Highlights of San Diego: Balboa Park and a Padres Game

With my sister in town for a few weeks, we decided to enjoy our proximity to San Diego and head head downtown a few times, once to Balboa Park and once to a Padres game.

Balboa Park is one of the country's largest urban parks with 15 museums, gardens, and the San Diego Zoo! The origins of Balboa Park go all the way back to 1868 when 1,400 acres of land on a mesa overlooking the "New Town" (the current downtown) and the Pacific Ocean were set aside. Throughout the early 1900s, there were many plans created for the development and beautification of the park. In 1910, roads were created throughout the park, many of which still exist today.

Balboa Park circa 1910:

(Image from the Balboa Park Organization Website)

It was also during 1910 that the park's name was changed from "City Park" to "Balboa Park" after a city-wide naming contest. The name was chosen Harriet Phillips, the winner of the contest, because the Park offered a wide view of the Pacific Ocean and explorer Vasco Nunez de Balboa was the first European to sight the Pacific Ocean.

The Park was the site of the 1915-16 California Exposition which commemorated the opening of the Panama Canal. The exposition created a major impetus for the creation of the Park as it is seen today with a number of the Park's current buildings, including the Spanish-Renaissance style buildings along the El Prado pedestrian walkway being built at this time.

Poster commemorating the 1915 World Fair at Balboa Park:

(Image from the Balboa Park Organization Website)

The park is a great place to visit while in San Diego with so many attractions......






.....and one of my very favorite restaurants ever: The Prado at Balboa Park. Check it out next time you are in San Diego!


We were also luck to procure two free tickets to the San Diego Padres/Minnesota Twins game. Too bad the Padres lost!