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Balboa Park, San Diego

4.8
#1 of 7,715 in Fun & Games in United States
Must see · Playground · Garden
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An urban park, Balboa Park is home to 490 hectares (1,200 acres) of landscaped gardens, the world-famous San Diego Zoo, recreational spaces, art studios, museums, and theaters. Stroll through the Desert Garden or Japanese Friendship Garden to admire the park's diverse plant and animal life, or tour the San Diego Museum of Art or the Natural History Museum. Take advantage of the park's free tram service to get around. Arrange your visit to Balboa Park and discover more family-friendly attractions in San Diego using our San Diego trip itinerary maker site.
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Balboa Park reviews

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TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.5
13,011 reviews
Google
4.8
TripAdvisor
  • It's a homeless venue. Begging for money at every corner. Don't waste your time. Tourist trap. Bring pizza and feed the birds. 
    It's a homeless venue. Begging for money at every corner. Don't waste your time. Tourist trap. Bring pizza and feed the birds.  more »
  • 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.....  more
    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.....  more »
Google
  • Such a lively place with plenty of foods and music. Great architectural buildings all over. Walking alongside fountains, sculptures, beautiful trees with so many people was a great experience. Nearby places are also amazingly beautiful. Cactus park across the road was superb as well. A very nice walk in well paved sidewalks.
  • If you are visiting San Diego this place is a must see. Bring your walking shoes and get ready to walk through the many Museums, theaters, shops, and wonderful views this place has to offer. It was nothing of what I expected, the Balboa park connects several Cathedral style venues on this wonderful walkways that include the San Diego Zoo, the Natural History Museum and several other museums. We didn't even have time to see everything. There is a tram that takes you to all the parking lots. I went there on a Tuesday and it was very crowded, so weekends must get really packed. I highly recommend this place if you have a day to kill and spend some quality time with the family or significant other. Although I saw many snack vendors, I didn't see many good restaurants so I would recommend bringing some sandwiches or whatever you can bring to eat. There are many areas to sit under the shade and relax on the grass or a bench. We went inside the natural history Museum and paid the admission but was a little disappointed with it. It probably took us around 20 minutes to see the entire Museum, compared to the natural Museum in L.A., this place was very small and was in need of more exhibits. Other than that, I gave Balboa Park an A+ because it really impressed me.

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