tour (where you can feed the giraffes and rhinos), Flightime where you can fly over the animals, and even camping for the kids (although food does not provide many options for vegetarians). Overall a great place full of educational opportunities. Love it! We bought annual memberships, worth it for the free parking and access to both the zoo and wild animal park!
I started my review on SD Wild Animal Park 3 weeks ago and have yet to finish it. I know why, it's because this place pretty much sucks and I don't care for it..!!
I mean sure, I saw giraffes, hippos, antelopes, zebras but I saw them all REALLY REALLY far away. If you want to experience the actual "safari" of it all, you have to pay extra to get on a truck that takes you closer. I mean, you already pay to get in the park, and you gotta pay some more? That's like paying to get into Disneyland, then paying for each ride, or paying to walk on their sidewalks. I guess the only plus side of SD's Wild Animal Park is that it's a non-profit org, so what I was told was that all their money goes right back into the park, to help the animals reproduce and what not. Good for them.
But all in all, this place was a disappointment. The last time I went to the SD Zoo was when I was a kid so from my recollection, the SD Zoo is better!
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This park is amazing!!!! I had no idea what to expect since I didn't do much research before my trip. My favorite part was the savanna area where you could just watch rhinos, elk, and giraffes run-a-muck. The zoos in the bay area have nothing on this place. I've never seen a giraffe run that quickly before since they don't have enough space at the local zoos here. The lions are nearby chilling too. The only thing blocking you from them is a thick glass. I even saw a half donkey/zebra looking creature called an Okapi.
I also enjoyed feeding the Lorikeets. No joke - they bombarded me as soon as I entered that exhibit. I had three of them on me. Unfortunately, I didn't get to snap photos because they were all over the place but my husband has the footage on video for proof.
The set up of the park is way cool because its not as up and down as the San Diego zoo. They also put an elevator on their highest up and down point so this park; although large, is much easier on the feet. Bring your walking shoes anyway.
This is a beautiful park with tons of things to see and do. I would have paid the big bucks to do the safari but my kids were not old enough to do so I'll be returning when they are a bit older.
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I have gone here multiple times during my life and I find it to be a fun place. pricy, but overall good experience and helpful staff members.
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