San Diego Zoo Admission Ticket

Use this admission ticket to visit the San Diego Zoo. Wander the grounds and see what the zoo has to offer during your visit.

Overview

This ticket covers entry to the San Diego Zoo, a 100-acre park north of downtown holding more than 4,500 rare and endangered animals alongside a large botanical collection. Beyond the gates, the admission also bundles two in-park transport options: a guided bus tour and a ride on the Skyfari aerial tram, both subject to availability on the day. Visitors go straight to the turnstiles with a mobile ticket rather than queuing at the ticket booth.

The layout moves through themed zones. Africa Rocks brings penguins, baboons, weaver birds and the fossa, while the Elephant Odyssey spreads across a 7.5-acre landscape mixing zoo exhibits with museum-style discovery. The Polar Bear Plunge lets guests crawl into a bear den or sit in an Arctic research helicopter, and the Fetter Family Galápagos Tortoise Exhibit is home to the Zoo's 17 tortoises, occasionally at keeper feeding times. Panda Ridge is the reimagined panda habitat and, judging by the reviews, a genuine draw for families.

Expect a full day on foot. The ticket suits families, couples and anyone with a general interest in wildlife and conservation; children 11 and under enter free during October with a paid adult ticket.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Enter at the turnstilesThe Zoo sits just north of downtown San Diego. With a mobile ticket, proceed directly to the turnstiles and skip the ticket booth line.
2. Explore at your own paceThere is no fixed route. The park's paths wind past tigers, flamingos, great apes, koalas and rarer species such as pangolins, arctic foxes and Visayan warty pigs, alongside zones including Africa Rocks, Elephant Odyssey, the Polar Bear Plunge, the Galápagos tortoise exhibit and Panda Ridge.
3. Use the bus and tramThe included guided bus tour and Skyfari aerial tram are subject to availability; the skip-the-line benefit does not apply to their queues.
4. Stay as long as you likeThis is an admission ticket, not a timed tour, so the day runs on your own schedule within the Zoo's opening hours. Hours can change, so check directly with the attraction.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points will shape the day, drawn from the listing and from what multiple travellers reported after their visits.

• Footwear and hills. Wear comfortable shoes and plan for a full day on your feet. The included bus tour and tram help shorten the distance.
• Skip the booth. The mobile ticket lets you bypass the ticketing window and go straight to the entrance. Note that this only covers the admission line, not the queues for the bus tour or Skyfari.
• Bring your own food. Food and drink are not included, and several reviewers found in-park prices high. One advised bringing your own food if staying the whole day.
• Panda queue. More than one reviewer mentions a line to see the pandas. One reported that the queue moved fairly quickly, but budget time for it either way.
• Volunteers on hand. Multiple reviewers praise the volunteers stationed around the park for directions and information. Ask them when working out a route, especially if any exhibits are closed.
• Kids in October. Children 11 and under receive free admission throughout October with a paid adult ticket. Zoo hours can change, so check directly with the attraction before setting out.

Common issues. The Skyfari tram and bus tour are subject to availability, and one reviewer arrived to find the tram down for maintenance, so neither ride is guaranteed on the day. Food and drink inside the park drew repeated complaints about price. Parking is not included, and neither is hotel pickup, so you make your own way there. One reviewer was not keen on the panda queue, and some travellers say clearer advance notice of Skyfari and exhibit closures would help with planning a route.

Common Questions