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SAN DIEGO ZOO & SAFARI PARK It's wild! 116 2 013 travel guid e to c al ifo r n i a by maribeth mellin thought of visiting San Diego knows about the San Diego Zoo, an internationally acclaimed model of zoological and botanical excellence. Its outstanding Giant Panda breeding program has produced six adorable babies and the California Condor program has nurtured more than 200 condors now living in the wild. Koalas also thrive at the zoo—123 joeys have been born there and the current koala community is gaining a new home in an Australian Outback habitat opening this year. Beyond all that, the zoo is a joy to explore, with its trails winding through canyons past state-of-the-art enclosures for gorillas, elephants and giraffes. The zoo's efforts extend 30 miles beyond its gorgeous Balboa Park setting to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, formerly known as the Wild Animal Park. Adventures both tame and wild offer thrills for all. On the exhilarating Flightline Safari, visitors soar as high as 160 feet above open-field enclosures full of rhinos and other wild beasts. The daring Jungle Ropes Safari challenges adventurers with rope bridges, aerial tightropes and zip ANYONE WHO'S EVER lines 35 feet off the ground. The Africa Tram Safari cruises close (but not too close) to herds of giraffes, crashes of rhinos and flocks of exotic birds on open-air vehicles. A Behindthe-Scenes Safari lets you venture deeper into the park to areas not accessible to the general public—you might even get to feed a giraffe. Then there's the Roar and Snore Safari, a fun overnight tent camping adventure overlooking the park's exotic residents, with special nighttime animal encounters. Cheetahs can often be seen roaming about the park, leading their trainers on leashes. The Cheetah Run Safari gives guests a chance to experience the cats' amazing untethered speed as the cheetahs dash by on a 300-foot-long track while chasing a mechanical lure. The park ramps up the fun seasonally with special exhibits and activities. And visitors can feel good about touring both facilities because their admission fees support the zoo's global conservation activities. No wonder so many San Diegans purchase annual passes to both the Zoo and the Safari Park (sandiegozoo.org). CA SAN DIEGO CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU KOALAS are the definition of cute, above; a youngster accepts the challenge of the Jungle Ropes Safari at the Safari Park, right.