Tour Balboa Park

Paradise Pointe Resort - MainTour Online Hot Rates Available Here! Located right on Mission Bay in a tropical garden setting, this is one of the best vacation leisure resorts in San Diego.

Shelter Island Vacation Resorts
Humphreys Halfmoon Inn - Shelter Island Vacation Resort
San Diego Bay Club Hotel - Shelter Island Vacation Resort
San Diego Shelter Pointe Hotel - Shelter Island Vacation Resort

San Diego Choice Hotels International
Follow this link to see a listing of all major affiliated Hotel Resorts in the greater San Diego region complete with online room search, special discount rates and online reservation booking service.

MainTour Vacation Cruise Central
Planning your next getaway? Whether you are looking for a last-minute three-day cruise to the Bahamas or a 21-day cruise through the Orient several months from now, we can help with savings of up to 70%!

Balboa Park San Diego
One of the largest urban cultural centers in the USA, Balboa Park is home to over 85 Performing Arts and International Culture Organizations, 15 Museums, the World-Famous San Diego Zoo, Gardens, Hiking and Biking Trails, Theater, Recreational Facilities and Restaurants.

Balboa Park was established 1868 when the population of San Diego was only a mere 2,000 souls. It consists of 1400 acres of beautiful gardens, grassy picnic area and groves of exotic palm and eucalyptus trees. The original groundswork was done by famed horticulturalist Kate Sessions.

Two major "World's Fairs" have added substantially to Balboa Park. First, in 1915 the park hosted the Pan-American Exposition. Then, in 1935 the park hosted the California Pacific Exposition. Most of the facilities and museum buildings date back to these grand events.



The park is also home to the largest zoo in the world The San Diego Zoo.

A central feature of the park is El Prado a pedestrian walkway with buildings that housed the 1915 World Expo and today features several very impressive museums. The area is also rich in natural vegetation.

Balboa Park Visitors Center
2125 Park Blvd, SD 92101; (619) 239-0512;
Visitor Center Weblink - Get discount combo tickets to park museums.
City Parks Weblink - San Diego City Parks Info
San Diego Historical Society - The History of Balboa Park
ETHZ Detail Map Online - Park Map
History Page - 1915 Panama California Exposition.

Special Events at Balboa Park
Organ Pavillion Concerts - Ongoing concert series - summer evenings at the Spreckles Pavilion
Theater and Concerts - Check listings.
Celebrate Dance Festival [Late Aug] - Eveoke Dance Theater sponsors this three day event (free to public) featuring over 50 major dance groups.
Balboa Park Weddings - Wedding Event planners - location scout for ceremony and reception locations inside Balboa Park.
The Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair - Annual event held (Late April) at Balboa Park Activity Center.

December Nights - 1st Weekend in December
Balboa Park Winter Festival; Festival Website;
Annual event since 1978, celebrate the holidays with sparkling lights, color, food, music and fun. The event features traditional celebrations, cultural attractions and theatrical and musical entertainment throughout the Park. Many musuems have extended evening free admission hours during this event.

Balboa Park Dining
The Prado at Balboa Park - located inside the House of Hospitality with both indoor and outdoor banquet space.

Humphreys Halfmoon Inn - Shelter Island - MainTour Online Hot Rates Available Here! Overlooking San Diego Bay is the great waterfront vacation resort featuring tropical gardens, palm trees, poolside waterfall and incredible city views.

Tour Southern California Lifestyle Adventures
Meet great people and do great things together. Sports, recreation, politics, hobbies, fine culture, religous groups, and other cool resources for better living.

The San Diego Zoo
Located in beautiful Balboa Park, the 100-acre World-Famous San Diego Zoo cares for more than 4,000 individual animals representing 800 different species. Its collection, as well as its collection of over 6,500 species of plants, is acknowledged as one of the finest in the world.
Current special feature - Giant Pandas from China.

Rueben H. Fleet Space Theater and Science Center - Balboa Park
Included here is the world's first OmniMax Theater Dome (1973) with multimedia planetarium, and space science exhibit galleries.

Miniture Railroad
Open : 11-4:30 Sat/Sun/School Holidays - Summer Open Daily; Located Near Zoo Entrance;
1/5 size scale model train ride runs on a half-mile outdoor circuit.

