I have so many fond memories of Balboa Park and I look forward to making more, from Halloween…read moreparties at the San Diego Air and Space Museum and my friend's wedding to exploring Spanish Village Art Center for the first time, visiting the Botanical Building, going to the Japanese Friendship Garden, discovering the museums, and experiencing December Nights. San Diego wouldn't be the same without this beautiful landmark!

Word to the wise, do your research and know where you're going beforehand. Unfortunately we just…read moredecided to come spur of the moment and didn't really know what we were doing. So apparently there are a lot of parking lots which are not free, $10 unless you're a native and have a pass. We found one lot, called lower inspiration that's free for 3 hours. Also, we didn't realize how big that place is, with so much to see! There are museums, places to eat, the zoo, a playground for kids and I'm sure so much more. The museums are not free, they do sell passes or individual tickets. It's a nice place to spend a day or even a few hours.

We live by Pt. Loma and Sunset Cliffs is our go-to spot for a quick weekend walk. This is the…read moreperfect spot to watch the stunning California sunset and the ocean. It's even more beautiful in Spring! I knew about SC when I was living abroad and immediately fell in love then told myself that is where I'm gonna get married! I DID!! It's also a perfect spot for tide pooling. We found cute shells on the shore while exploring the cave. So if you see me, say hello!

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park is a really beautiful place to catch the sunset. My daughter and I come…read morehere once in a while, and every single time, finding parking is a challenge. Still, I keep coming back because the view is absolutely worth it, especially in the late afternoon when the sun starts going down. Every time I've visited, it's been pretty busy, but it never really feels overcrowded because the area is so open and spread out. One thing I noticed is that I haven't really seen any lifeguards around, so if you don't know how to swim, I wouldn't recommend climbing down into the water. I also see a lot of people walking their dogs here, which is something I personally like. Between the ocean views, the sunset, and all the people out enjoying the outdoors, it's just a nice place to spend part of the day.

They have several ping pong tables and a great playing schedule, and free play is available! All…read moreyou have to do is check their calendar online or at the gym, bring a friend, and sign up with your name. I believe the free-play tables on the right side when you walk in are available in 45-minute sessions. The tables on the left are reserved for members. If you're interested, you can sign up with a membership coordinator. It's very affordable--about $120 for the entire year--and you'll get to play with people of all skill levels. The facility is very clean, with well-maintained restrooms and vending machines stocked with snacks and drinks. The staff is always kind, welcoming, and respectful. Overall, it's a great place to play, whether you're just starting out or looking for more competitive games.

Love this place, as it is one of the few places in south San Diego where you can play some…read morebadminton, table tennis, indoor volleyball and indoor pickleball as well. And the best part at least for badminton is that it is free. Well now you have to pay for parking as of January 5th, 2026, but once inside badminton is free, you just have to sign up. The table tennis, and volleyball, are part of clubs where I believe you have to be a member (San Diego table tennis club). This is just a great place for people to meet outside, as they have a lovely park with a fountain and nice walkways. It's a hidden gem for a recreation center. Get there early as the place fills up. If you are going for badminton you have to have your whole party there before you can sign up. The only not so great part was the introduction of paid parking for balboa park in general. But you know what we had it free since 1915 or something, so not horrible. Besides the proceeds from the parking fees will go to making balboa park even better, I hope.

Belmont Park is one of those iconic beach places that you see on TV and movies and you're like is…read moreit really like that? Yes, yes it is! We picked mission beach specifically to ride the 100 or old roller coaster and we wrre not disappointed. It was $16 for us both to ride 1x each and it was fun. Its old. Its wooden. It creaks. It is worth it! Other attractions at BP looked neat but we specifically came for the coaster. There are tons of food options and some are sut down, some are fast food. Great date day!

Where do I start? I show up to purchase wristbands for myself and my 10-year-old and the cashier…read morewas very aggressive and intimidating. He shouted out the total for two wristbands and I let him know there was a different price online. He shouted out to purchase the wristbands online for that price. I walked away purchased the wristbands went back to pick up the physical wristbands. He scanned the barcode and put the wristbands on our wrist. And then with a smile said the list of rides that were closed. And then said " we are short staffed and due to that we do not have employees at the rides once they get here at 12:30 then you'll be able to get on the rides" I looked at my 10-year-old and said OK we'll go walk the beach and get a bite to eat until they open up. Guess what the staff never got there! Honestly, he thought it was funny when he told me that we weren't going to be able to get on rides until the other staff got there. There were a few rides like the mini dipper and the carousel. But who buys wristbands to get on a couple rides and then get on the bumper cart. If that's the case then I would've just bought individual tickets. LET YOUR GUEST KNOW AHEAD OF TIME IF YOU ARE SHORT STAFFED AND THE PARK WILL NOT BE RUNNING AS USUAL!! I had to keep looking for staff to let us on rides and then even then I wasn't able to get on every ride. I paid for a wrist band for myself and my daughter thinking that we were going to be able to enjoy the day but we were not. I do want to point out that I'm a single mom and low income and this was supposed to be something amazing for us. $100 to Belmont Park is absolutely nothing but for me it is. And just FYI, I a lot of people kept leaving the park upset. But for them, they didn't purchase wristbands. We waited till after 5 PM hoping that as the shift changed employees would come and open up all of the rides, but that never happened. I was hoping to get my money back for the wristband, but because the employee at the counter was so aggressive I was honestly afraid to go up and ask for a refund. I'm hoping Belmont Park will make this right and provide my daughter and I with an opportunity to return to Belmont Park at no charge to us and be able to get on the rides.

