I am not much of an outdoorsey person. But I am all about trying new things, even if it means getting out of my comfort zone. The San Diego Zoo Safari Park invited us to their Roar and Snore sleep over to celebrate the release of “Dolittle” and we couldn’t pass it up.
“Dolittle” stars Robert Downey Jr., Selena Gomez, Tom Holland, John Cena and Rami Malek. I had a chance to interview the cast a the premiere for NBC LA. Downey Jr. tells me this version of the classic Dr. Dolittle story still talks to animals and is more action-packed. And of course, has Downey’s signature charm.
So we headed down toward San Diego to see if we could learn more about animals while staying the night at the Safari Park. The park has tents you can rent for the night and sleep just a few feet away from the elephants. And hear the lions roar when they wake up in the morning.
There are three different tent options including the classic tent, the vista tent and the premium tent. I highly recommend splurging on the premium tent if you can. All of them close up tight and get cold at night and heat up during the day. 
We were there in mid January so as you can imagine it was very, very cold. There is a heater in the room but feel free to bring extra blankets if you’re worried about getting cold. I imagine it gets very hot in the summer too.
All sleepovers include camp activities, an after-hours look at the wild life of the animals, guided walks, a campfire program, dinner, an evening snack, and breakfast the following morning.
There is a special common area for campers to gather to eat and spend time around the fire pit. This area also has a beautiful overlook view of the animals roaming around the African plains.
Our guided walk was incredible too! Our tour guide took us behind the scenes of the animal enclosures and we got to see what the animals eat, why they sprinkle glitter in their food (to identify their poop!) and where they sleep.
We also took a night safari and had night vision goggles. I’ve never used infrared to spot animals in the dark. What an adventure!
We had an animal encounter with an armadillo named Peanut. He was very animated! Once we got back to our camp we roasted Dolittle marshmallows, drank hot chocolate and watched the kids run around until they passed out. The common area is just a few steps away from the tents so it was a quick walk back to nestle in our bed.
There is a an open air common bathroom so you can see the zoo around you while you brush your teeth. But don’t worry, the showers and toilets are still private.
We tucked up in our tent, cranked the heater, and settled in for a peaceful nights rest, feeling very at one with nature. Then around 5 in the morning the lions roared so loud that it felt like nature’s alarm clock. What a way to wake up!
The staff also comes by with a bullhorn to gently nudge the campers awake for breakfast. We had a quick bite, then headed out on an early morning safari and watched the animals wake up with the sun.
This was such an amazing experience and something we will never forget. Channing had the best time and even wanted to stay for a while longer to explore.
If you’d like more information about the Roar and Snore at San Diego Zoo Safari Park just visit their website. Feel free to email me with any questions about our experience or comment below!