Carousel
Summer Open Daily 11AM-5PM; Located Near Zoo Entrance;
1910 Herschell-Spillman Carousel with animal menagerie

Casa del Prado Exhibit and Theater Halls
Home for the following:


San Diego Floral Association - The oldest garden club in Southern California with displays open to public every weekend.
San Diego Civic Youth Ballet - Over 60 years of dance instruction for youth. Check for performances.
San Diego House of Pacific Relations - Over 30 different national groups coordinate family fun cultural events. Sundays 12:30-4:30PM.
Theater Halls - See listings below.
Museum Halls - See listings below.
California Tower - 198 foot bell tower located atop the Museum of Man and can be heard throughout the park.

Spanish Village Arts Center
1770 Village Place, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 92101; (619) 233-9050; Center Website;
Open Daily : 11AM-4PM; Free Admission;
Balboa Park is home to this group of nearly forty individual artist work studios where artisans demonstrate their talents in various mediums. A great place to shop for unique gift ideas. Specialties include enamal, wood-working, art-glass, gems and minerals, pottery and sculpture.
San Diego Mineral & Gem Society - increase your understanding and appreciation of gems, minerals and the lapidary arts.
San Diego Potters Guild - public interest in all ceramic arts.

Southern California Wet & Wild
Find cool summertime adventure at great area waterparks featuring giant waterslides, waveriders and splash pools.

Caliente Tropics Resort - Palm Springs, CA
The Caliente Tropics Resort Is A Tiki And Polynesian Playground. All Facilities Have Been Completely Renovated As Of March, 2001. Included Is A 65 Foot Swimming Pool, Therapeutic Pool and shuffleboard Courts.

Marston House - Balboar Park
Great mansion located in the northwest coroner of Balboa Park, that was built 1905 by George W. Marston - an early affluent San Diego pioneer and department store magnate. Today it functions as an Arts and Crafts Mansion. Furnished in the style of the American Arts and Crafts Movement of the early 20th century, the interior reflects the architects' commitment to function and simplicity of design. Five acres of landscaped grounds offer a picturesque blend of English Romantic themes with California influences.

San Diego Model Railroad Museum - Balboa Park
Worlds largest operating model railroad museum. Besides four enormous scale model railroad layouts, there are many other exhibits and interactive displays. Includes Toy Train Gallery, working semaphore, and interactive Lionel layout for children. Great for train fans.

San Diego Hall of Champions - Balboa Park
A must see for all sports fans with over 70,000 sq.ft. of display area on three floors. This exciting, entertaining and enthralling museum celebrates athletic accomplishments of hometown heroes.

Natural History Museum - Balboa Park
Photos and text provide great education for kids and adults. Located at east end of Balboa Park. Exhibits on plants, animals and geology of So. Calif.

Museum of San Diego History - Balboa Park
presents . This museum offers permanent and changing exhibitions on the colorful and diverse history of the region. Public lectures, workshops and educational programs are presented in the museum's 100-seat Thornton Theatre.

Museum of Man - Balboa Park
Explore the mystery, beauty, and excitement of San Diego's only anthropological museum. One of the nation's best collections of artifacts, folk art, and archaeological finds that tell the heritage of mankind and ancient cultures. Museum is located in the California Building (1915).

San Diego Automotive Museum - Balboa Park
Located at south end of park, this museum is a showcase for over 80 classic and historically significant vehicles. Exhibits range from horse carriages to 50's favorites, muscle cars and motorcycles. Several futuristic inovactive designs also on display.

San Diego Aerospace Museum - Balboa Park
The museum brings to life aviation's rich heritage through dazzling collection of over 65 U.S. and foreign aircraft and spacecraft. Exhibits range from the down of powered flight thru both world wars and into the modern jet age.

National Parks in Southern California
Death Valley National Park - The canyon and mountain walls of Death Valley change color with the shifting sunlight. Other landscape features: large sand dune formations, sculpted rocks, isolated valleys, and volcanic craters.
Joshua Tree National Park - Scenic desert preserve habitat with many unusual plants found here including Joshua trees, cactus, ocotillo, smoke treess, palo verdes, pinon pins, yucca plants. The best time to visit is early spring when a big array of desert wildflowers reach full bloom.
Channel Islands National Park - Protected marine wildlife habitat that is assessible only by air or sea.

San Diego Best Western - Online Directory
MainTour Online Rates Special!
Complete listing of all 24 San Diego County Best Westerns!
Follow this link to see a listing of all major Best Western Hotel Resorts in the greater San Diego region complete with online room search, special discount rates and online reservation booking service.

