A Day at the San Francisco Zoo

Before I stepped foot in the SF Zoo, located on the Pacific Coast Highway in San Francisco, I checked it out on the web. This is a big zoo with lots of animals, but this comes at a cost. For one adult to visit the zoo and park their car it is $23. It cost kids under age of 15 $9 to enjoy the zoo. Now San Fran is usually a overcast place, but the day I went was during our Bay Area heat wave. Anyway, the first thing you see as you walk into the zoo are gorgeous giraffes in an enclosure with zebras, ostriches, and antelope. It feels like you just walked onto the set of the Lion King! After watching these gentle animals graze and stare back at us, my friends and I moved on.

The zoo features penguins, a "cat house" with tigers and lions, bear country, and my school mascot the anteater. My friends and I were very upset by the space allotted for some of the animals. The anteater was pacing every second because of the lack of space, the gray seal had a pool the size of a large puddle, and the zoo's birds were practically kept in pet store cages. The tigers, monkeys, grizzly bears, and penguins seemed to have ample space and plenty of toys to play with.

This is a large zoo and walking shoes are necessary. Please don't wear sandals or other fashionable shoes. Also wear clothes that will protect you from the chilly bay air and perhaps a change of clothes due to the fact that I shared the honor with my friend of being pooped on my one of the zoo's residential birds. Fun right? Also be prepared to have lots of small children running around there with their parents and plenty of sleeping animal. Many of the habitat information cards read that the animals were nocturnal and were more active at night and yet the zoo closes at 5pm.

The best exhibits are the sister grizzly bears, the Sumatran tiger, the monkeys, penguins, the anteater, and the savannah exhibit. Also Ocean Beach is located right across the street. The water is cold but there is plenty to do on this big beach: bonfires, picnics, playing in the surf, walking your dog(it is a dog friendly beach), or watching the city's surfers catch waves.

Overall I enjoyed my trip to the San Francisco Zoo and a tip for the San Franciscan is that with proof of residency the admission price is only $12 for adults, $5.50 for kids 14 and under, and children two and under get in for free(wwww.sfzoo.com). Please remind your friends, family, and small children to never knock on the glass or throw food or objects into the enclosures.