Wow what a great park. We stopped by to check out the out the play ground, and there was also a…read morehuge panda event. Which resulted in the playground being loaded with children and families having fun and relaxing in the cool breeze. There are ton of play activities for the kids: blue climbing mountain with slides, cool spaceship looking merry go rounds, swings, climbing, obstacle courses, etc. There are tons of tables, benches, and lots of shady areas for picnics or relaxing while the kids play. It was awesome to find this playground ride down the road from where we were staying. Too bad this is our last full day in San Diego.

This is a big park with a lot of grass area, a fountain, basketball and pickle ball courts, plus an…read moreoff leash dog park. What more can you ask for? What about great views of the harbor and city skyline on the other side? Yup it has that too. I come here many times with my dogs, as the dog park is a decent size for medium dogs to run around in. The dog area may not have grass, but it has dirt, and is usually kept clean. I actually prefer the dirt compared to artificial turf. Something to note is that there is only one park, so big dogs are combined with small ones. Theres a small obstacle course for dogs to jump and run through. And for the humans, there's also a few benches on the side to sit at.

The entire experience here was exquisite! I just wish we had gotten there earlier to explore some…read moremore. We paid for parking right in front of the Spanish Art Village and paid $10 for 4 hours. Spanish Art Village was beautiful. If you buy something, it goes directly to the artist whose studio you're in. The artists were sitting quietly and would talk to you about their art pieces and tell you a little about themselves. Everything in there was so cool. I was especially intrigued by the artist in Studio 21, he had these incredible three part paintings he does by hand and I've never felt so much emotion before by an art piece. I really wish I had the money for them because I really would've taken them home with me ;( The botanical building was stunning, it wasn't as big as I thought it would be but definitely beautiful! We also ended up visiting the Timken Art museum and the PostSecrets and Cannibalism exhibits within the last 15 minutes of them being open. Wish we got there earlier so we didn't have to speed through them, but staff was still really nice and everything was so interesting to look at! We went to Panama 66 for a quick drink and bite afterward. We didn't even get to explore the rest of it because the entire park is so expansive, but we will definitely be coming back to visit the rest. It's definitely a must for tourists, but I just know I'd be here every day lying in the grass and reading if I lived here!

Word to the wise, do your research and know where you're going beforehand. Unfortunately we just…read moredecided to come spur of the moment and didn't really know what we were doing. So apparently there are a lot of parking lots which are not free, $10 unless you're a native and have a pass. We found one lot, called lower inspiration that's free for 3 hours. Also, we didn't realize how big that place is, with so much to see! There are museums, places to eat, the zoo, a playground for kids and I'm sure so much more. The museums are not free, they do sell passes or individual tickets. It's a nice place to spend a day or even a few hours.

Sunset Cliffs is a San Diego institution! I frequently go for walks in this area. A lot of of it…read moreis parallel to the street but at the end there is a nice open park with a few trails that butt up to Point Loma Nazarene university. It is especially beautiful right now in the spring... All the flowers are starting to come out and everything is green. This is also a great area to come out with a picnic and watch the sunset. And if you don't bring a picnic, there are lots of great taco and brunch spots in Ocean Beach for after your walk!

I love Sunset Cliffs! It's one of my favorite spots for photoshoots. Parking has never really been…read morean issue for me, and the area is so big that you can walk around, explore, and take photos without feeling crowded. The views are absolutely gorgeous--especially around sunset--and there are so many beautiful backdrops. I've had so much fun running around with friends here capturing photos. Overall, it's such a peaceful, scenic spot and definitely one of my go-to locations!

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.

Love this place! Would 100% recommend to play badminton here. The service is great wait time is…read moreonly 30-45 min. But today I went my older sister, her bf, my friend and I.. tell me why I had to wait a full 1hour.. each time I wanted to play I would play for only 30 min.. WHY ARE THESE OTHER PEOPLE PLAYING FOR A HOUR AND IM PLAYING FOR 30 MIN AND WAITING FOR A HOUR. Other than that i love this place (leave immediately if you see the person checking you in is a old lady)

I went in the giant dipper for the first time today!…read more The dark tunnel spooked me cuz I didn't know what was coming lol! I loved the first drop it was really smooth it was only the last few drops that was really shaky! Honestly I had to hover above my seat so I wouldn't be tossed on my friend lol! I scrambled off, and went another 3 times! I really recommend to ride it IF you don't have back problems because I got sore after riding it 4 times

