A Beautiful Experience at Balboa Park!…read more Balboa Park is truly one of the most beautiful places to visit in San Diego! We especially loved exploring the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages. The International Cottages are such a unique part of the park. Each cottage highlights a different country and culture, giving visitors the opportunity to learn about traditions, history, food, music, and so much more from around the world--all in one beautiful setting. We loved walking around, learning about the different cultures, and experiencing the welcoming atmosphere. It's a wonderful way to expose children to the diversity of our world and encourage curiosity and appreciation for other cultures. The beautiful architecture, gardens, cultural displays, and friendly volunteers made the experience even more special. It's definitely one of the areas of Balboa Park that shouldn't be missed! A wonderful place for families, culture lovers, and anyone who enjoys learning and exploring. Highly recommend adding the International Cottages to your Balboa Park visit!

Beautiful park in San Diego, CA! This is a huge park, lots of walking but well worth all the views…read more There is a botanical garden they do charge and it is a bit costly. The park itself is so big so I did not pay for the Japanese garden although it did look beautiful. There are several restrooms, clean. There are also several shops for souvenirs and food.

i'm conflicted about this place. i love Point Loma, SO beautiful but i was shocked and kinda sad…read morethat kids are STILL jumping off the cliffs even though someone just got hurt here. We saw the lifeguards come and talk to them and they just waited and jumped anyway. SO dumb. but I guess that's what you do when you're young and foolish lol I'll try to post pics here. I don't have instagram bc i locked myself out of it! lol. Anyway it's really pretty here and def worth checking out.

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!

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.

A cute little family-friendly place next to a beautiful beach!…read more After walking around the beach for a while, we decided to walk around Belmont Park to see what it was all about. It was a summer Thursday and the place was packed with kids and their parents, all having a blast. There was a zip line, bumper cars, an arcade, a giant pirate-themed play place - heaven on earth to rambunctious little people! The whole place was cutesy - beach themed photo ops everywhere. They also had plenty of "fair food" for those looking for a junky snack. My only complaint was that there wasn't enough shaded areas to sit in and enjoy a meal. Additionally, they didn't really have any vegetarian food options. We were starving (our main reason for checking out this place) and found cheese pizza slices as the only vegetarian friendly option. Seemed quite odd considering how popular vegetarianism has become, especially in places like California.. If you have kids or are just looking to let your own inner-child run wild, this place is worth checking out!

Belmont Park is an iconic tourist stop when in San Diego…read more The famous Big Dipper rollercoaster has been around for decades and is still a thrill worth trying. Over the past decade arcades, bumper cars, put-put golf and kiddie rides have been added to the beachfront experience as well as a handful of food options. Be prepared to spend some serious money when visiting though, this place is not cheap. Tickets are needed to ride each ride and can be purchased at a stand on either end of the park (under the roller coaster and next to put-put golf). The kiddie rides start around $5/participant and increase from there. Bring your patience, parking is a beast any day or time of the year!

After hearing about this spot from a friend, I have always wanted to come. I was able to on a hot…read moreday, despite it being hot, it was also very windy (cool). I would recommend a light jacket-- of course depending on the day. They have clean restrooms with sinks to wash your hands outside, but no paper towels or drying station. They had many choices of where to sit, where to play, even tables to eat, and more. People rollerblading, skateboarding, yoga, playing soccer, this spot is full of life! I really enjoyed my time here as even the birds and butterflies were all flying around. I will happily come back to explore more of what this park has to offer.

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.

I always wanted to learn to sail a Hobie beach catamaran and MBAC is one of the very few places in…read moreCalifornia which has them for rent and also offers lessons. I signed up for 2 private lessons and had a great experience with their instructors, being very knowledgeable and patient with a newbie like me. At the end they certified me to take the Hobie out in Mission Bay under my supervision. I then signed up for their monthly membership when you can take a boat out (which you're instructor approved) daily, pending availability. This is the best deal ever! Besides the instructors, the staff and dockmaster are super friendly and helpful. Facilities are very nice with restrooms, showers, and lockers. Highly recommend for anyone interested to learn to sail and/or take one out for an afternoon.

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.

La Jolla Cove is San Diego's most famous beach, where you can see a vast number of seals and sea…read morelions. You can hear constant barking sounds at La Jolla Cove, and the source of this noise is the California sea lion. To distinguish between a seal and a sea lion, look at the ears: seals have only ear holes, whereas sea lions have visible, protruding ears. You will find far more seals and sea lions on land than swimming in the water, as they need to spend at least seven to eight hours a day out of the water to rest and regulate their body temperature. What makes La Jolla Cove special is that humans and animals share the beach; people, seals, and sea lions all swim in the same waters. Wildflowers bloom around the beach, and the area is home to a variety of wildlife, including cormorants and seagulls, alongside the seals and sea lions.

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.

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.

Nice outdoor skating ring, I brought my kids to a 6 year old…read morebday party here very clean good atmosphere great music Dj was playing however IRIS a employee there I caught her being very inappropriate mean and impatient towards some kids and parents some in the party I was in and even to others example a kid walks up to a arcade game presses a button she goes "I mean it's off for a reason" In a very rude manner . I just feel she isn't good with kids that's all .