San Diego or National Zoo?
 

2017 holds a three day trip to Washington DC (mid April) and a three day trip to San Diego (early June) for our family which includes our 10 year old son and 8 year old daughter. Which zoo would you go to? I've been to both, but I was a kid when I went to the national zoo so I don't remember it much. Or, would you go to both? It's our kids' first trip to both places.

I am thinking the national zoo would be a good diversion from the monuments and museums in DC, but I remember the San Diego zoo being awesome.

Thanks so much for your input!!

Each is awesome in its own way. Both have pandas, so that makes the decision harder.

The San Diego Zoo has a lot of excellent backstage tours that offer experiences and access you can't get otherwise, but they are expensive. I took one and ended up having a 3-hour private tour of the zoo and backstage areas, including those for tigers who weren't out on display that day. But it cost something like $89.

The National Zoo is free, which is a real positive.

One thing you could do is to visit the National Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park, but that's in Escondido, and you'd need a car and an extra hour to get there from most parts of the city.

Here's what you pay for the National Zoo: ___.

The SD Zoo is way more expensive.

I really love the San Diego Zoo, although the Safari Park is good also, might not yet be too hot in June in Escondido.

We recently visited the National Zoo and agreed that it is nowhere near as good as the San Diego zoo. A big advantage is the availability of transport within the zoo if you need a little help from tired feet.

Tiger River is SO much better than the tiger exhibit at the National Zoo.

You've already gotten some great info. I'll add another angle: There's a ton of stuff to do in DC in a 3 day stay. That was not my experience of San Diego -- much as I enjoyed it. But maybe my experience wasn't typical.

<i>You've already gotten some great info. I'll add another angle: There's a ton of stuff to do in DC in a 3 day stay. </i>

Bingo. Great advice from kja.

Save the zoo for San Diego. See what is unique to DC when you're there. There is plenty there to engage kids. (and I am a fan of the National Zoo)

@ obxgirl: Thanks! I'm a fan of the National Zoo, too -- but context matters!

I agree also with kja.

It has been a LONG time since going to the National Zoo and it may no longer be ahead, but it used to be that the collection was more exotic/different from other zoos.

And SO much for kids in Washington--don't forget the spy museum!!

I have not been to the San Diego zoo in 30+ years but I remember that we spent the whole day there. You can see the whole National Zoo in a couple hours.

We were at the National Zoo 2 years ago. Other than the pandas I don't remember anything really exotic but all exhibits were interesting. The National Zoo also opens early, if I remember correctly 9am. The shortfall is that it is a bit out of the way.

I agree that cost and what else you may give up to go to the zoo is what might be the deciding points. There actually may be more kid friendly stuff in San Diego in April, unless they are interested in monuments and museums..

Take a look at the numerous lists of the top Zoos in the US. The San Diego Zoo and the Safari Park usually end up in the top ten. The highest I ran across for the National Zoo was 14.

Pandas are boring. They have them at the San Diego Zoo and they're still boring.

What are the more exciting animals dbdurand?