A pretty great afternoon here exploring this ecosystem and getting the opportunity to view some…read moreamazing birds! Estuaries are great places for birders and bird viewing and this place is such a gem! Visitor center has an exhibition to learn about the Estuary, gift shop, ranger on duty, bird books you can borrow, restrooms and water fountain available. Ranger on duty today was super helpful and kind. She shared with me that the Clapper Raill could be seen here and gave me directions to take N McCoy trail and this was where I would most likely see this Rail, which is unique to this Estuary! I was pretty excited about that, however, since I came in the early afternoon. I did not spot one. Oh well, this means I have to come back! After this, I tackled S McCoy trail, which is a longer trail but when you come to the end of it, it where three water ways meet and this was amazing as so many birds were here. I got to see egrets, Willets and also some long billed curlews! Curlews have a very long beak and they are pretty striking birds! Wow! The path is well paved, flat and plenty of benches along the way. Great for a hike, bring your dog, come for a run, come for birding, enjoy a healthy dose of nature! No shade here so make sure to put on sunscreen and bring water. Overall, a lovely place to visit, definitely come check it out if you like nature and birds.

This a cool place. I came heat because I heard from a friend that it was a good place to come for…read morea walk and it was. Parking is mostly street parking and a small parking lot at the Visitor Center. I started at Imperial Beach Blvd. and took the N. McCoy Trail and worked my way down to the end, where the water is between the north & south McCoy Trail. There's a nice look out there and a few benches to relax and bird watch. The trail I took was in good condition and consisted of compact soil and surrounded by the estuary and native brush, plants, and cacti. There were occasional benches along the trail. It was a good walk and I look forward to taking the S. McCoy Trail next time.

I live across from the park and I will state that the trails are amazing. There are trails for…read moreeveryone with different types of difficulty. Go early in the morning or after 5ish as it gets very hot in the summer. Happy hiking!

Having access to hiking and mountain biking so close to the major urban center of San Diego is a…read morehuge benefit to everybody who lives here that enjoys the outdoors. Right now through March is the best time of year to visit in my opinion. Everything is beautiful and green and the flowers are starting to come out. I just hiked there this past weekend and it was spectacular. Over the course of the years when we have had super blooms, the mountainside on South Fortuna gets covered with poppies. We only saw a couple puppies here this past weekend but super exciting! With a little bit of rain in the near future forecast, the wildflowers are going to explode. So many different choices of trails to hike, but the south Fortuna Mountain is definitely my favorite. There's a kick ass section of over 200 stairs that goes straight up the hillside. That's the hillside where the poppies come out and it's one hell of a workout. It does get incredibly hot out here in the summer months. I would proceed with caution, if choosing outdoor activities here at those times. Tons of water, early morning or late evening start time for activities and adequate sun protection are a must. There is very little shade on these trails. I would also recommend always going with a buddy, just in case there's an emergency, and using the AllTrails app so you don't get lost.

I stopped in for some last-minute gifts on the final day of my San Diego trip. The Visitor Center…read moreis small and no one greeted me or asked if I needed help, but there were plenty of different T-shirt options specifically. I was able to find those, plus some pens to purchase. Prices were probably slightly inflated but not terribly. Check out was easy. Bathrooms were right outside of the center in the courtyard, and those were clean and orderly.

We sometimes stop by the Balboa Park Visitors Center to grab brochures and explore the little gift…read moreshop. The staff is always nice, and there are some really cute things in the gift shop. Located near the Prado Restaurant, this Visitors Center is fairly easy to miss. Since there is so much to see in Balboa Park, I'm so glad that they have several knowledgeable employees working here. The gift shop contains a small selection of cute souvenirs. There are also drinks, snacks, and some great books on Balboa Park and the surrounding San Diego area. We are planning on getting the Passport to Balboa Park the next time we are here. If you like Balboa Park as much as we do, this Visitors Bureau Center is worth a stop when you are here!

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.

My absolute favorite spot in San Diego to stay, play and enjoy the outdoors, restaurants and…read moreactivities!

Mission Bay Park is a huge, beautiful area right on the water. Instead of crashing ocean waves, the…read morebay has super calm water that is perfect for paddleboarding or just wading in to cool off. There are miles of flat, paved paths all around the water where you can ride a bike or take a long walk. It is also an amazing place to bring dogs, especially with Fiesta Island right there.

If you are looking for a place to hold an event, this is right in Balboa Park and the servers are…read moretop notch.

Such a cool visitor center with some iconic merch for purchases. Inside you will find a cool model…read moreof the actual grounds of Old Town when it first operated. It is such a great blast from the past. The store has lots of souvenirs to purchase from aprons, books, and other knick knacks. The most favorite though are the books. Lots of the books are based off of San Diego's history and talks about what San Diego has to offer. You can collect a stack of brochures that have info on local attractions and excursions. Apparently, you can take a tour around the town but when we came in, no one was available at the time. So, we will try again next time we visit. Overall, such a a cool place and if you want to know more about SD, stop by to be educated. SD's history is pretty cool and worth the time to hear about.

We always come by here when we're in Old Town. With a small selection of brochures and unique…read moresouvenirs in their gift shop, this information center provides a good look into Old Town San Diego's history. The Robinson Rose Information Center has a really interesting model of Old Town. Although they don't always have an employee readily available to answer questions about the town's history, they do have some nice brochures and maps of the area. I also noticed that there were some cool new displays here earlier this month. Their small store sells some unique cookbooks, aprons, and potholders. My son likes looking at all the books about the town's history. They also had a section of books focused on missions and a good selection of vintage toys (like marbles and jacks) on our last visit here. The best part about the Robinson Rose Information Center are the tours. We met the volunteer outside (I think his name's Bert) for some great information and tour around the town. We had a great tour of the Courthouse, La Casa de Machado y Stewart Museum, Mason Street School, and La Casa de Estudillo. We're here so often that Bert remembered us during our previous visits to the McCoy House, Seeley Stables, and La Casa de Estudillo. Bert is always so knowledgeable and friendly. He's wonderfully informative about the entire town and so patient when answering questioning. Although this information center may not be the most exciting part of town, Old Town San Diego State Historical Park's tours are really fun and a great educational experience for kids and adults alike!

This is one of the trail heads that will take you to South Fortuna going up the stair master of…read morehell. It will also link you up to North Fortuna trail head if you want to do a double peak like I did today. I rate this hike difficult to moderate depending on fitness level. The toughest part you'll face are the inclines getting there and the stairs from hell. It is really hard to get an exAct address as the GPS map shows this as a unamed road, but it is right of mission gorge and Jackson drive. You make a left when you hit the intersection and it's a dirt lot. You'll take the visitor center loop trail just follow the trail sign. From here it gets very confusing and tricky to navigate to South Fortuna. You'll hit the first fork go right and follow the Fortuna Saddle Trail. We then took another right and followed the Suycott Valley Trail. Which then takes you to the South Fortuna Trail. I know you have to hike these trails to get to South Fortuna! You'll cross a bridge and bit further in you'll need to prep for the stair master from hell. Some of the stairs are still well intact and closer to the top more eroded and rocky the steps get. I won't lie this part is difficult and I was out of breath at the top. Don't stop yet! The peak is still further in! Yes keep going don't give up! The views are not spectacular don't except too much. But you did it! From there we took went back to the saddle back fork and did North Fortuna! Or you can end it and take the Fortuna saddle trail west to complete the loop back to the visitor center loop. Super confusing with the routes to take, it is better to do it with someone that is familiar with the trail. Other than that it's a good workout! 4.6 miles add on North 4.1 miles. Bring plenty of water it will get hot and there is no shade.