Balboa Park Reviews

Went with the family this week since we had some time off and decided to drive down from LA. We have homeless too but to see beautiful Balboa Park destroyed with homeless encampments was sad. The sidewalks are stained with urine (dog & human?), and don't appear to be cleaned regularly. There are men camped out right on the museum property near the fountain. We will avoid the Park in the future and have shared this with our friends and family. The Zoo is a better place to spend your time.

Great to walk around and enjoy some of the art and beautiful Japanese garden. Nice environment for families but a lot of bums

We had a great time at Balboa Park! The kids LOVED the carousel and we randomly caught a magic show on the street that was excellent!

Spent a lovely couple of hours at Balboa Park. Well worth a visit. So many museums, beautiful grounds and gardens. The Zoo and eateries. Excellent.

Wonderful architecture and lots of museums and gardens in one place.
There is a free shuttle that takes you from one parking lot to another. Can spend 2 hours without doing the museums just walking around. Our teens were not up for all the museums so we just enjoyed walking around.

A wonderful place.. one of the must visit in San Diego.. it’s a masterpiece.. various trees, plants and flowers, beautiful fountains and museums.

The park is beautiful. Many spaces are accessible free of charge, the buildings and vegetation are very beautiful. I regret only one thing, that I did not have time to go to some buildings and the Japanese garden but I was caught up in time!

While the museums are expensive if you are taking a family, there are things to see that are free. The cactus and rose gardens are side by side and are both really nice. The organ was not playing when we were there, but I'm sure it is a sight to see when it is allowed to be open again. The Spanish Village Art Center was probably my favorite spot at Balboa Park. It is so colorful with neat things to look at. There is a coffee cart there called Daniel's Coffee and they served the best smoothie called a Pink Dragon (strawberries and dragon fruit).

Wonderful offerings at Balboa Park but if you need to use a bathroom, many are in horrible condition. City and Park should attend to this matter and not permit it to remain in this dirty and smelly condition!

This review is strictly for the free green tram (or covered white shuttle) that runs at Balboa Park. I work in the Park and take this tram frequently. Communication is lacking - in the department, between the drivers/passengers and on the tram signs. This past Thursday, 2/2, was pretty frustrating. I hopped on the tram. We proceeded to the next stop and then the driver informed another guest that the tram wouldn't be doing its regular stops because of road closures due to tree trimming. This day, the tram didn't help much at all. I have trouble walking, especially hills, and ended up having to walk pretty much the entire area - uphill and on uneven grounds. Had I known ahead of time, through a post on the tram signage at the stop or through the driver, I would've planned better! As a result, unfortunately, I was late to work as well. I did look on the tram's site for any updates and nothing was posted. Later that day, I had no idea if the tram would be running or not. It did, fortunately, and I spoke with the driver that picked me up. He told me that many quests were angry because they waited at the designated stops and didn't get picked up at all. Of course they'd be angry! The trams signs state that the tram runs between stops approx every 10-15 minutes. He told me that the tram drivers weren't given notice about the tree trimming to pass onto guests either! I don't know who's at fault here but it's seems that simply posting an update on the tram signs at the stops or online would have helped myself and many other regulars and visitors out tremendously and kept all of us a lot happier!

I have also noticed that it is very difficult sometimes to hear what the driver is saying. Sometimes they have an overhead speaker system on the green tram, but even with that, it's comes through garbled and not easy to understand what is being said! Perhaps the City of SD could provide these drivers with better communication equipment too!

Also, there have been many times when the tram doesn't show up at all for like 30 minutes. Later, I am told that a driver is taking a break. Ideally, it would be nice to have these things stated on the signage too, in case they may occur.

Thanks for listening! ;)

Visited 19/06/2023

A huge and beautiful park filled with different hidden gardens with blooming flowers, buildings with detailed architecture, and magnificent fountains. We had a sunny day to enjoy it and upon arriving the views were stunning. There were lots of little paths in many directions leading to new, exciting gardens. We even found an area where musicians were playing in a tranquil space.
It is really worth a visit just to here, with multiple buildings to explore, gardens and fountains to enjoy. It's a really nice place to be away from the bustle of the city. It feels a lot bigger once you are in the Park, and there are museums to keep your occupied as well.
Just a beautiful well-kept space.

All museums that are open cost about $16 to $20 per person. No shuttle til June sometime. Plenty of parking. Nice buildings to see from the outside in the earlier exposition area.

A wonderful place to wander for a few hours. The botanical building, rose and cactus garden, and more are all so peaceful and beautiful. Many museums plus several places to grab a bite to eat. A “must do” in San Diego.

Balboa Park is such an incredible location and an absolute must-see whether you're visiting San Diego or living in Southern California. There's so much to see and do, you can easily spend your entire day there. With lots of museums, including the science museum (great for kids), the natural history museum, the Prado for lunch, the arts section in the Spanish section, and all of the beautiful architecture, Balboa Park is so picturesque. It's quite a popular location for photography of all sorts. Family, couples, weddings, maternity photograph sessions are held here all the time. The most popular spots for those photo sessions include the Organ Pavillion, the Inez Rose Garden, both cactus gardens, in front of the fountains and botanical garden are among the most popular spots to capture those great photos. Stroll around the park and enjoy all it has to offer!

Wanted to see this but the Christmas Nights event made a fiasco of trying to even think of getting a place to park, and what they had was $40 per spot due to the event. First visit so wasn't sure what to see or do and where it was in the park, so paying $40 for a walkaround in a total crowd was not gonna happen. What a cash grab.

⭐️ Tranquil Oasis in San Diego!
Impeccably maintained park, perfect for leisurely walks. A must-visit in San Diego for nature lovers! 🌳👣 #SanDiego #NatureWalks #Tranquility

Fantastic park and walk. Lots of full sun and shady cool places. Lots to adventure through. Beautiful architecture. Wish I could spend a few days in the park.

What an outstanding gathering place! Featuring museums and Green space and some restaurants and public Plazas, it’s a lovely and safe and beautiful area.

We came for the annual December nights, where most of the museums are open for free and feature special Christmas crafts and cocktails! There were also food trucks circling a central area near many of the museums. The public restrooms are clean, although, of course, there was a line that night. It felt very safe, and we saw several teens and even older children walking around and exploring. The park was beautifully decorated for the December nights, and they had a free DJ set up with dance music and a selfie station and bars mixing great cocktails. The cocktails were extra, of course. Great variety of food trucks including some not so typical fare.

I imagine even without the December nights event that this park area is lovely and safe and clean. What a delight!

A must do and see in San Diego. I have visited many times over the years, and it never fails to impress. The architecture alone is amazing. The fountains, gardens, museums, shops, etc., are great! Love the pool with the koi, ducks and turtles.

A really nice place to walk for an hour or so. Lots of museums here as well, but it was great to be able to just chill in the green spaces

A small group of us spent a few hours here but if we could have come earlier, we could easily have spent the day here. So pretty & much to see with the museum & botanical greenhouse. There’s concerts on Sundays i think in the outdoor auditorium. The architecture is so pretty. There were people taking photos for their wedding & Quinceañera. I saw people picnicking. A great place for families/couples/friends/solo travelers, pretty much everyone.

We had our dog with us So we didn’t go through the many museums, but will be back to the Vietnam Veteran memorial and the other sights

This was a fantastic retreat from the city. We went on a Sunday so the international houses would be open. Many of them offered food tasting for free with a request for donations. Be sure to bring smaller bills. There were also some lawn programs going on here. Some museums are only open on the weekends, so be sure to plan for that. Many of the museums and attractions do not open until 10 or 11, so watch for that also. Limited, expensive eating options available in the park. Many art vendors on a Sunday.

What a great park. We've been to parks all over the world - many great ones in London, Central Park, and others. This park is hands down the best park we have ever visited. The buildings are just gorgeous. We attended a free Pipe Organ concert that was lots of fun. This is a MUST visit if you are spending time in San Diego.

Balboa Park in San Diego is a gem of architectural beauty, lush gardens, and vibrant culture. The Spanish Colonial Revival buildings, like the California Tower, captivate with their ornate details. The park's gardens, including the serene Japanese Friendship Garden and the iconic Lily Pond, offer peaceful retreats surrounded by nature's splendor.

Fountains like the Bea Evenson Fountain add to the park’s charm, creating tranquil spots to pause and reflect. With museums, theaters, and art galleries throughout, Balboa Park is a stunning blend of nature, architecture, and culture, making it a must-see destination.

Beautiful setting with many options to see. Was disappointed one of the museum/gallery was closed on our day. Very comfortable. Plenty of docents to guide. Easy walk to our trolly pick up. Larger than expected

There is so many museums inside the park and even the zoo is part of the park. This place is so huge you would need 1 day to explore excluding the zoo. There is a a small Spanish village of arts inside the park which is colorful and vibrant.

Went to Balboa park to walk around & see the sights before it got too warm. Found the coolest guy set up just outside the San Diego Museum of art that will paint you as a cat for $10! If the line isn’t too long you also have the option of being painted as a butterfly or a house! Best $10 I’ve spent in a long time! We love the pictures! Lots of easy free parking, beautiful architecture, lots of museums. Fun morning!

Balboa Park has so many great things to do you must make sure to add it to your list of sites while visiting there. We saw it twice. Once on a brief city tour. Then we returned next day to visit a few museums. No problem parking or getting around. Has free shuttle and parking. We ate near the Japanese gardens. Spent several hours at the Air and Space Museum. Briefly shopped in the Spanish market area. If you plan on going to the Zoo that’s several hours additional. There’s some 10+ museums in the park.

