After years of visiting zoos in the old world, it is now time for me to venture to the other side of the pond. I was not actually planning to go to the US at all. But my two preferred options, Gabon & Madagascar, both did not work out time wise, and especially Gabon would need more research. Then the news of San Diego actually acquiring Platypus came and I had a different idea. I had never been extremely interested in US zoos and always thought of them as a more monotonous bunch than what is found in Europe. I was somewhat wrong on that count and I started to appreciate a bit more what kind of diversity would await me. There have always been four zoos in the US that have interested me greatly and that would be on top of the wishlist: San Diego Zoo, San Diego Safari Park, Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Georgia Aquarium. If I would go to the US, I would try to visit those four collections first. I never thought I would be able to go the the US for a longer time period on my own, so this was always something for the more distant future. But with changing longer term schedules and my girlfriend being ok with me leaving (again) for several weeks, a plan started to take shape. If I did it in the style of a certain Zoochatter I would be able to be home within a week, or in someone else's style I would visit 100 different zoos. But that is not me and I will visit approximately 20-25 zoos in 28 days, with time for wildlife watching in between. Initially the idea was to fly to Atlanta for a day or two and then fly to California. When reading through trip reports here, that did not seem the best option anymore as there is enough to see in between. In the end there is only one 1.5 hour flight scheduled in the four weeks between Atlanta and San Francisco. The schedule is more or less fixed, so though it is always interesting to hear suggestions, I won't be able to incorporate any new major zoos anymore. I will keep the list of planned zoos to myself, I think it is much more fun to have some surprises along the way (even for those who have been helping with planning this trip). The main challenge for me is getting around, though I can drive, I do not like to drive long distances on my own. I do not even own a car, and in Europe I get around by public transport, mostly trains. Of the 148 zoos I have visited until now (no guesses at which one will be 150 ), I have visited all but two, using public transport. Public transport is pretty bad across the US, but I have found a way to work with what is there and I will be using the available trains and buses most of the time, with only renting a car for about 10 days. Planning all this has been something of a challenge and the schedule is pretty full, but it could be years before I would have an opportunity to go back. It is surprising how much one relies on Zootierliste as an European when planning a trip, it is so much harder to select zoos based on interesting species in its absence. I am looking forward to seeing a whole different set of zoos, in completely new styles, filled with many creatures I have never seen before. I am leaving mid-March, so that leaves some time to prepare and find good places for wildlife viewing along the way.
I'm looking forward to reading your thoughts on American zoos, as you have seen a wealth of European collections and are ready to make the big leap across the pond. Hopefully some of the big U.S. zoos live up to expectations and it will be intriguing to find out what you think of the country as a whole. When inside American zoos you won't find many walk-through exhibits, or even be able to go inside many elephant barns, or see loads of dogs on leashes...but whatever happens I hope that you are safe and enjoy your trip.
The biggest problem in the US is not the public transport , it is the food...and keep in mind the often extreme short opening times, nobody in America gets the idea to visit a zoo before 10 o 'Clock... But I wish you a good trip hrough the new world and have much fun.
When you say the problem is the food, are you referring specifically to food inside zoos? If so, I agree with you, as I have found European zoos to have almost universally better cafes than American zoos. If you are referring to the country as a whole, then I am not sure I agree. I also agree that it is shocking that some big city zoos (like Los Angeles) do not open until 10am. However most of the zoos in my state open before that (and open even earlier in summer). This is also true in other states and based on my travels 9am seems to be the most common opening time. My local Arizona Sonora Desert Museum even opens at 7:30am from March through September. Phoenix Zoo opens at 7am June through August (and members get in at 6am).
I also applaud @lintworm for extensively using public transportation, which can be problematic in the USA. I use it when I can and have used public bus or light rail for several USA zoo visits, but I am the exception. Sadly most Americans when they fly somewhere on vacation automatically rent a car without even thinking about checking into public transportation options. It is a real problem. One of the things I love about visiting Europe is the ease of train travel, which is sorely lacking in my country.
