San Diego Zoo, San Diego, California

The San Diego Zoo is a family destination for a reason--there is entertainment and attractions for everyone. From the interactive petting zoo to the 4-D Ice Age movie--the entire family will be blown away by the bus ride throughout the entire Zoo and getting up close and personal with the massive animal habitats. There are also Cirque-du-Solei type performances throughout the park which are a must-see.

We loved the San Diego Zoo. My advice would be to go during the week, as it gets very crowded on the weekends. One of my son’s favorite parts of the zoo was riding on the skyway where the view was absolutely amazing. In addition to see the zoo itself we had a view of Balboa Park. There is a lot of walking required, so make sure everyone has comfortable shoes and drinks lots of water. The Double Decker Bus Tour is well worth the money. Try to get a seat on the right hand side.

A great place to visit with kids big and small.

My daughter and I had so much fun at this place, its more than just a zoo. To fully walk and enjoy all of nature around you, I'd say take at least a day and a half, 2 days if you have the time. We went for just a day and we were rushing to see just our favorites! Her favorite highlights were the petting zoo, the reptile square, and of course her sweet little pandas (baby was in the building being monitored, but you can go online to watch the live feed of her living space). There are peacocks and wild birds all around you, it's fun for the little ones to try and spot them hiding in the trees, almost like a game!

This is at least the third tie we have visited San Diego zoo, and it never disappoints. We had taken the kids for the first tie when they were only 5 years old and then the last visit they were teenagers, a fantastic place for all ages. I highly recommend the double decker bus tour, it gives you a overdue of the entire park and then you can go and do your own thing afterwards and have a much easier time finding where you wan to get bak to. I never get tired of the zoo and could visit yearly and enjoy as much as the first visit.