Amazing Things to in Balboa Park

Balboa Park is a cultural and botanical oasis in the middle of a busy city. As one of the nation’s largest urban parks, Balboa is a great place to spend a day or two. I come here about once a week, and I find that even San Diegans don’t realize everything this magical park has to offer! There are so many great things to do in Balboa Park, here’s how to enjoy your day:

First and foremost, while the world-famous San Diego Zoo is located in Balboa Park, a trip to the zoo should be a completely separate day. The zoo is huge, and it would be difficult, particularly with smaller children, to try to see the zoo and the rest of the park in one day. This post focuses on everything else to do in Balboa Park. It would take you several days to do all these things, but if you pick your favorite activities to make your own itinerary, you could dedicate one whole day to Balboa and really see a lot. You can find a more comprehensive San Diego Itinerary here.

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What to Do in Balboa Park:

Take in a Museum:

There are so many museums to choose from in Balboa park! If you’re not sure your little ones would enjoy a museum, check out some of the family-friendly choices. These are not all the museums in the park, I’m just including my favorites. You can read about all the museums, pricing and hours here.

• The San Diego Museum of Art has an eclectic collection and plenty of seasonal exhibitions. Once a month on Sundays they offer a family day where kids get to create art! Kids under 17 are free.
• The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is a hands-on science museum that’s fantastic for kids of all ages. Upstairs they have a room just for kids 5 and under,called Kid City, that is full of hands on experiences and things to crawl on, play with and create. The regular exhibit will interest young kids through teenagers and they have an IMAX theatre as well.
• The Museum of Photographic Arts has constantly changing exhibits, so check ahead of time to see if they have something of interest for your family. For example, right now through January 2020 they have an exhibit called Hidden Worlds with hands on exhibits on cameras and microscopes and X-rays.
• The Museum of Man offers exhibits on history and culture, exploring subjects like Ancient Egypt, the Mayan people and California History. They also have an exhibit specifically for small children.
• The San Diego Natural History Museum will meet all your dinosaur needs with great exhibits and films for kids of all ages.
• The San Diego Model Railroad Museum is a miniature wonderland for train lovers!

Take a Hike or Walk the Gardens:

Balboa has great hiking trails. There are also paved walking paths through some of the gardens, like the Japanese Friendship garden and the Rose Garden that are stroller-friendly. A walk through the Alcazar Garden will transport you to Spain! There are a few points in the park that have trail maps. You can find information on the different trails and download maps here.

See a Show:

Balboa Park is home to several theatres with productions running almost all year long.

• The Old Globe Theatre Complex – There are actually three theatres here, showing a variety of high quality productions; everything from Shakespeare to The Grinch.
• San Diego Junior Theatre – Kids will love to see one of these productions in the beautiful old Casa del Prado theatre. The actors and crew are all kids, the tickets are very affordable, and the shows are geared towards children so don’t worry about bringing your littlest ones!

Ride the Carousel and/or Train:

• Just outside the zoo entrance there’s a miniature train ride. It’s really fun for small kids – probably toddlers to 6 or 7 years old.
• Right past the train there’s a great Carousel that’s been in Balboa Park for almost 100 years! Kids will love the brass ring game or just taking an old-fashioned ride.

Take a Tour:

• Park Tours: There’s a great variety of tours offered in Balboa Park. Most of them are through the Visitor’s Center in the El Prado building. They even off a free tour on Tuesdays. You can rent an audio tour or take a specialized tour of the architecture or gardens.
• Segway Tours: There are several companies that do Segway tours through Balboa Park. I’ve never taken one, so I won’t recommend a company, but they’re easy to find with a google search.

Listen to a Concert:

• The Spreckels Organ Pavilion: This giant outdoor organ in the middle of the park has been here over a hundred years and provides a free organ concert every Sunday.
• In the summer, also at the organ pavilion, you can catch the Twilight in the Park concert series in the evenings featuring a variety of local artists.
• The World Beat Center offers a variety of events, including concerts. You can find their schedule here.

Get Some Culture:

When Balboa Park was home to the Exposition in 1935 they built international cottages to showcase the cultures of other nations. These cottages are still open to the public on the weekends. They showcase things like art, food and cultural items from the host country.

Buy Some Art:

The Spanish Village Art Center is a great section of the park where artists showcase and sell their work. You can find gorgeous gifts and unique pieces here, and it’s a pretty little corner of the park to wander through. You’ll find everything from ceramics to photography and very often you’ll meet the artists themselves. Weekends often provide live music.

