Staying in the Gaslamp District in September and interested in seeing the Safari Park. However, I will not have a vehicle. Do you recommend any of the sightseeing tours that pick you up at some of the hotels? Or should I look at public transportation or some other way of getting there?

just topping this for you. I've never taken public transpo to the Safari park. It's quite a long way from Downtown San Diego.

If you really want to go check out the tours or a taxi.

There is a transportation service that we use to get to the airport, he's very dependable. I am not affiliated with this business but he's dependable and I know other people who use him.

Sweet Willie Transportation- (619) 980-5662

Have you been to our zoo? It's excellent and they've done a lot of new things lately. I haven't been yet so I don't know how it's all turned out.

If you do make it there, be sure and take the truck tour inside the compound.
Feeding carrots to the giraffes and apples to the rhinos was one of the most memorable experiences of my well traveled life.

Logandog is correct. We loved the Safari Park, but a person really needs to spend the extra money for the extra tours there to really enjoy, in my opinion. This ends up being expensive. We would definately do it again though.

You'll have to take an organized tour. There's no public transportation that I'm aware of. It's about an hour from San Diego and in a different city.

AFAIK the only way to get there by public transport is pretty convoluted.

Go to the Santa Fe station > Train to Oceanside > light rail to Escondido >a cab tom Escondido nearly 8 miles to the park.

Yes you can really only get there in a practical fashion via rental car or tour.