San Diego Zoo Safari Park, Escondido

Upon entry you can buy a cup and refill all day for free. DO THIS! Drinks are 5 bucks each and the cup pays for itself upon the second refill. It was pretty hot and we filled it up 4 times. The animals appeared to be well taken care of and were active. The park was clean and, although there were a few empty habitats, they were obviously construction to make them better. The Lorikeet and Butterfly enclosures were pure magic! This is to be one of the best attractions in SoCal. Dont miss this treasure!!!!

My family, inlcuding a 12, 10 and 6 year old, loved this park! We went on a weekend and park was NOT crowded. All the animals were lively and even got to see the newly born elephant (less than a week old). Wear good walking shoes. Some of the trails are true hikes. Park was very clean and employees were all friendly. We ended up taking our time and spent the whole day. If you want, you could complete the park in 4 hours. Great times and we definitely do plan to return on our next trip to California!

They say that you can bring your cameras there, but if you bring a nice camera, be prepared to get harassed by park employees. I have talked to several other people who have quit going to the Wild Animal Park in San Diego, becuase they have been given a hard time by park employees. It's really not true when they say you can bring any camera equipment you want, because it's happening to more and more photographers. Their official photography policy is being replaced by an unofficial policy towards cameras and photographers, that anyone with a nice camera is not really welcone at the Wild Animal park in San Diego. Sure, they let you in the gate, but they also harass you and single you out if you have nice camera equipment. It's really no fun to go to a spot, pay money, and then be singled out and harassed.

Get ready to do alot of walking, make sure you wear good walking shoes. I saw alot of people in flats and sandles and alot of complaints about their feet. There is alot to see, but not enough animals and some of the exhibits looked empty. The cost is not to bad for what you get, as long as you don't pay for all the extras(expensive). Had a good time for four hours. check the weather it can get HOT!

Very, very clean park. The employees are very nice. There are lots of things to do yet it is possible to do it in one day. The animals look happy and are given a good amount of space. The only complaint is that the food eateries need to be cleaned more. If you are allergic to bees, be careful. The diverse amount of flowers attract them. We went as an "adult family" so kids are not the only ones who will enjoy it.

I've heard good comments but only for the tours. What about the park it self? We are planning to take my daughter for her bday but i dont know if the tours are fun or the actual park is too. Can someone please tell me

I recommend a multi-day pass purchase if you are in town for 2 days or more, you get teh Zoo and the Animal Park. I also highly recommend spending a little extra money at the park and going on a caravan and the Journey into Africa ride - included if you buy a multi-day pass. The caravan gets you a free picture of you feeding an animal - giraffe or rhino, which was very cool!!! The donkey ride is a new attraction/ride and looks like another worthy option.

I've heard so many complainers but the place is beautiful. I understand that it STILL costs to have us there, the admission cost couldn't put a dent in all of the park's expenses I imagine. I was happy with all of its new changes, if you keep up with the park's news you find out that there are REASONS behind changes. This park is a non-profit park, unlike Disneyland and you bet that your money is neing put to use! I came in with the Best Value ticket which included the train ride.

My husband and I became members a couple of years ago and we LOVE being able to go whenever we want to (it's a little over an hour from our home). The grounds are beautiful and well-kept, the animals are extremely well-cared for, and the staff are knowledgeable and fun. HIGHLIGHT: The Cheetah Run Safari. We are cheetah lovers and my husband surprised me with this for our anniversary. What an AMAZING sight. Worth every penny. I can't say enough good things about this place. We can't wait until our son (who is almost one--we just reserved a VIP tour for his first birthday) is old enough to participate in one of their many kid programs. Make time for: animal encounters and keeper talks. Any cons? The food is pricey...you might want to bring your own. Also, the monorail was included in the price. In the last couple of years, they halted the monorail and introduced Journey into Africa (an electric tram tour). It's nice, but unless you're a member, you have to pay an additional fee to take the tour. The money is worth it (save endangered species!), but it's a bit of a letdown to have to pay more when you've already paid a pretty steep admission fee.

Our family has just returned from a trip to your beautiful state. We are from Canada so of course we loved the weather and we took in many sights but one of the best days was spending a full day at your wild animal park!! We felt like we were on a safari. It was 83 degrees but it was the most wonderful day a family could spend together. The park is super clean and the employees seem to take pride in thier jobs-very helpful.You should be proud to have a wonderful park as this one! The animals were a delight to see up close and all areas kept clean. Wish we had a park like this in Edmonton,AB.