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.

The Japanese Friendship Garden was easily one of the prettiest and most peaceful stops during my…read moretime in San Diego. If you enjoy walking around, taking in beautiful scenery, and getting some great photos along the way, this place is absolutely worth visiting. The garden is very walkable, and there are gorgeous views around seemingly every corner. As someone who loves photography, I had my camera working overtime. Between the landscaping, bridges, waterfalls, plants, and all of the little details throughout the garden, there are so many great opportunities for photos. The koi pond was probably my favorite part. The koi were BEAUTIFUL, and I could have stood there watching them swim around forever. It was easily one of the most relaxing parts of my visit. A fun fact I learned is that the garden opened in 1991 and was created as an expression of friendship between San Diego and its sister city, Yokohama, Japan. The garden continued to expand over the years, including the addition of a grove with around 200 cherry trees in 2015. So there is actually quite a bit of history and meaning behind all of the beauty. Definitely a 5 star experience for me. Peaceful, gorgeous, easy to explore, and an absolute dream if you enjoy photography. I would gladly come back, especially during cherry blossom season!

We visited during our trip to San Diego & oh my goodness, it was absolutely amazing…read more This is such a peaceful place to sit and enjoy the beauty of nature. Located inside Balboa Park, you can tour the museums in the area, but don't forget to stop and take a moment to smell the flowers at the Japanese Friendship Garden... There were so many beautiful birds, butterflies, koi, and plants I've never seen before. The grounds were very clean and well manicured. Pricing to get in was about $60 for a family of 4 (including student pricing for our children) which may be a bit steep if you have young children with thin patience.. however, if you are able to come in and find your Zen for a couple hours, this is the spot to do so. They offer free crafts for visitors- when we were there they were doing an origami workshop, which seemed very fun. However, our kids weren't up For it- so we did not participate. Would definitely visit again in the future!

This was our first visit and I highly recommend coming!! We spent the day here because I was the…read moreinstagram winner of two passes and a plant!! Upon arrival we were greeted, given a succulent and tickets. The Dickinson Family atrium is a fabulous space with hanging plants and so many examples of indoor/rainforest plants. We walked the entire grounds!! My fitness tracker said it took me two hours to walk two miles- I kept stopping to take pictures and read the plant placards. We walked around though many different gardens. From the rainforest of Africa and past the waterfall to the desert area with native plants. There was an example of a Native American village complete with hut and grinding stone. We hiked up to the look out point where you can see the Pacific Ocean. There is a children's garden, playhouse, and a sandbox with toys. There are walking trails through out and many benches. I highly recommend bringing water, a hat, sunscreen and snacks. There is a small gift shop with a small selection of snacks. They have a large selection of plants to purchase!!

Had very unpleasant attempt to visit botanical gardens. We…read morebrought our service dog with us and had all the documents to prove it. The women at the front desk kept asking millions questions and expressing unreasonably doubts. Ny kids and I felt like being on lie detector.Very humiliating feeling. After finally being admitted, we left shortly. Our experience were ruined.It was no place for enjoyment. Very bitter,sad feeling... I didn't know people can be so mean at botanical gardens. This woman should work somewhere else,like border patrol or security check point. It would be better for everyone. Never come back to this place.

I had despaired of ever getting the slope (well, more like a cliff) in my backyard cleaned up and…read morestabilized with a secondary keystone block retaining wall. It wasn't a complex job, but the the site was a giant mess, with a lot of overgrowth and debris. Michael's bid was well within my budget, and he was able to schedule the job for a time that was convenient for me. He also offered clear explanations about why the work would best be done a certain way. When it came to the work itself, his crew was outstanding. They arrived on time, kept on schedule, and cleaned up the site at the end of every work day. I have never seen such an organized, well managed job site. They were truly exemplary in all respects, but especially in regards to the quality of their work. When it comes time to replace my fence, my patio cover, or my driveway, I will definitely call Michael.

