Things to See and Do In Balboa Park

Balboa Park is a 1,200 acre park located in San Diego which boasts over 16 museums, 13 gardens, the San Diego Zoo, and multiple performing arts venues.  It truly has something for everyone. You could easily spend multiple days here and still not see everything the park has to offer.

Botanical Building, Balboa Park

The park is free to get into. Each museum, the zoo and the Japanese Friendship Garden have their own admission fees. On Tuesdays, various museums are free for San Diego residents, so expect heavier traffic at the park on those days. The park offers package and ticket combo deals, so if you are planning on visiting multiple locations with entrance fees, you should check out their website. I was interested in visiting all of the gardens, the Spanish Art Village, and admiring the architecture. I spent a total of 7 hours in the park. I would have stayed longer but it was, once again, over 100 degrees. Unlike Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, there were many locations where I could go to get out of the heat.

Japanese Friendship Garden, Balboa Park

There are multiple parking lots around the perimeter of the park and they are all free. A free tram runs daily, hours vary depending on the season. You will find multiple gift shops, places to eat and bathrooms located throughout the park. I ate at Prado Perk for breakfast and The Prado for lunch. I recommend them both.

Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden

To keep this post to a reasonable length, I will divide and conquer. I will cover each of the following with individual posts: The Spanish Art Village and Architecture,  The Botanical Building, The Japanese Friendship Garden, The Desert Garden, The Rose Garden and Palm Canyon. As always, wishing you happy travels and fantastic adventures in this thing called life.

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Things to See and Do In Balboa Park