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    Presidio Park

    4.3 (101 reviews)

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    The day yes it was very odd to see a county building closed and yet the property is in the city area. Gang Grafitti.
    Joel C.

    The general history of the Presidio Park has much a darker history than many people know to see the areas of the city park not marked with any signs when you see a place the location has no signs only on the San Diego property. The Presidio used to a be a Hells Angels and the toughest gangs that would terrorize the park and the people that went there to see the park rangers house closed and locked tells me one thing that the park and the history of the park doesn't show one thing about History. To know a place, you have to see the true story behind it its not one of flowers of sunshine. The park has had many years of biker gangs and particular groups that have used the park as a drug and gang activity to see the many places just looking from the recreation center the questions, I asked seemed to be to be side stepped from the many events that had happened in Presidio Park. To see the true story is to find the many historical events is that the past has caught up with what is happening the park has been only used the day with the safety and the Baseball Park that sit down below in the city after hours can be very dangerous. With the coming of the Mexican Armies there was the Mormon Battalion that marched from Council Bluffs Iowa making their way across the United States the true group that helped in the many areas of San Diego and the building of the many sawmills which built and the construction of the Old Town State Park. With the Mormon Battalion Soldier that stands above the overlook when they had reached the Pacific Ocean the Mormon Battalion never saw or to enter the war with Mexico. For the many that have searched and found the different sides you may see something that was prepared by the Mexican Government, yet the Spainards had come before many of the people that had arrived at the Calif Coast. From the many years that history has shown so much with other groups that try to claim and want things their own way to claim lands that were theirs, yet the past history has such a blackened past with the many battles that tore California apart. As a Yelp Elite Reviewer, I see much more of the past years of history of the past war that Mexico has had with the United States with the many people surging on the United States. There is much history of the Preside of what is the correct and true history for the issue of history can be one that can turn bad.

    Courtney O.

    Presidio Park is such an underrated, beautiful spot in San Diego! Tucked away in Mission Hills just behind Old Town, Presidio Park is located up a windy road on a slope. The park is most notably home to the Junipero Serra Museum, which is the beautiful terrace and look out that can be seen from the freeway. Unfortunately, the park can get a lot of trash, especially if you go into the walking path area. But, there are great spots to picnic. I've seen many people hosting birthday parties or get togethers out on the lawn. We held our wedding reception at the Junipero Serra Museum and the views were gorgeous. The way the terrace is set up is incredible and if you come at night, you can even catch the Sea World fireworks.

    Fort Stockton marker
    Mark K.

    Came here to visit the Serra Museum, but found some other cool things as well! The park seems small at first, but then looking around I realized it is decent sized. There are several areas separated by roads, parking lots or ridges, and which each offer their own amenities. Tables and grass for picnicking, hillside grassy areas for relaxing and viewing Old Town San Diego or the city to the west, and a few minor hiking trails on its east end to get your cardio going. Saw lots of couples, families and small groups this visit, all enjoying the park. I visited the Mormon Battalion memorial, the Fort Stockton site, and a ridge just above the museum itself which offered great views of the river valley below. Definitely a place to come to relax by yourself or with friends, and enjoy some great views and natural beauty.

    Jack M.

    Yes, this is a great park, especially as you drive up the hill and find a super well shaded patch of green between the Junipero Serra Museum and Old Fort Stockon. Picnic tables are located underneath mature pine trees with trash cans nearby. There plenty of green for children to run around on. Also, if BBQ using charcoal, disposal containers are available. Parking can be tricky. Closes to the park, most of it is available around the access road that follows the perimeter of the park. You can also, park at the nearby museum down the street, but you have to trek up a hill to reach the park. However, from the museum, there are some safer paths that lead to the park, rather then walking along the side the road.

    The Presidio Park
    Christian L.

    Nice park on a hill. Slopes and benches. There are some arches. Good place for a picnic. Rebel: 4

    Walkway where all engagement photos seem to be (but with a Belgian Malinois instead)
    Lyndsay S.

