San Diego Zoo Tips for the Perfect Visit

Get there early.

Arriving early is key not just for skipping crowds, but for catching animals doing adorable, funny animal things. "Most animals are gonna be active in the morning or evening," Rick says, explaining that "activities are highest first thing in the morning because we have usually just finished feeding and cleaning the areas, just in time for the 9 o'clock opening." So if you want to see animals playing instead of snoozing, make it an early start.

There's only one answer to "What's the best animal at the zoo?"

But the answer is a question! "Well, what's your favorite animal?" was Rick's response when I asked which critter was the zoo's best inhabitant. "And that's the honest truth," he adds, advising to go and see your favorite's exhibit first thing when entering the park. "If I tell you the top-three can't-miss species [are ones] you don't care about, then we've just ruined your whole day. Because later on you'll go see the animals you want to see, and they'll be napping."

But truth be told, the pandas are great (and should be seen early).

"Being that we are the San Diego Zoo, though, not too many zoos have giant pandas," Rick admits. "I would recommend giant pandas as your first stop simply because so many people do want to see them. As the day progresses, a line does develop to see them."

Travel back in time at the elephant exhibit.

Most zoo exhibits feature animals in what looks like their natural environment—flora, fauna, and other stuff you'd expect to see wherever they live. "With elephant odyssey, they took a completely different approach," Rick tells me. Species—even extinct ones in the form of life-size statues—native to multiple continents populate the huge space. "And the reason is, those animals that are alive today from around the world are all descendents from species that once lived in southern California 16,000 years ago," Rick explains. "So what you're doing is you're kind of walking through time. You're walking through southern California 12–16,000 years ago."

There are two items that you have to bring.

Comfortable shoes and sunscreen: bring 'em. "It's a 100-acre zoo with a lot of ups and downs—comfortable shoes are a must," Rick advises, adding that the comfy sea breezes that roll through the area also make sunscreen a must-pack item that many people forget. "And because we're close to the ocean, it's so cool—people forget that they're getting sunburnt.

Don't wait until you're there to make a game plan.

By heading to the zoo's website and using your Facebook, Twitter, or Google+ ID to log in, you can add animal exhibits, activities, and other attractions to a digital, sharable itinerary. Considering the almost overwhelming amount of San Diego Zoo animals you'll want to see when you're there, it's a step Rick considers pretty crucial. "We recommend people scoping that out before they show up because you're just going to waste time walking around if you don't plan your day first," he says.

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