To do the San Diego Zoo, set aside a day. Admission costs $44 for adults, $34 for children ages 3-11. (Kids are admitted free in October.) Fall hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. From Dec. 13-Jan. 5, hours are 9 a.m.-8 p.m., except Dec. 24, which is a 9-to-5 day.

For an insider's view of the animals, do spend $99 for admission that includes a Backstage Pass ([619] 718-3000, http://bit.ly/dvVHCJ). For that, you step behind the scenes for 90 minutes for close encounters (a.k.a. photo ops) with several zoo animals — a chance to feed flamingos and a rhino, for instance, meet a cheetah or see an arctic wolf from just a few feet away.

Don't bring your dog — or any pet — into the zoo. Rules forbid it. Service dogs, however, are permitted in most areas.

Guide: Postcards from the West Tips for visiting San Diego