Run Oregon loves running – that’s no surprise. But we also love the Pacific Northwest and all that it has to offer. Running is a part of us, but it does not fully define us. In our “Make a Day of It” feature, we aim to showcase some great local non-running events and highlight where to run and how to make the most of your experience!
Read all our Make a Day of It Features here!
The next installment of this series is the San Diego Zoo – which we checked out during our end of summer run-cation.
The Running:
One of the best things about the San Diego Zoo is that you don’t have to go far to get a good run in before spending the day with the animals. Since the Zoo sits right in Balboa Park, the 4-mile Balboa Park loop is an easy way to start the day. It gives you a nice mix of park scenery, historic buildings, gardens and enough elevation to remind you that you are, in fact, running.
The four miles also feels like the perfect distance for a Zoo day. You can get out early, knock out a loop, grab some breakfast and then head over to the Zoo without completely emptying the tank before what will inevitably be a day of walking.
But if you’re staying a little farther toward downtown, there are a ton of great locations. I’d strongly consider making the drive over near the beach and turning the morning run into a much bigger part of the day.
You can put together a 12 mile loop around Mission Beach and Mission Bay, with plenty of beach and water views and that unmistakable Southern California beach-running vibe.
Either way, San Diego makes it pretty easy to follow the Run Oregon rule of thumb: get your miles in early, then spend the rest of the day exploring.
The Experience:
We are lucky that we have a really nice zoo in Portland. The Oregon Zoo brings joy to both myself and my kids. There is just something that brings you back to childhood when I am at the zoo, and seeing so many rescued animals is pretty amazing.
That said, the San Diego Zoo is on a completely different level.
I knew it was going to be big, but there is something about actually walking through the gates and realizing just how much there is to see.
It’s a full 54% larger, and this probably isn’t a place where you casually wander around for an hour or two and call it good. You can easily make a full day out of it, and that’s definitely the best way to experience it.
The first thing that stood out to me was just how much variety there is. Around every corner there seemed to be another animal, exhibit, garden or path to explore. And while the animals are obviously the main attraction, the setting itself makes the experience enjoyable.
There is a lot of greenery, plenty of shade, and enough places to stop and take a break when your legs need it.
And, as someone visiting with kids, I appreciated that there was always something that grabbed their attention. Even when one exhibit wasn’t quite doing it for them, there was usually something else just around the corner.
The other big difference is the sheer scale. You are going to walk. A lot. Which is why I wouldn’t necessarily think of your morning run as the day’s workout.
Between the miles before breakfast and the miles inside the Zoo, your watch is going to have plenty to record. That 4-miler in Balboa Park is gonna be more than enough.
There is also something really fun about experiencing a zoo as an adult. You get the nostalgia of being a kid again, but you also appreciate the conservation and animal-care side of the experience a little differently.
The San Diego Zoo does a great job making the animals the stars while also giving visitors a better understanding of the work happening behind the scenes.
And that is really what makes this such a good “Make a Day of It” destination. You can start the morning with a run, spend the middle of the day wandering through one of the world’s most famous zoos, and still have plenty of San Diego left to explore when you walk back out the gates.
San Diego Zoo $63-$78
Details:
Dates and Times:
- Seasonal, but generally 9a-6p (or later)
Cost:
- $78 for ages 12+
- $68 for ages 3-11
- Discounts on Value Days
Many thanks to the San Diego Zoo for allowing us to check out their property! Please read our transparency page for info on how we do our reviews.
