It's not just the "long drive" to Escondido (40 minutes northeast of the city) that makes the San Diego Zoo's "fantastic free-range" counterpart "like a trip out of the country" – watching "animals run free in vast areas" is "the closest you get to an African [or Asian] safari without leaving North America"; although this "hilly" and "encyclopedic" spot requires a full day to see everything, you may want to visit during the "cooler" evening hours in summer.