San Francisco Zoo

Top San Francisco activities

Silverback Gorilla sitting on the grass at San Francisco Zoo

Silverback Gorilla sitting on the grass at San Francisco Zoo

San Francisco Zoo Tours and Tickets

463 reviews

Enjoy a day at the San Francisco Zoo, home to hundreds of animals from around the world. Highlights include the African Savanna exhibit, dual-level Primate Discovery Center, and boundary-free South American Tropical Rainforest. Kids can pet animals in the Children’s Zoo, and kids of all ages like the daily Keeper Talks and animal feedings.

Sloat Blvd. & Great Highway, San Francisco, California, 94132

Tours & Tickets

Tours and Tickets to Experience San Francisco Zoo

What are people saying about San Francisco Zoo

San Francisco CityPASS®

Brian_L, Oct 2023

No regerts, recommended.

Good value! Absolutely saves you money. With the exception of the Aquarium by the Bay (which is super lame), these are all good attractions. I recommend taking the Exploratorium and Zoo as your two options to get most bang for your buck.

Go City: San Francisco All-Inclusive Pass with 25+ Attractions

Denise_H, Oct 2023

Tons of fun!

The Chinatown ghost tour with Jamie, from thehauntghosttours.com was really good! He was very knowledgeable and super entertaining!

Go City: San Francisco All-Inclusive Pass with 25+ Attractions

Candace_R, Sep 2023

100% Worth It

Definitely was worth the price. Overall we saved well over $100 dollars bundling all of the activities under the one go pass.

Go City: San Francisco Explorer Pass - Choose 2, 3, 4 or 5 Attractions

Jamie_B, Jun 2023

Cool

It was an enjoyable day saw a couple different things went to the zoo & the aquarium. The aquarium was probably more fun

San Francisco CityPASS®

Henry_L, Oct 2022

Great value for tourists

Was a last second impulse, originally was gonna go into town blind as a tourist but only had one day and got this last minute. 10/10 great savings, saved more like 80-90$ per pass. One thing i wish i did was go to the Academy of Sciences first since it opens the earliest. And recommend doing all the stuff around pier 39 at once to save time if you only have one day. Otherwise was a great deal for someone unfamiliar with the attractions

Go City: San Francisco All-Inclusive Pass with 25+ Attractions

Addy_P, Aug 2023

Great value for money but can't use bus more than once

This pass was really useful, and great value for money. It meant I was able to do much more on my trip to San Francisco than I would have otherwise. It was really easy to use, and the app is helpful. However, the T&C's say that you can use it for each attraction once per day for the duration of your pass, so if you don't finish something, you can go back. However, it turns out this is not true for the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus tour. If I had known this before, I might have done things differently. You can buy an additional day for $15, but only for the day after you redeemed your Go City card. Eventually I did manage to sort something out with the bus company, but I was disappointed that this wasn't clear on the website, and it did make the pass slightly less good value for money.

San Francisco CityPASS®

Julie_A, Aug 2022

Start early or you won’t have enough time to see all the activities.

So we got a late start driving from Sacramento and that kept us from using the package deal. The first stop was the zoo and it was disappointing because a lot of animals were missing. Since we were late getting there we had to run through the zoo fast with no time left for any of the other excursions. We are hoping to get down there again next weekend to finish the other activities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q:What's the best way to experience San Francisco Zoo?

A:

The best ways to experience San Francisco Zoo are:

People Also Ask

Q:Is the San Francisco Zoo worth it?

A:Yes, the San Francisco Zoo is worth visiting. It's home to more than 2,000 exotic, endangered, and rescued animals and multiple gardens of native California plants, flowers, and trees. Visitors can see grizzly bears, check out an African savannah multi species habitat, and ride the historic Dentzel Carousel.

Q:Do you have to make reservations for the San Francisco Zoo?

A:No, reservations are not needed to visit the San Francisco Zoo. Tickets are available for purchase online or at the booth at the main entry gate. However, the zoo can become crowded on weekends and holidays—in these cases, booking admission ahead of time is advised.

Q:What is the best time to visit the San Francisco Zoo?

A:The best time to visit the San Francisco Zoo is mid-morning after the fog has likely cleared and before larger groups arrive. Check the zoo website for feeding schedules to see penguins, grizzly bears, and other animals chow down during your visit. Note that the last entry is at 4pm.

Q:Do you have to pay for parking at the San Francisco Zoo?

A:Yes. Visitors must purchase a voucher on-site to park in the San Francisco Zoo parking lot. Fees vary on weekdays, weekends, and holidays; valet parking is available for an additional fee. Free street parking is available along Sloat Boulevard and in adjacent neighborhoods. Visitors arriving by public transportation receive an admission discount.

Q:How long does it take to walk through the San Francisco Zoo?

A:On average, visiting the San Francisco Zoo takes two to four hours—possibly longer with kids. That's enough time to ride the carousel and see most of the animals and gardens. However, visitors should plan on staying longer to see presentations, animal feedings, educational programs, or after-hours events.

Q:Can you bring drinks into the San Francisco Zoo?

A:Yes, guests may bring drinks and food inside the San Francisco Zoo. However, glass containers, alcohol, straws, and disposable lids are prohibited to ensure zoo animals and other guests are safe and comfortable. Guests may eat or drink at the Lemur Café and Playfield Lawn or on park benches.

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