Reviews of Balboa Park (Park)

Daphne

I went to the San Diego Zoo. Had an awesome time. The biggest zoo and most incredible zoo I've ever visited. Worth every penny ...

Steven Swendsen

There are so many amazing museums to attend, fantastic gardens and parks to just stroll through and enjoy on a warm day in the fall and spring. Very dog friendly as well.

Nathan Dendinger

So much to do here! There's a standard park to BBQ and hang out. A great variety of different museums, a huge organ, Japanese garden, little houses with history from all over the world. Wonderful spot!

Christopher D'Asaro

One of the most beautiful and historical significant places in San Diego. This place is a wonderful. Spend the day here if you get the chance. You won't be disappointed.

Nick Robitsch

A must see if you are in San Diego. The buildings are so intricately carved. It's beautiful. Wish we had more time to spend here as the gardens and fountains are amazing.

Rafael Montilla

What an amazing area. Was there several times and did not see the full park/ area. I can't wait to go back.

Rickardo Yoder

Loved the zoo! Didn't get to see the polar bear or hippo. Those enclosures need to be adjusted a bit for viewing the animals better

Daniel Grabacki

The park is a quintessential feature of San Diego! It takes about an hour to walk through depending on how many stops you make along the way as the park is filled with little museums, street performers, and other attractions. Definitely check out the free botanical garden and the fountain.

Tina S

We only explored a few spots here at this gorgeous, expansive park, but it was a delightful time. We explored a lot of the free stuff in addition to visiting the Japanese Garden and the zoo: my daughter played at the park and made a friend, we saw the botanical garden, watched street musicians, and enjoyed coffee at the Spanish art village. It was a fun time and I hope to visit again!

Laurel Bowman

Incredibly beautiful gardens that span over 12 acres of San Diego. Plan a whole day just for the zoo and another for the rest of the park itself. They are both very fascinating place to visit!

Lynn Perez

Love Balboa Park! Great museums to visit, beautiful grounds to take lovely pictures. Nice to walk around and enjoy on a sunny day. They also have a beautiful rose garden! Highly recommend!

Ernesto Becerra

Good place to visit any day! Museums, food, and drinks centrally located. Great views for pictures too (there is a photo shoot there everyday).

Mary Diann Marcone

Love everything about Balboa park. Friday nights their are food trucks. Saturday morning we were able to go into the International Cottages and sample some of their national foods. Many museums were free. Just a fun place filled with lots of people. A beautiful place to walk, run, sit or jump on a scooter.

Jake Hamblen

Beautiful park with big open spaces! When I moved to San Diego I felt overwhelmed and anxious, coming from a small town. I found Balboa and was able to breathe and slow down which is what a park should do for you. There are big green fields, a very large dog park, long hiking trails, and of course the museums! Come by and take a load off!

Emil Blom

TL; DR: Great architecture, nice museums and multiple park areas with a lot of shade. This is a very interesting place, indeed. It features a gorgeous array of Spanish architecture and a nice alley with sides of arched walkways, around which the many museums are located. These museums include the Museum of Man, the Natural History Museum and 2 different museums of art. There aren't to many restaurants in the park itself, but that isn't a problem as those that are here are very nice and offer a good selection if food. It's located in the very heart of San Diego, pretty close to just about anything. It's also very close to the zoo, to the extent of being essentially side-by-side neighbors.

Madeline Mann

A must see while in San Diego! My favorite part is the stadium with the organ. They play music there frequently. All of the gardens are beautiful and unique as well.

Isaí Favela

Great place to take the family. Gardens are beautiful, museums are great. While we were there the police was active which made my wife feel safe. Overall a great place to spend the the day with the wife and kid.

Donald Mackenzie

One of my favorite places, to go. Great museums and delicious food. The zoo is also one of San Diego's gems.

Rose Hewitt

Beautiful park in San Diego! Find something new to discover every time we are here. Visited museums. Japanese friendship garden and Rose gardens. Absolutely beautiful, can spend days here and still find new things to do.

Enrico Rodolico

Pretty pretty. Alot of San Diego culture is stored within this small park, but the density of it means to properly experience this place you will have to devote a couple days of wandering the park. It can be completed in a single day, but only if you want the basics.