    This is occasionally one of my favorite places to go. And other times it's so filled with homeless people and riffraff that it's unsafe to explore and you never really know what kind of day it will be. It's worth chancing it to go and see where San Diego started, but don't come alone (or bring a big dog) and report what you see (you will encounter at least one camp) to the Get it done app. The fact that history is sort of taken for granted and abused makes me sad, but if we don't go see it, how is San Diego going to know it needs cleaning up. There was even someone camping/sleeping on top of the "witches tower"- Side note- place (and the back trails specifically) is haunted, which I just learned. My dog usually wigs out more than usually, which I just thought was him being aware of the birds, but knowing that- he might sense other things. So-if that's your thing- it's just another haunted part of Old Town-

    Christy A.

    Statues, trails of educational observatories situated inside the Old Town State Park in Mission Valley. I was on a ticking time bomb when I came to Presidio so my excursion was pretty abbreviated. I did however make the wonderful acquaintance of Padri, found several hidden stairs leading to open greenery, picturesque sceneries and additional landmarks inside the park. I noticed plenty of areas for sitting, fountains, restrooms and parking for your convenience. Allot yourself at least a couple hours to take in the Presidio/Old Town State Park views. ~Christy

    Just lovely
    Lisa W.

    I love this park! It's not a hidden gem but I feel like it is because nobody really comes here... Or at least when I come there's like 3 other couples. We don't use their picnic area- which is where it's usually full. We use more of the slanted hill overlooking the freeways and view. It's very green, peaceful and quiet. It's beautiful and relaxing. You can take a nap without anybody disturbing you (like hobos). You can set up at a hidden spot near the trees. One thing is- I didn't see a bathroom. It's probably in the picnic area. I also noticed there's not that much parking. You have to either park downhill at the parking across from the museum, get lucky and find parking on the streets near the picnic area or park in residents streets. I'm sure they hate that. We parked down and walked up. I think we'll come here more to have picnics. It's better than Balboa park... More privacy.

    Up at the top
    Vin S.

    This is a nice park that most San Diegans don't know much about. It's pretty noisy being near the I-8 and I-5 intersections, but there are quiet places to hang out, and a ton of history associated with this hillside. I enjoy walking amongst the trees, and enjoying a "nature break" so close to our urban core. If you've not been here, you really should check out Presidio Park. It's a nice place to picnic with friends and family, and you can walk to Old Town State Historic Park located a short distance to the west.

    View from the park
    Jessica S.

    I'd forgotten how beautiful it is up here. We haven't driven up that hill in years, and I don't think I've ever really driven all the way around (I didn't even realize that there's a road that leads out the back way, once you hit the summit!) We're always looking for new places to take the mongrels, and since every single beach in San Diego is off-limits for canines, we're quickly running out of new places. This Saturday, we were hoping for something other than our old stand-by locations (Liberty Station and Balboa Park), when my husband suddenly suggested Presidio Park. Again, it's been years since we've been here, so his suggestion took me by surprise. We always see the buildings from the freeway, but it never crosses my mind as a place to go. I'm glad he suggested it, and I'm glad we went. It's lovely there. The day we were there, the top of the hill was busy. There had to have been at least four different large parties going on, so the street parking in that little loop was non-existent. We drove around, then came back out at the front and parked at the little lot near the bottom of the hill (close to the buildings and the museum - another thing I didn't realize was there!) We were able to take the beagles out to the open green area right next to the parking lot, and they loved it. They loved the grass and the trees and the fallen foliage and the birds and the...well, they're lovers of everything, after all. We took them on a nice long walk, letting them run and tire themselves out far away from people and the street. They had a grand time sniffing and rolling and barking and running, and we had a grand time laughing at their silly antics. It was quiet in that area - not many people were around - and it was very peaceful. There's a great view from the top of that little rise, and some nice trails leading out. I would have liked to have spread out a blanket to hang out for a bit, but the hubs was getting restless and the mongrels were running out of steam, so we headed back to the car. One day I want to go back without the dogs, just so that we can take a peek at the museum. I'm even eager to go back to take the road out of the Park, the one that I didn't know existed till this trip. It's a nice place to go and relax, to walk, and to look out over the freeway. Our engagement photos were taken here (so yeah - many years ago!), and we did an impromptu "photo shoot" with my parents here once also many years ago. So, it's definitely picturesque and worth visiting. Apparently it's also a good place for parties!