Uniquely designed park with a variety of fabulous museums and more. A must for guests from out of town

We’ve been to Balboa Park about 10 years ago and went back to see it again because we missed so much. Last time we only went to “Free Admission” museums. This time we took the plunge and paid admission for some of them. Unfortunately going on Tuesday there were some museums that were closed so check before you go……….we didn’t. We went just as the park opened. First stop was Japanese Friendship Garden. We paid but well worth the price. Absolutely gorgeous. Place is well kept with all plants and landscaping blends so well it pleases the eye. We went to couple other museums that were free and they were interesting. Another museum we wanted to see was the Air and Space Museum. We paid for admission. I wish the place had more room with all the interesting items they had. The displays felt cramped and bunched up. Still enjoyable but I have reservations about the admission cost. A wonderful time.

There are so many museums in the park, it's hard to imagine. And although it's not a museum, Balboa Park is home to the San Diego Zoo - something I've always wanted to see.

There are loads of interesting things to do in this museum park area. Parking can be tricky at busy times - there is also a park and shuttle system. We did manage to park near the museums we wanted to visit although we had to wait a bit. Some spaces are 20 minutes only. There are some museums that are free - we enjoyed the Timken art museum and the small botanical gardens. There are limited places to eat.

Where do we begin : So many museums to visit and participate on the culture of San Diego !! There are places to walk through the park, shops to spend monies, a reflection pond which is outstanding, a desert palm setting with beautiful rose gardens, places to walk your dogs, paly outdoor sports, or just take in the CA sunshine. This is an absolute must in SD.

Wonderful park - I was there twice - first time with husband - and our main interest was in Japanese garden, Spanish village...

Second time I was there with my middle daughter - and first we go to the Zoo ( also part of Balboa park, and from zoo there is short walking rpath to Spanish village of Balboa park).

And we never had time for museums!, which I heard are very nice. so - recommended - Japanese garden, Rose and Cactus gardens ( seasons - rose garden was great in November and very-very poor in march, so check it) , main alley with beautiful buildings and fontains. Restaurant is good- don t remember its name but only one is good:)

We loved walking around Balboa Park and visited the Japanese gardens. I would recommend this for sure.

There are lot of museums. Each museum have a value admission fee. Our budget is tight , so we just walking around the park. The atmosphere is nice, relax , historical.

This park is huge! When you think of a park one thinks of playgrounds and a lake. Not here. They have an amphitheater where you can listen to an organist. There are a ton of museums to visit and the architecture of the building is just amazing. Some of the museums charge and others work on donations. Its a shame that it started raining during our visit, because I would have explored more things. They did have cover walking in the buildings so you could get some things. Plenty of rest rooms and had a lot of restaurants. I'd definitely go back for a visit, so much we didn't get to see.

Balboa park is one of my favorite parks overall. The architecture is just stunning. They have an art section too where the artists bring in there art. Which is alright. The botanical garden has been closed for sometime, looking forward for it to reopen.

Good for walking, jogging, biking, taking photos. lot of place to go. loved the vintage design for the museum . loved the Japanese garden..

Balboa is a beautiful park that includes historical buildings, manicured gardens, water fountains and shops. A stroll in the park is very relaxing especially on a nice sunny day.

Suggest maps w/distances between buildings shown. It was difficult for disabled family to get around. A guided tour bus with an overview of the history would be wonderful.

The park is so huge it seems disjointed and a bit overwhelming for newbys. I was sad I didn't have enough information to plan better, and I did a thorough online search before arriving.
We were super disappointed that the Old Globe canceled the production of "Hair" at the last minute!

We also felt that there weren't enough options for eating.

We went to the visitors center and purchased tickets. She circled the museums that were open. When we got the tram to it it was closed. It was wednesday. They are closed wednesdays and thursdays. She should have known. Same with the veterans museum. She circled it was open. Took the shuttle to it, it was closed. Sign said open by appointment only. The visitor center and the tram driver both should have known.

Great place to spend a day. Parking is easy and free - there are numerous entries and plenty to see and do.

One cannot come to San Diego without going through Balboa Park. There is something for everyone. Fabulous walking trails, restaurants, museums, The SD Zoo, gardens, people selling crafts and foods. Honestly, we could have spent three days seeing everything. Even if you don't go into one building, it is a wonderful way to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and mild weather of the city.

Loved loved loved every part. So pretty and can't wait to go back and hear the organ . The Chinese garden was amazing. Parts of it was closed off but still super cool.

Top tip if travelling with a family and plan on spending a couple of days price up buying and annual pass, could save you a lot of cash compared to single entry fees and last a whole year.

Everything there was beautiful. The park is well attended and maintained. There was only one crazy there and he appeared essentially harmless.

After reading about Balboa Park online, I had high expectations, but my visit left me feeling slightly underwhelmed. The park does feature some excellent museums, such as the Air & Space, Automotive, and Comic-Con museums, which were enjoyable. However, beyond the museums, there weren’t many other attractions that stood out. My family tried exploring the various gardens, but the botanical garden and Japanese garden were closed, and the others were small and unimpressive. On the positive side, the park offers free parking, which was convenient.

My wife was attending a conference at a hotel on the San Diego harbor. I went along just for fun, so on Thursday, November 16, 2023 I walked for a hour from the harbor to Balboa Park. I had been here about 20 years ago and wanted to see it again. It is a beautiful park with so much to do and see, that one could easily spend 2 or 3 days here to see it all. I think there are like 18 museums in addition to restaurants, theater, historic buildings, flower and cactus gardens, gift shops, or just to wander around and people watch. Balboa Park was established around 1915 and the first building was the Spreckels Organ Pavilion. For the 1935 Exposition, many of the buildings you see today were built back then.
I read some of the reviews at TA, where many were complaining about the homeless people. Yes, I saw some homeless there, just as they are in all parts of the city and in many other big cities as well. Before we complain about seeing them, we all should be doing something about helping them in some way, I don't mean handouts. I am talking about getting involved with preventing homelessness. I enjoyed the park immensely, spending the entire day there and then walking back to the harbor. What bothered me more than the homeless, were the many people who were in my face trying to sell tours or other money making ventures. They were the annoying ones.
This park is wonderful, but one improvement the city should work on is renovating the public restrooms. They look like nothing has been done to them since the 1930s. This is the genuine eyesore in the park.

A must-see park in San Diego!

The architecture is magnificent, the little gardens are very pretty... We had a very beautiful walk there. Under the sun it's great. We stayed there for 2 hours but it is possible to stay much longer, especially if you combine it with museum visits.

One of the most beautiful parks in the USA!

The San Diego Zoo and virtually just about any museum you'd want to visit are located around Balboa Park. Scenic & Historic.

This is your stop for many museums in San Diego. Art, ComicCon, Air & Space, and many more. Architecture is intricate and beautiful. There are nice restaurants and plenty of local activities on weekends. There are a variety of ways to get there but it should be included in your trip to San Diego.

Good Place for Day Visit - Lots of Museums and walkways and flower gardens. Many areas to walk and see. All museums are free on Tuesdays - otherwise there is a fee.

gorgeous place with a bunch of museums and gardens and the artists street was beautiful! would love to go back there

The park is so huge that you can spend a full day at the park or go there multiple times and at different places. It is very good for walking.

Although the park is nice and has many options with lots to entertain us with, we find this to be a hype. We are from NY and nothing compares to Central Park. Yes I shouldn't compare and will not. If you haven't been here before and have not been to Central Park, NY, then a great place to spend some time.

We came during the Thanksgiving weekend and got quite lucky in securing a parking spot within minutes after enter the first parking lot. It was right in front of the Natural History Museum.

Balboa Park could be considered a one stop sight to see beautiful outdoors and views, museums ranging from Cannibals to cars, Spanish building architecture, experience history, ride a train or a unique wooden carousel and go to a theatre show.

We ended up spending a couple hours here after walking by through most of the park and seeing just two of the museums. One place we will come back to visit again.

a great place to walk in the green, among historic buildings some original others rebuilt after earthquakes. There are volunteers in charge of maintenance and care, we followed a volunteer who explained in detail the history of the park and Dan Diego, very helpful with questions, all for free. I have not visited the zoo, but other museums or environments are very well cared for and pleasant.

Boring. We went on a Monday, most things were closed. The lady in the information ticket purchase area was crabby. First crabby person we met on our entire trip. Boring, look at plants, buildings from the outside. Don’t go on a sunny day. We did a bugs bunny and got out for there quick.

Enjoyed our visit. Lots to see and do. We only had a short time so we visited the Museum of Us and the Cannibal exhibit.

A massive park that wasn't too busy due to the size, we spent the day there and also visited the zoo but could spend a couple of days there easily. A tourist information centre with very helpful staff. The only downside was we struggled to find somewhere to eat on a Sun early evening.

We really enjoyed the time at Balboa Park both day and night. Beautiful nature and gorgeous Spanish style buildings. Parking was okay.

This is the MOST amazing place in San Diego. It is the size of Central Park in New York and Millennium Park in Chicago combined! There are like 15 different museums in the Park to visit along with nice gardens and green spaces, and a large fountain to enjoy for the afternoon. There is also a "village" of little houses each one representing a different nationality.

The main Promenade area was beautiful. The architecture and buildings were so ornate and reminded me of something you might see in Europe. I was completely blown away while we walked around and it was so much more than I expected. There were little vendor booths selling different things around the fountain area.

There is also a free little tram with a few different stops to help navigate around the park without having to walk as much. Each stop is located at different areas to make getting around much easier.

You could spend DAYS here to explore all that is offered. Highly recommend a visit, but if you have limited time like we did you will want to research all the different things available and make a plan of attack. I would have loved to visit the little village with all the house, but we just didn't have the time.

Note: We were staying in a downtown hotel on Broadway and just opted to take an Uber, the cost was only about $8 each way to get to Balboa Park.

Don't drive to the park. Take the bus and it drops you off right outside the park. There are museums, restaurants, the zoo, tours, local vendors and entertainers, etc. This park has everything. You can spend a full day here absorbing the atmosphere. Be sure to enjoy the local musicians along with the local food vendors and crafts that are available. You can take a picnic and enjoy this park all day.

There's a visitor's booth that gives great advice for local things to do and shortcuts to get to the next site faster.