Old Globe Theatre
PO Box 122171, San Diego CA 92112; (619) 239-2255; Theater Website;
Part of the Simon Edison Centre for the Performing Arts. 581-seat outdoor bard-playhouse style theatre modeled after Shakespeare Globe Theater in London. Originally built in 1935 and rebuilt in 1982 after being destroyed by fire. Features 14 shows each year, a variety of drama, comedies and musicals. Located north of the Museum of Man, facilities also include the following:
Cassius Carter Centre Stage - "Theater in the Round" where all seats are within 10 feet of the stage.
Lowell Davies Festival Theater - 625 seat outdoor theater.
Master of Fine Arts Education Program - Special Training in Classical Theater
PlaywrightsProject -

Spreckles Organ Pavillion
Spreckles Organ Society; 1549 El Prado, Suite 10, San Diego, CA 92101-1661; (619) 226-0819; Society Website;
Open air theatre with the largest pipe organ in San Diego housed in a magnificent landmark structure. The centerpiece is a 1915 Austin Organ.
Summer evening outdoor concert series.
Free concerts at 2PM on Sun.

Starlite Musical Theatre San Diego's Original Theater Under the Stars
2005 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101; (619) 544-7800; Theatre Website;
Large outdoor theatre founded in 1945. Beginning in 1992 Starlight became a year-round producer of quality theatre both at the Starlight Bowl and at indoor venues including the Civic Theatre and the Spreckels Theatre.

More Balboa Park Entertainment Venues Casa del Prado Theatre
1600 Village Place, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 92101;
San Diego Civic Youth Ballet -
San Diego Junior Theatre -

Rueben H. Fleet Space Theater and Science Center
The IMAX Dome - World's first OmniMax Theater (1973) with 180 degree domed ceiling screen with multimedia planetarium and two continuous shows. See link for current show info.

Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater
For fifty years this 234-seat theater has entertained young families in the Palisades section on the south side of Balboa Park.
Balboa Park Puppet Guide - Schedule of puppet troupes touring this theater.

MainTour Las Vegas - Preview over 80 of the biggest and brightest resorts on the Strip and related special features for adventure, recreation, entertainment, wedding packages and other great attractions.

Tour Palm Springs
This desert oasis is a most popular warm-weather winter retreat with over 100 championship golf courses to play on, fine dining and great entertainment.

Timken Museum of Art - Balboa Park
Located in San Diego's beautiful Balboa Park, the Timken Museum of Art houses the world-class Putnam Foundation Collection of European old masters American art, and Russian icons. Artworks in the collection range from 13th-century altarpieces through 18th-century portraits to 19th-century still lifes, many by European Old Masters.

San Diego Museum of Art - Balboa Park
This facility is world renowned for its sophisticated collection of Italian Renaissance and Spanish Baroque Art collections. Over 10,500 permanent piece collection ranges from early Eqyptian to the 20th century. Many frequent cultural exchange exhibits. Museum was established in 1915 as a result of the Pan-American exposition of that year.

Mingei International Museum - Balboa Park
Traditional and Contemporary Gallery of Folk Art, Crafts and Design;
Mingei is a special word increasingly used throughout the world for "Arts Of The People." Within a contemporary, architecturally designed setting, exhibitions are composed of the finest examples of creative expression.

Museum of Photographic Arts - Balboa Park
Since its founding in 1983, the Museum of Photographic Arts (MoPA) has been devoted to collecting, conserving and exhibiting the entire spectrum of the photographic medium.

Museum of the Living Artist - Balboa Park
A new exhibition of works by talented Southern California regional artists opens every four to six weeks in this specially designed 10,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art gallery space, dedicated to the advancement of the visual arts through outreach, education, and exhibition.

Japanese Friendship Garden Society of San Diego - Balboa Park
The garden expansion will complete the nine acres in the lower level and include an Herb and Tea Garden with walking trails and viewing pavilion, a waterfall and lily pond, a traditional Tea House and a contemporary Tea House, each with its own garden, a cherry tree grove and an outdoor amphitheater.

Cabrillo Bridge
Where El Prado crosses over SR-163. Above the entry gate look for crest showing Balboa's ship entering Panama Canal. For a full view of this gorgeous bridge drive SR-163, a most scenic and tranquil stretch of highway in San Diego.

El Prado - Balboa Park
Many of the museums along the Park’s celebrated El Prado walkway are housed in magnificent Spanish Colonial buildings, originally built for the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition.

Persion Water Rug
Locally made tilework located between the House of Hospitality and Casa de Balboa.

