5 of the Best Attractions in San Diego’s Balboa Park
San Diego is known for its spectacular beaches and gorgeous weather. While these are indeed excellent reasons to visit, San Diego offers so much more in its downtown area, including Balboa Park.
Located northeast of the Gaslight District, Balboa Park features vast green space and diverse architecture spanning numerous time periods. The park also offers a variety of outdoor activities and museums for individuals of all kinds of interests, from architecture and anthropology to horticulture and contemporary art.
Check out the following list of five of the best things to see and do in San Diego’s Balboa Park.
California Tower
Built for the 1915–16 Panama-California Exposition, California Tower can be seen from afar and stands out as an iconic part of the city’s skyline. The tower is a must-see attraction for architecture lovers, as it features a diverse array of architectural styles, from baroque and churrigueresque to plateresque and rococo.
Visitors can sign up for a 40-minute guided tour that entails climbing the tour’s 125 steps to the eighth-floor viewing deck. This experience offers unparalleled views not only of the park below but also of San Diego, including the Laguna Mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west.
San Diego Zoo
Founded in 1916, the San Diego Zoo has gained recognition not only around the country but also throughout the world. The zoo features some 3,700 animals across more than 650 species and subspecies. In addition to general viewings from the zoo’s numerous paths, the San Diego Zoo features a number of exhibits and special events, including the Inside Look Tour. This two-hour experience gives visitors the rare opportunity to see the zoo from behind the exhibits.
For a hands-on experience, visitors can sign up for the Keeper for a Day program. This program allows visitors to shadow zookeepers as they do their daily work. Participants even get to help prepare food and clean exhibits, an experience that offers a truly unique perspective of the zoo from where the animals live. Finally, for an unbeatable view of the zoo, visitors can ride the Skyfari Aerial Tram, where they can catch a bird’s eye view of the zoo’s plant and animal exhibits.
Japanese Friendship Garden
Created as a symbol of friendship with San Diego’s sister city Yokohama, Japan, the Japanese Friendship Garden features a number of exhibits and programs to instill in visitors an appreciation for Japanese horticulture. The garden was developed according to old Japanese techniques but was adapted to the florae and climate unique to San Diego.
This 12-acre garden features a number of koi ponds, stone arrangements, and sukiya-style buildings, as well as a stunning bonsai garden. Horticulture lovers can even sign up for accredited horticultural classes to learn more about Japanese plants and techniques. Visitors leave with a better understanding of Japanese horticulture and an appreciation for the serenity and simplicity characteristic of Japanese gardens.
Cabrillo Bridge
Like California Tower, Cabrillo Bridge was built for the 1915–16 Panama-California Exposition. Architecture lovers will appreciate the 125-foot-tall bridge, which stands out as Southern California’s first cantilevered bridge with multiple arches. Cabrillo Bridge originally offered pedestrians access to the exposition across Cabrillo Canyon below, which at the time was filled with a man-made lake.
In 1914 Franklin D. Roosevelt, who was Assistant Secretary of the Navy at the time, inaugurated the bridge in an automobile crossing along with Mayor Charles F. O’Neill. He would return as president in 1935 to cross the bridge again during Balboa Park’s second exposition.
Spanish Village Art Center
The Spanish Village Art Center was built in 1935, with buildings and a courtyard built to resemble a small Spanish village for the second California Pacific International Exposition. Two years later, a group of local artists reopened the village, but during World War II it was recommissioned as provisional barracks for the US Army.
In 1947 artists again reclaimed the space as a center to celebrate the arts. Today, the Spanish Village Art Center, featuring colorful tiles and gorgeous studio entryways, is home to more than 200 local artists working in a variety of mediums, from paintings and sculptures to metalwork and ceramics. Visitors can stop by a number of studios to observe artists demonstrating their craft and creative process.
The Spanish Village Art Center also features a variety of rotating exhibitions, as well as semiannual pottery and art glass sales. After viewing the studios and exhibitions, visitors can sit in the colorful courtyard and enjoy the sounds of San Diego’s local musicians.
The above five attractions offer just a glimpse of all that San Diego’s Balboa Park has to offer. Before visiting, be sure to research upcoming events at the park. You’ll find that each season offers something unique in this beautiful central park that represents San Diego’s rich culture and history.