Diane L.

Very unique park with 17 museums. We only had time to see the Botanical building and the Railroad museum. Was lucky to catch the orchid show with the most unusual orchids I've ever seen.

Daniel Warner

Awesome park so much stuff to do I could want to run and look at the architecture for days. Botanical garden is huge, The fountains are beautiful. Definitely got to check it out

onye nwankpa

Balboa Park is such a historical park with a lot of cultural blends. The place could not have been built on a more perfect land with a more beautiful year-round San Diego weather. One can find almost any kind of accommodation, including a nicely designed playground for the kids, although the public bathroom at the playground lack some serious maintenance attention where, for the least, no cleaning or any other kind of maintenance is routinely done...it is simply disgusting. Aside from the public bathroom issues at the children's playground, the park has one of the most wonder exhibits of arts, multicultural music, museum of air and space, a beautiful botanical garden. The list goes on and on. And the greatest thing of all is that everything, including the San Diego zoo, is within walking distance of each other. The park is for anyone (family, couples, or an individual) looking to enjoy a full day of endless activities. The only other drawback from all the fun is the relentless noise from the incoming air planes for the nearby San Diego international airport. But if the noise does not border you much, the view of the low flying jumbo air planes are very spectacular. Balboa park is simply one of my most favorite places, including the hiking trails. If you ever get a chance to go San Diego, try to including the Balboa park as one of your MUST visit.

Scott saggar

Interesting place, but plan on walking. The gardens, museums and street artists made it fun day. Free parking but but even at 11am it was hard to find a spot. We parked in a public lot next to air and space museum, made it easy to get to most of the sites. Pack a lunch and have a picnic for a cheap day

Brittany Griwzow

Balboa is a jewel, everything is beautiful whether you go into the museums or not, it's worth the walk around! The Botanical building is beautiful inside and out. Definitely check this place out for historic and artistic delights.

Arman Goshtasbe

Highly recommend visiting Balboa Park. Lots to see, eat and do. Nearby are the Japanese Tea gardens really beautiful and serene area. Worth a visit (please note that the Japanese Tea gardens charges a fee for entrance)

Christine Budd

Most of the museums charge admission but we were there for a short time so we chose to visit the Spanish Village Art Center and the Botanical Gardens which were both free. We had lunch at The Prado. Pricey but beautiful and great food.

Joseph Johnson

This park, centrally located within the city of San Diego, has the charm of a local small community outdoor respite, with the grandeur of Central Park. There are museums and civic attractions located in the center of the park with an iconic gigantic pipe organ played on the weekends. Check or the model railroad museum exhibit... You'll be pleasantly surprised by the attention to detail!

Jay Jewell-Roth

I love this park. I've been here several times during several summer vacations and it never loses its charm. It even has a Dole Whip stand!

Alison Carter

Such a beautiful park full of history! The Spanish Colonial Revival Architecture is stunning. So fun just to walk around amongst the buildings. The biggest treat was discovering the pipe organ and hearing it being played for the weekly 2pm Sunday concerts. Very beautiful! Would love to come back and explore more.

D R

A wonderful place to spend the evening. The park is huge and there are some really beautiful places in the park that would make out take your phone out. We did our wedding photo shoot here, it's free and very pretty. The only issue we had was that finding parking was a issue, and after parking the walk inside is quite a bit

Mel Mell

I love trees, and have always wanted to see the 'rainbow eucalyptus', and so we went in search. We found 2 beautiful specimens right outside the zoo, no need to go in if your just interested in those. If we had more time we would have loved to explore the zoo too.

Jeff Huang

What a wonderful place. Definitely would return to check out more places. Please donate to make this place great. There are a lot to explorer. Great place for family vacation or couples weekend adventure. 100% recommend.

Thomas Wright

If you're looking for culture this is the place to go. People watching here is fun. Plus the park has a lot to offer.

