San Diego’s Balboa Park, an oasis in the city. I think that describes it really well. It’s big and there’s plenty to see, you could easily spend several days exploring all of the museums, the zoo and other attractions.
The park was established in 1868 and is the country’s second oldest after Central Park in Manhattan. A lot of the architecture in the park comes from the 1915/16 Panama-California Exposition and the 1935/36 California-Pacific International Exposition. Enter the park via the Cabrillo Bridge.
The Cabrillo Bridge was built in 1915 for the Panama – California Exposition. The cantilever style bridge has seven pseudo arches with its design copied from a bridge in Ronda, Spain. As you walk across you’ll see in front of you the California Tower of the Museum of Man while to your right some great views of the San Diego skyline.
Directly in front of you is the West Gate, a ceremonial arch that was built for the 1915 exposition. There are two reclining figures holding flowing water jugs, these represent the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Walk through here and onto El Prado the parks main thoroughfare.
Immediately on your left is the Museum of Man housed in the California Building. Designed by the architect Bertram Goodhue who was considered the world’s foremost authority on Spanish colonial architecture, this building formed part of the 1915 exposition. The facade features carved historical figures including Spanish kings, Charles I and Phillip III.
Just up from here is the Old Globe Theatre, a replica of Shakespeares Globe Theatre in London. Built for the 1935 exposition it survived until 1978 when it was destroyed by an arsonist. What you see today is a rebuild.
Next door to the theatre is the Sculpture Garden of the Museum of Art with pieces by Henry Moore, Alexander Calder and Joan Miro.
Walk across the street to the Alcazar Garden. Designed in 1935 to look similar to the gardens surrounding the Alcazar Castle in Seville by Richard Requa and W. Allen Perry. The garden is laid out in a formal design and trimmed with low, clipped hedges. There is a centre walkway with two star shaped yellow and blue tiled fountains.
Leave the garden and walk up El Prado, as the area opens up walk to your right where you should see the House of Charm. This is now the Mingei International Museum which displays changing exhibitions in costume, jewellery, textiles and pottery to name just a few.
To your left you can’t miss the beautiful facade of the San Diego Museum of Art. It was designed to look like the famous university building in Salamanca, Spain. There are three life sized figures over the scalloped entryway depicting the Spanish painters Bartolome Murillo, Francisco de Zurbaran and Diego Velazquez. It is quite spectacular.
Across from here is the House of Hospitality which houses the visitor centre and also the Prado Restaurant. Have a look into the courtyard where you’ll see a fountain and sculpture by Donal Hord called Woman of Tehuantepec.
As you leave the House of Hospitality, straight ahead of you is the imposing statue of El Cid Campeador. This was created by Anna Hyatt Huntington and dedicated in 1930. This sculpture was made from a mold of the original statue that sits in the court of the Hispanic Society of America in New York.
Walk towards the outdoor organ pavilion but before reaching it look to your right where you’ll see a wooden bridge. Head to that and into the Palm Canyon. In this peaceful ravine you can find fifty species of palm and magnolia trees.
When you’ve finished admiring the Palm Canyon walk down to the Spreckels Organ Pavilion. Donated to the city by brothers John D and Adolph B Spreckels, the pavilion was dedicated on 31st December 1914. The famous contralto Ernestine Schumann-Heink sang at the ceremony. The pavilion houses one of the largest outdoor organs in the world with over 4500 pipes. If you happen to be there on a Sunday free concerts are given at 2pm.
As you walk away from the pavilion, on your right is the United Nations Building which houses an international gift shop. Just across is a cluster of small houses with red tile roofs. These are the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages. These pretty, small houses promote ethnic and cultural awareness and are open on Sunday afternoons.
In front of you to the right are the San Diego Automotive Museum and a little further on the Air and Space Museum.
Head back on yourself and cut through the organ pavilion and you’ll find the Japanese Friendship Garden. Here you’ll find a beautifully serene garden filled with various elements from the culture of Japan. There is also a traditional tea pavilion here if you need a break.
From here return to El Prado which becomes a pedestrianised area. Walk down the middle of it admiring some of the beautiful buildings on either side. On your left you’ll see the Botanical Building and Lily Pond. This impressive lattice work building is an open air conservatory which was built for the 1915 exposition and is filled with over 2000 permanent plants. Out the front of it is the pretty Lily Pond.
Back on El Prado is the Casa de Balboa which houses the Museum of Photographic Arts, the Model Railroad Museum and the San Diego History Centre. Opposite is the beautifully ornate Casa del Prado, probably one of the best examples of Spanish baroque Golden Age ornamentation in the park.
Continue walking up El Prado and you’ll soon see the San Diego Natural History Museum. This building dates from 1933 after the original 1925 building burnt to the ground.
In the centre of the Plaza de Balboa is the Bea Evenson Fountain. Added to the park in 1972, it’s named after the founder of the “committee of 100”, a group dedicated to preserving the park’s architecture.
Ahead to your right is the Spanish Village Arts Centre, a lively area where artists sell their creations from tiled roof studios set around a courtyard. There are also a few places to grab a drink and a snack too.
The final stop on my walking tour is the Miniature Railroad to get there just head out the back of the Spanish Village Arts Centre and walk along the path. The train does a three minute loop through the eucalyptus trees. You’ll also find a beautiful 1910 carousel in this area with its hand carved animals.
My walk of San Diego’s Balboa Park, An oasis in the city finishes here. To get back to the starting point just make your way back down El Prado. You could certainly spend a lot more time in the park but for now I hope you’ve enjoyed this brief glimpse of what Balboa Park has to offer.