San Diego Zoo Safari Park

Spread across 1,800 acres in Escondido, the Safari Park lets more than 3,000 animals roam in open-range habitats rather than pens, with herds of African and Asian species mixed together across the property's savanna. The Africa Tram covers 2.5 miles of that ground on an open-air vehicle modeled on old-style safari trains, and a tethered balloon lifts riders 400 feet above the plains for a wider view. The park opened in 1972 and has grown into the largest hoofed-mammal collection in the world, with an on-site veterinary hospital sized to match. Elephant Valley, a two-story addition with African-inspired dining, opened in March 2026 as the biggest single project in the Wildlife Alliance's history.