Mandy Oliver

Thoroughly enjoyed Balboa Park, be prepared to walk. Comfy shoes, water and stamina to bed over so much. There are tons of electric scooters around, so it could be easier using one from places, but boy is it amazing. The architecture, beauty, history and so much more. On Sundays and Wednesdays there is a free Organ Orchestra in the Organ Museum. There's plenty of seats and an absolute joy to listen to. Sunday, parking is free. Tuesdays are Farmers Market. There are vendors all around. Soak it in. When I was there a wedding was about to happen and it's a great place to wed at, in the Japanese Gardens, Rose gardens, and buildings. Is perfect for a date, lunch or walk around the park.

Kayla Fawcett

Very beautiful place and several different things to see. Lots of different gardens, museums and even a free botanical garden. Can spend a whole day walking around there to see everything.

Sean Roycraft

Really enjoyable park with lots of things to do. Plenty of stuff for those on a budget. Beautiful architecture and friendly vibes!

Kaya Hard

A must to check out! Museums, parks, water fountains, shops and food. We visited in January, so little chilly but beautiful time of the year, they had a food truck festival at that time. Some of the coolest food trucks I have ever seen. If you just want to relax and people watch and be outside then this is the place you need to check out.

Andrey Bzikadze

One of the greatest sights in San Diego. Beautiful architecture, plethora of museums, gorgeous gardens. One can easily spend several hours here and come back again and again. Especially recommend coming here during December nights -- the lights are very nice. There are also hike trails for those who enjoy active rest. Rose garden, Japanese friends garden -- just so much to explore!

Bella Ibrahim

Yes! Just Yes! Go! Especially on a Saturday, its gorgeous. Only downside is that it is hard to find parking. So, if you can park nearby and Uber in. Beautiful architecture, gorgeous music being played by all the students from the conservatory. There is such incredible talent everywhere you go. Lots of wedding parties walking around. Awesome museums with rich history. Lots of places to sit, little outdoor cafe is great!

MARIANA CUETO

Balboa Park is really huge, you can buy the one day pass to get into all the museum's or just walk around and see which museum's are free and also the botanical building is really nice to see. We decided to go to San Diego zoo that it's in Balboa Park and it's an amazing experience, is worth all the money !!!

Zx2Nick

Fun visual place to visit. You do have to pay for each museum. I went to see the comic con museum (10 Sep 2019) but it was closed and it won't reopen for two years (approximately Jan 2022)

Tiffany Yu

We love Balboa! We've been coming here for ages. My husband and I even got married at the Prado. There is always something fun to do at Balboa and it's an absolute gem of San Diego.

Malia Love

Amazing spot. Buildings are spectacular and the entertainment is diverse. Come and spend a few minutes or a few hours. You won't be disappointed

Adriana Ramirez

Such a beautiful place to visit. Spend the whole day strolling around. The Japanese garden is a must. Fun for the whole family

Patricia Ferguson

Balboa Park is still one of my very favorite places. Perfect for walking, even your dog! Love International Houses on Sunday! Organ Pavilion recitals, Various events, Japanese Tea Garden, Free Museum Day, TUES, for Military & residents, Globe Theater, & even a Senior Lounge! As a San Diego Senior, I feel safe walking here! I always take visitors here. There are places to eat, tourist information center, Dog Park, & Shuttle from East Parking lot. Friday is Good Truck Day! Look up history & calendar online. So much more! By the way, the Senior Lounge is a place we Seniors can meet up for walking, get out of the weather, have water or coffee, pickup their event news & meet the nicest volunteers ever!

Renae Littleredfae

Very pretty area. We went during a food truck day so it was very busy. The buildings are beautiful and there is plenty of room for strollers.

Aaron Thomas

Always a pleasure to visit Balboa. Lots to see, and do, and so beautiful. My wife an I always visit when we plan a trip to San Diego

Tom Macias

This place is stunning. The architecture is incredible, the gardens are beautiful, and the museums and restaurants are icing on the cake. It’s definitely a must see, regardless if you’re passing through San Diego or a resident.

Shari Hatch

A San Diego treasure! We have opportunities for everyone to find something that delights them, from autos and airplanes to art and science to lovely gardens, as well as theatre, music, and special events. Parking is challenging, though, so if you have easy public transportation availability, you will be spared frustration if you use it.

WontonAxel

I love going here with my friends and hanging out. The San Diego Zoo is next door but it is a shame that the best place to eat there which was the grill had shut down. I loved it there and their ice cream was awesome. I love everything about Balboa Park. From the little art village, the museums, and all the way to The Globe.

