A Day at Balboa Park – San Diego

Credit: Maribel Reyes

Did you know that Balboa Park will be celebrating the centennial of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition in 2015? Amazing isn’t it?It’s interesting how many people visit Balboa Park on a yearly basis (official city numbers are 12 million people a year) and who wouldn’t with 16 Museums, 16 Gardens, 8 different attractions including the world famous San Diego Zoo? Balboa Park was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977.

Parking is always free and it does not matter if you park near or far from where you plan to be for the day because Balboa Park has its own tram with 7 different stops. Since its first day of operation on April 13^th 1991 it has carried more than 3,816,074 passengers!

There is so much to do and see, enough to keep you entertained for more than a couple of hours and best of all it is excellent for families of any age. It can also be budget friendly. On any given Sunday you will see families enjoy a day at the Park, having a picnic in one of their beautifully kept gardens.

The Timken Museum of Art is a very special one, with its world-class collection of American, Dutch and Flemish, French, Italian and Russian Icon paintings, it is exquisite! Among the artists represented are Rembrandt, Rubens, Fragonard and one of our favorites Albert Bierstadt. Admission is always FREE.

Credit: Maribel Reyes

One of our favorite places to visit at Balboa Park is the Botanical Building; it is one of the most photographed places in the Park. In it you will see cycads, ferns, orchids, palms and my kids’ personal favorite the Venus fly traps. There is also a section with several different aromatic plants for guests to touch and rub between their fingers and smell among those is my personal favorite Lavender. In the Botanical Building you will feel relaxed and serene so make sure you visit it next time you are in Balboa Park.

Balboa Park always has special events that are fun and a learning experience for more information head here

Maribel Reyes and her family visit Balboa Park at least once a month; they enjoy taking walks around the park. To learn more about Maribel and her adventures you find her on her personal blog: Stroller Adventures or follow her on Twitter: @strllradvsocal