We zipped through the early morning traffic, arriving at the San Diego Zoo just minutes after the gates opened. The parking lot was already filling up fast, so we found a spot, parked, and hustled toward the ticket booths.
Those of you who rent cars regularly probably already know where this is going.
Yep—we lost the car.
Halfway to the entrance, it hit me: I should’ve dropped a pin.
We weren’t far from where we parked, and my wife noted it was “close enough to remember.” And she would’ve been right… if we were driving anything remotely similar to our actual cars.
But we weren’t.
More on that later.
A few minutes later, we reached the giant bronze lion statue that overlooks the approach to the entrance. Just beyond it, the snake-like queues began winding toward the ticket booths.
Every time I see that setup, I’m reminded of the movie Shrek—and I just want to march straight up to the front, dragging the ropes behind me like a determined ogre.
I restrained my inner Shrek and waited patiently for our turn. The line moved quickly, and soon we were at the counter buying tickets.
Then the attendant asked, “Would you like to reserve a panda viewing time?”
Now, I just told you how much I love lines—so naturally, we jumped at the chance and locked in the 10:45 slot.
We presented our tickets to the gatekeeper, and at last we were inside.
The first thing I noticed was how lush everything was—thick greenery, winding paths, and a surprising amount of shade.
The second? A sign with a QR code offering the digital map.
I scanned it—and it turns out, it’s much more than a map.
As I type this, I’m watching the polar bear cam from back home. So even if you don’t make it to the San Diego Zoo, get the app. It’s surprisingly awesome.
What comes next? Pandas? Giraffes? A flamingo incident?
And of course, will our heroes ever find the rental car again?
Join us next time on Smoke, Oak, and the Open Road to find out.