We had an excellent experience with Pacific Landscaping and Maintenance from beginning to end…read more Michael arrived on time for our initial appointment, and his estimate was the most competitive we received without cutting any corners. In fact, his proposal included everything needed to properly prepare and establish a healthy lawn, while other estimates we received were significantly more expensive and included less. Michael recommended St. Augustine grass because we have a large dog, and within a week, his team was ready to start the project. He explained the entire process ahead of time and gave me detailed guidance about the watering schedule, mowing schedule, and recommended equipment for maintaining the new lawn. The crew was amazing--efficient, professional, polite, and extremely hardworking. Carlos, the crew lead, was especially impressive. He is calm, knowledgeable, and very detail-oriented. He listened carefully to every concern I had and made sure everything was addressed properly. The project was completed ahead of schedule, and they even installed a fence that we provided to protect the new lawn from foot traffic and our dog while it gets established. The finished lawn looks absolutely beautiful. The new sprinkler system is quiet, efficient, and works perfectly. They used new, quality materials and clearly did not cut corners anywhere in the project. After comparing several companies and estimates, I am very happy that we chose Pacific Landscaping and Maintenance. We received a better, more complete project at a very competitive price. Michael, Carlos, and the entire crew exceeded our expectations. I highly recommend them!

So fun we drove up some scary hills to get to these beautifully manicured topiaries. If you're ever…read morein San Diego, it's a fun sight to see. There's plenty of parking (residential), but please be mindful that this is a private residence so be respectful to not trespass in the bushes or anywhere indicated.

Overall rating: 4.85…read more Such a cute spot, for a drive-by. Don't expect it to take longer than 5 minutes. It's just a sight in front of really nice houses. All the animals are so fun and highly recommend!

Tinh kindly referred me to a Hardscaper when I needed one, who ended up being great. I really…read moreappreciated how helpful he was despite my project not being a fit for him, so I'll definitely call him once I need a dedicated landscaper for my new yard!

Trinh is very knowledgeable and fixed my sprinklers within a week of me reaching out. He was very…read morenice as well! We will hire him again in the future!

The Marston House is 8,500 sqft and is on 5 acres of property. The home was built in 1905 and it is…read moreconsidered to be a home designed in the architecture from the Arts and Crafts Movement. It is considered to be #40 on the San Diego Historic Landmark list. It is also on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. It was home to George White Marston and his wife Anna Gunn Marston. The family of George and Anna donated the house to the City of San Diego and it was converted into a museum in 1987. We kind of stumbled onto the Marston House. The majority of us wanted to explore other parts of San Diego while we were killing time before our check-in at our Vrbo, but my mother insisted on us staying at Balboa Park after already spending half a day there. We were all tired and ready to go somewhere else, but nobody says No to my Mother. LOL. We decided to wonder down to the George W. Marston House. I will say I'm glad we did. We didn't go inside, but we wandered the grounds. We explored the garden and checked out the different flowers. We took in the architecture of the Marston House. Mom, you were right this time! It was worth the visit! I wish we took a tour inside. Next time!

Surrounded by five acres of rolling lawns, manicured formal gardens, and rustic canyon gardens,…read morethis 8,500 square-foot home became a house museum in 1987 after the Marston family gifted it to the City of San Diego for the enjoyment of the public. Marston House was constructed in 1905 for George W. Marston and his wife, Anna Gunn Marston. George Marston is noted for many things but most prominently as a civic leader whose interest and work in historic preservation and conservation. The house is a craftsman style and has been maintained as a museum exhibit for the public. About 45 minutes long and an interesting narration by the tour guide provides historical facts about the Marston family as well as details of the house and gardens. Tickets ($10) for the house tour may be purchased from the gift shop carriage house. Noteworthy house tours open only on weekends! While in the area, my furbaby Fendi and I stroll through the outdoor grounds and rose garden. The collection of roses are spectacular and fragrant. Many seasonal blooming plants to see and appreciate. Recommend.

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.