Local San Diego I: Discovering Balboa Park
Visitors to San Diego will undoubtedly set foot onto the precious premises of Balboa Park - the green gem and natural retreat of San Diego, and among others, home to the world-famous San Diego Zoo. Yet Balboa Park has an infinite number of attractions, both well-publicized and hidden, and as such, tends to cater to visitors and locals alike. For that reason, Balboa Park constitutes a wonderful meeting point between visitors and locals, where the former become acquainted with true local Southern California hospitality and the latter engage in fruitful exchanges with a vast variety of cultural and artistic impulses in a spectacular and unique natural setting. For that reason, Balboa Park is a main tourist attraction and a treasure off the beaten track in its own right, combining the best of both, most of which is totally free of charge.
For hiking, biking and other outdoor recreational activities, the part of Balboa Park located EAST of FLORIDA DRIVE, MORLEY FIELD, offers the best conditions, including numerous sports facilities as well as hiking and biking trails. The only point of connection to the other side of the park is at MORLEY FIELD DRIVE, which can be used to cross Florida Drive and to resume biking and hiking trails right up to ZOO PLACE and the first gardens of Balboa Park itself. On the East Side of PARK BLVD. we find the spectacular DESERT GARDEN developed for the 1935 San Diego World Exposition, featuring rare species of cacti, aloes and agaves from around the world. As a noteable contrast, we find the colorful ROSE GARDEN immediately adjacent to it, boasting over 1600 roses of more than 120 varieties. These gardens are connected to the central sections of Balboa Park by way of a foot bridge across Park Boulevard, which leads us to the San Diego Natural History Museum, the gateway to the nucleus of museums and attractions in the park itself.
Inspired by its hispanic heritage, EL PRADO is the "main street" of Balboa Park and buzzing with activities and attractions year-round. Here we find many outstanding museums catering to all visitors foreign and local alike, most of them entirely free of charge. They include the Timken Museum of Art, San Diego Museum of Art, Sculpture Garden and the spectacular BOTANICAL BUILDING built for the 1915 Panama-California Exhibition and home to over 2100 permanent plants as well as seasonal displays. Due to its scenic and educational appeal, Balboa Park is the perfect venue for both families and individuals alike offering both quiet and secluded corners as well as a plethora of free educational material and inspiration for all visitors.
At the opposite end of EL PRADO we find PLAZA DE PANAMA with an information kiosk as well as the Balboa Park VISITOR CENTER located in the beautifully restored HOUSE OF HOSPITALITY. The tourist infrastructure, informational content and modern marketing scheme of Balboa Park is highly admirable and noteworthy, with free WIFI available near the information kiosks and a great IPhone/IPod app available free of charge for download from ITunes to help visitors find attractions and navigate through the Park by GPS. Every day at 1 pm a free guided walking tour is offered to guests, departing from the inner courtyard at the House of Hospitality and covering all major park attractions.
Heading South from PLAZA DE PANAMA we come across one of the leading highlights, SPRECKEL'S ORGAN PAVILLION, featuring a giant outside organ used for frequent free concert events in the Park. For lovers of more trails and nature, the adjacent PALM CANYON beckons, with a total of over 60 species of Palms and large Magnolia trees. Originally also developed for the 1915 Panama-California Exhibition, the wooden footbridge and hiking trails were added in the 1970s to maximize the visitor experience here.
Following our thorough exploration of the central sections of Balboa Park, we head further West passing the OLD GLOBE THEATER and the San Diego Museum of Man, finally leaving the premises of the main park by way of the CABRILLO BRIDGE, crossing over a huge canyon and enjoying splendid views of Downtown san Diego to our left. As we approach 6th Avenue, our last stop is at the "Founders' Plaza" paying tribute of the founders of San Diego & Balboa park itself. Here numerous lawns, meadows and recreational facilties beckon and invite locals and visitors alike to rest on the lawn or play volleyball. People Watching is by far among our favorite activities here, as we rest and recover from our lengthy exploration of this magnificent park area, the very symbol of quality of life here in San Diego and a fine example of true Southern California hospitality.
For hiking, biking and other outdoor recreational activities, the part of Balboa Park located EAST of FLORIDA DRIVE, MORLEY FIELD, offers the best conditions, including numerous sports facilities as well as hiking and biking trails. The only point of connection to the other side of the park is at MORLEY FIELD DRIVE, which can be used to cross Florida Drive and to resume biking and hiking trails right up to ZOO PLACE and the first gardens of Balboa Park itself. On the East Side of PARK BLVD. we find the spectacular DESERT GARDEN developed for the 1935 San Diego World Exposition, featuring rare species of cacti, aloes and agaves from around the world. As a noteable contrast, we find the colorful ROSE GARDEN immediately adjacent to it, boasting over 1600 roses of more than 120 varieties. These gardens are connected to the central sections of Balboa Park by way of a foot bridge across Park Boulevard, which leads us to the San Diego Natural History Museum, the gateway to the nucleus of museums and attractions in the park itself.
Inspired by its hispanic heritage, EL PRADO is the "main street" of Balboa Park and buzzing with activities and attractions year-round. Here we find many outstanding museums catering to all visitors foreign and local alike, most of them entirely free of charge. They include the Timken Museum of Art, San Diego Museum of Art, Sculpture Garden and the spectacular BOTANICAL BUILDING built for the 1915 Panama-California Exhibition and home to over 2100 permanent plants as well as seasonal displays. Due to its scenic and educational appeal, Balboa Park is the perfect venue for both families and individuals alike offering both quiet and secluded corners as well as a plethora of free educational material and inspiration for all visitors.
At the opposite end of EL PRADO we find PLAZA DE PANAMA with an information kiosk as well as the Balboa Park VISITOR CENTER located in the beautifully restored HOUSE OF HOSPITALITY. The tourist infrastructure, informational content and modern marketing scheme of Balboa Park is highly admirable and noteworthy, with free WIFI available near the information kiosks and a great IPhone/IPod app available free of charge for download from ITunes to help visitors find attractions and navigate through the Park by GPS. Every day at 1 pm a free guided walking tour is offered to guests, departing from the inner courtyard at the House of Hospitality and covering all major park attractions.
Heading South from PLAZA DE PANAMA we come across one of the leading highlights, SPRECKEL'S ORGAN PAVILLION, featuring a giant outside organ used for frequent free concert events in the Park. For lovers of more trails and nature, the adjacent PALM CANYON beckons, with a total of over 60 species of Palms and large Magnolia trees. Originally also developed for the 1915 Panama-California Exhibition, the wooden footbridge and hiking trails were added in the 1970s to maximize the visitor experience here.
Following our thorough exploration of the central sections of Balboa Park, we head further West passing the OLD GLOBE THEATER and the San Diego Museum of Man, finally leaving the premises of the main park by way of the CABRILLO BRIDGE, crossing over a huge canyon and enjoying splendid views of Downtown san Diego to our left. As we approach 6th Avenue, our last stop is at the "Founders' Plaza" paying tribute of the founders of San Diego & Balboa park itself. Here numerous lawns, meadows and recreational facilties beckon and invite locals and visitors alike to rest on the lawn or play volleyball. People Watching is by far among our favorite activities here, as we rest and recover from our lengthy exploration of this magnificent park area, the very symbol of quality of life here in San Diego and a fine example of true Southern California hospitality.
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