San Diego’s Balboa Park is a massive 1,200‑acre urban oasis that draws more than 14 million visitors a year, thanks to the world-famous San Diego Zoo, dozens of miles of trails, 18 museums, and a rich history that dates to 1868.
It’s widely regarded as one of the top urban parks in the United States, outsizing even New York’s Central Park or San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park.
History of Balboa Park
City leaders first set aside the land in 1868, making Balboa Park one of the earliest large urban parks in the country. For years it stayed mostly undeveloped, until horticulturist Kate Sessions began reshaping the landscape in 1892 by planting around 100 trees annually in exchange for nursery space, gradually turning the park into the lush, shady gardens people enjoy today.
The park’s distinctive Spanish Colonial Revival architecture and many of its institutions grew out of two major international expositions—the Panama‑California Exposition (1915–16) and the California Pacific International Exposition (1935–36)—and Balboa Park is now a National Historic Landmark and a key part of San Diego’s cultural identity.
Things to do in Balboa Park
Visitors could easily spend days exploring everything Balboa Park offers. Highlights include the world‑renowned San Diego Zoo, which spreads across 100 acres and is home to over 680 species; a cluster of 18 museums such as the San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego Museum of Art, Fleet Science Center, and San Diego Air & Space Museum; and numerous themed gardens like the Japanese Friendship Garden and the picturesque Lily Pond.
Outdoor lovers can wander more than 65 miles of trails, from easy paved loops to more rugged paths in Florida Canyon, while those seeking activities have access to a golf course, disc golf, a swimming pool, sports facilities, and plenty of picnic spots.
Visiting Balboa Park from L.A.
Because the park sits just outside downtown, it’s simple to reach, and the Balboa Park Explorer Pass lets visitors combine museum admissions at a discount.
For Angelenos planning a visit, getting there is straightforward. Driving from Los Angeles to Balboa Park along I‑5 covers about 120 miles and typically takes around two and a half hours, depending on traffic.
Those preferring not to drive can take Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner from Union Station to downtown San Diego’s Santa Fe Depot in just under three hours, then use local transit or a rideshare for the short 2–3‑mile trip to the park.