This is a giant park filled with museums, shops, gardens, restaurants, and other things to enjoy (some for free, others for a fee).

We only had a day, so we only saw a fraction of the park. You can spend multiple days here if you wanted to/could.

We paid for the Japanese Gardens, which were beautiful, especially the koi ponds. The rose, palm, and desert gardens (free) were really great. We rode in what was essentially a big model train. We walked around the artist and artisan shops in the artists village. We saw the giant fig tree. There were multiple museums we didn't have time to get to (air and space, cars, etc.).

Parking was free, and there was a free tram to take you from the parking lot to the park or from one side of the park to another.

I think Balboa Park is a must stop if you visit San Diego.

What a nice place to spend the afternoon. The entire park is like an amusement park for adults. We enjoyed walking around the various sites. The museums gardens and just places were we could sit and read and talk were very appreciated.
We went to the Spanish Village Art Center to see all the work of the local artisans.
We even found the shop of an old friend there.

This park is big and it is very shaded. There are some museums and other things to do, or you could just walk around or hangout and do nothing.

We enjoyed the afternoon there including the art museum. The park structures are beautiful and the environment was very relaxing.

A great day out - especially when the weather is good. Beautiful grounds to sit in and loads of interesting museums to visit. Loads of parking available.

This is a huge area with a lot to see.
There is a lot of parking around, and be prepared to walk around a bit to all the gardens, fountains, museums, and vendors.
We ate at The Prado, which was great.
For gardens, we especially loved the rose garden, which was next to a really cool desert cactus garden.
If you come on a weekend in May, be prepared for literally hundreds of prom kids taking pictures!

Plenty of walking through this beautiful park including areas with artist shops. The gardens are beautiful and there are museums that on certain days are free.

We visit Balboa Park many times each year. Recently, we visited the park and were not disappointed. From all the phenomenal museums to the reflection pond, to the iconic trees, to the reflection pond, to all the restaurants, the zoo close by, or the carousel, you can't go wrong spending the day at Balboa.

Family thoroughly enjoyed walking the gardens and taking a multitude of beautiful pictures. Personal favorites were the Rose Garden and Palm Canyon! Though we didn't enter any of the museums due to time constraints, would definitely make more time on next trip to take in more of this beautfiful park!

This is a pleasant place to stroll around, look at art, and have lunch at the Prado restaurant. Lots of museums.

We walked around Balboa Park for an hour or so. There are interesting sites to see - architecture of some buildings is very impressive. The street vendors are interesting as well.

The pictures you see online are a lot different feel when you're walking around but its still gorgeous! the history is rich and theres nice shops around to visit with local vendors.

Balboa Park is beautiful, but we didn't have enough time to see much of it. We hoped to find a nice restaurant for lunch, but most of them were closed. We ate at Craft cafe, and the menu was very limited and the food was average, but nothing to brag about.

Beautiful park to visit, many museums to choose from depends on your interests. My favorite was Museum of Us. You can spend good 2 hrs there, very touchy
Spanish village was very interesting too. You will see the work of Spanish artists there
All restaurants are very pricey
We ate lunch at Panama66 and it was terrible and way over priced

Pet Friendly. Has lots of trails for you and your fur babies. My doggy loved it. Just a heads up the museums were pet friendly to service dogs only.

Visiting the park is a must when in San Diego. We had several hours and tried to make the most of our time on a hot summer day. We loved walking the trails around the park, walking under the colonnades for shade, exploring the cactus and rose gardens, as well as the Spanish village with its artisan shops and lovely square with shaded benches. We have visited the zoo in previous years and it’s a must do if you haven’t been. There are several museums as well. We got a park map at the visitors centre where they were very willing to provide information for our visit. Parking is free and easy. We made use of the free tram that transports visitors from the outer parking lots to the heart of the park. We didn’t have reservations at El Prado restaurant but they allowed us to walk around and view the dining spaces. Beautiful setting. We will definitely book a table for our next visit. We will also take one of their free park walking tours. So much more to explore. One day is not enough!

It is a very nice park. Alot of museums, I belive 19. A couple were free. Just a nice park to walk around and beautiful architecture buildings.

Lovely park with some beautiful buildings. It’s a great place to wander round. We didn’t have time to visit any of the museums but found them quite pricey anyway. The Timken is free and a lovely mid-century building. The park was quite busy on Sunday so get there early for parking.

I'm not considering the zoo inside the park. I did a separate assessment for the zoo. The park is well maintained, full of museums and a peculiar nature. There are free buses for internal circulation. Parking is also free of charge. I don't give it full marks, because we were a little frustrated with the lack of playgrounds for children. This was our daughter's expectation and we found one, more removed, with few toys. A pleasant surprise was seeing squirrels on the well-kept lawns. I would go back to the park! Worth the visit!

This park is huge, over 1200 ares of land! I checked out the cactus and rose gardens, but left wanting to view more of the park. The cactus garden was neat and the rose garden was beautiful. It was very well kept and there are signs to advise viewers of the various types.

Yes, this place is as good as all the reviews say. Beautiful architecture and buildings, gardens (admission fee for the Japanese version) , museums (some of them free), the Globe Theatre, walks, etc. We wandered around for hours in and between them all.

We tried the restaurant and that was good too.

We also went on the free tram around the grounds, but that largely seemed to be views of the car park (and a way for people to get from there!). The ladies in the info centre were cheerful and helpful.

We thought it was amusing the church bells were playing a Backstreet Boys song.

Bilboa Park is a true credit and ongoing legacy to the people of San Diego.

Not too pricey. Be prepared to walk. Several top-notch museums, street music, gardens, food vendors, the world-famous (and rightly so) zoo.

There are a lot of things to do in Balboa Park., but like everything else in California it’s over priced. The auto Museum is $25 pp and there couldn’t be more than 25 cars inside , it takes you about 15 minutes to see. The air and space Museum is $35 a person. There is a lot to see inside and you could spend a couple of hours there. There’s a lot of walking in the park and I think it could be much more organized with trams for older people as everything is based pretty far apart and the grounds are quite hilly. Things close between 4:30 and 5 pm which is quite early. There is also a lot of homeless around and in the park, which is quite depressing and I do not know why the city of San Diego allows this . The botanical gardens were shut down when I went.

This park is huge with many museums and gardens. We did not go to any of the museum. The one we wanted to go, The Comic Con museum wasn't open. I think the museum charges admission fees. We like the Casa Balboa, it's a pretty building. Parking is free, which is great. It wasn't busy when we were there.

Pretty nice and peaceful, though I did find it kind of boring after a while... There are many options as to which gardens to go to, though for the Japanese Friendship Garden there is a admission fee of around $14, if I recall correctly.

A very big, well looking park with several museums and cafes in it. We passed by to go to the zoo but I found several things to do in there as well.

During a visit to San Diego you will visit Balboa Park several times, for one reason or another, discovering new and always different corners. I think it is the best way to appreciate the beauty of this large green space characterized by various pedestrian areas, museums and very interesting buildings. To live with a nice walk. Not to be missed in San Diego.

We went into each of the United Nation houses and walked to the children's carrousel and then past the Globe theater. There were a lot of people, but not terribly crowded. The weather was perfect and the grounds were exceptionally clean. There was a street performer silent magician that was really fun to watch. There were other street vendors and an art "neighborhood".

We had an afternoon flight and spent our last morning in SD here. We could have spent a few more hours. The rose garden was beautiful!

It was nice and inexpensive. The Japanese Garden was beautiful. A great place to take young children. Be prepared to do some walking.

So much to do. Unfortunately the botanical garden was closed (until next year?) and also the United Nations houses (open on the weekend). That said, it was nice attending the activities we chose. Great spot. We did the zoo and Japanese friendship garden and both were great!

Great park to stroll and visit the many beautiful gardens. Variety of museums for everybody to enjoy. Don’t forget about the largest organ concert on Sundays at 2:00 pm. Street vendors sell arts/crafts and food also. A must visit for all ages. And don’t forget the awesome zoo at Balboa park.

Quiet and beautiful, with many attractions such as the cactus garden, the International village, the fountains, reflecting pond... I could go on and on.
If you are weary of the hustle and bustle of tourism and just want to take a break, without feeling like you are missing something. Consider Balboa

A really lovely place with plenty to see and do. We were at the Natural History Museum, where we spent a few hours, this was very well done and good! Also recommend the rose and cactus garden, and Lily Pond (both are free). Here are beautiful lilies, but also turtles (adults and babies) and koi-fish. It is also quite cool to see the big fig tree Moreton Bay. Would definitely set off a day to this place if you are going to San Diego, whether you love nature, animals, or museums.

Took a day after business trip to visit the park and loved it. It was about 3mile walk from my hotel, but ride share is a great option if you don’t want to walk there. SD is a very walker friendly city. Great for a day but I would definitely plan for 2ndays to really explore the museums and Zoo as you can’t see everything in a day. Signage is well done and it is easy to navigate once in the park. I will defiantly go back.

Balboa Park has been destroyed. Hard pass! It is now an open air farmers market with cheesy vendors taking up all open space hawking cheap piñata, henna tattoos, and popcorn. It is NO LONGER a beautiful place. It’s filthy, in disrepair, restrooms were foul and positively disgusting. Homeless nodding off in a drug induced haze, people smoking pot, graffiti. Then it’s also under construction with Plastic orange fences everywhere. What a shame. I’ve lived her 27 years - it’s absolute depressing what has happened to San Diego.

World class Park by all means. All facilities are very well maintained and equipped to receive visitors.

There is everything here. Fun and interesting. We spent three days here. However, more time can be spent. It was of good quality, some places had an entrance fee.

The park has many museum and beautiful buildings and plants. We had a pass for 4 museums but did not have enough time to fully utilize it. Japanese friendship garden was lovely. Some museum are not open daily

I would plan on spending a good portion or full day here at this park, as there are a ton of museums to visit here depending on your interest. We spent 3/4 of a day here and did the Air & Space Museum & Model Train Museum, we also walked around and took the Tram around also. I wish we had visited on Sunday as the Organ Plays @ 2pm on Sunday and looks quite impressive. This park has lots of walking and is beautiful, almost made you feel like you were in Europe.

