I think San Diego zoo is better myself. It is also in the gorgeous Balboa park. But I am not sure I would make the trip to San Diego just for the zoo. That's just me. I do not like driving trips, although there are pretty sites along the way, too.

How many days vacation do you have?

The vacation is 7 days.

San Diego.. is world famous, hands down teh best. The new african safari..elephant encloure and as always the PAndas.. and ther was a new baby hippo born just last week...

Don't forget about Seaworld if you like sea critters too...they have a great penguin and Shamus show...

I've read your other posts, so I know you're considering this a Los Angeles trip. The LA zoo is actually a pretty good zoo. and it's in LA, not several hours away in San Diego. And it's better than any zoo in Dayton. Unless you count the Air Force museum in Dayton, which is the best airplane zoo anywhere.(I'm not knocking it, I love it.)

On the other hand, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park is unique and really interesting. It's closer to LA, in Escondido, not San Diego. See:

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/park/index2010

IF you do the San Diego Zoo it would be a shame to miss the San Diego Zoo Safari Park as dbdurand suggests above. You can make it a loop...LA to SD to ERscondido, to Temecula wine country and then back to LA on any number of freeways across the Inland Empire.

There is no comparison between the zoos. San Diego far outshines almost any zoo worldwide.
The Safari Park is a completely different fabulous experience.
Our executive zoo director has secured a long-term giant panda loan with China, launched a cross border release program with California condors in Mexico and overseeing a collaborative effort with the country of Abu Dhabi to support the Al Ain Zoo.
The 100-acre (40-hectare) Zoo is home to over 4,000 rare and endangered animals representing more than 800 species and subspecies, and a prominent botanical collection with more than 700,000 exotic plants.
If you like zoos this is the one or the Safari Park

San Diego. Please let me know if you find the camera I lost there at the Safari Park.

With 7 days in LA, you could do a limited San Diego overnight to take in the two zoo - SD Zoo and the Wild Animal Park. They are not near each other but could easily be done though I would recommend on a weekday (leaving after 10:00 am) to avoid traffic and crowds. For example, drive to SD Zoo after 10a on a Tuesday, stay at Zoo until closes at 4 (or whatever), take in a nice SD dinner (maybe go to old town for Mexican), drive to a hotel closer to the Wild Animal Park (we usually stay in Carlsbad at West Inn and Suites but there may be even closer spots). Wake up Wed. morning, hit the Wild Animal Park at opening, take the tram ride, wander the park, have lunch and head back to LA before 3). If you are really ambitious you could go to Disneyland or Downtown Disney on your way back, taking in the evening Disney experience.

I also happen to like the LA zoo, it is just a different experience. The new gorilla and elephant exhibits are nice, my DD loves the bird show. The Gene Autry Western Museum is nearby too. What are your other interests -- I can try to provide a few LA suggestions. Pasadena also makes for a nice day while in LA (Norton Simon museum, Huntington Gardens, shopping in Old Town, dinner at Saladong, Akbar, Arroyo Chop House or any number of other terrific restaurants).

SD Zoo no doubt, and well worth the drive

There's no "tram" at the Safari Park. It closed down a year or so ago.

Carlsbad is no closer than downtown San Diego. The closest hotels would be in Rancho Bernardo, a northern suburb of San Diego.

I don't really see any reason to visit both the Zoo and the Safari Park in the limited time you have unless you're a real zoo fanatic.

San Diego has other interesting places to visit with extra time you may have.

The closest hotels to the Safari Park are (not surprisingly) in Escondido. I've stayed there.

"Everbody knows" the San Diego Zoo is better. If you are also going to visit Disneyland, you may want to do San Diego before or after. It's a bit closer.

dbdurand, yes they are, but there aren't any very nice hotels in Escondido.

Barbara,
Last year we rode the 'new' gas powered tram that replaced the electric one. Are you saying the gas powered one is now shut down?

No, the original electric monorail. The gas-powered trucks are still running, but you don't see as much of the park from them unfortunately.