Paul Graham

I know its SoCal but no shade at all anywhere around the playground. My kids were turning red in 15 minutes. Any tree big enough to provide shade near by is roped off in caution tape?

Gabriel Bahe

When my brother took me here for the first time I loved it. Gorgeous gardens, relaxing waters and very decent architectures. I'm telling you, at night is the most breath taking and marvelous views. I'd say this place would be great to take a date on or even propose. And I almost forgot... there's even musicians, entertainers and festivals. Well, hope this helps.

David Hemesath

There is no where else in San Diego quite like it, miles of hiking, the arboretum, the museums (some free on Tuesday to locals), and the history. I can't say anything about Balboa Park that hasn't been said already; but even after living here since '03 I still find new things in this unique and beautiful park.

Dale Chambers

Balboa park is a great place to visit and spend the day. I've been there over 100 times since the early 90s and it is always changing and offering new attractions. Never disappointed.

Asher Gorelik

Balboa Park is a "must see". In addition to the San Diego zoo, the park has several museums, restaurants, the Old Globe theater, an artists village, gardens, and an outdoor organ and performance area. There is also lots of green space and walking trails. The architecture of the core area is early 1900s, built for an expo. Easy place to spend a day.

Marc Tpe

A great park with beautiful lawns, nice trees, attractive museums and many splendid antique buildings. Unfortunately it has been ruined by homeless who made it full of urine smell everywhere. The toilet was particularly a unforgettable disaster.

John Demetriades

I would never have expected to find such an inspirational place outside Europe. It's just astounding and you can spend at least a couple of days walking through it and exploring the museums and admiring its splendid architecture. A place not to be missed in San Diego

Maggi Steib

There is so much to enjoy here! We explored the Museum of Man, Natural History Museum, and Japanese Friendship Garden -- all excellent. Just walking around the park was fun.

terrell faison

Such and amazing place to visit and see the arts! I go almost every weekend to play pogo but I constantly find new and interesting sites!

Jesus Compean

One of the best and more recommended place to visit, they have a nice architectural buildings around San Diego! Great for families and friends, u can spend the entire day and u will not get a chance to visit everything the place offers!! They have events once in a while, so I will recommend to check for dates and locations!!

Emily McKeon

We had the pleasure of walking through the park, seeing the beautiful art gallery (the one you can donate to for admission), viewed the park's historical documentary and got to watch the live organ rehearsal (so cool!). It's a beautiful place to visit time and time again whether it's December or August.

Jessica Lemoine

The perfect city park! Something for everyone. Archery, Broadway theater, outdoor theater, children's theater, activities for the whole family, a train Museum, Art museums, hiking, and a world famous zoo! A city park doesn't get better than this!

Dan Mergens

Balboa Park is truly a gem of San Diego, with ornate historical buildings, beautifully themed gardens, top notch museums, and some of the best theater experiences. Also, parking is free! It's right next door to the must-see San Diego Zoo and offers free experiences in the park in addition to the museums and theaters.

Kiki Glazebrook

Been going here since I was a baby, I've always enjoyed everything they have to offer. It's become way to popular now and there's almost no alone time without the intrusion of tourists.

Manuel Cerdhe

Walk around the park and enjoy this amazing weather. Tons of things to see. From tho Rose Garden to museums. Plenty of parking and peaceful areas.

Brock Whittaker

It is better to visit in the late winter months where the plants have all bloomed and there aren't tourists yet. Summer can be jam packed, especially on weekends. The museums are fantastic, and the shared space is great as well. Please visit as soon as you can

Jen Haze

Great place to walk around. And if you are playing Pokemon go it's the best location to ply he game successfully. If you are not playing there is still lots to see.

Guillermo Ochoa

Awesome place to visit while in San Diego. It was our favourite spot, it is full of museums, nice buildings, and lots of things to do. A place fit for everyone.