Take Some Pictures:

This park is a photographer’s dream, and it’s one of the most popular things to do in Balboa park! I’m not really one for posting the most ‘instagrammable’ spots anywhere, but instagrammers and serious photographers alike will find countless spots to get fantastic shots around the park. Here are some well-known and some more secret places to take your perfect pic:

• In front of the fountain near the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
• The Rose Garden
• In front of the Lily Pond
• Inside the Botanical Garden (free admission!)
• The Garden below the Prado Restaurant
• The Alcazar Garden
• On the walkway towards the Old Globe Theater, catching the back view of the Museum of Man
• The Cabrillo Bridge, especially at night when it’s lit up
• The wooden bridge walkway across the street from the organ pavilion and before the Alcazar garden
• In front of the Casa del Prado theatre
• Inside the courtyard by the Prado restaurant

Take the Tram:

The Balboa Park Tram does a loop through all the major areas of the park and is a great way to get from one point to another if you don’t want to walk. It’s free and runs all day long (9-6 in winter, 9-8 in summer).

Things to do in Balboa Park with little Kids (5 and under):

Tiny tots might not want to spend time in a museum or on a hike, but there are still fun places for them in the park.

• I already mentioned Kid City in the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center, but it’s worth mentioning again because it is made specifically for this age group.
• The Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theatre is another draw for the little ones. It’s only $5 to get in, and kids under 2 are free!
• Pepper Grove Playground along Park Blvd. near the Reuben H. Fleet has a section for kids under 5
• Sixth Avenue Playground on the other side of the Cabrillo Bridge and up Sixth Ave. also has 2 sections – one for kids under 5.
• San Diego Junior Theatre: I mentioned this already as well. Check their schedule – some of their programming is geared toward older kids and some is geared for the littler ones. Since it’s a kids’ theatre, they are more tolerant of families and little ones who are still learning their theatre etiquette!

Where to Park:

There are several parking lots around Balboa Park. On the weekends, particularly in summer, it can get crazy crowded. Some places I’ve found that usually have parking are:

• The far end of the Zoo parking lot. Even if you’re not going to the Zoo, this is a good place to park. It may seem far, but it will take you longer to find parking than it will to walk from this parking lot to the rest of the park.
• Inspiration Point – there are two lots here, up near the Veteran’s Center, and they are sometimes the last to get filled. Bonus – the tram stops here!
• On the street along Park Blvd. between the zoo and the World Beat Center
• If you get there early, the parking lot by the Carousel is usually not full until after noon.

Where to Eat:

One of my favorite things to do in Balboa park is eat! There are so many great places in and around the park to eat – I’ll break down my favorites by meal.

Breakfast:

• The Big Kitchen in South Park – this funky, fabulous restaurant promises huge portions and tons of character. They are super family-friendly and, on most days, the owner will pass by to say hello or play with your kids. My favorite dish is the Rozie’s Special, but whatever you choose, make sure to order some coffee cake to share!
• Communal Coffee in North Park – there are two locations nearby; I would choose the location on University because it has a more extensive menu and more space. This is another family friendly coffee shop with a great menu and a play space for kids. My favorite dish: The avocado toast with prosciutto!
• Snooze – About 5 minutes away in Hillcrest, Snooze has all your breakfast favorites in a laid-back sort of retro, family environment. Get there early or there will be a wait!!

Lunch/Dinner:

• Panama 66 – This outdoor casual restaurant is inside the park, near the Museum of Art. They make an amazing burger, have tons of beer on tap and a grassy area for kids to run around while you eat. Sometimes they have live music, too.
• The Prado – Also inside the park, this upscale restaurant serves great food, has a nice happy hour menu, and a gorgeous patio with a view. This is a good choice for special occasions.
• Food Truck Friday – Every Friday from 4-8, food trucks line the main walkway of the park, near the Prado buildings. They are dozens of choices ad it’s a fun evening event. There are usually performers and the park lights up at night, so it’s a great way to end your Friday in Balboa.(June – Sept. only)
• Cucina Urbana – Just a block outside the park, Cucina Urbana serves pizza to die for and upscale Italian food. There’s a great Happy Hour menu, too.
• Barrio Star – On the west side of the park, Barrio Star serves awesome tacos and other Mexican fare.
• Lotus Thai – Located in Hillcrest, this is great Thai food at a reasonable price. Save room for their sticky rice with mango!

Coffee:

There are a couple of coffee carts in the park. Daniel’s is located in the Spanish Village, and there’s another one just outside the Prado Restaurant.

Dessert:

• One of the absolute best dessert places in San Diego is pretty close to the park. Extraordinary Desserts, located a few blocks from the park on Fourth, offers delectable sweet treats. There’s also a location downtown that has full service dining.

• Pop Pie – Down Park avenue there is an amazing pie shop that specializes in hand pies, both savory and sweet. My favorite delight at this spot is the ‘Pies Cream’, a pie and ice cream dessert that is a must-try!

Budget Tips:

Many of the things on this list are free, but for a more comprehensive list of free things to do in San Diego, check out this post!

Balboa Park is a treasure-trove of fun things to do and see. You could easily just wander around for a day and still have a great time, but I hope this guide helps you plan for a terrific Balboa Park experience. This post is also a great companion to my other San Diego guides: The Local’s Guide to San Diego Vacations and The Perfect San Diego Family Vacation Itinerary.