A young boy feeds giraffes at the San Diego Zoo & Wild Animal Park. (Courtesy of the San Diego Zoo) RELATED LINKS Return to San Diego City Guide

Try to set aside the better part of a day to explore the 100-acre San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park. Along with more than 4,000 rare and endangered animals from around the world, this is one of only four facilities in the United States to house giant pandas from China, and it is the only zoo in the country to successfully breed healthy panda cubs in captivity. Other zoo attractions include well-planned displays of African gorillas, orangutans and polar bears, and a Monkey Trails and Forest Tails exhibit that re-creates African and Asian forest habitats. Admission is fairly pricy, but this place really is worth the money. If you're not up for a lot of walking, ask for the "Best Value" entry ticket, which includes a bus tour, an aerial tram ride and unlimited shuttle rides around the zoo.

True animal-lovers also should consider visiting the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park, a 1,800-acre preserve about 30 miles north of town. The facility is home to an additional 3,500 critters housed in large enclosures designed to resemble the species' native habitats. Many visitors actually prefer this setting to the more limited enclosures at the zoo, and the park offers a robust program of special activities and interpretive programs, including "Adventure Caravan" tours through the animal enclosures aboard open trucks.

If you also plan to visit San Diego's other major zoological attraction, SeaWorld, buy the San Diego 3-for-1 Pass (about $107 for adults, $77 for children), which covers unlimited admission to all three parks for five days. See www.sandiegozoo.org for details.