Michael Loya

I am well traveled through out the United States and truly enjoy parks/beaches and just the outdoors in general. I must give credit when credit is due. Balboa Park is definitely one of my favorite parks. Always well manicured by our wonderful park staff. I must mention the Rose Garden that I visit very often. When in season it’s so beautiful. The staff there are volunteers and always so nice! One day when visiting I made a point to thank each and everyone I saw working that day. Thank you to all the Rose garden staff and again you make it very beautiful for myself and all the visitors we receive! Balboa is a place to see if you’re visiting Sunny San Diego or even a resident of our beautiful city. Thank you Mr. Michael

Gem Bond

So many great museums and green spaces. I've always had luck getting there by bus so I don't have to worry about parking, and you can get to anything within the park by walking.

JJ Brawley

Lovely place to go for a stroll or see some art, or meet unusual people or to stop and smell the roses! The koi pond is something to gaze upon as well.

Tammi Hoptowit

Absolutely beautiful gardens! I love all the flowers. And they did an excellent job of restoring all the old fountains as original as possible. You just don't see that level of painstakingly detailed architecture anymore! Phenomenally beautiful!!

Luis Santiago

I took a stroll through the park today with my girlfriend and we both REALLY enjoyed all of the sights! The park is HUGE and really can't be fully explored in one day. All ages can enjoy a day at Balboa park!

Olga Smith

I grew up here in San Diego! I have always visit Balboa park and I have always love it. There's always something to do here. It's where you and your family can enjoy a walk or a day in the museum's. And enjoy a walk with your dogs as well.

Katy Ward

Every visit to San Diego requires a stroll through Balboa Park. I find new trails and nooks each time I go, a d it feels like it's own world. The cactus gardens, rose gardens and botanical gardens are my favorite spots, and I love the movies they sometimes do in the summer. Also, don't miss the Frisbee golf course, the golf Cafe, and the Spanish village art district hidden in the park!

HEK K.

Always a memorable visit, spent time at the Airspace Museum, walked down the promenade, love the architecture. We also visited the San Diego Zoo- lots of changes over the year and animal births. Great shoe where we got to howl with the wolves..."and the moon wasn't even out yet."

Eleonora VI

Absolutely beautiful place. The architecture is stunning. Gardens are amazing. I had a feeling that I visited town in Spain.

Yang Ha

Nice place to visit if you are a tourist ( well I guess for local resident too). Has lots of museums that you can easily spend a few days here.

Liliana Q

So much to do there. If you want a quick walk around or ride around visit or you want a day or two plan. Perfect place to go! Museums...historical sights... Famous parks...parks of old and a variety of entertainers. Awesome

Sasha Allman

This place is absolutely stunning! Huge park- we were there a few hours and didn't even scratch the surface as to what this park had to offer. Lots of events were going on with vendors, food, etc. Easily walkable, lots of clean restrooms and coffee shops. I will come back for sure!

Charles Jauregui Jr.

I love this place . It's always a blessing to see mother nature and to clear my mind in thinking. Best place to take a dog and free your mind . I love to study the bible in places like this. God bless and thank you ...

Yuliya Lyube

Loved this place! It was so beautiful! Great architecture. Lots of museums all around. Live music everywhere and gardens. An awesome way to spend your day

Martha Stark

It was wonderful! Spent a great afternoon with the granddaughters and our son and daughter in law there. The beach was nice and clean. Lots of pretty shells to look at! My oldest granddaughter and I built a sand castle and adorned it with the pretty shells! Our youngest granddaughter helped build the sand castle! We had a blast and gave our daughter in law some time to relax while the rest of us watched our little ones play. Great day!!!

Suresh Kumar Jetty

Great place for family. You can enjoy a whole day. If you are lucky enough, you could be a part of any event going in there.Perfect place and I would definitely take my family here

Gavin Jin

This place is fantastic! There are many museums here and some of them are free! You can see&learn many things in this nice park. Remember to bring some water and snack since the food in the park isn't cheap. By the way, parking is a big problem( I think parking is free during the holidays).

Kira Kaefer

Walk around Balboa Park prior to stopping at Prado restaurant for dinner. The architecture is magnificent, the gardens are beautiful and it’s a lovely afternoon walk. They were street performers out and about including musicians, artists, and a bubble maker. Beware on Thursdays the botanical building is closed and most of the museums close at 5 PM.

