San Diego zoo

[rhsjr]

Not sure we want to spend 7 hours at the San Diego zoo on a Princess tour :mad:. How far is it from the cruise port to the zoo? I am sure there must be some transportation to the zoo. More concerned about getting back from the zoo. Ideas?

[CruiserBruce]

Take a cab. About 3 or so miles. Probably $15-20.

[zenjenn]

The San Diego Zoo is phenomenal. Really, the best zoo I've ever been to and I've been to several throughout the country. Last I recall hearing, it has more species than ANY other zoo in the U.S.

 

Spending 7 hours there would be easy.

[riffatsea]

You certainly don't need a tour to get to the zoo!

As mentioned it is barely 3miles from the cruise port.

A taxi will take maybe 8min. There are always some waiting at the exit for when you go back to the ship.

There's also a bus but you'd have to walk a little to get to the bus stop. An all day bus pass is $5 so if you have more than 2 people in your group a taxi would be more cost effective.

The zoo is located inside Balboa Park which is also worth a visit. You could easily see much of the zoo and still have time to visit parts of the park nearby-gardens, small museums of all sorts, and artisan shops.

http://www.balboapark.org

Here's a route map and timetable for the bus.

http://transit.511sd.com/Services/Route.aspx?r=7

[caa]

Just curious about the markup -- what does Princess charge for a 7 hr tour to the zoo and does it include anything you can't buy at the gate, such as a meal voucher or a behind-the-scenes visit?

[Gonzo70]

Although a long walk, it is walkable. I was in San Diego for a conference and was staying at a hotel near the cruise port; one day I walked to and from the zoo. It took about an hour each way, but was a nice walk. There definitely is no need to take a ship excursion to the zoo. Assuming you do not want to walk, a taxi would be fast, readily available and inexpensive.

[Northern Aurora]

The hubby and I spent a day at the San Diego Zoo prior to a cruise several years ago. As we left the Zoo there were a line of taxis, so had absolutely no problem using a taxi to return to the hotel. We also found the San Diego Zoo to be very enjoyable.

 

If you don't find the San Diego Zoo appealing, consider either the USS Midway or the Maritime Museum. Both are within minutes of the cruise ship terminal, with the Midway essentially beside the terminal and the Maritime Museum slightly farther.

[Jeff in Torrance]

We've been on a couple of cruises that stopped in San Diego, where we've walked to Balboa Park. Lots to see there, including the zoo.

[Splinter]

Also, our Zoo is inside Balboa Park, one of the largest urban parks in the USA. There are beautiful gardens, and numerous museums and theaters there. If you don't want to spend 7 hours at the Zoo (which is very easy to do with all there is to see) you can also easily walk over to the Prado area of the park to see the gardens, visit the Aerospace, Space, San Diego History, or Natural History Museums, the Museum of Man, Automobile museum, Photographic Arts or the Timkin, Mengei, or San Diego Art museums. Fine dining is available at Albert's at the Zoo, or the Prado elsewhere in the Park.

 

A cab or a city bus are options for getting to the Park and Zoo area easily. Walking would be a bit of a challenge for most.

 

I can also recommend the Maritime Museum and the USS Midway, which are literally a few feet from the cruise ship terminal.

[LHARTWICK]

Just returned from our 4th trip to SD and saw the zoo for the second time. Even in 7 hours you will NOT see everything. It's really huge and just wonderful! Take advantage of the Express Buses and Sky Tram and that will make getting around the zoo much more efficient. You don't need the ship's tour - just take a cab from the port. Buy your zoo tickets online before you go - I think it'll save you a few dollars. Go to the zoo's website and download a map to mark your route ahead of time. It's overwhelming if you've never been before. On this last trip we discovered a tiny little building not too far from the entrance that housed hummingbirds and a few other bird species. It was fascinating and so quiet in there! Some people were sitting in there just to get away from all of the hustle and bustle outside. I bet 99% of zoo visitors miss this little jewel. The koala display is closed for renovation right now so you won't see those. You also won't see the new baby elephants. They are not ready for public display yet.