Cool Things To Do in Balboa Park, San Diego

From an Empty Plateau to Exposition Worthy

This magnificent park was born in 1868 thanks to civic leaders but didn’t really begin to come together until twenty years later. In 1892, Kate Sessions offered to donate 100 trees per year. She later earned the title “The Mother of Balboa Park” at the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition because of her horticultural impact on the park. More structures were also built for that exposition that still stand today, including Pan American Plaza at the center of the park.

The current name, Balboa Park, was chosen because of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. It was in honor of Spanish-born Vasco Nuñez de Balboa. He was the first European to spot the Pacific Ocean while on exploration in Panama. Balboa Park was simply a more memorable name than the original name, City Park. 

Most of the Spanish-Renaissance style buildings constructed are iconic and easily recognizable in any photo to this day. Even if you didn’t step inside a single museum you could wander for hours enjoying the scenery and architecture. Buildings have ironwork, ornate adornments on the buildings, and are surrounded by mature landscapes.

As a person who has visited Europe and seen older architecture, it is nice to have something that feels older. It has character and takes you out of the “newness” of many west coast cities. 

Zoro Gardens, Nudist Colony Turned Butterfly Garden

Our first stop was Zoro Gardens. It is a gorgeous, secluded, sunken area with butterfly friendly plantings. We tried our best to capture the butterflies with the lens but all the creatures were all blurry. This is definitely a skill to be learned in the future! We also featured an entire post on the Monarch Butterfly Migration in California if you want to learn more.

Interestingly, Zoro Gardens does have an infamous past. It started as a nudist colony created for the 1935 Exposition! The nudists actually had shows and charged for entry, the only nudist colony known to have done this in the U.S..

The Botanical Garden & Lily Pond

Everyone, and I do mean everyone, makes a stop at the lily pond here at Balboa Park. It is actually rare to have an opportunity to grab a shot without visitors! They usually flank either side of the pond, crowd the bridge or linger at the entrance to the botanical gardens. Even with fewer wanderers here during summer of 2020, it took twenty minutes just to grab a shot with as few people as we did this day.

The lily pond is actually full of mature koi which is relaxing, watching them cruising under the lily pads. We have brought the kids here since they were little just to see how many we could see and in which colors. The Botanical Building is a huge lath structure, housing tropical plants year round and seasonal flowers.

A San Diego Yokohama Friendship Garden

There are quite a few little pockets of pretty themed areas. The Japanese Friendship Garden is one of those unexpected Balboa Park gardens. It’s an area you could miss if you weren’t looking for it. Walking down into the area from the entrance, it’s surprising how large it actually is. Don’t be fooled by the modest entrance however.

This garden represents the friendship between Yokohama, Japan and San Diego, California in 1955. There are a variety of plantings, koi ponds, water features and Japanese structures. With educational and serene installations, it’s a quiet area worth visiting.

We didn’t have access to it all because of the COVID closures and the kiddos were all over our past photos. We try not to “out” them on the internet. Here is a direct link to the information on the Balboa Park website with images from inside.

A Walk Among Cactus

Another cool addition to Balboa Park gardens you might not expect is a vibrant cactus garden. It’s located on the western outskirts of the park on a hillside. Because of its elevation, you can catch amazing downtown views while you take in the varieties of cacti. I won’t spoil the surprise but don’t miss this part of the park at sunset, trust me!

During normal times, street performers of all varieties keep families entertained as they explore the park. From magic, to music, painters and more there is usually something happening every twenty feet or so.

Today, we only saw one but he played “itsy-bitsy spider” to the delight of his very young audience (not pictured). These days, finding joy in the simple moments keeps me sane and smiling. I was as delighted as the toddler mesmerized by the baby shark song!

I’ve included another photo from a previous visit. There was a wonderful sound coming from a didgeridoo that kept us captivated for quite some time. It’s not often you hear traditional aboriginal music from down under here in San Diego.

Finally, just walking these halls is cool. The ironwork, stone columns and cool breezes will make you forget your troubles. While we couldn’t explore the museums, this was a fun time. The girls took boomerang or slo-mo videos everywhere!

San Diego Museum of Art

If I had to pick a single building as my utter favorite, the San Diego Museum of Art would top that list. The exterior is highly decorated beautifully from top to bottom. It reminds of churches you might find on the Iberian peninsula. There are full-body sculptures of artists Velázquez, Murillo, and Zurbarán featured.

My images were blurry but I tracked down this close up photo. If you look closely, you can see shields, ships, and more. Every inch is covered with some type iconography.

San Diego Air & Space Museum

The eastern portion of the park has various museums focused on more recent history. Aviation history has and continues to be huge in San Diego. The San Diego Air & Space Museum buildings reflects newer design and has two aircraft at the entrance.

It’s a great place to inspire the kids and even with closures they still offer lots of virtual events. Their virtual programs are terrific if you have a future engineer or aviator in your house. This link will get you to everything they offer, including programs like Girls in Engineering At Home.

Above All, The California Tower

Saving the best for last, the California Tower rises high above Balboa Park. It can be seen from so many vantage points, which was probably the point , right? This structure was born from the Panama-California Exposition as well.

In all honestly, the Balboa Park website lists all the architectural styles including Baroque, Plateresque, Churrigueresque, Rococo, and a bit of Gothic. I particularly love the tiled dome. It sparkles in the sunlight and at sunset the backdrop is drop-the-mic cool! If you ever wonder what to do in Balboa Park just start here.

To close up this post, it is incredibly important to mention that another post will be forthcoming. We’ll dig into all of the museums and give you all the insider tips. If you want a heads up when we publish the next installment, Just shoot us a quick email or follow us on social media to see when it’s published.

Really, there are museum passes, a fabulous restaurant, more featured gardens and a ton more. Did I mention that San Diego Zoo is right next door? It’s in the same area and we walk between the parks with our family passes covering nearly everything.

They have reopened this summer but also feature lots of online entertainment and education. We featured them on a post offering virtual tours, The Best California Destinations Offer Virtual Tours.