Ok, I see that San Diego is the clear winner. I'm curious about what's the difference between the SD zoo & the safari park?

The zoo has pandas...

The San Diego Zoo hands down.

I like both the Safari Park and the San Diego Zoo. If you have time for both that'd be fine but it'd involve at least a day each.

If you have to chose I would pick the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park. After you visit the zoo you can take a ride on the 100 year old restored Merry-Go-Round then stroll thru Balboa Park visiting the Natural History Museum, The Museum of Man, The Ruben Fleet Science Museum, the Museum of Art, The Timpken Art Museum and maybe see a Shakespearean play at the Old Globe Theatre.

Love San Diego, hands down over LA...nice scenery, decen roads and wonderful zoo and park...Going in March, I think.

Thanx for all the feedback

Ok, I decided to include the San Diego Zoo (or Safari Park). However, my BF and I have been debating about it. He would prefer Seaworld. I'm a HUGE animal lover, so I'm open to Seaworld and would like to include it on the same day as the zoo. Will it be possible? Or is it too much? Any tips?

You could do both, but you would not see either of them thoroughly as both need a good five hours to see everything (perhaps more). BTW, when you refer to Safari Park do you mean the wild animal park, which is in fact a third location?

The former Wild Animal Park has been renamed The Safari Park, and it, as always, is located just outside Escondido, about 35-40 minutes north of San Diego. It's not just your ordinary zoo.

Like krgystn says, you can't do both in one day, My son and his wife and 3 kids used to make an annual pilgrimage to Sea World and they took 2 days.

I really like the Safari Park. The animals are much freer than at the zoo, and they have successfully recreated an environment much like the Serengeti plain in Africa. Don't expect to see a Panda, or for that matter, a palm tree

There is no competition between the LA zoo and the San Diego zoo. The San Diego zoo is recognized as one of the best zoos in the nation, and attracts visitors from all over the world. It's privately owned. The LA zoo is relatively new, and is operated by the city of LA for the benefit of Angelenos, many of whom do not have the wherewithal to zip down to San Diego. Nevertheless, the LA zoo, IMO, is in the good to excellent category, and the ticket prices are less than half those for the San Diego zoo. It's actually larger in area than the San Diego zoo. But no Pandas, some of the laziest animals in the world.

Does 7 days include the arrival travel day and your departure travel day, leaving only 5 days for Los Angeles? If so I don't think I would venture down to San Diego. Early Sat and Sun morning are the only times when the freeways aren't a nightmare, but they will be overcrowded days at the Zoo and at Sea World in July. Instead make a nice long day of the Los Angeles Zoo, the Wild West Museum next door, and the Griffith Observatory in the evening.

Anyway, if your mind is already made up, I'd say no you can't make the drive, see the zoo, then Sea World, and drive back to Los Angeles. No way. Drive down late the night before after traffic, get a motel, and get an early start at the Zoo in the morning.

The Griffith Park zoo has been open since 1966..does that make it "relatively new?"

No, I don't think you can do the San Diego Zoo justice unless you have a full day there. It's huge!

There are other times you can drive between LA and San Diego without lots of traffic. Between 10am until noon on any day, or after about 8pm at night.

When I said that the LA Zoo was relatively new, I meant relative to the San Diego Zoo, which has been around since 1922.

Thanks for the feeedback. I had been playing around with an idea of going to San Diego for a day. However, I was unsure of how that would pan out. I'm still torn between the zoo and safari park though.

I would go to the Zoo 100% over the Safari Park. The zoo is located in Balboa park and it is a lovely place to walk around after the zoo as well - the Safari park is in the middle of no where in northern inland San Diego - and while it has it's merit I have always enjoyed the zoo FAR more.

And yes, you can leave LA around 9:30 am or so and you should not hit too much traffic...but is always really depends. At times I could get to LA from Orange County in 45 minutes other days hours...

If you are going to DL one day - I would head to San Diego either before or after - as it is about 1/2 way between (depending on where you are staying in LA).

Thanx for the info. I still haven't decided yet.