Chapel of St. Francis
1350 El Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 92101; (619) 239-2001; Chapel Website;
Located across from the Museum of Man, unconsecrated chapel with beautifully ornate altar. The Saint Francis Chapel is one of San Diego's favorite choices for wedding ceremonies. The Chapel is non-denominational, welcoming ministers of all faiths to perform services in this dignified sanctuary.

Balboa Park Club and Gardens
Pueblo style building with mural, lobby fountain and cactus garden.

Botanical Building
Open Fri-Wedz 10-4 except holidays; Free Admission;
500 species of plant housed inside reassembled Santa Fe Railroad Depot.

Lily Pond
Probably the most photographed site in the park. Located adjacent to the Botanical Bldg - See its collection of goldfish, turtles and water-lilies.

Moreton Bay fig tree
Over 40 foot tall and 100 foot wide located just north of natural history museum.

Japanese Friendship Gardens
Open Tuesdays and Fri-Sun 10-4. (619) 232-2780;
11 acres of oriental gardens.

Agathis Tree
Rare New Zealand native grows on the southeast side of the House of Charm.

Tour Morro Bay
In the heart of California's Central Coast between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Located next to historic San Luis Obispo and adjacent to great shopping, beaches, golf and adventure.

Tour Oceanside Oceanside, found a short ways north of San Diego, boasts 3.5 miles of some of the widest beach in all of Southern California. Great adventures abound for golf, surf, theme parks and nature trails.

Balboa Park Golf Course
With beautiful views of the San Diego skyline and the Pacific Ocean, Balboa Park Golf Course is great golf venue for tourists and locals alike. Located near downtown, Balboa Park features both a 18-hole championship course and a 9-hole executive course. Many holes feature undulating fairways, with canyon dropoffs providing a challenge to discerning golfers.

Morley Field Disc Golf Course - Balboa Park
The Southwestern Team Disc Golf Invitational is held on the first weekend of December every year. Course is open to the public for the remainder of the year.

Balboa Park Activity Center
2145 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101-4753; Phone: (858) 581-7100; Park Center Website;
This multi-purpose gymnasium wasbuilt to accommodate badminton, table tennis, volleyball and other events, including regional, state and national tournaments. A variety of tournaments for people with disabilities are also held at the Balboa Park Activity Center.
San Diego Badminton Club - SDBC invites players of all ages and skill levels including free coaching to members.
San Diego Table Tennis Association - SDTTA provides its players with 25 professional Butterfly tables & barriers, a high ceiling, bright overhead lighting and a high tech sports floor making it one of the best such facilities in America.

Municipal Gymnasium
2111 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101; (619) 525-8262; Park Gym Website;
Built for the 1935 Exposition as the "Palace of Electricity" and Varied Industries" the architecture reflects a close relationship between ancient Maya and 20th Century ornamentation and its progression. Today it hosts regular youth basketball and cheerleading programs and summer youth sports camps and open play adult basketball, leagues and tournaments

Balboa Stadium Sports Arena
The orginal stadium was built in Balboa Park in 1915, but leveled in 1979 because it did not meet earthquake standards. For many years it hosted the San Diego Chargers. Today's rebuilt stadium hosts many community sports venues.

BSA Camp Balboa - Balboa Park
Boy scout group campground for Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts find a full weekend of fun, skills, sports, skits, songs and advancement opportunity every weekend. This camp also serves as the headquarters for the Desert Pacific Council (San Diego-Imperial).
Southern California Boy Scouts - More Info for this topic.

Girl Scouts of America - San Diego Imperial Council
An organization that is devoted to helping girls grow strong and providing opportunities for fun and learning for grades 1-12. Day camps are held throughout San Diego and Imperial Counties at a variety of locations including Girl Scout Council sites, schools, parks, recreation centers, and amusement parks.

Morley Field Sports Complex
2221 Morley Field Drive, San Diego, CA 92104; (619) 692-4919; City Park Website;
Facilities include twelve tennis courts, a swimming pool, a senior center, a tiny tots play area, group picnic areas, an archery range, a multi purpose ball field, a velodrome (bicycle track), boccie courts, a disc golf course, a fitness parcourse, petanque courts, Balboa Park’s Municipal Golf Course, native trails located in Florida Canyon, Golden Hill Recreation Center and Golden Hill Park. Youth sprots include tennis, swimming, hiking, biking, seasonal youth sports such as flag football, baseball, softball and soccer.
San Diego Velodrome Association - Bicycle races and classes offered at the Morley Field Sports Complex. Mountain Bike course.
Club de Petanque San Diego -
San Diego Archers -

Lawn Bowling
Northwest of Cabrillo Bridge. 12PM-3PM Daily.