San Diego Zoo vs. SeaWorld San Diego: Which Is Best to Visit?

The San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld San Diego are among the top San Diego attractions. Both focus on animals to a certain degree, but the offerings and vibe at each differ significantly.

Many visitors, especially when in San Diego with kids, visit both of these big-name theme parks. But let’s say your time is more limited and you can only visit one or the other.

I’ll break down the SeaWorld vs. San Diego Zoo question by highlighting the main factors that will most likely influence your selection. This way, you can decide which zoo (yes, they are both accredited zoos) is worth your time and money.

Admission Comparison

Winner: Usually San Diego Zoo, unless you are active military or SeaWorld tickets are on sale.

Regarding the ticket price, San Diego Zoo edges out SeaWorld San Diego as a higher-value destination. Why? The tickets are usually less expensive – but not always.

What Admission Gets You at the San Diego Zoo

Prices stay relatively stable because tickets never go on sale. For this reason, we’ll use the online price since it is $2 less than if you were to purchase at the gate.

However, remember that I have discount San Diego Zoo tickets that will save you even more on 1-Day tickets than is listed below.

Here are the basic prices and details:

• 1-Day Pass: Costing $74 for adults and $64 for children ages 3 to 11, the 1-Day Pass provides admission including Skyfari Aerial Tram and the Guided Bus Tour. You can save an additional $4 per ticket if you choose a Value Day. (Our tickets are less though!)
• 1-Day Pass Plus: This ticket—$81 for adults and $71 for children—adds to the above a screening at the zoo’s 4D Theater. You can save an additional $2 per ticket if you choose a Value Day. (The cost of a 4D movie is $8 per person and can be added on at the park. It’s cheaper to do this and buy my discount tickets.)
• 2-Visit Pass: The 2-Visit Pass, which costs $126 for adults and $116 for children, allows you to combine a visit each to the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Or you can visit either park twice within a year.

There are also limited or unlimited zoo visits available through San Diego Zoo membership plans. Some of these include blockout dates.

Parking is free. And I have an exclusive discount on 1-Day tickets.

What Admission Gets You at SeaWorld San Diego

Because they offer sales throughout the year, you will rarely pay full price at SeaWorld San Diego online. But, this makes a price comparison trickier. Here are the gate prices for the most common tickets.

• Date-Specific Tickets: Tickets for a single day’s admission begin at $122.99. This admission includes access to most of the rides and shows within SeaWorld San Diego, though the Skytower and Bayside Skyride cost an additional fee. This ticket is nearly always on sale or can be purchased at a discount.
• Ticket & All-Day Dining Bundle: For a retail price of $182.98, you can add an entree and side or beverage every hour to your single-day admission at SeaWorld San Diego. This is also usually on sale.

When the tickets go on sale, they can be as low as $59.99 for a day’s admission, bringing a one-day visit close to the Zoo. A Ticket & All-Day Dining Bundle can be as low as $89.99. If you see them around this price point or even a bit higher during your dates I would execute rather than wait.

We have tons of advice for buying discount SeaWorld San Diego tickets. You’ll pay to park at SeaWorld San Diego (currently $33!).

Other options include a SeaWorld Annual Pass, which, besides a year’s worth of SeaWorld admission, lands you free parking, free guest tickets, and certain in-park discounts. Fun Cards also provide unlimited admission.

Active Duty military personnel enjoy complimentary admission to SeaWorld San Diego (as do up to three of their direct dependents).

There are also various upgrades available for SeaWorld admission, including Quick Queue Unlimited for getting to the front of lines and Reserved Seating for shows.

Combo Tickets & Sightseeing Passes

The all-inclusive Go City San Diego Pass includes admission to both San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld San Diego, in addition to over 50 other local attractions.

Using this pass removes admission as a factor in determining which park to visit, plus you get access to other popular museums, tours, and attractions.

In addition, several options combine admission for the two attractions:

• SeaWorld San Diego and San Diego Zoo
• Seaworld San Diego, San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park
• San Diego CityPASS
• Go City San Diego (use my discount)

Animal Exhibits

Winner: San Diego Zoo

SeaWorld San Diego and San Diego Zoo boast a variety of animal exhibits. That said, there’s no question that the Zoo offers a lot more variety — not surprising, given animal displays are the core of its appeal.