Anthony Sparks

Great place to take your kids go on a date the museums are all really awesome and they usually have all kinds of different stuff going on during the day definitely highly recommended stop if you are visiting California San Diego California at that and it does not cost a whole lot you can walk around for free some of the Museum's might cost some money but they're never really too much so definitely do check out if you're in the San Diego area

Erin Kinsella

Such beautiful history! Make sure to have plenty of time to walk around and enjoy the gorgeous views with all the nature and information. If you're able, take the Trolley to get a version of the tour!

Emperia Lux

Pretty awesome place. I went to buy some amazing talented people's hand made stuff. The area is beautiful, plenty of food and alot to walk and see!

Eric Allen

Museums, theater, restaurants, fun things to do. A long time staple of San Diego is even made better. Introducing inexpensive and fun transportation..... Scooters in the park! Here is a lovely lady enjoying an afternoon cruising around Balboa Park

Laura-lee Bisbal

Not only does it have a world famous Zoo,it has first rate museums art galleries and restaurants. Four theaters (playhouses) a puppet theater and the grand Pipe organ. With it's beautiful architecture and lovely gardens It's a lovely place for a stroll, scooter ride or picnic. There are several great playgrounds for kids and archery and other athletic opportunities for ladults. It's a jewel in the crown that is San Diego.

Matt Carlson

Honestly one of the coolest places in America! 15 different museums, gardens, fountains and more. The architecture and amount of awesome history that is here is amazing. Go on Wednesday nights for free jazz performances at the cultural museum.

James Dui

You can easily spend all day if you visit all the buildings. But, if you are strolling around to take pictures. It's around 2-3 hrs. Parking is ample! This is my favorite part about San Diego. Reminds me much of Central Park in NY. I recommend you grab lunch outside the area though. Many great restaurants 1-2 mile outside the park.

Arturo Lozanos

We haven't been here in years and I like how they change things around to give a new experience. The place is beautiful and so much to just indulge in.

Matthew Walsh

Best place to visit while in San Diego. Has beautiful walkways and seeing the park this way is best. Plus the museums and events that happen in the park often are fantastic just look up what's going on and their is something for everyone usually.

Daniel White

Balboa park is a nice place to visit and spend the day. I've been there over 100 times since the early 90s and it is always changing and offering new attractions. Never disappointed.

Isabella Luv

This place was perfect for a birthday for kids.. not to mention the views and the museums u can also do while you are.. the weather seems to always be perfect here. Highly recommended

Alice K

Balboa park is a great place to visit and spend the day. I've been there over 100 times since the early 90s and it is always changing and offering new attractions. Never disappointed.

Edward Klein

Overall, one of my favorite places to visit. So many great museums and open spaces to explore! Get a 7 day museum pass or a Go San Diego Card to take the several days to really cover all the ground here!

L Baranda Larin

Coming here provides many opportunities for a wealth of activities. There are many museums , a Shakespeare theatre, organ concerts in summer evenings, as well many gorgeous gardens including a Japanese Friendship Garden & reflecting pool with koi. The botanical garden is especially beautiful. There are various walking trails. Then there's the world famous zoo. The Fleet Space Center is fascinating. One can find cafes, restaurants & even food trucks at certain times. There is indeed something for everyone to be found here.

Keri Chandler

A really unique and stunning park. It is filled with stunning architecture, museums, street performers and gardens. Great for families, couples or anyone comfortable venturing and exploring on their own. There are food vendors, restaurants and free parking at the park, but it does fill up quickly if you're there during a peak time. Lots of electric scooters to rent as well if you do end up parking further away and are looking for some transportation to use to get out of the park. Lots of free and paid activities to choose from.

Jen C

Beautiful park. Lots of entertainment to see in various museums or make it a free day with a picnic and a stroll through the beautiful gardens, buildings and statues.

Seth M

Every city should put the effort into having a park this nice. It's a wonderful thing for people to have open space for recreation, celebration of the arts, culture, science, and even just having a place to relax outdoors. Doesn't hurt that San Diego's got nice weather either.

A P

This place has amazing architectural work. It is open, beautiful, so many things to see. There are some amazing museums and much more. It is definitely worth visiting.

Brooke Sullivan

If you are looking to go to the best park in San Diego, there is only one that is a must see! Balboa has everything, but my favorite is the open air theater and all the cool places to sit out for a nice picnic with friends and family.