Lots to see and do, many museums and sites to see. Do not miss the San Diego rose gardens. The gardens is located across from the science center.

This is one of the place you must visit when you come to San Diego. It will take a whole day to walk especially there are 17 museums for you to choose. I enjoy the scenery and the architecture building designs are beautiful. There is also free tram that you can hop on to the different places in the park.

Balboa park is a very beautiful park with a zoo, museums, fountains and gardens. The park is beautifully landscaped and designed with lots to admire and trails to explore. The gardens are beautiful. It would take several days to really experience all of the greatness that this park has to offer. I only had a day so I saw as much as possible.
Be prepared to walk.
FYI - We visited on a weekday and the park was practically empty with tons of parking which made the experience so much better.
My son who lives in the area said to avoid on the weekend because of crowds and lack of parking.

A great place to walk around, appreciate architecture and gardens, and art. The rose garden was a delightfully smelling highlight. Parking was challenging on a Sunday afternoon but not impossible. The desert garden was also cool. I loved the artist area with so many studios and various mediums in one location. The Botanical building was my favorite! My kids would’ve preferred the zoo but I liked seeing the gardens. We saw some small lizards, turtles, ducks, and birds.

Coming from New York City, I always appreciate large public spaces and parks in the middle of the city, available for all to enjoy. Balboa Park does just that! There are plenty of museums, a zoo, golf course, vendors, and more. Lots of open green space to exercise, relax, and wander around. One of the things I love about San Diego!

Overall very special. Take several days to explore, especially if you’ve never been. However it was very disappointing that the Botanical Gardens were under construction. This wasn’t apparent in the website and was the main reason I travelled to San Diego to visit! However, the other venues and garden sections helped alleviate this to a degree.

If you love the outdoors, or are traveling with a dog and are limited on where to go, Balboa Park is amazing. You can spend an entire day there, walking the grounds, listening to live music, exploring other cultures, finding beauty in the rose gardens, the cactus garden, the trails and especially at the amazing workmanship of the buildings. There are street vendors selling different types of food and crafts, it's a must see and experience in Southern California

soent 2 days there one Sunday for the pipe organ concert and a week day for the museums The weekend is really more active with a lot more going on b ut beautiful any time

Invest in the day, week, or annual pass (for just about everything except the Zoo and the new (underwhelming) Comic-Con Museum. Give the Comic-Con museum time to iron out the bugs before visiting. Air & Space and the Museum of Us are both world-class, and the Japanese Friendship Garden is a beautiful place to enjoy a cup of tea and reflect on everything you've seen. I am a Museum Studies grad student and loved this amazing park.

There is a TON to do here. Trails, playground. The San Diego Zoo, the nations cottages. 18 museums. 13 restaurants (most are cafes) bars, theatres, the spreck's organ and many, many more things. I went three times and probably saw 20% of it. I was not happy with the size of the natural habitats for the big cats and the bears.
But the rest was amazing! I especially enjoying the 3 different species of squirrels roaming the park. It is very easy to get lost, I think they could use some signs on the trails.

After first visiting the USS Midway, I made the short journey to Balboa Park! This is located not far from the city centre and the zoo. I was there on Sundays and getting one of the free parking spaces was not exactly easy! The weather was fantastic and felt like half of San Diego moved to this impressive park! This is quite extensive and in the heart are very worth seeing colonial buildings and churches! In addition, you will find cafes and great seating that invite you to linger! I was thrilled! A "must see" in San Diego!

So much to do. The San Diego Zoo is a must. The park is huge and you'll need a car or bike to get around

You must go to this park it is amazing!! You can enjoy just walking through or stopping at one of the amazing museums or cafes. SO much to do so make sure to do a little research nd plan your visit,

This is huge park. lots to see and do. We went early in the morning and spent a lot of time here looking at the different sections and areas. it was very peaceful and there is a gift shop too. Lots to see and very relaxing. I loved the butterflies! it’s also free entry.

The park, museums, bars, restaurants.. Balboa Park offers it all. Live entertainment, very walkable.

This park is absolutely beautiful and full of museums. You could probably spend a whole day (or more) exploring this massive city park and all its amenities.

We enjoyed taking the shuttle around the park to see all of the attractions it had to offer. Worth the visit and plan on spending time to take in all of the attractions.

We enjoyed San diego despite rainy weather lower than average Temps. It was just a bit harder to get in the water. We enjoyed mission beach area shopping & restaurants. We stayed in Ocean side but would of rather stayed at mission beach.

Balboa park is my favorite public great space in the US. It has everything, park, museums, bars and beautiful architecture.

We had a great time touring the gardens and the Spanish Village. The museums were overpriced, small, and not that great.

Several Museums and then there is also the zoo. If you want to explore the parks, the zoo, and the museums you can easily spend couple of days or more. There is a fig tree with is like 115 years old. There are walking trails around the park. It is pretty close to downtown San Diego.

If you live here, the annual Balboa pass is fantastic- it's about $125, and gets you into the museums all year long. The hours have been cut since they reopened, but I'll take what I can get. Be sure to walk down into the canyons- it's a great walk, and generally cooler than up on street level. You can also walk under the bridge by walking down the trail from the dog park- stay on the upper level trail and it's surprisingly quiet (there's a fork, if you go low you're right next to the cars on the freeway).

Definitely go to Balboa Park! The buildings and architecture are amazing and the park and landscape is very pretty. It's very safe and on the weekend there are street vendors with their arts and crafts and food wagons. Many museums to go to ! Botanical gardens were closed when we were there. I would have loved to see them. There is also a whole Artist area in one section that you need to check out. Plenty of free parking all around and it is next to the San Diego Zoo.

Lots to do. Much to see. Beauty abounds. Make sure to enjoy the various gardens, Spanish Village art shops, etc.Great for a picnic to boot.

There's so much to see in Balboa Park, and I just scratched the surface. The highlight for me was the Spanish Village Art Center, with artists demonstrating their craft and selling their wares. I also loved the Botanical Building, Lily Pond, Alcazar Garden (with adjacent museum) and just walking around to admire the buildings and grounds. I could have spect so much more time here!

You could easily spend several days exploring everything in the park! The zoo is amazing, the Japanese garden is beautiful and there are birds everywhere! If you like museums there is the San Diego Museum of Art and the Museum of Men. The park is definitely worth a visit.

An excellent place to visit; I didn't imagine how big it is and what it encompasses. Unfortunately we could only go at night to meet him and we did not enjoy all that he offers but if at night he enjoys himself, by day he must be even more so. Many places, replicas of temples and ancient places, gardens, museums and even the zoo is in that area.
Highly recommended.

We did a photo shoot at the rose garden, botanical garden and cactus garden on a Sunday. Lots of people but not crowded. Organ concert was unique.

Balboa Park is still as beautiful as I remember, as classic as buildings get in old San Diego, but is now as much a home for homeless as much of the West Coast has become.
Still, I visited areas that bring back tender memories. I was quite surprised by the cost to tour some of the museums and that reflects more of a tourist-trap envirionment as anything I saw on my trip.

We had 14 days in San diego and spent 5 of them in Balboa park. One day Japanese garden with blooming cherry trees. One day at AIr & Space museum--play the design and landing of a jet! Another at several art museums, Natural history museums, Museum of US (us not United States)was fascinating! Another in an open air organ concert in a charming venue. There appear to always be special programs happening. Little restaurants to get a snack or meal or drink. Figure out the parking the first time , then it is easy. Help desk gives helpful advice tailored to wht you want to see.

We have been here before (with 4 kids in tow), but this visit was much more tranquil. Just walked around and enjoyed the Japanese Gardens and Lilly pad lake. Uber hot today, so we stayed in the shade as best we could.

This par is beautiful. There are some many things to do. And there's a free tram to take you from place to place. The buildings and landscaping are gorgeous.

We visited Balboa about 3 times for our week visit of San Diego. There's so much to see here! We visited the Air & Space museum and Comic Con on a rainy day. We spend 1/2 day at the San Diego Zoo and then revisited to walk around the Japanese Gardens. Places close early around 4 pm, so make note with your travel plans.

Much to do. Look at the park as a whole and plan. Look up at the planes. Look down at the botany. Eyeball the lovely buildings. Just enjoy a nice day.

This is a beautiful park hosting several museums. The landscape is a great spot for beautiful pictures, too.

Great place to hang out and chill with cool drinks. Walking through the park was nice. Beautiful rose garden and view of the city. So many different things to do: museums, gardens, organ concert pavilion, cafes, restaurants. Free parking through out park. Put it on your itinerary if you can for relaxing day.

There is a lot to do, and it's a beautiful park. Although it gets really crowded in the afternoon, so go early. Parking gets full

Wonderful setting to walk around and marvel at the beautiful buildings in the Spanish Moorish Colonial Style, the lily pond, the enormous Fig Tree and other huge trees. We visited the Spanish Art site which is filled with the works of painters, jewelers, potters. A feast for the eyes.

My husband and I visited this as a last-minute decision and I wish we would have had more time here. We were here late afternoon on a Wednesday and missed the International Houses :( but we were able to go to the Timken Museum which was very nice. I would love to spend more time here as there is SO MUCH TO SEE. So much of it is free, not to mention just the beauty of walking around the grounds. Way to go, San Diego!

Find the Spanish Arts Village; most tourists don't. And dig the history of why the park was built; most tourists don't.

What a great place to visit for all ages. We bought an "explorer pass" which got us into 4 of the museums (we picked the 4). There is so much to see and do. Everyone must go - see a museum or go to the zoo - but it's fun for everyone.

Gosh what a beautiful area! So much to see. The architecture is gorgeous and an amazing piece of history. Great vibe on a weekend. Don't miss this one.

We have been here before but last time the Museum of Photography Art was closed. This time we made sure to go on a day it was open and it did not dissappoint.

