Address: 1549 El Prado, Suite #1, San Diego, CA 92101 Tel: 619.239.0512

The Park covers a huge 1,200 acres and it's minutes away from downtown San Diego. We have over 85 cultural and recreational organizations here, including fifteen museums and various performing arts groups, like the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theatre and the world-famous Old Globe Theatre, which presents at least 14 productions and 550 performances a year. And speaking of "world famous," we're also home to the San Diego Zoo, where you can stroll around the 100-acre grounds, discovering colorful and exotic species of animals displayed in spacious natural habitats.

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. It was the first time that this richly ornamented architectural style had ever been used in this country.

Botanical Building, at 250 feet long by 75 feet wide and 60 feet tall, was the largest wood lath structure in the world when it was built in 1915 for the Panama-California Exposition. The building, located on the Prado, west of the Museum of Art, contains about 2,100 permanent tropical plants along with changing seasonal flowers. Open Fridays-Wednesdays (closed Thursdays and City holidays) from 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Admission is free. The Lily Pond, just south of the Botanical Building, is an eloquent example of the use of reflecting pools to enhance architecture. The 193 by 43 foot pond and smaller companion pool were originally referred to as Las Lagunas de las Flores (The Lakes of the Flowers) and were designed as aquatic gardens. The pools contain exotic water lilies and lotus which bloom spring through fall.

All ages will enjoy the colorful and creative exhibits of toys, pottery, textiles, costumes, and gadgets from around the globe at the Mingei. Mingei is a special word increasingly used throughout the world for 'arts of the people.' It was coined by the revered scholar, the late Dr. Soetsu Yanagi, through combining the Japanese words for all people (min) and art (gei). His keen eye observed that many useful, pre-industrial articles made by unknown craftsmen were of a beauty seldom equaled by artists of modern societies. From questioning why this might be, he gained insight as to the nature of beauty embodied in objects that are integrally related to life and born of a state of mind not attached to a conscious idea of beauty or ugliness.
Admission: $5.
Opening hours: Tues.- Sun. 10 a.m. - 4 a.m.
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The Japanese Friendship Garden Society of San Diego has roots in the 1915 World Exposition. After the Exposition, strong community interest kept the Japanese Tea Pavilion open for thirty years within Balboa Park, San Diego's Culture Center. With the development of San Diego's Sister City relationship with Yokohama in 1950, forty years of gift exchanges followed, kindling feelings of shared ideals represented by the Japanese Garden.
The Japanese Garden is a representation of the universe and its elements- fire in the form of a stone or iron lantern, earth in the form of stone, and water, air, plant, and animal life in their true forms. Gardens essentially divide between the dry landscape and the pond garden types. Even in a dry garden there is always some water, notably in dripping basins or suggested by waterfall chains from the down spouts. More Info...

Marston House Garden, a formal English Romantic-style garden with California influences, represents a slice of San Diego history. It is located on the grounds of the George White and Anna Gunn Marston House at 3525 Seventh Avenue. The landscaping was designed by the nationally known landscape architects George Cook, John Nolen, Thomas Church, and Hal Walker. Many of the garden's diverse trees and plants were planted prior to 1928 and have reached the beauty of full maturity. Kate O. Sessions was the horticultural consultant when the first trees were planted in 1906. The formal garden was designed by Hal Walker and William Templeton Johnson in 1927. It was installed for the Marston's 50th Anniversary. Open 365 days a year, free.

Known primarily for its Spanish Baroque and Renaissance paintings, including works by El Greco, Goya, Rubens, and van Ruisdael, San Diego's most comprehensive art museum also has strong holdings of South Asian art, Indian miniatures, and contemporary California paintings. The Museum continues to evolve and expand, bringing San Diego residents and visitors from around the world a wider selection of artworks and programming. Since 1988 the Museum has been the recipient of three major gifts: the Baldwin M. Baldwin Collection of over one hundred works by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec; and a world-renowned collection of paintings and related works from the Indian subcontinent, which is unique in its breadth and depth of material. Free docent tours are offered throughout the day.
Admission: $8 ($10 - $12 for special exhibits).
Opening hours: Tues. - Sun. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (till 9 p.m. on Thurs.)
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A beautiful reflection of San Diego architecture's early Mission and Mediterranean roots, the 200-foot tower of the California Building, home of the Museum of Man, serves as Balboa Park's focal point. The romantic, richly decorated monument resembles the Tepotzotlan Cathedral near Mexico City. Blue and gold tiles atop the dome were designed by National City's Walter Nordhoff from authentic Moorish tiles. Decoration pays homage to Mexico and Spain: busts of Philip III, Carlos III, Portola and Cabrillo, along with coats of arms from both countries. In the tradition of tiny Mediterranean towns, the tower is the park's point of orientation, a perfect place to meet friends, or to rejoin them after visits to separate museums. From most anywhere, you can spy its colorful dome and the dramatic decoration standing in bold relief, shadows changing as the sun moves across the sky.

Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden is south of the footbridge that crosses Park Boulevard near the Natural History Museum. This is an award-winning All-America Rose Selection Display Garden containing over 2,400 rose bushes in 180 varieties. Recently honored by the World Federation of Rose Societies as one of the top 12 public rose gardens in the world, one of only 2 in the United States to receive this distinction. The garden is in peak bloom during April and May, although many roses are in bloom from March through December. This garden is one of the most popular wedding spots in the Park. Open 365 days a year, free.

Address: 72001 Pan American Plaza
Telephone: 619.234.8291
The Aerospace Museum covers five centuries of aviation history, demonstrating the remarkable progress of manned flight with more than 60 aircraft and space vehicles on display. The exclusive exhibit, Apollo 9 Has Landed, features the only Apollo Command Module flown in space west of the Rockies. The San Diego Aerospace Museum is housed in the Ford Motor Building built in 1935 for the California Pacific Exposition.
Admission: $9.
Open Daily 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
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Address: 1649 El Prado, Casa de Balboa
Telephone: 619.238.7559
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. The museum's endeavors consistently address cultural, historical and social issues through its exhibitions and public programs (all of which are described in detail throughout this site). MoPA is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a member-supported, private, nonprofit institution. Additional support for museum programs is provided by the City of San Diego under a program managed by its Commission for Arts and Culture, the Community Enhancement Program of the County of San Diego, as well as the California Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Admission: $6 for museum, $5 for theater.
Opening hours: Daily 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. (til 9 p.m. on Thurs.)
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Address: 1875 El Prado
Telephone: 619.238.1233
With exhibits to touch, virtual reality to experience, films to see and fun to be had, The Fleet is an educational, entertaining experience for visitors of all ages. We feature five galleries of exciting, hands-on science exhibits, as well as major traveling exhibitions. Our 76-foot IMAX Dome Theater, the first in the world, presents the biggest films on the planet, plus planetarium shows and more. Its unique configuration wraps the audience in images and provides the illusion of being suspended in space. Ride DEEP SEA, the motion simulator ride, and plunge into the unexplored world at the bottom of the ocean. Our two virtual reality experiences employ cutting-edge technology that puts YOU in the action. Plus, the Nierman Challenger Learning Center offers the experience of living and working in space.
Admission: Gallery exhibits $6.75; Gallery exhibits and one IMAX film $11.50; Gallery exhibits and two IMAX films $15.
Opening hours: Mon. - Thurs. 9:30 a.m. - 5 p.m., Fri. - Sat. 9:30 a.m. - 8 p.m., Sun. 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. (hrs vary seasonally; call ahead).
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Address: 1450 El Prado, Casa de Balboa
Telephone: 619.232.7931
Known primarily for its Spanish Baroque and Renaissance paintings, including works by El Greco, Goya, Rubens, and van Ruisdael, San Diego's most comprehensive art museum also has strong holdings of South Asian art, Indian miniatures, and contemporary California paintings. The Museum continues to evolve and expand, bringing San Diego residents and visitors from around the world a wider selection of artworks and programming. Since 1988 the Museum has been the recipient of three major gifts: the Baldwin M. Baldwin Collection of over one hundred works by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec; and a world-renowned collection of paintings and related works from the Indian subcontinent, which is unique in its breadth and depth of material. Free docent tours are offered throughout the day.
Admission: $8 ($10 - $12 for special exhibits).
Opening hours: Tues. - Sun. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. (till 9 p.m. on Thurs.)
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Address: 2080 Pan American Plaza, #12
Telephone: 619.231.2886
The original idea of creating an automotive museum in Balboa Park came from Briggs Cunningham, a renowned automobile collector and racer. The idea circulated for many years until an inspired group of local automotive enthusiasts propelled the idea forward. In 1979 the San Diego City Council first considered the issue and in 1980 they gave unanimous approvel to the museum and granted a long term lease for one of the historic buildings in the jewel of San Diego - Balboa Park. After spending approximately $1 million renovating and upgrading the building, the San Diego Automotive Museum opened in December of 1988. Since then millions of local auto enthusiasts and tourists from all over the world have visited our world-class collection. Today the museum stands as a living tribute to the automobile and what it has meant to our culture. The San Diego Automotive Museum is a non-profit corporation under section 501(c3).
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Address: 1788 El Prado
Telephone: 619.232.3821
Located next to the main fountain in Balboa Park, the San Diego Natural History Museum is the place to find dinosaur bones and get a close up look at insects, birds and organic matter that make our outside world so interesting.
Renovated in 2001, a new wing has doubled the museum's original 65,000 square feet of floor space to about 150,000 square feet. With its old "L" shape transformed into a "U" that encloses the atrium on three sides, the museum now has two entrances instead of one. The familiar entrance on the Prado, opposite the fountain, remains. There is a new north-facing entrance opening directly into the atrium. The museum's large-format picture theater is directly off the atrium and features a variety of movies including the popular "Ocean Oasis" movie, which takes visitors on a scuba adventure through the waterways around Southern California and Baja California. Beneath the atrium is the new 8,500-square-foot Legler Benbough Exhibition Hall. It is home to the traveling exhibits, like the popular T.Rex exhibition which allowed kids to walk around dinosaurs and trees towering overhead.
Admission: $8.
Open daily from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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Address: 1649 El Prado
Telephone: 619.696.0199
At 24,000 sq. ft., the museum is the largest indoor model railroad display in the world. The individual HO and N scale layouts are among largest of their type. Construction of the model railroads is accomplished by volunteer club members (approximately. 320). Each club is responsible for the design, construction, funding, and operation of its exhibit. Criteria for membership in the individual clubs is determined by each club. Check Model Railroad Clubs for additional information.
Since its opening to the public in March of 1982, the museum has had over two million visitors. The museum has played host to numerous conventions, organizations, school groups, and community functions. If your organization would like to inquire about museum availability for social functions, the recently completed Pacific Beach Model Railroad Club Room is available for receptions, birthday parties and other gatherings.
The museum is a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation recognized as a tax exempt educational institution by the state and federal governments.
Admission: $5.
Opening hours: Tues. - Fri. 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. and Sat. - Sun. 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
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Address: 1350 El Prado
Telephone: 619.239.2001
Explore the mystery, beauty and exitement of San Diego's only anthropological museum. One of the nation's great collections of artifacts, folk art, and archaeological finds is located here. These treasures help to unfold stories of the past - of hunters creating the first spears and arrows, potters molding fragile ceramic vessels, weavers patterning vibrantly colored textiles, and artisans blending forms and symbols. We invite you to share the adventure and excitement in discovering the heritage of mankind.
The San Diego Museum of Man is an educational, non-profit corporation founded in 1915 to collect and preserve for posterity the life and history of humankind.
Admission: $6.
Open daily 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
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Address: 500 W. Broadway St, San Diego CA, 92101 Check Rates
Hotel Chain: Independent
500 WEST is an urban, European-style hotel with 260 contemporary guestrooms, fitness center, cafe and lounge. Located in a national registered historic landmark building, 500 WEST is situated in the heart of downtown San Diego. Adjacent to the San Diego Bay, 500 WEST is just steps from Little Italy, the historic Gaslamp entertainment district, Horton Plaza shopping, Seaport Village and the cruise ship terminal. The San Diego Convention Center is a short 5 minute walk from our door step. It is an ideal location for the independent savvy traveler and long term guests. More info Address: 555 West Ash Street, San Diego CA, 92101 Check Rates
Hotel Chain: Best Western
The Best Western Bayside Inn is an ideal setting for business, meeting and social events, as well as a perfect location for the leisure traveler. We are situated in the heart of Downtown San Diego, only three blocks from the San Diego Bay.The Best Western is an enjoyable walk to such sights as the Convention Center (1 mile away), Civic Center, Seaport Village, San Diego Trolley, the Star of India and Harbor Tours Excursions. More info Address: 840 A Street, San Diego CA, 92101 Check Rates
Hotel Chain: Best Western
The newly renovated Best Western Cabrillo Garden Inn is a charming Spanish-styled Inn located in the heart of downtown San Diego. Surrounded by world-class financial towers, the Inn nestles within its own lush flora, offering the most exquisite ambiance of residential warmth along with the convenience of prosperous businesses, sports, entertainment and historic districts. More info Address: 1720 Granada Ave., San Diego CA, 92102 Check Rates
Hotel Chain: Independent
Casa Granada is the ideal retreat for business and holiday travelers. The guest house is an old Spanish residence located on a lush canyon. We are located 10-15 minutes from downtown San Diego (3.0 miles to the San Diego Convention Center), the Gaslamp District, Lindbergh Field, San Diego Zoo, Old Town, Mission Bay, and Coronado. Easy access to most freeways and walking distance to several coffee shops, restaurants, shops and markets. More info