    Looks okay, even good, at initial glance
    James E.

    Maybe I happen upon the wrong side of the park, however, I was utterly disgusted and had to leave. I hadn't even walked around 5 min to discover trash and homeless people all around. The area looks run down. There was a kids baseball game going on though. So, if you're into family and sport kind of outings. This place is just... I don't even want to come back to this park. I mean, homeless people leaving trash all over the place, the smell of urine and who knows what, the graffiti. I don't know how San Diego has let homelessness run rampant in the city. This is supposed to be a tourist attraction. I don't know how to eliminate the homelessness problem, but there's got to be somewhere these people can go to, instead of desecrating these park grounds and ruining it for everyone else. Is this a controversial topic?

    Great spot for Christmas Photo shoot! Photo by Mirigrina

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    Great place to take visitors . My friend from NC came out for Christmas , she loved it .

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    Review Highlights - Presidio Park

    The mission-style building today on Presidio Hill is the Junipero Serra Museum, built in the 1920s.

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    Gaslamp Quarter Association

    Gaslamp Quarter Association

    4.1
    (236 reviews)
    3.8 mi

    We attended our FOURTH Taste of the Gaslamp, this is 2025!!! We have been coming since 2022!!!…read more It's a FUN San Diego Event. We started at Goodnight John Boy, which is a 1970's Nightclub!!! It was also STOP 1, serving PIZZA. We stopped at in on 16 RESTAURANTS!!! HERE IS HOW OUR DAY WENT: We proceeded over and up. We ate PIZZA again at PIZZA ON FIFTH. THEN, back down, BACK AND FORTH, and down some more. Back and Forth, AND UP!!! We had pizza and more pizza, a couple places had sliders. CHEESE BALLS at The Field!!! I ate both of our Cheese Balls, and they were large and filled with soft, creamy white cheese. When we walked into THE FIELD, the Staff approached us and took us to a table, the only empty table in the place!!! After that, they even exchanged the stool that was there with a backed chair. GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! YUMMY, yummy Truffles at Sugarbear!!! We then ran into the MEXICAN REGION, with Rockin Baja and Hasta Manana, and Baja Rick's Cantina!!! We loved HASTA MANANA, in particular. It went all out MEXICAN FOOD, we had three different things to eat, including Chips and Guacamole, a Potato Taquito, and Arroz Con Leche. HASTA Manana was the HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY!!! At ROYAL India, we tried Chicken Marsala!!! We were thrilled to see CAFE SEVILLA again serving Paella!!! We were also thrilled to see SUGAR BEAR again serving DELICIOUS DESERTS!!! I have to say this about SUGARBEAR, we were greeted warmly by the owner, who was standing outside. It was JUST LIKE LAST YEAR. WHAT A DAY!!! I mean, this is a Classic San Diego LOCATION, location, location, the Gaslamp Quarter. Then, DID I MENTION, you get to taste the food at 16 Restaurants!!! TELL ME, what is better???

    Very charming neighborhood of downtown San Diego! I stayed at the Sofia Hotel so walking and…read moreexploring the area was convenient and so easy. I loved getting to pass by all the historic buildings, most were constructed in the Victorian era. Also lots of restaurants and shops along the way to Harbor Drive

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    Gaslamp Quarter Association
    Gaslamp Quarter Association
    Chocolate Cremerie Desserts at Taste of the Gaslamp 2023.