San Diego Zoo Exhibits

San Diego Zoo has nearly 13,000 individual animals representing more than 650 species and subspecies.

A visit here takes you on a tour around the globe’s spectacularly diverse ecosystems and shows off just how varied and magnificent their lifeforms are.

The Zoo’s zones range from Africa Rocks, Asian Passage, and Lost Forest to the Reptile House at Discovery Outpost. Animals calling the place home include (to name only a few):

• Pandas (!!!!)
• Bonobos
• Orangutans
• Western Lowland Gorillas
• Baboons
• African Lions
• Malayan Tigers
• Snow Leopards
• Jaguars
• Mountain Lions
• Cheetahs
• Grizzly Bears
• Polar Bears
• Sloth Bears
• Tasmanian Devils
• African & Asian Elephant
• Hippos
• Giraffes
• Red Pandas
• Meerkats
• Komodo Dragons
• Green Anacondas
• Alligator Snapping Turtles
• Chinese Alligators
• California Condors
• Flamingos
• Secretary Birds
• Harpy Eagles

A few other things to note: The San Diego Zoo is closely associated with modern efforts to conserve the giant panda, including a famous captive breeding program. T

Also, plant lovers will revel in the botanical collections at the Zoo, which, in their way, are just as comprehensive as the faunal roster.

SeaWorld San Diego Exhibits

The exhibits aren’t nearly so varied at SeaWorld San Diego. But partly, that’s because of the theme park’s narrower scope.

After all, SeaWorld San Diego is an oceanarium and marine theme park. That means sea animals and entertainment in the form of shows and rides dominate its focus.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t absorbing exhibits like interactive touch pools and behind-the-scenes experiences at SeaWorld San Diego.

Some of the (mostly) marine residents include:

• Beluga whales
• Orcas
• Sharks
• Rays
• Moray eels
• Sea turtles
• Penguins
• Sea Otters
• Sea Lions
• Seals
• Walruses
• Pilot whales
• Bottlenose Dolphins

Even a few “topside” organisms make the SeaWorld cut, including macaws, toucans, and two-toed sloths. The sloths can only be seen during an upgraded tour, but they are there!

You’ll get an up-close looks at hulking marine mammals through plexiglass panes. And the harmless but thrilling gauntlet of toothy grins you pass through in the Shark Encounter tunnel is a reliable highlight. I also love the penguins.

Rides

Winner: SeaWorld San Diego

When it comes to rides, SeaWorld San Diego, without question, has more rides to offer than San Diego Zoo.

Rides at San Diego Zoo

The handful of rides at the San Diego Zoo are mostly low-grade thrills and tours but still very pleasant.

Skyfari Aerial Tram

The gondola experience offered by the Skyfari Aerial Tram, for one, includes fabulous top-down views of the zoo and its Balboa Park surroundings.

Guided Bus Tour

Other ride options keep you firmly on the ground. The first-come, first-served Guided Bus Tour is a 35-minute narrated introduction to the zoo’s layout and inhabitants—definitely recommended for first-time visitors.

Discovery Cart Tour

A longer narrated tour is available via the hour-long Discover Cart rides which is an upgraded experience purchased separately from admission.

Balboa Park Miniature Railroad

The Balboa Park Miniature Railroad takes Zoo goers on a brief three-minute, half-mile circuit through eucalyptus trees just outside the Zoo.

Tickets cost just a few dollars, but there are less than fifty of these vintage trains left running.

Rides at SeaWorld San Diego

You’ll find a much more extensive spread of amusement and thrill rides at SeaWorld San Diego.

These range from low-key, toddler-friendly offerings such as toddler-friendly spinning teacups to some of the gnarliest roller coasters in the Golden State.

Here are the main thrill and family rides on offer.

