Balboa Park is better than ever. Going strong for over 150 years, the 1,200-acre urban oasis is one of a kind, filled with experiences and institutions just waiting to be explored. Appreciate fine art, get your hike on, and hunt for hidden gems in the city’s crown jewel. Museums, monuments, special events, entertainment, gardens, and green space galore— Balboa Park has something for everyone. So say buh-bye to the beaches and head to San Diego’s home for culture, nature, food, and fun. Here are five ways to experience the sights and sounds of Balboa Park.
San Diego Museum of Art
1. PLAN A MUSEUM MARATHON
Balboa Park is filled with must-see exhibits, so hit a handful before you head home. Take a day (or more) to see what’s new at Balboa Park’s 17 world-class cultural institutions. Marvel at the flora and fauna of our neighbors to the south at the Natural History Museum’s Expedition Baja exhibit. Learn about the mechanics of flight and other modes of transportation (and ride a hovercraft!) at the Fleet Science Center, then head to the Air & Space Museum to see a diverse collection of aircraft and spacecraft. The San Diego Museum of Art is always a hit, and its collections are sure to make an impression. Don’t miss San Diego artist Marianela de la Hoz’s pandemic-inspired Paintings from the Confinement.
2. ENJOY A PERFORMANCE IN THE PARK
On any given day, you’ll find a variety of live entertainment here, ranging from independent musicians playing for passers-by to top-tier stage productions. San Diego Junior Theatre will perform the hits of ’80s group the Go-Gos in Head Over Heels starting July 29, and The Old Globe will intersperse its summer Shakespeare lineup with the hip-hop musical Freestyle Love Supreme and the classic thriller Dial M for Murder. Also, keep an eye out for San Diego Civic Organist Raúl Prieto Ramírez: He performs free Sunday concerts at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, home to the largest outdoor pipe organ in the world.
3. HIKE BALBOA PARK’S 65 MILES OF TRAILS
The trails range from kid-friendly paved paths that meander through well-known areas to challenging treks best for hardcore hikers. Get the best of both worlds on the 3.7-mile Orange Trail, accessible from the Park Boulevard Trails Gateway. Several of Balboa Park’s trails, including one that starts at Morley Field Dog Park, are great for your four-legged hiking buddies too.
Panama 66
4. EAT, DRINK, AND BE MERRY
There are plenty of places to grab a beer and a bite in Balboa Park. Stop by Panama 66 at the San Diego Museum of Art for an eclectic array of live music, local craft beer, and tasty eats. Or if you’re looking for a high-end excursion, make a reservation at The Prado in the House of Hospitality. On Friday nights, Balboa Park buzzes with afterhours eats: Food Truck Fridays bring more than a dozen gourmet food trucks and live entertainment to the Plaza de Panama and El Prado walkway.
5. TAKE AN ARCHITECTURE TOUR
Much of Balboa Park’s Spanish Renaissance–style architecture, including the Botanical Building, the California Tower, and the Cabrillo Bridge, was built when San Diego hosted the 1915 Panama–California Exposition. The Old Globe theater, the International Cottages, and the Spanish Village were built ahead of a second exposition in 1935. Take a walk around the park and see if you can spot the different types of architecture, or tag along on an architectural heritage tour, held at 11 a.m. on the first and third Friday of every month. And don’t miss the opportunity to take a spin on the 1910 Herschell-Spillman menagerie carousel. It’s one of just a handful left in the world that still features the brass ring game.
PLACES WE LOVE IN BALBOA PARK
THE SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF ART
Sisley Monet to Matisse
Located in the heart of Balboa Park, the San Diego Museum of Art is the region’s largest and most visited art museum. The permanent collection features European old masters, Asian art, American art, modern and contemporary painting and sculpture, and the world-famous Edwin Binney 3rd Collection of Indian and South Asian manuscript illustrations. The museum regularly features major exhibitions of art from around the world and hosts engaging experiences that invite visitors to explore art through music, dance, film, food, and so much more. Currently on view, visit Monet to Matisse: Impressionist Masterpieces from the Bemberg Foundation (open through August 7; $5 surcharge) to see work from some of the most significant names in European painting, including Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, Pablo Picasso, Alfred Sisley, and Pierre Bonnard. Also on view, step into TERRA: Fernando Casasempere (open through September 5) to contemplate four immersive installations of clay sculpture that highlight the urgency of today’s environmental crisis. Visit today to be inspired, learn something new, and spark your curiosity through great works of art.