Mike Adams

What a great space to spend the day. It’s wonderful to see how many people make use of the grounds for picnics, pictures or just hanging out.

Anthony Messina

Really awesome park with lots of cool things. My favorite part about this place was the walking/hiking trails that you take stairs down into. The weather here is always great so it’s always a good time to go there. The gardens were pretty cool as well. Architecture here was really amazing. You will be up for a lot of walking if you do come here, but that shouldn’t be too much of a problem for most people.

gail tunick

Beautiful gardens. The Japanese Gardens were so peaceful and serene. Balboa Park has many great museums. The Spanish Artist Area had many varied, beautiful and unusual pieces. There were many mediums being used (from amazing wooden products to unusual gourds.)

Abe Hussain

Gorgeous park. Beautiful architecture and great museums; I recommend the photography museum as I'm not really the biggest fan of old paintings (I've been to the Vatican I've seen enough of them

D P

Been coming her since I was 5yrs old... Special place and a must see if visiting San Diego for the first time... I was able to witness when that big flower that is in the botanical garden opened up when I was 11yrs old.. it opens up only once every 80-90yrs... It smelled bad by the way..

Noelle Pike

Full of museums, history and architecture. Built at the turn of the last century to hold the world's fair. This is a lovely place to visit for a stroll about the park or to enjoy one of the many museum experiences. Museums are free every Tuesday to San Diego residents, check their official website for each week's offerings. I highly recommend this beautiful historic place to anyone looking to relax in our concrete jungle.

Garrett Swelgin

It's a beautiful place. It is better to visit in the late winter months where the plants have all bloomed and there aren't tourists yet. Summer can be jam packed, especially on weekends. The museums are fantastic, and the shared space is great as well. Please visit as soon as you can

Sam

Amazing park. So beautiful. The architecture is incredible. Really well maintained. Live organ concert was on on the Sunday which was really unique. Plenty of museums here too - all chargeable however. Could easily lose a day here - and that's not doing the Zoo!

Blanca Carrillo

LOVE Balboa Park! So much to see and do! There's a concentration of museums for all types of interests! Anywhere from the Museum of Natural History, railroad, botanical, aerospace, to art and the museum of man! They often have special events going on so make sure you check their website for dates and times. You can buy your tickets at the visitor center or at each specific location.

Suzy Ellen

I have been visiting Balboa park since Jr. High and it is just as awesome today. Rich in art, science, photography, music, gardens and much more. A all time favorite and fun for kids.

Mark Williams

One of my favorite places in the world! SO much to see and do! We ran out of time (only had one one day), but managed to visit the Museum of Man, the Japanese Friendship Garden, the Museum of Art, and Prada, but there was still SO much more!

Lerodrick Sims

This place was amazing! It has a zoo, a few museums, live shows, a basketball gymnasium, walking trails, biking lanes, bbq pits, you name it! I'm not sure if it's just me not being used to the area, but I spent the entire day at Balboa park, and I still think we missed a few things...

Jami Rodger

Always lovely to walk Balboa Park it's one of the most beautiful places on earth. It's right next to several museums and the zoo so you can take the whole family and spend the day. Amazing trees and flowers history and foods. Or bring a picnic basket. It has the only 24 hour dog park I have ever seen. There is a shuttle to help with getting around and it's handicap accessible. At night enjoy live theater and music or walk along the palace lit from giant Spanish chandeliers. Trees for the City Park started in 1868 are still there today and by 1935 the iconic buildings only meant to last a year were added for the World's Fair.

Christian Lund

Amazing landscaping and architecture. Interesting people. Cool museums. Just overall a fantastic place to spend the day.

José Rentería Jr

This is a large park with quite a few things to see, but the park could use a little sprucing up and better navigation signage to assist visitors to the park with getting around. They need to ban the electric rental scooters from this area as they detract from the park experience as they're just littered all over like garbage creating an eyesore and sometimes blocking walkways.