High thrill rides

• Emperor: California’s tallest, fastest, and longest dive coaster (143-foot vertical drop, 60+ miles per hour)
• Manta: Launch coaster
• Electric Eel: San Diego’s tallest and fastest launch coaster
• Tidal Twister: Dueling rolling coaster
• Journey to Atlantis: Flume ride

Medium thrill rides

• Shipwreck Rapids: Whitewater ride with rapids and waterfall
• Riptide Rescue: Spinner ride

Low thrill rides

• Bayside Skyride: Gondola ride
• Skytower: Tower offering 100-mile sightlines over Greater San Diego and out to the Pacific
• Rescue Rider: Kiddie ride
• Tentacle Twirl: Swing ride
• Tidepool Twist: Swinging teacups
• Sea Dragon Drop: Shot-n-drop tower suitable for small children
• Octarock: Kid-friendly swing
• Rescue Rafter: Kid-friendly side-to-side slide
• Aqua Scout: Bumping kiddie ride

SeaWorld San Diego debuted Sesame Place San Diego in 2022, which includes water attractions, among them a 500,000-gallon wave pool and water slides. This is a separate seasonal theme park located in Chula Vista.

Shows

Winner: SeaWorld San Diego

You’ll find live entertainment with an educational component at both parks.

Generally speaking, the shows at the San Diego Zoo are on a smaller scale and focused on education. Most would be better called talks or presentations.

For flashier (splashier?) shows focused more on entertainment, SeaWorld San Diego is the place to go.

Which park you prefer based on shows alone depends on which type of show is more meaningful to you.

Shows & Presentations at the San Diego Zoo

Regular Wildlife Care Specialist Talks reveal some of the inside scoop on meeting the behavioral, dietary, and other needs of specific species at the zoo.

The San Diego Zoo presents its various animal ambassadors in daily shows at the Africa Rocks stage, Rady Ambassador Presentation Area, and Wegeforth Bowl amphitheater.

Keep in mind that the zoo also offers a variety of upgraded tours and activities that, if not exactly “shows,” are still engaging and exciting experiences.

These include the Inside Look and Animals in Action that take you to see some behind-the-scenes goings-on related to animal care.

Shows & Presentations at SeaWorld San Diego

Live shows are definitely at the heart of the SeaWorld San Diego experience.

The killer whale show Orca Encounter is the defining draw, giving you a firsthand look at the beauty, agility, and intelligence of the ocean’s apex predator.

Also popular are the Dolphin Days and Sea Lions Live shows, each featuring its own sleek and charismatic marine mammals.

There are slower-paced animal experiences as well, including sea turtle feedings and sea otter presentations.

Evening fireworks provide a regular spectacle as well. Check the calendar as they do not occur daily. I can see them from my house!

Crowds & Size

Winner: San Diego Zoo

Both the San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld San Diego are major tourist attractions.

After all, we’re talking about the most-visited zoo in the country and the original SeaWorld location. Expect large crowds, especially on weekends and during the summer or holidays.

But, do they feel crowded? Let’s find out.

San Diego Zoo Crowds & Size

The San Diego Zoo covers 100 acres, with some hilly terrain to navigate.

You can expect plenty of company, particularly around the larger water-dwelling animals such as polar bears and hippos. That’s because guests tend to hover around the glass that showcases them swimming underwater.

However, the size of the Zoo and its spread-out exhibits means it rarely feels uncomfortably packed with people outside of these types of exhibits.

Keep the hilliness of the Zoo’s grounds in mind (which is nothing anyone ever complains about). You may get a little workout during a typical zoo visit, especially if you push a stroller around.

The Skyfari Aerial Tram is useful when you need a break from walking or are visiting with more mobility-challenged friends or family members.

You don’t wait in line for much at San Diego Zoo since there are no rides, and people tend to move through the exhibits at a reasonable pace.

SeaWorld San Diego Crowds & Size

Given the most popular attractions at SeaWorld are rides and shows, expect a somewhat more crowded feel. You’ll spend time waiting in lines since rides are among the most popular things to do there. The last time I went there were lines for dining as well.

SeaWorld San Diego is a big place, too, covering some 172 acres. (Though it doesn’t feel nearly 2x the size of the Zoo.)

Who Visits?

Winner: San Diego Zoo

Needless to say, there’s quite a bit of crossover when it comes to the Seaworld San Diego vs. San Diego Zoo target audience.

Both spots rank among the city’s biggest family attractions, though their appeal—especially when it comes to the San Diego Zoo—isn’t at all limited to kiddos.

SeaWorld offers a higher-octane vibe, given its thrill rides and more spectacle-oriented shows, but the zoo delivers a broader and richer overall experience.

