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Though I’ve lived in California for 20 years, I had, for reasons unbeknownst to me, never been to the world-famous San Diego Zoo until this past summer. When I had a chance to go with my 11-year-old daughter, and the timing fortuitously coincided with my sister’s visit, an impromptu family reunion was born. Two adult sisters plus two tween cousins equals epic adventure. Lions lounging at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Kim Westerman Friday afternoon: Check into the Omni San Diego My daughter and I arrived in downtown San Diego in the late afternoon and checked into the Omni San Diego Hotel, which sits in a fun pocket of the Gaslamp District just across from Petco Park. The location makes it easy to get anywhere — Balboa Park is a quick drive, and the hotel itself has a serene and friendly vibe that feels more residential than corporate. The Omni San Diego pool at night. Kim Westerman Our room overlooked the ballpark, a view that’s surprisingly quiet once the crowds disperse. We took a swim in the rooftop pool before heading to Ace Porter, the hotel’s main restaurant, for dinner. The menu focuses on American classics — simple, confident cooking — and the lovely server kept refilling my daughter’s Italian soda. My daughter had a properly cooked medium-rare burger, and I had a solid Cobb salad and a non-alcoholic beer. Saturday: Early Morning with the Pandas The gang’s all here now — our relatives arrived from the East Coast — and we set about our plan for the San Diego Zoo’s “Early Mornings with Pandas” tour. By 8:20 a.m., we were standing beneath the lion statue at the entrance with a small group, waiting for the gates to open. The light was soft, the air cool, and the park blissfully empty. The Early Morning Panda Tour at the San Diego Zoo is the best way to learn about these beautiful animals and observe them up close. Kim Westerman Our guide led us on a quiet walk through the still-sleepy zoo to Denny Sanford Panda Ridge, where the giant pandas were already awake and foraging. Seeing them before the crowds arrive changes the whole experience — you can hear the bamboo cracking, the faint rustle of movement, the morning soundtrack of birds overhead. After the tour, we explored the zoo on our own. The Skyfari aerial tram gives a peaceful, tree-level view of the park’s layout, and the guided bus tour is an efficient ground-level orientation — very helpful if it’s your first visit. We lingered longest in Elephant Odyssey, where keepers chatted casually about conservation projects, and at Northern Frontier, where polar bears splashed in pools so convincingly Arctic I forgot I was in Southern California. The San Diego Zoo's free aerial tram gives you a literal bird's-eye view of the grounds. Kim Westerman Over in the gorilla enclosure, my sister fell in love with Maka, a a 30-year-old Western lowland gorilla who died just a few weeks after our visit. She is so happy she was able to spend time with this regal creature. Dinner that night was at Nobu San Diego, a mere block from the Omni and one of our favorite known splurges (known in the sense that the Nobu brand tends to be consistent). Sunday: Into the Wild at the Safari Park + Roar & Snore After a wonderful breakfast at Cafe 222 downtown (huevos rancheros), we drove north about 45 minutes to Escondido for the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. The change in environment is immediate— the coastal city gives way to rolling hills and wide skies. The park itself is expansive and less manicured than the zoo, with huge open spaces where giraffes, rhinos, and antelope share the same terrain. Elephants going about their business at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Kim Westerman We spent the early afternoon wandering the Tiger Trail and Elephant Valley before checking in for Roar & Snore, an overnight program that lets guests camp inside the park. Our two tweens were visibly excited, and truth be told, we adults were, too. Our tent at Kilima Point struck a nice balance between rustic and comfortable: a real bed (plus two cots), warm lighting, an electric blanket, and plenty of privacy. Our tent for the Roar & Snore at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Kim Westerman Dinner — hamburgers, hot dogs, barbecued chicken — was served outdoors with a view of the plains, and after sunset, our small group followed a guide on a walking tour. We stopped by Lion Camp, where the lions were unusually active, pacing and calling to one another as the night cooled. Later, we made s’mores and had popcorn by the campfire and swapped stories with other travelers. I stayed up past 10 (unusual!), watching the stars blink over the dark outline of the park. Monday: Breakfast and the Africa Tram By dawn, the air smelled of desert sage and coffee. Breakfast at Kilima Point was buffet-style and hearty — eggs, bacon, fruit, and strong coffee. After packing up, we joined the morning Africa Tram, which glides through the park looking for wildlife sighting opportunities. After the Roar & Snore, we got to visit with a darling porcupine at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Kim Westerman The final stop was a private wildlife presentation, where a keeper introduced us to a small group of animal ambassadors, including an owl and a porcupine. When the planed itinerary was over, I lingered a bit longer, reluctant to leave the calm rhythm of the place, then drove back toward the city and the San Diego Airport feeling restored in a way that was surprising in its depth very, very and welcome. For more information, visit the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park websites. Editorial StandardsReprints & Permissions