Civita Park in Mission Valley has quickly become one of my go-to spots, especially since it's just…read morea short drive from home. It's super accessible with ample parking, and I love that there are multiple entry points and routes you can take depending on how long of a walk you're in the mood for. This park truly has something for everyone. There's a splash pad, basketball courts, a great playground for kids, and even a giant chess game, which is such a fun and unique touch. It's also an amazing place to walk your dog--I bring mine here all the time, and he absolutely loves all the open grass and the variety of paths we can explore. One of my favorite features is the set of stairs that lead up toward the residential areas and the dog park. If you take them all the way up, you're rewarded with really pretty views at the top, which makes the little climb totally worth it. Overall, Civita Park is clean, well-designed, and perfect whether you're looking to be active or just enjoy a relaxing afternoon outdoors. Definitely a Mission Valley gem!

Pros: Spacious, plenty of walking paths, with nice clean facilities, which include 2 family…read morebathrooms with baby diaper changing stations and several drinking fountains. There's also a row of small fountains for kids to play, run through and splash in. Cons: It's a really nice park ON A COOL DAY. Lately, with temperatures 10 to 19° above "normal average" - or maybe it's just the new normal - it's hard to recall the last time we got to experience a cool day. But here, the way the gazebos, tables, and benches are set up reflects a pretty severe case of denial that this is Southern California, and not quite within walking distance from the beach. It WILL get hot whenever it damn pleases, with or without notice. It did so in February already, in case you missed it. We came a few times for the farmers market. Both days were unfortunately " 80°F" her weather report, which in reality feels like 92°F, and we had to scramble to find a little bit of shade, so that we could eat our street food without passing out from heat stroke. We huddled awkwardly on the curb under a small tree. Other people passing by with food in their hands looked at us with envy. NOT A SINGLE PERSON sat on the readily available benches with tables, because they were in the blazing sun, yet lacked any shade. Never mind an umbrella, not even holes to put one in!! Denial much?? It's really sad, because it's a beautiful place. It just DESPERATELY needs more shade for the visitors to feel comfortable without clinging to trees or the bathroom walls.

Hidden gem in San Diego! With its own parking lot and plenty of tables, this is our go to for…read morepicnics and parties near the water. The tables are first come first serve, so we went early to snag two nearby a grill pit. Also saw some cute date night set ups near the ones on the sand if you're looking for a more intimate setting. Paddleboard rentals are also discounted for students! This place is dog friendly as well and had a grassy area near the water.

Amazing experience! We moved my son to SDSU and my 9 year old and 17 year old went with me to…read moreMission Bay and we rented paddle boards. The staff was so helpful and when it was a little too windy and we were pushed astray, they quickly came and loaded us up in a little boat and took us back to shore. Highly recommend.

This was such a cool place to stop. You're able to be close with the sea lions and seals and get a…read moregreat view of the wildlife. It's a bit crowded with people, but with it being a free stop with no charge for parking and plentiful with animals it makes it all worth it. We've made the drive down from Oregon and stopped at sea lion caves, where we were charged to view them, and this out did those stops by far. Highly recommend. An added bonus is the birds flying by so close, it almost makes you feel like you're in a Jurassic Park filming.

We made a short stop at La Jolla Cove and enjoyed the cliff views and sea lions. It was awesome…read morewatching them in their natural habitat and seeing them interact with each other. We arrived on a busy Sunday mid-morning, and parking was somewhat challenging, but we managed. Definitely a nice stop if you are visiting San Diego, but beware that it is a very busy area.

Ringers is an awesome place to bring your kids for a weekend, birthday, or any other event. They…read moreare well fitted for children and families, and their staff are awesome. Dolores was awesome with the kids and was very helpful, as was all the other staff! Their crafts are fun and relate well to what they offer.

I attended this skating rink for my daughter's field trip. I usually prefer indoor skating, but for…read morean outdoor experience, this wasn't bad--I imagine it looks even nicer at night. The staff member in charge who was using the microphone was very kind and helpful. However, the two employees distributing skates came across as rude and unapproachable. I understand that working with large groups of kids can be frustrating, but their attitude was noticeable. At one point, I even stepped in to help distribute skates because the situation felt a bit overwhelming due to their frustration. Overall, the experience was okay, but improved customer service would make a big difference.