Who the San Diego Zoo Will Appeal to the Most

The San Diego Zoo is an all-ages destination. It’s certainly an outstanding place to bring kids, especially younger children, who are still reliably wowed by firsthand encounters with the animal kingdom.

But I can tell you that retirees, newlyweds, singles, and even business travelers go out of their way to visit. Even locals will head over first thing in the morning to walk through the gardens and various areas for exercise (at a brisk pace or in the right sections; it’s a workout). Looking for backyard inspiration? Many of the 700,000 plants are labeled.

The Zoo is a particularly potent draw if you or somebody at your party has a special interest in the natural world or conservation. That said, a roaring big cat, gargantuan elephant, or inquisitive great ape will likely captivate just about anybody, young or old.

Who SeaWorld San Diego Will Appeal to the Most

SeaWorld San Diego’s allure is usually stronger for the younger crowd.

Smaller children will find the touch pools and the Rescue Jr. area intriguing. Many locals have season passes during the toddler years because, well, there’s tame rides, merchandise, and characters roaming the park.

Teens love it for roller coasters. Besides the historic coaster at Belmont Park, these are the only roller coasters ones in San Diego. And they’re big and fast.

I don’t typically hear of or see many visitors going without kids in tow. One exception would be when they are running food festivals or holiday events. I do know single adults who have passes because they love these events.

Dining

Winner: San Diego Zoo

Given they’re designed to be half- or full-day destinations, it’s no surprise that both the San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld San Diego are well equipped to satisfy appetites.

The Zoo, though, wins for the diversity of dining options. However, SeaWorld San Diego offers dining packages that could save you money if you plan to spend all day at the park.

Rest assured that adult beverages are served in both parks! And both offer vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options.

Dining at the San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo offers an impressive lineup of eateries, snack bars, and watering holes well distributed throughout the grounds. From on-the-go snacks and sit-down meals to adult beverages, they cover multiple cuisines ranging from hearty to healthy.

Named for a famous, bygone silverback resident of the San Diego Zoo, Albert’s in the Lost Forest is a full-service restaurant and bar with a fabulous patio beside a small waterfall. Along with its daily lunches and dinners, Albert’s offers a popular weekend brunch.

Track down more casual dining, meanwhile, at the following establishments:

• Busy Bee Café (Wildlife Exploreres Basecamp)
• San Diego Zoo Sandwich Co. (Front Street)
• Front Street Sweet Shack (Front Street)
• Safari Kitchen (Front Street)
• Lagoon Terrace (Front Street)
• Sydney’s Grill (Australian Outback)
• Hua Mei Cafe (Asian Passage)
• Sabertooth Mexican Grill (Elephant Odyssey)
• Treetops Cafe (Lost Forest)

That’s not all: You’ll also find close to 20 snack-and-refreshments-style outlets in the San Diego Zoo, from the Northern Frontier’s Ituri Hut and the Lost Forests’s Jungle Java to the Boardwalk Beer Garden.

The San Diego Zoo also allows visitors to bring in their own food and beverages (single person), though no glass containers, coolers, alcohol, birthday cakes, or party trays are allowed.

Dining at SeaWorld San Diego

SeaWorld also offers a range of eateries and snack stations but not quite the variety of the San Diego Zoo. And if I’m to be frank, the food quality isn’t as good, though it’s fine for a theme park. It’s also pricey.

My daughter and her friend told me yesterday that even after the Gold pass discount, it costs $40 for two hot dogs and two drinks.

Its restaurants and refreshment stands include:

• Rita’s Italian Ice
• Dreyer’s Ice Cream Parlor
• High Tide Brews
• Underwater Cantina
• Calypso Bay Smokehouse (ribs here are popular)
• Hibisco Tacos and More
• Discoveries Fresh Market
• The Chicken Snack Shack
• Shipwreck Reef Cafe
• Explorer’s Cafe
• Manta Pizza
• Pretzel & Coffee Shop
• Coral Market
• Manta Bar
• Eletric Eel Bar
• Craft Beer Trailer

You can also bundle all-day dining with your ticket, which allows three items at participating restaurants as much as once per hour. There are some limitations, but if you are going to be spending time eating, it can be a good deal. It can also make lines long during peak days.

SeaWorld San Diego offers a few special dining packages and experiences. The most noteworthy is the Dine With Orcas deal, which provides a chef-curated meal on a private poolside patio with orca-viewing and information.