I meant that in general. Almost everywhere there is only fast food, although often much better than in Europe, and if you want better quality food, you have to pay significantly more money for it. But if you travel through the USA as a zoo fan, you have to pay attention to the travel budget. In any case, I gained a lot of weight after every trip through America, although I had more than enough exercise every day. Now that I have stopped eating animals, I should have an even bigger nutritional problem in the United States, but now I prefer Europe as a travel destination. Should a normal person rule the USA again in the foreseeable future, I may return there ....By the way, I never eat in any zoo, neither in the USA, only when I was invited, nor in europe. Its not only the poor quality, its more the price . Zoorsetaurants are too expensive. So I prefer to have a huge breakfast in the morning, no lunch, and then a good dinner. The opening of zoos in the desert states is certainly due to the temperature. I never forget my visit to Phoenix Zoo, a very hot day, even in September. I don't have a driver's license, and still made good progress on my multiple trips to the states, even in the national parks. I was able to reach all but one of the zoos by public transport, but not the Columbus Zoo, so I actually had to use a taxi. I only came to Fossil Rim with a few people from the Dallas Zoo, and I could only reach White Oak by car with a friend. But, in general, the rail system in particular is a disaster. It's a little better on the east coast, but in the west - for God's sake. Still everything worked out, but a lot of people in the USA couldn't believe that I was traveling through the States alone without a car.
Georgia Aquarium ? Let me guess ? Whale Sharks ? They were the same reason for me to visit that place, but in knowledge of much better aquariums in the States, GA is , with the exception of the Ocean Voyager Exihibt, a big dissapointment.
I'm not sure where or how you were traveling, but this isn't generally the case. Cities and suburbs especially have a lot of restaurants that aren't fast food, and many of them do not cost significantly more. I would say a low-cost quality meal for one in an American restaurant should cost $15-$20, including tip. For reference, the same meal at a fast food restaurant can cost $10-$12, with no tip involved. If you're looking for cheaper places to eat in California, @lintworm, I would suggest frequenting Mexican restaurants and taco trucks, along with casual Asian restaurants. Our cheap-fare Chinese food is very heavy and syrupy and may not taste as good to a European; Thai, Vietnamese, and ramen are better options, and all can be had for $15 a meal. Keep in mind that if you're staying in San Francisco at all, food will be more expensive there. The easiest way to eat cheap and healthy while traveling in the US is to buy from grocery stores. The downside is that it will mean fewer hot meals; if you're anything like me, you'll want one of those at least every couple of days. The upside is that you can buy bread, cheese, fruits, vegetables, yogurt, pastries, nuts, and more for little money. This will easily cover breakfasts and lunches, leaving only dinners to consider for eating out. Also, if you're staying at hotels, many/most of them offer free (continental) breakfast - though the cheap motels are more likely to only have coffee. I've also never been to Europe, but from what I've read and heard both store-bought food and restaurant food is more expensive than in the US? I'm inclined to think you will be more surprised by how cheap food is here, rather than vice versa (although it's obviously not as cheap as food in Africa, Asia, or Latin America).
When I was in Texas, I booked a nice motel halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth zoo. Driving time: 30 min. Given that it was one metropolitan area, I thought maybe I could get there by public transport. I checked. Answer: 25 hours. I suggest make friends with a car in America. Besides that the roads are usually broader and less congested than in Europe, this also lets you save money on grocery stores, cheaper restaurants and hotels outside cities. And you are not on the street after dark, which is less than safe. If you suffer from gretathunbergitis, buy a carbon compensation. Good advice of others: to eat healthy in America, buy in grocery stores like Walmart. All hotels have a water cooker and a microwave oven to prepare or warm up your food. In a Walmart you can buy a microwaveable pottery for few USD.
Yeah, I looked into something like that when I went to Dallas in September, but as you said, the transit times are ridiculous. I ended up staying in downtown Dallas where there's easy public transit to the Zoo and Dallas World Aquarium and just rented a car to get to Fort Worth.
