You Could Spend All Day at San Diego’s Balboa Park

You might head to San Diego with plans to hang out on the beach, visit some of the area’s numerous breweries, and just enjoy the near-perfect weather. You should do all of those things. But, also set aside one day, minimum, for Balboa Park. You could spend all day at San Diego’s Balboa Park.

Why would you schedule a whole day to visit a park? Because this 1,200-acre public park is full of amazing things to do! And many of them are free.

The Gardens of Balboa Park

Balboa Park didn’t look like much 150 years ago when civic leaders decided to turn the scrappy mesa overlooking downtown into a stellar destination. Today, the park has at least 17 gardens, including the:

• 1935 Cactus Garden
• California Native Plant Garden
• Japanese Friendship Garden
• San Diego Zoo Botanical Collection

You’ll find succulents, cacti, grasses, and other interesting plants at these and other locations in the park.

The San Diego Zoo

The San Diego Zoo is a world-class wildlife park with more than 12,000 animals, including rare and endangered species. Some of the most popular habitats are home to:

• Polar bears
• Okapis (a relative of the giraffe that has stripes like a zebra)
• Koalas
• Pygmy hippos (unbelievably adorable!)
• Elephants
• African penguins

One-day passes to the zoo start at $55 for kids and $65 for adults. Kids are free on some days, though, so plan ahead to save money.

Spanish Village Art Center

The Spanish Village Art Center is a thriving spot where you will find about 200 artists and artisans. It has a very festive atmosphere with performances, balloon animals, and other delights. You don’t have to pay to visit, but you’ll want your wallet to take home souvenirs.

Performing Arts Centers

Want to catch a play, opera, ballet, or other performing arts? Balboa Park has nine venues running productions throughout the year. Check out the latest events to buy tickets.

As we said, you could spend all day at San Diego’s Balboa Park. If you’re planning a vacation in the area, set aside one day, minimum for this park.