Balboa Park is easily one of my favorite outdoor spots in San Diego and, in my opinion, one of the…read morebest urban parks in the country. There is SO much to do here, and the park is absolutely stunning and very well maintained. When living downtown, I was here pretty much every weekend. I love walking through the park, running the trails, and bringing my dog. The dog park is huge and gives them plenty of room to run around, which is a major plus. You could easily spend hours just walking and exploring everything Balboa Park has to offer. Between the trails, architecture, museums, gardens, recreational areas, and incredible history, there is always something to see or do. Even after coming here so often, I still enjoy simply walking around and taking it all in. The history and architecture are really what make Balboa Park special. It's beautiful, full of character, and such an incredible part of San Diego. Whether you want to exercise, walk your dog, explore, have a picnic, visit a museum, or just enjoy being outside, this park has something for everyone. An easy 5/5 for me. One of the places that makes me love San Diego!

Balboa Park is always such a great place to get away and enjoy a relaxing walk. There's just…read moresomething so calming about being here. The park is beautifully maintained, and everything feels clean and well cared for. The newly renovated botanical garden is especially peaceful and definitely worth visiting. It's also a great place to bring kids they'll love seeing the turtles, fish, and ducks around the park. There are plenty of vendor stands to check out as well, making it easy to spend a few hours exploring. Whether you're looking to unwind, enjoy nature, or spend quality time with family, Balboa Park is always a wonderful destination.

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.

Amazing pier. We got…read moremini golf, an arcade, rides, lots of rides, carnival-style games, and a huge pool with obstacle courses. Rock climbing, laser tag, and a beach, among other things. Like uh hell yes! Not to mention delicious food and ice cream and snacks everywhere. Prices are great for a pier, honestly. Most games in the arcade were a dollar to 2 dollars at most, which is low compared to, let's say, Dave & Buster's. Rides were decently priced, but they have all-day passes and even some sunrise deals where you can ride all rides for 40 bucks or so. Parking here does suck; on my last visit, I saw two people almost beat each other up for a parking spot. But other than that, this place is a fun, vibey spot. It's a great hangout spot with your kids, friends or even for date nights. We spent 6 hours here on our last trip, so it was worth it, and we had a blast. Will go again on our next San Diego trip for sure.

Has your typical boardwalk amusement park. You come for the ambience, rather than the quality of…read morethe rides. They do run specials often, so if you think you'll be coming a few times, I'd make sure to check them out ahead of time. Tried their monster waffle cone and they aren't kidding. It's "2" scoops of two flavors, but really felt like 6-8 scoops. I can't imagine how a group smaller than 4-5 would be able to finish it. For $8.50, it's not a bad deal, but it is VERY sweet. Free parking is a huge plus. Overall, a good place to stay for a couple of hours or for a full day.

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.

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.

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.

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.

We went here for an open skate session. We had 2 6 year old girls. The equipment including…read moreskates, helmet and elbow, wrist and knee pads worked fine. The rink is outside with a cement floor. Overall it looks ragged. It's not a polished looking rink like most others. That's part of the charm. On the way out we saw the roller derby team practicing. Hope to watch a game soon.