Lions Tigers & Bears The San Diego Animal Sanctuary®
4.9★★★★★ · 589 Google reviews · 24 photos
Wildlife and safari park · El Cajon, CA
Lions Tigers & Bears The San Diego Animal Sanctuary® at a glance
Google reviewers rate the sanctuary 4.9 out of 5 based on 589 reviews, highlighting knowledgeable staff, well-maintained animal enclosures, and accessible guided tours where visitors can feed big cats. Recurring themes include the educational value of the experience and the facility's focus on animal welfare for rescued wildlife. Common criticisms involve misleading advertising regarding specific animals, difficult gravel pathways that pose slipping hazards, and some visitors perceiving the site as having a traditional zoo atmosphere with smaller enclosures.
Google rating: 4.9 out of 5 from 589 reviews (93% five-star).
Reviews on this page: 590 Google reviews (416 with written comments, 117 with photos).
Owner responses: the business replied to 7% of reviews.
Most recent review: October 15, 2026.
Service: Zoo serving El Cajon, California.
Data from Google, last updated October 25, 2026.
Photos
Customer reviews
4.9
★★★★★
589 reviews on Google
5★549
4★23
3★9
2★5
1★4
Reviews from Google, shown as published (original wording, unedited).
CM
Cyndy Musni1 review
★★★★★
Thank you so much for an absolutely wonderful day! ❤️
We had such an incredible experience at Lions Tigers & Bears. We were thrilled to have the opportunity to feed a beautiful white tiger and a magnificent black jaguar, and we also got to see so many amazing animals, including orange and white tigers, jaguars, Himalayan bears, grizzly bears, and a bobcat.
The volunteers were informative and helpful, and they did a great job making the experience enjoyable and memorable. It was truly an unforgettable experience, and we enjoyed every moment of our time there. Thank you for giving us such a special opportunity to get up close with these incredible animals and for all the wonderful memories we will take home with us. 🐯🐆🐻❤️
We had a wonderful time and are so grateful!
Visited on: Weekday
Wait time: No wait
Reservation recommended: Yes
Response from the owner · 3 weeks ago
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! ❤️ We’re thrilled to hear that you had such a memorable experience at Lions Tigers & Bears. It’s wonderful to know you enjoyed meeting our amazing animals and that our volunteers helped make your visit special.
We truly appreciate your support and kind words. We hope to welcome you back again for another unforgettable experience! 🐯🐆🐻❤️
What an amazing sanctuary ! I am so glad we decided to visit. Everyone was so friendly and informative.
Visited on: Weekday
Wait time: No wait
Reservation recommended: Yes
Response from the owner · 3 weeks ago
Thank you for visiting Lions Tigers & Bears! We’re so glad you enjoyed the special experience of helping feed one of our tigers alongside a trained keeper. We hope to welcome you back again soon! 🐯❤️
This has to be hands down one of the Best Places to Visit well in San Diego. I take my hat off to the Staff for doing what they do for the Animals and how much Knowledge they know about each Animal. They accommodate for those of us whose can't Walk or are in a Wheelchair it's so Amazing because Nobody Misses Out on the Experience.
Thank You Everyone for doing what you do!!!
Visited on: Weekday
Wait time: No wait
Reservation recommended: Yes
Response from the owner · Edited 3 weeks ago
Thank you for your wonderful review and support! We’re so glad you enjoyed your visit and had a great experience with our team. We truly appreciate you! 🐾❤️
Husband and I did the "Member for a Day" experience. If you're able to book the day before and have the time, do it! It was amazing. You can tell the staff really care about their mission and the animals they have. The staff are all very friendly and knowledgeable. We entered the "Feed an animal" raffle and my husband got to feed their black leopard Onyx! Just an overall awesome experience. Thank you!
Visited on: Weekday
Wait time: No wait
Reservation recommended: Yes
Response from the owner · 3 weeks ago
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the Member for a Day experience and had the opportunity to feed Onyx. It means so much to hear that our team’s passion and dedication made your visit special. We truly appreciate your support and hope to welcome you both back again soon!
I visited Lions Tigers & Bears, “I helped feed a tiger a portion of its daily diet with a trained keeper at Lions Tigers & Bears.”
Visited on: Weekday
Wait time: No wait
Reservation recommended: Yes
Response from the owner · 3 weeks ago
Thank you for visiting Lions Tigers & Bears! We’re so glad you enjoyed the special experience of helping feed one of our tigers alongside a trained keeper. We hope to welcome you back again soon! 🐯❤️
Thank you for visiting! We’re so glad you loved the tigers, and it’s wonderful to hear that Rocky was your favorite. We hope to welcome you back again soon! 🐯❤️
Amazing sanctuary for beautiful wild animals to live their lives out after being held in captivity. Support them in their efforts to keep wild animals, in the wild, where they belong.
Visited on: Weekday
Wait time: No wait
Reservation recommended: Yes
Response from the owner · a month ago
Thank you so much for your kind words and support! ❤️
Absolutely wonderful from start to finish. Words can't describe how much the efforts of organizations like this make my heart smile. We highly suggest signing up for the guided tour and learning more about the work this team does to help the wild animals that end up in their care. As an animal advocate myself, I appreciate the opportunity to learn how I can be a better support to these animals. One of the biggest things is not participating in animal activities that force animals to do things for human entertainment (for example: riding elephants, holding koalas, handling baby tigers, attending circuses, and the list goes on). Thank you to the entire team at Lions, Tigers, and Bears. Your contributions are truly making a difference.
Response from the owner · a month ago
Thank you so much for your kind words and support! We truly appreciate your passion for animal advocacy and your commitment to helping wildlife. We’re grateful to have you as part of our mission! 🐾❤️
