Pandas, Primates, and Photo Ops: A San Diego Zoo Adventure

While there are many great zoos across the United States, the San Diego Zoo consistently ranks in the top 10 according to most lists that classify the best zoos to visit. We are lucky enough to live close enough that having a membership is an amazing value, allowing us to stop in for a few hours at different times of the day to spot animals that only come out in the mornings or evenings. We are fortunate enough to have pandas return to our zoo after a multi-year absence when they were sent back to China.

These photos are from a few years ago, before the pandas were initially sent back to China. We spent quite a while in this area, and this panda was lounging and munching on bamboo the whole time. Meanwhile, the other panda was asleep and actually in view for once.

Most of the time when we visit, we don’t see many bears, if any. They’re usually in the back, sleeping, and you might just catch a glimpse of the tops of their heads or, more commonly, their backsides. However, every so often, when we take the kids and the weather is just right, we get lucky and see them roaming around or eating.

Honestly, we have a set route that we follow every time we visit because our kids have their favorite animals that we must see each time. We might explore other areas if it's not too hot and the kids aren't too tired. However, these detours aren't always successful, especially with the big cats, who often sleep in the back corners and remain out of sight. They're not always the most photogenic animals at the zoo either. But every so often that break that trend!

The most photogenic animals I've seen at the San Diego Zoo are definitely the various primates. It almost feels like they’re posing for photos. Additionally, some of the exhibits are more open-air, making it much easier to photograph since you’re not shooting through a fence or dirty glass, which people tend to smudge.

Often, when we visit, it feels like the monkeys and gorillas are closely observing my children when they’re near the glass. While they probably are watching, we ensure that the kids are respectful and not banging on the glass. We really want them to appreciate these animals and not take them for granted.

After we visit the set of animals on our usual route, it's pretty much a free-for-all depending on how the kids are feeling. So we don’t often get many more pictures beyond this, though I do have a few decent ones to share. If you're ever in San Diego, California, the zoo is definitely a must-visit—probably even before many other attractions in the city.

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