Nice place to take in a lot of museums and culture in one place. We mostly walked around and only visited the San Diego museum of art since it would have cost a lot to visit everything. So make sure to plan your day here so you know which museums you’re willing to pay for.

Always heard of this place and I’m so glad we visited. If you love history and street performers you will be delighted in visiting and admiring the beauty. There are street performers singing, playing instruments, lectures, movies, food and gardens and more. Its a must see, especially if you love museums.

Not completely open yet but enjoyed the old architecture. Would like to come back when going full speed

Balboa park is massive. You could easily spend a couple of days here. Lots of museums, art galleries, gardens and the San Diego zoo. Balboa park itself is free and some of the gardens and galleries are free. There is a visitors center there and they were incredibly friendly and helpful. There are a couple of restaurants if you get hungry

Balboa Park may be the biggest collection of indoor and outdoor places/attractions in the U.S.! It seems like every sport has its place there (even an archery course!), and there are several museums, and a pretty cool arboretum (maybe more than one). And where else can you hear an outdoor organ concert? Other than the zoo being over-rated, in my opinion, it's a great place to spend at least a day.

So many wonderful museums mixed beautifully in a garden paradise. It may just be my favorite new place.

Balboa Park is a large well-kept park in downtown San Diego. It has multiple gardens, manicured paths and buildings with Spanish architecture design. It's a pretty area and it is also the location of about a dozen different San Diego museums ranging from the art museum to model railroads and Comic-Con. Most of these museums, in all honesty, are small and not world-class. But the Park itself is a must-visit area in San Diego.

Disappointed in overall experience.It was a lot of walking until we found the information booth more in the middle of park.The Old Town Trolley drops you off at main city road and front of park near the Auto museum.
Not worth the $11 each to see 15 cars .Very small.
The Museum of It was $11 each and was very disappointing.The ancient artifacts are few and far apart.If you haven’t been to a big city museum it might be new but the Toronto ROM is huge and more fascinating with many more exhibits and costs is not much more
Went through it in 15 minutes
The gift shop selling Third world hand made items was the best souvenir store
It’s just past the car museum
The cannibal museum is terrible- nothing to see of interest except crash of plane on Andes which everyone knows about
By this time we were tired and probably the TimKin museum might have been more interesting
In hindsight,I’d skip this park and spend more time walking around Coronado shops.
Little Italy was interesting for meals Mimmo’s is the best ravioli

I love Balboa Park! Every time my husband and I visit San Diego we try to visit the park to relax. The last time was in December.
We had to see everything, groups of school kids, quinceañeras and wedding photo shoots, groups of nuns, orchestras, everything. I like that there are museums of many things.
The only thing I don’t like so much is that if you like to walk and explore, the bathrooms are far away and if you are in a different area you have to walk enough to find one 😂😂😂 but outside of that, I love it!

This park is absolutely amazing! I would definitely suggest anyone who visits San Diego to go visit. This park literally has so much to see and do for the entire family. The Science museum is a definitely must for the kids. (Adults can enjoy this as well) I enjoyed the scenery. It is definitely an early in the day type of place. There are so many museums and small eateries that you can be there for some hours and not even realize it. I can’t wait to get back to visit here again.

What an excellent park to spend day in. I mean a full day. There are enough activities for everyone in the family to occupy the full day. Great visit.

This park is stunning and is such a pleasure to walk around! There are so many garden inside and outside that are so well maintained. Make sure to find the little Spanish Village Art Center for great photos and fun shopping!

Our family (kids aged 11, 10, 7) had a wonderful day at the park! We timed it to go on a weekend (for us, a Saturday), and I’d recommend that if you can. That meant the International Cottages were open as well as the carousel - our two favorite parts of the park. Plus more street performers, I’d expect. They were out, plus street food vendors, closer to dinnertime than lunch, though, FYI. We actually spent a whole day at the park, entertained, without doing a single paid museum, which gave our wallets a break. We arrived at 9, so the art village wasn’t fully woken up yet (but Daniel’s Coffee was!), nor the carousel (opens 11:00); we prioritized heading back there later. The carousel, with an operational brass ring game, was the coolest thing ever! SO fun, which my kids kept talking about throughout the evening. Unfortunately, my 7-year-old daughter was a touch too short to reach the rings on her own - I tried lifting her up (parents have to pay to ride with kiddos), and she was so close to grabbing one. Our other two kids won a free ride! Very unique experience. We also really enjoyed the 30-min Balboa Park video upon arriving, to get context. I think it was in the (free) history museum? Google to verify. :)

Balboa Park is a Spanish Baroque park with a very large site. I thought I wouldn't be able to see them all in one day because the park is so vast with 19 museums, 10 theaters and 19 gardens, so this time I went to Alcazar Garden, The San Diego Museum of Art, Botanical Building and San Diego Natural History Museum .
Just walking around is fun because there are so many places that make you want to take a picture!

Balboa Park is a must-visit oasis in San Diego! The park’s beauty and variety make it an ideal spot to spend a full day. From the gorgeous gardens and Spanish-inspired architecture to the countless museums, there’s something for everyone. I especially enjoyed strolling through the botanical gardens and catching a live performance at the outdoor theater.

The atmosphere is so peaceful, and there are plenty of shaded areas to relax. It’s also easy to get around, with clear paths and signs. Whether you’re into art, history, nature, or just want a beautiful place to unwind, Balboa Park has it all. Highly recommended!

A huge park located right next to the San Diego Zoo. It is surrounded by a row of Spanish-style architecture and tropical plants, including palm trees. There are also museums and other facilities. It is free to walk around the park, so it is a great place for citizens to relax.

Very nice park. Clean. We are here right now sitting just finished cleaning my grandson"s wound. He slid over and scraped both knees-stage 2 big wound, palms and elbows. My daughter asked if there is first aid at the guests centre, lady said "its only for employees and u should invest in your first aid next time" while ahe handed a tiny gauze and 1 bandage As a nurse i always have first aid kits at home and in our vehicles. Glad the lady who has an art exhibit -"YO design" saw us and gave us wipes and bandages.

I need to see in a whole bunch of free gardens greenhouses to see. We had an afternoon to kill and walk through it. He was so much more we could’ve seen and done. I would recommend it.

Such a beautiful big space and so much to wander through! The architecture alone is worth walking through.

A bit of an unfair review (I would rate it incomplete if there were an option). Balboa Park is a parking nightmare, at least on this particular Saturday afternoon. We tried for a half hour and simply gave up. The parking lots were literally traffic jams that took quite some time just to get out of, after coming up empty empty finding a spot. On our way out we passed one of our planned destinations, the Japanese Garden, and it had a wait line to get in at least 200 feet long. I'm assuming there are better times to go and the amount of things to do there are incredible. The main point of my review is let people know to either get there early or go on off-peak days. One suggestion for the park - invest in some parking attendants who can avoid the fiascos at each of the lots. Cars were snarled in lots everywhere, most leaving without ever getting a spot.

It’s a very relaxing place to spend with the family and kids. Lots of parking and weather is the best in San Diego

I only got to briefly check the park out because I was on a tour. This is definitely worth further exploration. I walked through two art museums and the Japanese gardens.

This was a fun place to visit, but I suggest planning on pay $$ to go to a museum or two. We did not do this and planned on just the free things, but it really wasn't worth it just for that. There is some pretty architecture to see and some fountains, etc. so I didn't feel like our time was wasted, but it would have been better if we had gone for another purpose. It was just that the cost of the museums was enough to make them not worth it for us because we have similar museums right by our home. If you're just looking for a nice place to take a stroll and see some pretty sights along the way, then this is the perfect place for you!

Balboa Park is a fantastic experience. It's great for adults to sightsee, kids to run around and get their ya-yas out. Plan for a whole day in the park... it's that worthwhile

We ended up spending two days here! (three if you count the zoo!) We loved the Prado restaurant, the museums, gardens and the Spanish Village!

Don't miss the organ concert on Sundays at 2pm! Excellent! Lots of museums such as Timke (spelling wrong I'm sure) russian art museum. Park is clean. Highly recommended

Balboa park is beautiful and so so much to see. The architecture of the many buildings is amazing. The flowers and other planting are gorgeous. It would take multiple days to see everything and visit the museums (not including the Zoo). There is a lot of walking but the park has a shuttle which we found helpful.

Beautiful park with many activities. Wear comfortable shoes for walking. The park is very large so it would take at least two days to fully see/participate in all that it offers.

Take a look at the Japanese Gardens, Rose Gardens, Cactus Gardens. From Alcazar Garden to Zoro Gardens - sunken stone grotto garden that was designed as a nudist colony during the 1935 California-Pacific Exposition--is now a butterfly garden containing both the larvae and nectar plants.

You can tour the tower with guided tours on the hour for about $20 and 16 museums have an entrance fee if you want to go in to them.

Step back into history and look at the architecture and visit the artists and shops. Local take art classes. Stop by and have a drink and snack at the Visitors Center; nice views. The Spreckels Organ Pavilion was closed, so find out when the concerts are.

Listen as the church bells sound and zip around the lilly pads and fountains and catch the free tram.

If you are over 65 yrs old, San Diego museums offer 50% off entrance fees in February. We were able to go into the museums at Balboa Park for a reasonable price. Our favorite museum was the Comic-Con museum. But there are plenty of others to choose from. We grabbed lunch at Panama 66 and their food was excellent.

easy walking distance (which means you can park at one spot and visit about a dozen sites. The park was part of the 1915 Panama Exhibition and the buildings are architectural wonders on their own. Get a map (& a Go City Pass) and spend pretty much the entire day (or two!) visiting all of the wonderful museums, sites, the zoo, & open space in this lovely "urban" park.

Beautiful, expansive park. I enjoyed walking around and there are soo many museums and activities here. My only caveat is the size. I was on a city tour so this was one of our stops, but I would either invest in a city tour, a good transit map or a car rental if you are from out of town. I highly recommend spending an entire day in Balboa park.

