A historical & cultural landmark that's not to be missed…read more Brief history of the park, its 7 acres of the most Chicano murals in the world. In the 60's the neighborhood was demolished and split in two for the freeway with a promise of a park as a compromise, which was later rescinded. In 1971 after protests against the withdrawal of the promise the park was signed into law and the murals came soon after. It's an emotional experience looking at the murals and words, given the history of it. Because of the efforts of many we can now enjoy the park , kids can play, families can gather, and those of us who visit can learn and admire the artwork.

Loved the experience of connecting to our history and those that came before us to pave the way for…read moreus. We must not forget where we came from, our roots. We got to hear from the artist himself. An amazing family experience.

Expectation management is key here: the Comic‑Con Museum is *not* a museum filled with rare comic…read morebook artifacts or original golden‑age issues behind glass. Instead, it's a lively tribute to San Diego Comic‑Con itself--its history, its fandoms, and the creative worlds it celebrates. The bottom floor had three exhibits during my visit. The San Diego Comic‑Con history exhibit was surprisingly charming, with official programs, sketches, and memorabilia from each convention over the years. There was also a Luann exhibit (not a strip I'm familiar with, but fans will appreciate it), and a cosplay exhibit featuring some impressive costumes. The standout for me was the Warhammer 40K armor--incredible craftsmanship. The second floor is entirely dedicated to Doctor Who, and it's a treat for fans. Lots of interactive elements, costumes, figures, props, and of course, a full lineup of sonic screwdrivers. I also appreciated the educational videos that break down the real science behind the show's concepts. It's playful and surprisingly informative. The top floor shifts gears with a Lucha Libre exhibit, showcasing vibrant costumes and posters. There's also an education center and a kids' activity room, which makes the museum feel family‑friendly and accessible. But the absolute highlight for me was right at the entrance: the Batman #423 statue. It's a stunning piece, and the story behind how it ended up on loan to the museum made it even better. Overall, this museum shines when you approach it as a celebration of fandom rather than a traditional artifact‑driven museum. If you love Comic‑Con culture, cosplay, or specific fandoms like Doctor Who, you'll have a great time.

Solid exhibition that has good coverage for Dr Who fans, which seemed like a temporary show, so…read morecheck what's on before you visit. Decent size museum, and the staff were truly amazing. Recommended.

Nice venue that holds a lot of events. Came here for the first time for the 2025 san diego all…read morewomen poetry slam and it was amazing. It's pretty spacious but depending on the type of event, it may fill up quickly. They also hold dance classes such as salsa, swing and country line dancing. Looks like a lot of fun and hope to check those out soon! Street parking available.

This review reflects the perspective of a swing dancer. Swing dance happens at Queen Bee's on…read moreTuesday evenings and consists of a lesson with a small dance party afterwards. The fee for the lesson and party is $15, for party only - $10. The announcement (https://www.queenbeessd.com/swign-dance) places the lesson at 6:30-7:30PM, the dance with DJ music is supposed to start at 7:30PM. On the day of my visit, the times were shifted by half an hour, so if you want to just dance, 8PM is the good time. The dance lesson by Mercedes Moore (yes, the great San Diego singer!) is excellent, most of the 20+ dancers appeared to be regulars and thus had accumulated significant amount of skill, yet due to small size of group, a true beginner should feel OK. Unlike most places in San Diego, this one has noticeably more leads (traditionally men) than follows (women), so this venue might be great for a true beginner follower. During the social party few more dancers appeared, but the group remained pretty small, and by 9PM it became hard to find a dance partner (the music was still going on). Some logistics: the free (street) parking is very limited. The best paid parking is across the street in a well-lit parking lot ($5 for two hours). The wooden floor is of OK quality, the seating is adequate for the small crowd. As always for small gatherings, bringing one's own dance partner is recommended, although on the day I have visited, it was easy for follows to find a lead. Overall: a true beginner follow should definitely check out this venue. An intermediate lead that wants just to dance, should consider bringing his own follower.

This is always a fun time. If your expecting a quiet museum trip, this is not your museum. It is…read morealways filled with kids and loud. However it's really meant to be that way, very interactive and fun. There are currently 4 levels. LL, 1, 2, and 3. 4 is currently under construction. LL is fossils. 1 floor is gift shop and kids rooms. 2nd floor is dinosaur and local animal habitat. 3rd floor is gems and library. There is enough stuff in here to keep you busy for a couple hours. Lots of San Diego native stuff and facts about where we live. I will say to me it's a little small and everytime something is closed. But still fun to go, I would just aim for a free day if your a local or if your a visitor it's worth to learn about San Diego and natural history.

Just visited this week. Probably our fourth visit in five years as our son is a big fan of Natural…read moreScience Museums. As of this writing, they're currently under construction raising the roof (no fourth floor access) and renovating the first floor. Currently, access to the building is on the second floor. They are part of the ASTC Travel Passport Program, so if you have an out of town membership to a participating program, you can get free admission here. My favorite part of the museum is a 7.5 minute "film" by a small Airstream RV. It shows the silhouette of two kids in a tent and the adventure covers all the animals they might run into out in the desert. Other things I found interesting were: The fossilized leg and hip bones of an Ankylosaurus that was found locally in Carlsbad. Different preserved animal specimens like a full anaconda skin, a whale vertabrae, a spotted skunk, and a thorny oyster. They're currently working on a fossilized Bison skull and neck Assorted skeletons and models of larger animals. A small section on minerals A giant pendulum I would consider this a medium sized museum where most families would spend around 1.5-2 hours there.