GG R

Definitely a must see!! This park is beautiful from the buildings to the Japanese gardens! Not sure what this one plant/tree is but I found it interesting!! Beautiful night view from the bridge of downtown San Diego

Colleen S

Hadn't been to the zoo or Balboa Park in quite a while and was surprised to see how busy it was with street performers, booths of all types promoting religious, ecology, various causes; a lot to take in. And so many museums to pick from. A great place for families; has the zoo, a Merry Go-Round, miniature train ride, Spanish Village arts and crafts stores. Just fun!

Robert Keller

An amazing park. There are many free attractions like the gardens and water features, open air concerts and the San Diego Historical museum. There's the San Diego zoo, the Old Globe Theater, good restaurants, botanical gardens and several museum. You can spend days exploring the park. We plan to return. There's lots of free parking. Easy access to and from I5.

Rachelle Witcher

Absolutely beautiful! The buildings are stunning! The botanical garden was amazing and the whole place is huge! Lots of things to see!

iliana p

Very good. Many things to see. Japanese garden, space museum, car museum. Very big and great park so many plants species

Silvy Constantin

A beautiful park with museums, botanical pavillions, a great Art Village and so many types of different gardens and fountains. Absolutely lovely for relaxing, we spent an afternoon there. It's huge, so don't try to see/do everything, if that is even possible. Most things are free access, so definitely worth a visit!

Abigail Flores

Balboa Park is as beautiful as always, I've been coming here since I was little and it's only gotten better. Took advantage of Free Museum Tuesday and went to the Japanese Friendship Garden for the first time. Loved it!

Yoann Lussier

The shear size of the trees that surround you makes this an unforgettable escapade. From this park you can enter many wonderful sections of the city and the quietness of it all is surreal. A great experience is to picnic in a shaded area and listen to the birds tweet all around.

Garry Cahill

Absolutely brilliant. One of the best community parks we have ever wandered around. The park itself is free (and 24/7) as are many attractions within it. The architecture of the buildings is stunning. The Botanical House was a bit of a let down but trying to cultivate tropical plants in a sub-tropical city is not easy. Best (free) parking is between the zoo and the outdoor organ plaza.

Bertha Romero

It's a quiet place to take a stroll by with your family or on a date in the weekend. they also have a good amount of museums and things to look at and it's a pretty good walk from maybe the parking lots all the way across into the park and then into where all the nice buildings are at. it is a very popular with the local people and also with just visitors because San Diego doesn't have much else to offer other than the beach at Balboa Park and of course the food. Overall it's a good tourist and hang out spots for family people so if you want to just take a stroll this is the place

Randy Rush

Always a treat to explore this beautiful place. Impressive old world architecture. Great botanical gardens give you space and time to revel in their colors and collections. Positively photogenic, it is THE PLACE to take your wedding pictures. There is never enough time to enjoy everything. But there is tomorrow. Make sure that your phone or camera is fully charged! While many settings provide botanical gardens, Balboa Park adds the element of great museums. And, the pleasant San Diego weather doesn't hurt. Ignore the constant crowds of people and just enjoy the beauty.

Clayton Scherf

I love Balboa Park! One of my favorite places to walk and visit when I lived in San Diego. So glad to return to San Diego and have my wedding and such a beautiful location.

Kim Jones

Beautiful gardens, very well kept and watered loved walking through and taking on a bit of greenery. Be prepared though as nearly all except one of the museum's have an admission fee. The massive organ was a plus as there were rehearsals going on it sounded amazing!!!

KAPRE CARTER

Huge yet very magnificent. This place is truly beautiful. We didn't look at the entire park but what we got to check out was definitely worth it. The atmosphere was electric. Tons of street performers ice cream vendors just an overall great place to take the family. Check out some of these pictures.

Kim Ranocchia

Balboa park is so amazing. The museums are awesome but even just walking around is a great experience. The architecture is amazing, the gardens are beautiful, and there's so much to see a do!

LaToya Adams

There is so much to see and do at Balboa Park. The park is covered in museums to visit. From the Museum of Art to the Museum of Man. There is also walking paths, places to eat, a huge beautiful fountain. You can spend a full day here and still not have been able to see everything.

Noemí Flores

It is a very VERY big place. The museums are amazing and very educational. And what I personally enjoy the most is the variety of little performances along the way. For residents every Tuesday there's a set of free museums, so that really eases the budget when you have kids.