We had an afternoon, but you could spend a week and not see it all. There were over 1800 acres, bigger than central park New York, and very easy to traverse. Lots of free parts and some purchase to enter parts. The rose garden, Japanese garden and desert area were breathtaking. At one free museum (donation accepted) there was a short film of how the park was started and why. Very informative and short duration.

Made it to this landmark on 2nd visit to San Diego in March 2023. Took us a pleasant 20 to 24 mins walk from our hotel in the GasLamp district. Definitely worth a visit. As it was a Sunday , an open air market attracted a good crowd. Don't miss The Globe (theatre), Spanish Art Music, cafe and just pleasant to sit and soak up the sun.

Balboa Park has something for everyone, even some free museums. Don't be in a rush here and study a map so you know which museums you want to visit. Most charge an admission fee, but some are free.

Not many people helpful. A lot of the attractions were under construction, including that main picture.

Nice park with a lot of beautiful buildings, unfortunately almost all of them closed. Both art museums are closed (for a new exhibition) even though they officially announced they are opening on 15 June 2021, the Natural History Museum is closed middle of the week - on Wed and Thu when all others are supposed to be open, the Japanese Garden and its Tea shop closed at 5 pm in a day when it was supposed to close at 7 pm, not many places to eat or have a coffee. Sad visit; only nature :)

Toured the Japanese Garden which was very pretty - loved the huge koi in the pond - and had a tasty lunch at the tea house. Really enjoyd the Spanish Village Art Center - many talented artists working and selling a variety of hand-made items,

Balboa Park could easily take three days--from the Zoo, to the Natural History Museum, Cultural Village, Japanese Friendship garden, Botanical Garden, and many other small museums. Especially fun on a Saturday,

A place I would have liked to have stayed longer. Very beautiful buildings and a high concentration of museums and other activities. You can easily spend a whole day here.

Lots of people on the weekends! The garden was closed but everything else was open. Tons of stuff to see, cool pics to take, museums were interesting as well.

These concerts on Sunday afternoon and on Monday nights (during the summer) are not to be missed. 1st class all the way. Check out Spreckel's Organ Society for more information.

When we got out of the Uber we thought we were in Barcelona, but all the palm trees made us think twice.
Beautiful Spanish architecture in every direction.
Heaps of different museum’s & gorgeous gardens with plenty of amenities.
We barely scratched the surface of the park in our 4 hour visit. You’ll need at least one full day here to experience a little of all it has to offer.
We managed to spend some quality time in the tranquil Japanese Friendship Garden ($16 USD per adult). So peaceful.
We’ll definitely be back to take in other areas of this massive Balboa Park precinct.

Beautiful park with a lot to see. We spent the first half of the day in the park, feels like better than a botanical garden just walking around. We went to the zoo, the zoo was huge. Had a great day there.

We took my granddaughters to the Play Area side of Balboa Park and enjoyed a picnic in the park. Great place to take the kids and enjoy the beautiful lush grass, trees and surroundings.

Balboa Park was once truly the jewel of San Diego. Museums, gardens, artists and musicians, miles of trails, sports venues, outdoor festivals, even a zoo. It is still that - barely. But the overall experience of being in the park has deteriorated significantly. The past few years, the infrastructure has crumbled, outdoor spaces are deteriorating, sidewalks cracked, filthy, and unkept. The stench of human and animal waste, unhoused individuals sleeping/lying along the main promenades. We have lived in San Diego many years. The park was always one of our favorite places to take visitors - they were always so impressed. Now, we're embarrassed and find ourselves apologizing or simply taking visitors somewhere else. We used to love walking in the park early in the morning, often sitting on a bench to enjoy our surroundings. Now between the stench and discomfort avoiding sleeping persons, we walk quickly through. It's a shame. I don't understand the park's administration, but I assume the neglect is due to the incompetence of the San Diego City government. Taxes are so high here, that it certainly cannot be lack of money! One look at downtown and nearby Hillcrest confirms that San Diego is no longer America's Finest City.

There is so much to do in the park. And the park is huge!

We visited on a day when the international village houses were open and it was a great experience.

They have a huge organ and each Sunday there is a free concert. We stayed to listen and it was entertaining.

Lots of walking so wear comfortable shoes.

The park itself is free. Parking is free and there are several lots all around the park. Make sure you know where you are going before you park. It could be a long walk. There is a tram. We did not take so I’m not sure if there is a cost.

There are several museums and places to get food inside the park.

The park is huge, but the main areas centre around the museum area. There is a lovely atmosphere just wondering around and taking in the sites. The building architecture is beautiful and gives the area a very European feel to it.

There are 17 museums to explore and several lovely gardens. Most museums are close to each other, but where some are a distance away there is a free caterpillar train to ride.

The museums are quite expensive to visit so it certainly helped to get 50% off the entrance fees when we visited.

I would especially recommend the Japanese garden, cactus garden (free).

Balboa park is basically a place to walk and hang around, there are stalls of food everywhere. For those who are from Mexico City it will remind you of Coyoacán, people walking around, children playing, street performers and such. I guess the best day is a Saturday or Sunday, didn't go in weekdays but my guess is that there isn't nearly as much activity. People are taking pictures, be quinceañera pictures, wedding pictures and such.

Beautiful park. I could have spent all day just walking through the gardens. Staff was very helpful and friendly. The gardens were beautiful and a great way to spend the day and to grab lunch.

What a great place, decided to stop in on our way out of SD.

Lovely buildings museums and arts etc.

Really well thought out, fabulous trees and shrubs and plenty of parking - if you get there early.

Stunning and peaceful

The Georgie O-keefe Art presentation currently ongoing at San Diego museum of art ..tremendous exceptional timeless works of art displayed in the O-keefe frameworks of sections.

Really fun place to spend the day. The Japanese Garden is the finest we have ever seen! Loads of food options. Loved seeing all ages of people—and dogs—here.

We walked around Balboa Park and it was very chill. San Diego wether is super nice as you know and this park is matching with it. Totally fun time !

We went on a Wednesday. Not a good day to go. We were interested in 2 museums. We were told one was closed but the other was open. Wrong, neither were open. We got that information from the information people at the park. We even double checked to see if the museum opened later, it didn't. The one thing we did like was the palm tree canyon, but that isn't for everyone. I think we were just desperate to find anything to enjoy by that time.

There are so many things to do. If you are a plant lover, the botanical gardens is a must see. There are the various museums to check out, the evening concerts, and the many retail shops. The arts and crafts shops are one of a kind art pieces. You can spend an entire day there.

Several museums and the architecture is so beautiful, a festival was also being held while we were there. So many people in the park just hanging out!

San Diego locals and visitors are so lucky to have this great park right in the heart of the City. It’s free to enter and to park. With over 10 museums to visit (you do have to pay to enter them mostly), great architecture, several coffee places, fountains, gardens and the zoo, it’s well worth a visit - we went twice!!

I love Balboa Park because you can walk around and do so much sightseeing. It was busy the weekend that I visited, but I did get to visit the Museums in the area.

Ok! Let's start with this park is Huge! Think Central Park in NYC or Fairmount Park in my hometown (Philly)...spread out and many...many things to see and do! Once I understood that concept it helped me release the idea that I would see ALL THE SITES offered by this wonderful park!

You can spend hours/days..if you choose..so come with a plan-figure out how you want to spend time there so you fill satisfied vs. overwhelmed!

I will keep this park on my to-do list whenever I visit San Diego! It is so many beautiful things to view...pace yourself and enjoy!

n San Diego, we spent one afternoon in Balboa park, which is a beautiful 1,200 acre public park, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
We saw many beautiful buildings of Mexican and Hispanic styles, especially Spanish Village Art Center, as well as the wonderful Botanic building with lily pond in the foreground. We also visited the Timken Museum; there are also many other museums.
Balboa park is a green paradise in San Diego, with many activities for families and children, such as the minitiature railway and the carroussel! Unfortunately, we did not have enough time to visit the famous zoo of San Diego in Balboa park!!!

Balboa Park is a magnificent place you must visit in San Diego. Many Museums can be visited in one spot to know the history of California. I have visited 3 museums: San Diego Natural Museum History, Rail road Museum and Museum of photographic arts.

Good for families with kids.

Museums and businesses follow typical business hours such as 9-4 (check website for details) so we missed when things were open, but still had a fun time walking around! There were large Christian christmas manequins set up, were still able to see a beautiful fountain, and a Dr. Seuss Christmas tree, and admire the architecture of the buildings. If you go after hours, be aware that there will be homeless people resting around the park- they kept to themselves.

Balboa Park covers about 1,200 acres and is a must see for anyone visiting San Diego. Balboa Park area includes no only the San Diego Zoo, but many museums such as the Nateral History Museum, Museum of Us, Japanese Friendship Garden, Air and Space Museum, Art Museum andThe Car Museum to name a few. It also is the home of the Parado Restaurant and also Spreckel's Organ Pavillion, which plays music every Sunday afternoon at 2 PM. They also provide several additional eateries throughout the park. The area is beautiful, safe and a good place to spend time learning about our world, other worlds and we as humans and how we live in this world. Another highly recommended place to visit and explore in San Diego.

Balboa Park has everything. If you can't find fun, interesting things here, have someone take your pulse - you are in a coma. Honestly, we spent 2 days there and could have easily spent another three days. Sooooo much to do and say. Everything is top notch. There are entry fees to some activities but they are justified in my mind. A lot of walking and some places wouldn't work for folks of low mobility. A national treasure of gardens, museums and so, so much more. Go, you'll love it.

San Diego has to be forever thankful that the park's wonder buildings and gardens, built for the Panama Exposition in 1915 was saved from the wrecking ball. It is a wonder of museums, gardens, cultural attractions and walking pleasures.

The park offers so much to see and is the entry to the San Diego Zoo. There is a welcome center to give a preview of what's available.

It is a beautiful park. Lots to see and do. Easy to walk around. Interesting architecture and museums.