My wife and I decided to go here on Memorial Day and it was such a great experience!…read more It was very spacious, the wind was crisp , and it smelled amazing . If you haven't visited this garden , I recommend you do ! Also , Students / 55+ / military receive a discount .

I wanted to love it like I loved the Japanese Tea Garden at Golden Gate Park is San Francisco…read more Layers. Color. Amazing. Go look online. Balboa Part iteration just wasn't it. Pretty but also ho-hum when you grew up with something so magical. Also, the parking g sucked!! Not only do you have to pay, but there is one single machine to pay. Huge and pack lot. There are better ways to spend the afternoon....which I hate saying because at my core, I like a park/museum situation and look to those venues fir food times in any city where I'm a tourist.

The Old Globe in Balboa Park is a must-do for lovers of live theater. Its exterior architecture…read morewas inspired by Shakespeare's original Globe Theatre in England. The size and shape of the orchestra and balcony brings the audience close to the actors for a great experience. Acoustics are excellent. Earlier this month, we saw Ibsen's "Hedda Gabler" here with Katie Holmes starring in the title roll. She was terrific. Our seats in the 4th row were We arrived early with friends and enjoyed the outdoor patio area before the doors opened. Every staff member we encountered -- from ticket office to ticketed to usher -- was personable and helpful . The Old Globe sits behind the Museum of Us. There's valet parking, but self-parking is a 5-10 minute walk away. Restrooms in the theater are on the lower level

I had the pleasure of attending August Wilson's "Fences" Theatrical Production here on 05/02/2026…read morefor the 2p matinee showing. Our 4 person group was super excited about the show. I arrived at 1:15p and it took me 35 min to find parking. As a SD Resident, I had to go online to apply and purchase a $5 Residential Parking permit. It took about 5-6 mins on the website from my phone. In the meantime, while waiting on approval for my residential permit. I had to pay $16 for parking for 2 hrs and 10mins. The show was awesome. The seats were comfortable and we were seated right in the middle of the theatre. The sound, temperature, lighting, and ambiance great here. The only issue that I have is that the 2p show attendees are not allowed to order food at intermission. Food orders must be made on a mobile app prior to going into the theatre for the show, then they are able to pick up their orders at intermission. Overall, the show was wonderful and we were able to meet the cast afterwards as they had to come out for their dinner. We tried not to hold them up, so we just sort of made sure that we let them get going after about 5-7mins. We were able to take photos. I took a star off because of the long stairwell and slow elevator to get to the downstairs restroom. Also, the food situation is a bit disappointing. Luckily, we made reservations at The Prado restaurant after the show.

Centro Cultural de la Raza is one of my absolute favorite places in San Diego. I love it so much…read morethat I always bring anyone visiting from out of town here because there is always something happening. From art exhibits and pottery showcases to live performances and community events, this space is constantly alive with culture. Every third Sunday they host a tianguis that is truly special, sound baths, massage therapy, card readings, and small business vendors all in one place. It feels grounding, healing, and deeply rooted in community. With a diverse selection of dance classes, Centro truly welcomes everyone. Whether you arrive to uplift local artists, expand your creativity, or simply exist in a space filled with culture, you will always leave inspired. Centro Cultural de la Raza continues to pour into the community, offering a space rooted in expression, healing, and belonging. They also offer opportunities to volunteer, making it easy to get involved and truly connect with the space and the community around it. From helping in their garden to assisting with exhibit setup and events, there are so many ways to be part of what Centro offers.

This is a great place. I was able to see art from local artists. They have a cute store inside too…read more Would definitely recommend this place to anyone. This place is located in balboa park which has more museums.

Who in their right mind leaves a review less than 5 stars for a museum that allows us to walk in…read morethe shoes of the brave soldiers who came before us? Midway is anything BUT mid. Great success!

Quite worth the $40 if you are into this stuff. The price may be a bit high for museums but there…read moreare lots to see in the different levels of the ship. Guided tours are also included with the bridge of the ship. The best part is going on to the top deck on a nice day. You can probably occupy a few hours of hunger does not get you first.

Educational house curated monthly to feature different cities from Mexico. I've visited twice now…read moreand have chatted for a long time about current events in Mexico, infrastructure changes, and history regarding the city of subject. I've always enjoyed interacting with their volunteers and admire the detail to decorations they display. Friendly house!

Beautiful Casa de México that has art and lots of things from here! They feature a different state…read moreof México every 3 to 4 months so you can learn all about the art and culture of that state. Highly recommend. Very beautiful with the kindest woman working here!

I came here and they were having a beautiful celebration on a Saturday! All the people were so…read morenice. I loved it.

When I came here to Balboa Park, I would have never thought that I would be seeing a big FILIPINO…read moreflag flying in the air. My girlfriend and I went to the House of Puerto Rico first and I was pretty bummed because I was like "Man, I wish they had Filipino one". Once I turned the corner there it was, waving those red, blue, white and bright yellow stars. I was so excited to see my culture being represented. We ran right away and went to go look. Inside you will find a lot of filipino items and cultural videos. Patrick whose (father) actually started and created the House of the Philippines is very knowledgeable about the Philippines. He speaks various languages. We currently share the space with House of France, but from what I was told we will be getting our own space and house in the next few months. I can't wait to visit again. Definitely excited to see how it's going to look.