A Day at Balboa Park

Balboa Park encompasses many museums, interactive areas, and events; however, it also provides a relaxed day of just taking in the sites.

San Diego is a great destination for family vacations and offers a lot to locals as well. Balboa Park is one of San Diego’s gems everyone can enjoy.

Plus nearby you have other popular attractions such as San Diego beaches, the San Diego Zoo, and SeaWorld.

Don’t forget the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, plenty of hiking trails, and some other theme parks just within a day’s drive such as Legoland and Disneyland.

Whatever your San Diego Itinerary is, make sure Balboa Park makes your list for a day.

Even if you are not there for a museum or specific event, Balboa Park still offers so much. Soak in the architecture and the flora while enjoying the beautiful San Diego weather.

The best thing? Pretty much every building has a wheelchair-accessible route, which means you won’t have a problem with the stroller. Many trees and archways provide great shady areas to get the little ones out of the sun.

Balboa Park is not usually crowded when there isn’t a large event going on such as December Nights. This makes it perfect for a family day to get those steps in and encourage your little one to explore.

Balboa Park Fountain and Botanical Garden

The large fountain near Park Blvd outside the Ruben H Fleet Science Center is always a hit for all ages.

From the fountain, it is just a short walk to the koi pond and botanical garden (free!).

San Diego Turtle and Tortoise Society

The San Diego Turtle and Tortoise Society had turtles and tortoises for adoption as well as merchandise to fundraise for their society which cares for the chelonians, helping to find them a good home. We didn’t buy a real tortoise, but we did buy a sourdough tortoise (yum!).

Organ Pavilion

The organ pavilion shows off some more beautiful architecture and a nice open space for the toddler to run around. You can’t go up on the stage while the organ is open, but it is lovely to hear the music being played.

International Cottages

The international cottages are fun to walk through, and on Saturdays and Sundays you can actually walk inside, taste cuisine from various countries, and learn about other cultures. We are talking waffles, cookies, tea/coffee/lemonade, dumplings, soda bread, and so much more.

If there isn’t a specific event going on, then it’s a pretty low-key, non-crowded walk-through experience. The house of Norway even had a Frozen dollhouse for the younger audience to enjoy- a huge hit with our toddler!

I am definitely planning on coming back during December Nights at Balboa Park when there will be an even greater variety of food, music, and dancing.

Balboa Park Summary

This is just a small sampling of what Balboa Park has to offer- they have museums, independent groups showcasing their organizations, the Prado restaurant, the Old Globe theater, an archery range, gardens, and more. It is located right outside of downtown San Diego next to the San Diego Zoo (another favorite place to visit).

Have you been to Balboa Park? What was your favorite part?

Are there any specifics about Balboa Park you would like to know more about? December Nights, Free Museum Days, the Theater, Art Fairs?

Hop on over to our Instagram and let us know!