We just came to explore and enjoyed it. What a beautiful place! We didn’t want to spend any money, so we just walked around, but we and our teens all really liked it!

It was cold and windy. Outdoor activities were less than pleasant. We will go back sometime when the the weather is better

Allow 2-3 hours (in addition to 2.5 hours for the San Diego Zoo) to stroll the perfectly manicured grounds of the famous Balboa Park. You won't regret it.

We spent half a day in this fantastic park with its wonderful Spanish architecture, numerous galleries, eateries, fountains and museums (most of which were free).
Don't miss the huge fig tree.

Took the bus from the gas lamp quarter, was really easy and cheap, only$2.50 each way and stopped right outside. This is all large park with plenty to see so be prepared for plenty of walking.

Took my grandson, he rode 2 rides and we walked around. Nice time. We were able to park fairly close but at times, I am sure it would be hard to find parking.

We always like to visit Balboa Park when we are in San Diego. There's so much to see and do. There's museums, gardens, and places to eat. The architecture of the buildings is very impressive. The Park is very large, and you can easily spend a whole day here.

Maybe it was the post covid recovery, but the outside areas needed to be cleaner and some places were closed. The Art museum was so so compared to others we've been to. The Space and Aviation museum was fun. Next door is the Automotive museum. It was small but the cars were interesting to see. More newer cars than the antiques we were looking forward to seeing.

We loved Balboa Park. It is so lovely and restorative. We spent a whole afternoon there, although you could easily spend the whole day if you visit all of the museums. My favorite museum was the "This is Us" museum. This museum was full of diverse history of various peoples and various ways we can all work together to make this world a better place. I loved it.
We also enjoyed the International Houses where the Ukraine and the Puerto Rican House were opened. We learned that more houses are open on weekends but there were there on a week day.

There is a lot to see and do here.
Japanese garden (entry fee) is worth visiting - beautifully done.
Palm Canyon was very pretty.
All of the building are really interesting architecture.
Spanish village has really interesting local craft shops.
Fountains galore.
Cactua garden. Rose garden.
The huge organ was a bit of a disappointment as it was covered up.
Loads upon loads of museums to visit.
You can easily spend a full day here if you are museum goers and still not see everything.

Love the architecture, grounds and variety of museums to explore. Even better, the San Diego Zoo is here too!

Balboa Park is a must-visit if you're in San Diego! The atmosphere is peaceful, and it’s perfect for a leisurely stroll, but can be a little hard to find parking.

This park is bigger than Central Park in NYC. It contains the San Diego Zoo, several theaters and restaurants, museums, and recreational areas. We loved investigating all of the buildings our walk about.

Take the free tram and check out all the parks area. You have to pay to see any museums except the Timkins museum. Beautiful grounds!

Balboa Park is a huge park that us open 24/7 for walking and expliring the outdoor areas with different hours for each venue of art, fun, and restaurants. We spent time at the Spanish village Art Center to find a wealth of local artisans hawking their talents through their creations. We found fiber arts of clothing, bags, wall adornments, and creature creations. Lots of jewelry. Each artisan unique, wood craft, painting media of oil, drawings, and acrylic. The no pressure attitude added to a relaxing inmersión in art
Accessible entry and exit with no doors. Be aware that the ground is beautiful large times that are slightly uneven.
Accessible restrooms with grab bars and 5ftx5ft areas
Free van accessible parking in main lot that gets filled quickly even on week days. The parking is a slight walk to center
The Visitor Center offers info on park attractions, volunteer opportunities, and tours

I mentioned in the Automotive Museum, that my wife loves museums and to hear that there so many there we were excited. Upon getting there we're very excited at the beautiful architecture. Save your money though, the museums are all pretty underwhelming, and the best way of playing this would be to bring your own beverage and soak in the beauty of the park and skip the restaurants and museums.

There is so much to see. Parking is free. The planes go overhead and seem really low. Spent hours here.

You need a good pair of shoes - this place is huge... They were doing some maintenance on the buildings and my feeling was - its been closed for covid, why didn't they do the work then?

We had time to kill before our flight so we spent several hours touring this park. The museums are great and the floral gardens are very peaceful.

There is so much to do at this park. Each activity is a must-do, and the grounds are kept very neat. You can do a little here or you can do a lot here!

This is a really special park. Full of a wide range of interesting museums, historic buildings, cafes and, of course the well laid out park itself. On top, for those that have time, there is the vast zoo.

I spent a good part of a day at the Park and enjoyed it enormously. The Spanish colonial revival is simply amazing. A nice surprise was the art museum, which housed works by Rubens, Van Eyck, Veronese and more. Coming from New England, seeing roses in bloom was a treat. I meant to go back the next day to see the zoo, but we had a lot of rain. Too bad.

Beautiful place. Interesting. Great for kids too.
Lot to see, do and enough restaurants and restrooms.
Lot of shade while exploring

Great walk around a beautiful park, from the Spanish village though to El Prado, some great museums and restaurants within fantastic Spanish buildings.

Only spent an hour or so, not much to do in January with 20 & 21-year-olds because rides, etc. were closed.

My wife and I needed to kill some time and wanted to see some 18th century art works from Europe. We were told they were there and we were both anxious to see it. When we got there some of the museum was down for construction and we paid extra for another exhibit that turned out to almost be all Iran and India. We were very disappointed in our experience. So far San Diego has proven to be one big money pit. Balboa Park was a $300 day and we only experience 20% of it. The Zoo is $70.00 each so we passed on that one.

Absolutely stunning park and buildings..easily 3 hours there, strolling, having a coffee etc
This and Old Town were our favourite places in San Diego

There is a lot to see here, so be sure to go early so you can get to see the best parts. The crowds start showing up around noon, and from then on its super busy. But still a fun place to people watch (lots of street entertainment). We rented the electric scooters to get around and it was so much fun! I never would have been able to walk all those grounds in the 3-4 hours we were there.

Large pedestrian area where there are some museums, next to the San Diego Zoo.
Perhaps because San Diego and the surrounding areas offer so much, it is not an attraction that has aroused particular interest.
The Museum of Photographic Arts turned out to be a bit of a disappointment.
Parking spaces present along the perimeter of the area.

the family really enjoyed the visit to the balboa Park, a lot of beautiful plants that is difficult to find in another places!

I helped my daughter relocate to San Diego last June and took a little time to explore her new home with her & her boyfriend. One of my favorite places was Balboa Park. There are many free things to do, as well as restaurants, museums & markets. We spent several hours wandering around, checking out the Japanese Friendship Garden, had lunch at Prodo and went to the Museum of us. Could have spent hours more. I can't wait to go back.

First of all, just walk around and look at the breathtaking architecture ( get a paper map and you will know what you are looking at.)Even better, go on free tour Tuesday and Friday 11am. Many buildings are from the 1915 Panama- California Exposition. Then plan to go to some of the 15+ museums, some have free days. Gift shops and Spanish Village artisan shops are fabulous for shopping. So much beauty and history in one place, the park is huge. Many restaurants too.

This is an amazing, beautiful park with soo much to do. There is the beautiful park itself, numerous museums, a theater, an outdoor amphitheater, a Japanese friendship garden and a whole lot more. I would recommend arriving early to have an easier time finding parking. Also, read online what is open that day and during what time.

We were here over 10 years ago with our kids and had an awesome time. We were very excited to go here when we were back in the area. However, the site which greeted us with not nice. There were many homeless people within the park with some blocking you from walking into the museums or down a side walk. They were sleeping /camping in many of the main areas. We tried to walk a few of the trails but there was so much litter. We did not go into any of the museum as the one we came to see was being renovated. It was just a very sad situation. This was a great little spot for families and I am unsure what the solution to this crisis is.

he Balboa park area is a great place to come and let your kids be kids, explore some art, go for a walk, we saw a couple having a picnic, and maybe even someone breaking up.

We came here on a Sunday and it was pretty busy.

There are multiple entrances to this place and you can't go wrong with any of them if you are not going to somewhere specific. We tried parking in their parking lots, but you have to follow someone or get lucky. We parked on street (all free) and walked across the street. As we entered the park there was a kosher hot dog cart, and some vendors here selling homemade/ specialty products.

The park is great to come and chill. We were on one of the last days of our trip and didn't want to spend much money that day, so this was a good outing to walk around in a chill

Such a rich experience, just walking around. There is so much to see even without going into museums. The roses are in full bloom. The artist studios are a wonderful place to visit. We loved the restaurant by the outdoor sculpture garden.

Lovely massive park centrally located in San Diego.

No addmission or parking fees to the park itself.

Lots of free parking lots throughout the park. Be sure to look at a map and choose the one closest to your target destination. (i.e. zoo/museum/attraction) The zoo lot being the understanaby the largest lot in the park.

Lots of attractions throughout the west side of the park, including the San Diego Zoo which is located in the northwest corner of the park as well as lots of museums. Although we did enjoy the zoo...we found some of the museums to be a bit overpriced. If you are interesting in seeing a few (or all) of them...their Explorer Pass may be of interest to you. Also look out for other discounts including Resident, AAA, EBT or ASTC discounts for any attraction you decide to visit.

The east side of the park contains some recreational complexes and areas as well as a large golf course.

There are also lots of small shops and vendors throughout the park. A great way to spend a nice day...combine an attraction or two with a walk through the park.

We took a quick and easy bus from downtown to the park. When we left, we walked all the way back to the gaslight district and it was pretty much ALL downhill and a very pleasant walk! And, we are old!

The park was well maintained and interesting. We couldn't get into some places because they were closed or closing.

Sadly (for me) the three people I was with were bored, so that ruined my enjoyment. Some day, I hope to go back alone.

Balboa Park is a treasure of San Diego. It has something for everyone. We spent all day, walking around, visiting museums and gardens. All the buildings are beautiful and designed very well.
We took a free tram to get around the park at the beginning of the day for the orientation.
We really enjoyed the Spanish Art Center and the Japanese Friendship Garden.

