San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Jill's Journal: After nearly two years on this RV journey, there’s a few things I’m pretty confident have been burned into our girls’ memories:

--camping among the wild ponies on Assateague Island
--touring the replica of the Mayflower in Plymouth
--fishing in Maine
--seeing the stars at Crater Lake
--hiking a six-mile portion of the Oregon Trail in blazing heat

--and now our day at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (formerly the Wild Animal Park).

However, they’re not going to remember the Safari Park for all the gorgeous wild animals in recreated “natural” habitats. Oh no. They’re going to remember it because we went with April and Cat (who were here from Orange County), plus Aunt Kristi and Adam (who were here from the Central Coast)…and we got drenched.

We knew it was going to rain and we were able to walk much of the park before the showers started, thinking we were pretty clever to save the tram tour of the park for last because it is covered. Well, the tram may be covered, but it’s open on all four sides...and moments after we boarded, the storm kicked in. The wind started blowing, the rain started driving, and we got soaked. Completely and utterly soaked. Rob, Adam, and April survived somewhat unscathed, but all four kids plus Kristi and I were so, so, so very wet! We then had a long, cold, wet walk to the exit in the rain, complete with one little girl in tears because she was so miserable.

By the time we got home, the girls and I were walking prunes and were still soaked to the skin. Now that we’re warm and dry, it was quite the adventure. But yes, they’re going to remember this one for a long time to come. Their misery factor ranked up there pretty close to the Oregon Trail! We didn’t come on this trip with the intent to torture our children, but how funny that the situations where they’re the most miserable are sometimes the ones most established in their memories.

I don’t think we quite got the full Safari Park experience because of the rain, but it was great to see nonetheless and certainly memorable, rain and all. Opened to the public since 1972, the Safari Park was developed as a supplementary breeding program for the San Diego Zoo as well as a place of animal conservation. (The Safari Park is particularly noted for its work in saving California Condors from extinction and reintroducing the bird to the wild). The animals at the park are on display in more of a recreation of their natural environments than in a typical zoo setting. The park is on 1,800 acres in Escondido (just north of San Diego) and features over 3,000 animals (of more than 400 species) from six of the seven continents.

This one may need some explanation…Victoria and Adam were testing their wing span.

A northern white rhinoceros, one of only seven left in the world. Two of the seven are here at the Safari Park.

Goodbye Cat! My girls have SO enjoyed our three fantastic days with you (and I sure have enjoyed my time with your Mom!). What fun to experience amazing places like the Safari Park and the zoo with friends.