Balboa Park in San Diego is the largest cultural urban park of United States. Balboa Park has many affordable, and sometimes even free activities!
The Park is home to 15 museums and performing arts venues as well as beautiful gardens, including the San Diego Zoo. It also offers a constantly changing calendar of exhibitions at the Museums and Musicals. There are classes, performances, lectures, and musicals.
Travel budgets are being impacted by the skyrocketing costs.
Balboa Park offers a wide range of activities you can enjoy for either free or for only a small cost.
Balboa Park has many free and affordable things to do
1. Discover beautiful gardens
Balboa Park’s lush gardens and landscaping on 1,200 acres provide a beautiful backdrop to the park’s cultural attractions. In 2003, the Project for Public Places ranked the Park as one of the Best Parks in the World for its combination of art and culture and horticulture.
Many gardens are open and free to the public in the Park, such as the beautiful Alcazar Garden and the Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden. Other popular ones include the Desert Garden and the Historic Botanical Building.
2. Balboa Park offers free guided tours
Take a free Offshoot Tour, or a Park Ranger Tour to learn more about the Park’s plants. Or take a Walking Audio Tour for $5 and explore the Park’s history.
3. Enjoy free dance performances, music and other entertainment
Balboa Park hosts free shows all year long. Every Sunday, at 2:00pm at International Cottages you can enjoy a free cultural festival with food and music from all over the world. Enjoy a free Sunday Organ Concert in Spreckels Organ Pavilion and enjoy the music played on the largest outdoor pipe-organ.
4. The Summer Nights at Balboa Park Are Special!
Twilight in the Park hosts a concert series for free. Twilight’s Live Music Under the Stars has delighted visitors to the Park with music ranging from Dixieland Jazz to Latin Salsa and big band swing. The concerts are held every Tuesday, Thursday and Wednesday evenings between 6:15 and 7:15 pm on the magnificent Spreckels Organ Pavilion.
The concert series has been canceled due to Covid-19 in 2020. Look out for it in 2021, and even beyond.
Fun and budget-friendly ideas
Enjoy miles of nature trails that are well maintained (for free). Ride the miniature railroad and carousel at Balboa park (prices may vary, open on weekends and holidays and daily in summer). Try lawn bowling (free), archery or bocciball. Shop at the Spanish Village Art Studios or the Museum shops at the Park.