Chive

Address: 558 4th Avenue, San Diego CA , 92101 Make Reservation
From a backdrop of historic Gaslamp Quarter buildings pops Chive, an ultra hip urban bistro. Stepping into Chive feels like entering one of the lofts identified with Downtown, with modern interior lines expanding out to an outdoor patio. Their menu is eclectic California and urban cuisine meets comfort food, resulting in well-balanced and artfully presented dinner choices designed to be surprising sensory delights. A huge bar, open for happy hour daily, spills forth with diverse cocktails and an extensive wine list to pair with delicately prepared seafood, urban flavors, and unique desserts. More ...

Bottega de La Strada

Address: 835 4th Avenue, San Diego CA , 92101 Make Reservation
Among the many Italian fine dining establishments generously peppering the Gaslamp sits the rustic Bottega de La Strada, a tavern-style restaurant created by the chef and owner of the well-known Trattoria La Strada. Authentic Tuscan entrees, pastas, and freshly-baked Florentine pizzas are served in a warm and comfortably simple atmosphere, replicating a traditional trattoria experience perfect for small and large groups. Desserts created daily by the in-house pastry chef complete a meal or round out a shopping trip. Bottega brings fine dining quality for a casual price during lunch Monday-Saturday, and dinner all days of the week. More ...

The Palm - San Diego

Address: 615 J St