It's a really cool park with soooo much to offer, so go explore, relax, look around, snack, and enjoy!

We really had great time in the park . It was my third time over there every single time it gives my different feelings . Recommended

Great times at the park from the zoo, museums, gardens, and lively community engagement for a grand time at the famous Balboa Park.

Spent the whole day here walking around and had a lovely lunch. The museums are great, but the architecture and outdoor areas are just as nice.

Balboa Park has so many museums, gardens, and landscaping to see, it really takes a day to experience. We only had time for the Air and Space Museum after the Zoo and were sorry we did not allocate more time. The park is next to the zoo, but depending on what you want to visit you probably want to drive closer than the zoo parking lot.

This place has wonderful scenery and historic buildings. My fiance and I went to kill time and had a good time. It was the 4th of July, so not a lot was open, but we still enjoyed the views!

Balboa Park is the shining star of San Diego. We arrived early in the morning at 8:00am, still being on East Coast time, and had the whole place to ourselves for an hour and a half before anything really opened. We really enjoyed walking through the gardens (including the Alcazar garden, the rose garden, and the desert garden) and admiring the architecture, and walking along the short Palm Canyon Trail. After things got going/open, we visited the Japanese garden, which has a separate paid entry fee, and it was really stunning with the cherry blossoms in bloom (third week of March). The botanical building was a bit underwhelming, but it was great to just walk through the various plazas and squares and see so many nice things for free. Parking was ample at a number of different parking lots.

So many options of things to do and see here. Lots of museums of all kinds but fun to just walk around, too.

We spent two days here walked over 4 miles the 1st day and over 3 miles the 2nd. The land for the park was saved in the 1800s when only 2,000 plus people lived here. It is 2nd only to Central Park. The Spanish architecture and flora is absolutely breathtaking. The museums were fabulous and you are allowed to take photos everywhere. DO NOT miss the Spanish Village. I have never seen such beautiful art in one place in my life. The best place we ate at was El Prado. The Visitors Center was fabulously helpful.

This is such a wonderful gem of a space for San Diego! Gorgeous everywhere we went. Enjoyed the San Diego Zoo, Lilly Pond, Evenson Fountain, and Rose Garden. I wish we had more time to spend there to visit some museums, have a picnic, or enjoy more gardens. I hope to be back!

Balboa Park has wonderful art, science, natural history, and cultural museums, and a must-see world-class model railroad museum as well (in Casa de Balboa).

We visited on a Sunday, and there was a lot going on in this huge park! There were food and craft vendors, artist demonstrations and sales, street performers, an organ concert... That's all in addition to the regular museums and gardens. The architecture is wild! We visited the Museum of Us, the Automotive Museum, the rose garden, the desert garden, the international cottages, and the Spanish art village. That, along with all the walking in between, tired us out. We were only in San Diego for a few days and had just the one day to explore Balboa Park. It'd probably be better to experience it a little at a time over several visits.

The museum is lovely and so is the sunken Japanese garden. Best of all, Parking is free. Check out the hawkers and you may take a treasure home.

Wow. I cannot wait to return and ACTUALLY have the full Balboa Park experience. We spent a few hours here taking grad pictures in the public gardens and it felt like a little, perfect Europe. We did not get the chance to to any museums or restaurants, but I will certainly be returning to do so. Lots of live music, color, shops, cafes, nature, and art…the perfect place to explore for a few days on your SD trip!

This park cultural district is a marvelous place to visit; highly recommended for first time visitors to San Diego. So much to see and do: attractions and parks such as SD Zoo, Japanese Friendship Garden, Palm Canyon, just to name a few, all within short walking distance from each other. And over a dozen museums covering all sorts of subjects, many housed in majestic hundred-year old Spanish Renaissance style buildings in the vicinity of the Plaza de Panama. There’s so much history behind these beautifully preserved architectural landmarks. Or just find a relaxing spot outside the Mingei Museum, sip an iced chai latte from the Craft Cafe, and people watch. It’s wonderful that parking is free.

Spend an afternoon here including the free Sunday concert on the amazing organ. Lovely buildings and gardens. There were also lots of street activities. The artists area near zoo a calm oasis.

Lovely park to wander, don't miss the dessert oasis. All museums are easy to access. Rather a shame there are so many street vendors to spoil the views.

My husband and I really enjoyed spending the afternoon at Balboa Park and it truly is a gem in this beautiful city.
It wasn’t at all crowded and the weather was perfect.
We spent quite a bit of time going through the Natural History Museum and The San Diego History Museum.
We had a light dinner at The Prada at Balboa Park.
We were only in San Diego for 4 days on this trip, but we have been here several times in the past and it’s one of our favorite cities to visit.
We are older so we were really glad they run shuttles to the parking lots.

I forgot that I had been to Balboa park. In truth it is gateway to gorgeous museums with world class art exhibits and a promenade for gorgeous vegetation. We spent most of our time in the world of Giant trees and meandered through the cactus garden. In truth we probably would not have made it to these places if the botanical gardens were open. With that in mind, it was a real treat. The downside was that lots of the park was closed for construction and private events. I wish websites would give indications of that scenario. Still, loved my visit.

Really fun to walk through. Had some excellent dumplings and churros. Just wish we had more time to see all the museums/attractions surrounding the park!! We did hit the art museum, and that was great. So was the fountain area and especially the rose and cactus gardens across the bridge. WOW!

Brilliant place to visit with so much to see and do. We went twice! We particularly enjoyed the Rose and Cactus gardens. There are lots of interesting museums to enjoy and artisan shops to explore. There's a lot of parking everywhere if you prefer not to walk.

There are so many options in the park, from museums, the zoo, to gardens and parks in the park. San Diego is li=ucky to have such an amazing place!

This park has a host of tings to see and do. This is my first visit to the park but I have visited the zoo last year.

Pros.

Free parking
Free places to visit in the park - gardens and museums.

Cons

Non experienced

Probably the nicest park we have been to. You need at least a full day and you still will not see all that this park has to offer. Reminds me of a worlds fair. My favort was the air and space museum.

So much to see and worth taking the time to go visit. While some of the areas aren't accessible due to the pandemic, many areas are.

Even though it was raining, this was still a great walk through numerous attractions and gardens. Parking was a challenge since it was a holiday.

wow again started at the fountain and walked down loads to see and go into museums we went into the modern art museum great, a couple more museums to see ,the gardens very nice, the organ area sat down and listened to it play, a few days is needed if you go each museums, lily pond very nice. a nice place to see.

Don't leave San Diego without seeing this incredible tribute to the history and heritage of San Diego.

Lots of deterioration with homeless and scary drug addicts harassing people in the middle of the day. We saw human poop, of leash dogs and smelled urine. It was so dirty and trashed, and has turned into a ghetto.

Like most of San Diego, it was invaded by crazy homeless people. We had to pass several sleeping homeless with their precious belongs scattered around. Then there was the homeless guy on his bike talking loudly to himself riding inside the buildings and another one who was bathing in a fountain.

A fun way to spend the day or a few days exploring the park. You can hike, check out museums, and dine at one do the coolest restos.

This is such a great place to visit. The rose garden is lovely. It's huge and there's much to see. You can spend the whole day here. We did go on a Monday and most of the museums were closed but we did enjoy walking around seeing the gardens & just hanging out. We also enjoyed the Globe area where the arts and plays are held. We grabbed a snack at the coffee shop open which was quite good. It was connected to the Folk art gift shop which also had a few pieces to see. The best thing about it was free. We loved it and the Rose garden alone was a stand out. You will definitely get your steps in visiting this very large area.

Beautiful urban park with a zoo, museums, pool, velodrome, dog park and miniature train. Easy parking.

It's a homeless venue. Begging for money at every corner. Don't waste your time. Tourist trap. Bring pizza and feed the birds.

Visited San Diego twice but didn't visit this place as it was not reviewed this much. But after visiting this park, I believe this place deservs number one or two in must see list. It will take at least full one day to cover the museums, ticketed and free and the houses, the roads, gardens. Its really amazing. But lot os walking.

Walk through their rose garden -- exceptionally good varieties. With museums closed, there isn't much else to do here.

I love going to Balboa Park for the museums, restaurants and beautiful historic buildings! Perfect place to spend a few hours or a few days!

I always try to visit Balboa Park when I have free time in San Diego as there’s always something there I haven’t seen before. This is the first time I’ve walked from downtown (ca 45 minutes from Petco Park) and found it a nice jaunt to start my day. We only strolled the Prada after enjoying the rose and desert gardens but it was still a lovely way to spend a few hours chatting with family in a beautiful setting.

Great park, so much to see and to do, lots of low cost and free options. we loved wandering around and took lots of pictures.
it was very hot
you have to bring and drink a tons of water
alot of walking so use sunscreen and use a hats or umbrella!
This place is perfect for family
alot of spot for picnic too

Last afternoon of the holiday and we walked round visiting a couple of the attractions - don’t miss this as there should be something for everyone.

We spent a few hours wander the grounds here at Balboa Park. There are a number of museums to visit (at a cost) but be aware some close on particular days, sadly the one we got excited about when we saw the sign was closed. The area is quite popular but there are a number of parking lots available, if your willing to walk a bit. You really can spend as little or as long as you like here.

The Spanish art village is gorgeous. The Botanical gardens so pretty. fun amusement rides for kiddies.

This place is sketch...lots of homeless people (which is very sad). Not what I expected. I wouldn't go here alone, definitely wouldn't go at night.

The flowers everywhere were simply amazing. Beautiful park to spend a few hours at. The only downside was that only a few of the attractions were open. We were there on a Monday, and only 3 places to eat.

Park staff are few and far between, unfortunately, because the map is cute, confusing and too small, and in-park signage is maddeningly confusing. Animals at the Zoo are great to see, but their cages and enclosures are inferior to those at the Bronx Zoo. Your simply can't take advantage of all there is to see on foot, or even find the various venues without asking for help.