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    Chocolate Cremerie Desserts at Taste of the Gaslamp 2023.
    The Homecoming Statue

    The Homecoming Statue

    4.4
    (11 reviews)
    3.4 mi

    Pretty iconic statue along the boardwalk before you get to Seaport Village. There's not really a…read morequeue to take your picture in front of it, so hop in while you can. When I visited, there was yellow tape in front of the statue roping it off. Not clear on why.

    this statue seems to be mistaken for the Unconditional Surrender statue a lot by reviewers…read more Unconditional Surrender is tall and in color, while the Homecoming statue is life sized and bronze. They could not be more different. You will find this statue on a grass patch along the street. Parking here to get a closer look is relatively simple. There is a huge metered lot within a reasonable walking distance of this statue. It is a simple statue that depicts a sailor being embraced by a woman, that I assume to be his wife and a small child that I assume to be shared by his wife. The sculpture is the work of Stanley Bleifeld, whose intent was to express the joy of the reunion between a family when a sailor returns from a long deployment. The statue not only honors the service member, but the sacrifices made by families during challenging periods without their loved ones. The San Diego sculpture is a replica of the original one in the US Navy Memorial in Washington, DC. You will find other copies in Virginia and South Carolina. The statue is about 7 feet high and was dedicated in August 1998. It is showing its age a bit, but still looks pretty good. It is a powerful sculpture and you can really feel the reunion. Be sure to check out the expressions on the sculptures' faces, especially the kid's. Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. There are a ton of statues and memorials in that area including the USS San Diego Memorial, The Bob Hope Salute, The Aircraft Carrier Memorial and the Unconditional Surrender statue. I would also consider visiting the USS Midway Museum, as well.

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    The Homecoming Statue
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    Horton Plaza Park

    Horton Plaza Park

    2.9
    (52 reviews)
    3.6 mi

    For the nany groups that gatgerwd at the park you would find the shore patrol that patroled the…read morestreets for the times were early with the servicemen that would have time in the city on shore leave. For the Horton Plaza pigeon park fid have its bad sidez wgen the mall storez started changing it caused the park to be cleaned up. The Pigeon Park gad a tunnel that ran under the park that connected to the old Grey Hound Station that is locat at 1st and Broadway. The Banking Building tgat is located at the front it was one of the many that handeled the many stores for the Wells Fargo handled the businesses of Horton Plaza as the shopping center was changing. When planet hollywood was at the mall the rsstaurant was the support for the ma with the vest food and surprising dishes. Horton Plaza Park was the front row seats to the many premeres of the msll the park was one you saw the many speakers the park was the center of the visitors and the news conferences that would be broadcasted from the park. The founder and the one that developed the many properties i the fathers of the Gaslamp anx the Spreckles theater Alonzo Horton the founder of the gaslamp and the many of thr New City the firzt bame for the city of San Diego. Horton Plaza Park the centwr of the historical landmarks for the Horton Pkaza Park was an empty field before the mall was built the Spreckles Theater one of the first musical and the first Black and White theater. With the US Grant Hotel tht oldest of San Diego it was the business hotel the hietorical loxation that oversaw the openinfband the dedication of the park. As a Yelp Elite Reviewer the historical locationd of the Broadway the main street that runs down the middle of the city. From the trip that I toom down to San Diego the park been changed with i dustrial blowers and generators for the theater was started but was never finished. The company that was doing the demo and the remodel the problem there is no money the demo and remodel had ruined the Historical Landnark seeing this the city has ruined the Histotical welcome to visitors.

    I work a block away from this parking lot and the late night parking attendant tonight was much…read moremore rude than usual. He told us to basically go to a different parking garage since they were experiencing issues tonight and only have one lane open versus 3 lanes. After I thanked him for dealing with everything he didn't say anything except "next time park it on market" it's always the guy with the hat late night that is so quiet and rude to all myself and all my coworkers. There has been one lovely late night lady and she's the best!!! 5 stars for her. Bring her around more often. Not this mean guy that hates literally everyone.

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    With the many parts of the Horton Plaza Park there is under construction of the outdoor theater and the Ampitheater.
    With the many parts of the Horton Plaza Park there is under construction of the outdoor theater and the Ampitheater.
    With the Horton Park the one hotel that has the ties to the park is the US Grant hotel which donated money to the building of the park.
    With the Horton Park the one hotel that has the ties to the park is the US Grant hotel which donated money to the building of the park.
    The many areas of the Horton Plaza Park and the site of the Horton House which you can see the site as the right.

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    The many areas of the Horton Plaza Park and the site of the Horton House which you can see the site as the right.

    Presidio Park - parks - Updated July 2026

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