1450 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 | sdmart.org | 619-232-7931
HOURS: Monday–Tuesday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.; Wednesday closed; Thursday–Saturday 10:00 a.m.– 5:00 p.m.; Sunday noon–5:00 p.m.
FLEET SCIENCE CENTER
IMAX
Curious minds call the Fleet Science Center their favorite museum experience. With more than 100 interactive exhibits, the Fleet busts the “do not touch” convention wide open, inviting guests not only to touch, but to build, create, and design. In the newly renovated Heikoff Giant Dome Theater—the world’s first IMAX Dome Theater— visitors can become immersed in a documentary film adventure that showcases the wonders of our planet and beyond. In addition to having immersive experiences throughout the museum for individuals and families to enjoy, the Fleet inspires communities, schools, and science organizations to explore and discover the world through science. Learn more at fleetscience.org.
1875 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 | fleetscience.org | 619-238-1233
HOURS: Open daily 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
SAN DIEGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
Expedition Baja Natural History Museum
This summer, get a glimpse into the beautiful biodiversity of the Baja California peninsula— without leaving Balboa Park—when The Nat debuts its newest exhibition. Expedition Baja invites visitors to explore the peninsula and follow researchers on their quest to conserve its wild beauty. Featuring museum specimens, immersive imagery, and stories about binational collaboration, the exhibition brings to life one of the most incredible regions in the world. Paid admission includes access to all exhibitions and films in the Subaru Giant Screen Experience, including Ocean Oasis, The Story of Earth, and Dinosaurs of Antarctica.
1788 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 | sdnat.org | 619-232-3821
HOURS: Friday–Tuesday 10 a.m.–4 p.m. (closed Wednesday and Thursday). Extended hours until 10 p.m. on Fridays this summer.
SAN DIEGO JUNIOR THEATRE
Junior Theatre
San Diego Junior Theatre is the oldest youth theatre in the nation, offering affordable camps, classes, and outreach programs for children ages 3 to 17; as well as six mainstage productions each season. Students gain confidence, learn leadership, practice teamwork, and build a skill set—not only for a theatre stage, but for the larger stage of the real world. Junior Theatre is committed to promoting inclusion on their stages, in their classrooms, and in their audience, and strives to provide high-quality educational curricula and theatre productions that are accessible to all children—a place where everyone feels safe, welcomed, and represented, regardless of race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, or disability.
1650 El Prado, Casa del Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 | juniortheatre.com | 619-239-1311
HOURS: Monday–Thursday 10 a.m.–6 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m.–5 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday 9 a.m.–2 p.m.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
THROUGHOUT 2022
GALILEO: SPACE VISIONARY AT THE SAN DIEGO AIR & SPACE MUSEUM
The GALILEO: Space Visionary special exhibition at the San Diego Air & Space Museum explores the secrets of Galileo’s groundbreaking science through interactive experiments and exhibits.
2001 Pan American Plaza San Diego, CA 92101 | sandiegoairandspace.org/galileo
5/20 – 8/7
MONET TO MATISSE AT THE SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF ART
On view now through August 7, Monet to Matisse features more than 60 masterpieces from some of the most significant names in European painting, including Paul Cézanne, Edgar Degas, Claude Monet, Henri Matisse, Berthe Morisot, and Pablo Picasso.
1450 El Prado San Diego, CA 92101 | sdmart.org
Natural History Museum at night
5/27–9/2
NAT AT NIGHT AT THE SAN DIEGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM
On Fridays this summer, The Nat stays open till 10 p.m., offers trivia nights on select dates, and opens their rooftop for views, cold beverages, and small plates from Wolf in the Woods, one of San Diego’s best new restaurants. Plus, admission is half price after 4 p.m.
1788 El Prado, Casa del Prado San Diego, CA 92101 | 619-232-3821 | sdnat.org/nat-at-night
6/21–8/26
SUMMER CAMPS AT SAN DIEGO JUNIOR THEATRE
Spend your summer acting, singing, and dancing in beautiful Balboa Park! Junior Theatre has something for all ages and levels of experience. One-week sessions begin June 21 and run through August 26. They also offer two-week intensive conservatory camps for acting and musical theatre. Register today!
1650 El Prado, Casa del Prado San Diego, CA 92101 | 619-239-1311 | juniortheatre.com
6/25
MYSTERY AT THE MUSEUM AT FLEET SCIENCE CENTER
The Fleet Science Center’s annual in-person fundraiser returns Saturday, June 25. Put on your detective’s hat and solve the Mystery at the Museum at this gala event featuring an elegant wine-paired dinner.
1875 El Prado, Casa del Prado San Diego, CA 92101 | fleetscience.org
Balboa Park
