Reviews you can use: The San Diego Zoo is NOT San Quentin

Reviews you can use: San Diego Zoo

I have this thing about zoos. Ever since I was a little girl and I'd go to our small town zoo to stare at the big bears in their concrete (literally a concrete) jungle. They had a small patch of grass but that was it (The otters were always fun too, round and round they swam and slid, but again, so small, so concrete). It was just so, sad.

Needless to say I moved to San Diego and the zoo wasn't actually on the top of my list. "Go to the zoo" people told me. "It's the freaking San Diego Zoo, it's different."

The San Diego Zoo has a reputation for it's research facility and its love of animals. They tout their care and loving approach to the animals they house. They list their facilities, their breeding programs and their preservation of wildlife.

I was still skeptical.

But I finally dragged myself there (with Lori) and set out for the day, giving it the benefit of the doubt.

First off, there are many things about the SD Zoo that make it different. The animal areas are larger, the pathways are cleaner and the vegetation throughout the park is well taken care of. And the zookeepers are happier to be there. We watched one visiting with the animal he was feeding, petting him, laughing and enjoying his company. Obviously they believe in what they are doing there and that every animal is a special addition to a "family."

And the rest. It was kind of zoo like. There may not be cages but the animals sit behind their glass and turn their backs to the curious audience. The food is expensive, the lines are long and it seems like there are some forgotten animals on some back roads with less traffic. I kept thinking "nice try."

My own zoo issues aside (I'll get over it someday) the San Diego Zoo has everything a zoo can have to make it more of an experience and less of a "visit." And it will ruin you for other zoos. Plus there are rides and lots of fun gift shops. Life would be swell if we could all afford the 20.00 stuffed pandas.

Take: the bus tour first. It will let you see the WHOLE zoo, via bus, give you a ton of information and put less pressure to run around at the last minute to see what you missed.

Buy: The endangered species candy bars, chocolate and white chocolate mixed together (the panda mix), yum.

Go: IN OCTOBER when kids 3-11 are FREE.