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.

Th San Diego Zoo is really great. It has so much to offer: a children's petting zoo, an overhead Sky Ride, animal shows, the Chinese Pandas, a variety of animals you won't find anywhere else in the world, and is set is lovely Balboa Park.

The Safari Park in Escondido is okay, but you basically ride a train around the perimeter and only see the animal from a distance.