Okay we are getting off topic, but I can't let this one go. @Bib Fortuna It is insane to think that you can only get fast food in the USA unless you eat at really expensive restaurants. There may be some rural areas where there is only fast food (I experienced this on the outskirts of Tyler, Texas), but in any town or city there will be real restaurants, both local and chain, with excellent food and a wide range of prices. I will also point out that my city of Tucson was the first USA city to be designated as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy! About Tucson City of Gastronomy | Tucson City of Gastronomy @Jurek7 staying halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth was a mistake (no offense and I can see how it seems logical, but still a mistake). There is a commuter train (full size Amtrak style train) that runs from downtown Dallas to downtown Fort Worth with (I think) only one stop in between at the bus stop for Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. I was able to visit both zoos on public transport by staying in downtown Dallas within walking distance of the train station (which serves both the local light rail and the above commuter train). I took light rail directly to entrance of Dallas Zoo and took commuter train to Fort Worth where I caught a bus to Fort Worth Zoo. On another trip to Fort Worth only, I took bus to a motel within walking distance of the zoo.
Look forward to following your travels lintworm! Our public transit is bad, as others have noted, most people here prefer traveling by car. Kudos to you for managing to make things work! If you are coming to places like San Diego and San Francisco, or driving through LA at all, I would recommend you find some information on the traffic patterns. It can be absolute chaos at certain times of day, and you can end up sitting in traffic for a long time, regardless if you are using public transport or a rental car. Also be aware there are parts of LA and San Francisco that are legitimately unsafe currently. I agree with Coelacanth18's pricing estimates, although in the bigger cities it will tend to be more expensive. San Francisco in particular is expensive all the way. This is very true, especially in smaller cities. It can be hard to reach restaurants and grocery stores by public transit wherever you go. Additionally, they typically run on a set schedule and if you miss it coming by you can be in for a long wait. Some areas are fairly safe after dark, I've been abroad after dark in uptown San Diego and felt safe. I would be extremely careful about San Francisco or LA on the other hand.
I doubt you could get to very many good birding spots using public transport - I strongly suggest you get a car for at least part of your journey.
He didn't specifically say he wanted to do birding (though he may), he said wildlife watching. Of course your argument still applies; it is hard to get to many wildlife watching places without a car. However there are options beyond renting a car, such as hiring a wildlife guide or tour company, going on a group trip with a local audubon society or similar group, taking a whale watch cruise out of an aquarium (not sure if this is the right time of year), or even catching a ride with an American ZooChatter. (Note - I have no idea if any of these options are being entertained by Lintworm, I am just saying there are options). Still renting a car is by far the easiest, so your original suggestion is still valid.
Speaking from experience driving in the US, especially in California and Texas, distances are long and tiring. As an Australian I am of course used to this but the traffic is much busier, which in itself is tiring. In addition, particularly some of the older freeways can be quite uncomfortable, especially concrete ones that have little ridges between slabs, giving a constant "ker-clunk". And, as has been pointed out the only food easily accessible is fast food. Inter-city trains are of course much less frequent and slower than European trains, but can be a good option if time permits. I have taken trains from LA to San Diego and LA to San Francisco and enjoyed both trips. Monterey is easily reached by bus from Salinas (Amtrak from LA) or San Jose (frequent local trains to downtown San Francisco). Within cities no-one has mentioned ride sharing, such as Uber. I use them almost exclusively within cities in the US as they are so convenient and not expensive. If visiting obscure places (such as a birding location) it is easy to enter the exact address so there is no confusion, and it seems a pickup is always around the corner.
There's other wildlife beyond birds? I would recommend this for inter-city travel as well, especially if public transit is going to take longer or doesn't go quite where you need. However, it can get expensive fast if you try to take it too far a distance - using it to get to from a city to a birding location outside the city will probably cost a lot of money. Even within a metro area can be very expensive at the wrong time: rush hour Uber rides from the international airport to LA Zoo area, for example, can cost $45-$60 one-way. You also have to make sure you don't end up needing a ride somewhere you don't have cell service
