Summer in Balboa Park
Activities All Summer Long
Take a Hike
Balboa Park has some 65 miles of trails that differ in length, difficulty and scenery, from leisurely strolls through the heart of the park to challenging hikes amid the park's more rugged terrain and vegetation. You won't want to miss Florida Canyon, which provides a glimpse into how the park — and San Diego, for that matter — looked some 150 years ago. The 19 different trails begin at one of five gateways that are located at Golden Hill, Marston Point, Morley Field, Park Boulevard, and Sixth and Upas. No matter when you start or where you end, you'll get a chance to commune with nature while staying close to downtown.
Gaze upon Gardens
With more than 19 garden spots throughout the park, there is more than enough flora and fauna to find and fancy. Looking for a rosy point of view? Head to the Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden. This award-winning three-acre garden off Park Boulevard is home to some 1,600 roses and more than 130 varieties. Right next door is the Desert Garden — one of two in the park — containing more than 1,300 succulents and drought-resistant plants from around the world, including a towering candelabra cactus. If you still haven't gotten your cactus fill, you should head over to the newly revitalized Old Cactus Garden, which Kate Sessions developed for the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition. Overlooking the state Route 163, it contains some of the largest cactus and succulent specimens in the park.
Pick a Picnic
There's nothing that says summer like a picnic, and Balboa Park has any number of grassy spots that serve as the perfect place to take a seat and soak it all in. There's the West Mesa's extensive lawn, which offers plenty of space to spread out and roam free, as well as trees for shade. If you a looking to have some libations as part of your picnic plan, you can't beat the East and West lawns in front of the Botanical Building, which was built in 1915. Not only is the backdrop stunning but you can also bring your own alcoholic beverage — just so long as it's not in glass.
“Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?”
“Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?”
As William Shakespeare knew, there's not much that measures up to the simple glories of summer. And there's definitely not much that compares to spending a summer's day in beautiful Balboa Park, one of the largest urban cultural oases in North America. With its expansive grounds and Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, the park is a perfect place to savor summer's sights and sounds. From picnics to museum visits to (yes) Shakespeare, whose plays are showcased in the Old Globe's outdoor summer Shakespeare Festival, it's a season of sun and fun in San Diego's cultural hub.
Exploring Balboa Park
Whether you're an art fan, nature lover, model train aficionado or science geek, Balboa Park has something for everyone.