Unlike at the Zoo, you cannot bring outside food or beverages into SeaWorld except for bottled water. Exceptions are made for baby formula visitors with certain dietary restrictions or food allergies.

Location

Winner: San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld San Diego are both easily accessible from Downtown San Diego. The Zoo gets the edge when it comes to convenience, as it’s a shorter Uber from Downtown hotels, and Balboa Park is next door.

But, seriously, there’s no need to get too hung up on their locations. The drive time between the two is usually about 15 minutes.

San Diego Zoo

Situated in Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo is mere minutes from downtown and is directly accessed by a bus line (No. 7).

That location also means a whole host of other attractions. Some of San Diego’s top museums and gardens are within walking distance of the Zoo.

Balboa Park is one of the best places for strolling in town, and it hosts a regular calendar of concerts and other special events.

SeaWorld San Diego

SeaWorld is located on Mission Bay, about 15 minutes from Downtown San Diego.

The No. 8 and 9 Metropolitan Transit System buses offer public transportation to SeaWorld from the Old Town Transit Center. SeaWorld’s general vicinity isn’t walkable to anything.

But, while you’re there, you can take a short drive to Belmont Park San Diego and the Mission Beach area (parking at the beach can be tough during peak season).

Parking

Winner: San Diego Zoo

There’s ample parking at both San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld San Diego.

Parking at the San Diego Zoo

The Zoo offers free parking in its City of San Diego-managed lot.

If the Zoo parking lot is full, which is rare but does happen, try looking for space along Park Blvd. or elsewhere in the Balboa Park vicinity.

Parking in the Balboa Park parking lots is also free.

Parking at SeaWorld San Diego

You’ll pay for parking in the huge SeaWorld lot. It’s a separate fee from admission unless you have an annual pass.

General Parking is $33, while spaces close to the entrance cost more for Up-Close Parking and VIP Parking.

You can pre-pay parking online if you like, but you can also pay the attendant when you get there.

SeaWorld vs. San Diego Zoo: Summing Up

The San Diego Zoo is the more universally engaging destination when all is said and done. The quality of its animal exhibits and the breadth of on- and off-site education regarding global conservation are outstanding. It’s one of the world’s most highly regarded zoological parks for good reason.

SeaWorld is also worth checking out, particularly if you’re visiting San Diego with kids. But it’s a bit more one-dimensional and could be a more expensive day out.

Here’s a brain dump of questions people ask me when comparing both parks.

	SeaWorld San Diego	San Diego Zoo
Reservations necessary	No	No
Discount tickets available	Yes	Yes
Same-day tickets available	Yes	Yes
Non-profit park	No, but SeaWorld Entertainment operates nonprofits committed to animal and habitat rescue.	Yes
Accredited zoo	Yes	Yes
Children’s sections	Rescue Jr.	Wildlife Explorers Basecamp
Free parking	No	Yes
Opportunities to touch animals	Touch pools with rays, feeder sharks, tide pool animals.	No, unless you get lucky during an upgraded tour.
Other attractions within walking distance	No	Balboa Park is next door.
VIP tours	Yes	Yes
Bring in food	No (baby food and special diet food okay)	Yes
Stroller and locker rentals	Yes	Yes
Gluten, vegan, and vegetarian dining options	Yes	Yes
Adult beverages for sale	Yes	Yes

FAQs About San Diego Zoo or SeaWorld San Diego

How Far Apart Are SeaWorld and San Diego Zoo?

The two theme parks are about 8 miles apart. The drive time without traffic is about 15 minutes.

Can You Visit SeaWorld San Diego and San Diego Zoo on the Same Day?

In theory, yes, you can visit both parks on the same day if you have enormous stamina. I would not recommend it, especially with young children.

You will get the most out of both parks if you see them on separate days.

Which Zoo Is Best in San Diego?

The answer depends on your interests. Most people will vote for San Diego Zoo. However, there are three zoos in San Diego:

• San Diego Zoo
• San Diego Zoo Safari Park
• SeaWorld San Diego

Hopefully, this article helped you decide between San Diego Zoo or SeaWorld San Diego. We’ve covered San Diego Zoo vs. San Diego Zoo Safari Park as well if you need help deciding between these two parks.