Where do I start? I show up to purchase wristbands for myself and my 10-year-old and the cashier…read morewas very aggressive and intimidating. He shouted out the total for two wristbands and I let him know there was a different price online. He shouted out to purchase the wristbands online for that price. I walked away purchased the wristbands went back to pick up the physical wristbands. He scanned the barcode and put the wristbands on our wrist. And then with a smile said the list of rides that were closed. And then said " we are short staffed and due to that we do not have employees at the rides once they get here at 12:30 then you'll be able to get on the rides" I looked at my 10-year-old and said OK we'll go walk the beach and get a bite to eat until they open up. Guess what the staff never got there! Honestly, he thought it was funny when he told me that we weren't going to be able to get on rides until the other staff got there. There were a few rides like the mini dipper and the carousel. But who buys wristbands to get on a couple rides and then get on the bumper cart. If that's the case then I would've just bought individual tickets. LET YOUR GUEST KNOW AHEAD OF TIME IF YOU ARE SHORT STAFFED AND THE PARK WILL NOT BE RUNNING AS USUAL!! I had to keep looking for staff to let us on rides and then even then I wasn't able to get on every ride. I paid for a wrist band for myself and my daughter thinking that we were going to be able to enjoy the day but we were not. I do want to point out that I'm a single mom and low income and this was supposed to be something amazing for us. $100 to Belmont Park is absolutely nothing but for me it is. And just FYI, I a lot of people kept leaving the park upset. But for them, they didn't purchase wristbands. We waited till after 5 PM hoping that as the shift changed employees would come and open up all of the rides, but that never happened. I was hoping to get my money back for the wristband, but because the employee at the counter was so aggressive I was honestly afraid to go up and ask for a refund. I'm hoping Belmont Park will make this right and provide my daughter and I with an opportunity to return to Belmont Park at no charge to us and be able to get on the rides.

Civita Park in Mission Valley has quickly become one of my go-to spots, especially since it's just…read morea short drive from home. It's super accessible with ample parking, and I love that there are multiple entry points and routes you can take depending on how long of a walk you're in the mood for. This park truly has something for everyone. There's a splash pad, basketball courts, a great playground for kids, and even a giant chess game, which is such a fun and unique touch. It's also an amazing place to walk your dog--I bring mine here all the time, and he absolutely loves all the open grass and the variety of paths we can explore. One of my favorite features is the set of stairs that lead up toward the residential areas and the dog park. If you take them all the way up, you're rewarded with really pretty views at the top, which makes the little climb totally worth it. Overall, Civita Park is clean, well-designed, and perfect whether you're looking to be active or just enjoy a relaxing afternoon outdoors. Definitely a Mission Valley gem!

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.

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.

Super chill people! We rented a kayak for an hr. The people were nice and helpful. There are…read morelockers there for your personal belongings

Anytime any family and friends are in town, I take them down to see the La Jolla coves. Beautiful…read morescenery on a sunny day! There are plenty of public street parking and also parking garages. Once you get past the stench of the sea lions, you can enjoy yourself more. It does take some getting used to! There are typically some street vendors there selling apparel. Some really cool hand crafted items. Just go where the wind takes you and enjoy yourself! Do NOT bother the sea lions, they can and will be aggressive if you get too close.

We made a short stop at La Jolla Cove and enjoyed the cliff views and sea lions. It was awesome…read morewatching them in their natural habitat and seeing them interact with each other. We arrived on a busy Sunday mid-morning, and parking was somewhat challenging, but we managed. Definitely a nice stop if you are visiting San Diego, but beware that it is a very busy area.

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.

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.

I love Harbor Island Park! Harbor Island Park is the stretch of land along the bay, just across…read moreHarbor Drive from the airport. In my opinion, it has one of the most beautiful views of the San Diego skyline. On a clear day, it is just gorgeous both day and night. There are sidewalks on both sides. Parking can be tricky on busy weekends. There is free street parking and there are free lots, but it is much easier during the week or off-season. Normally, you see fishermen, joggers, and people walking their dogs. There are restaurants, hotel resorts, and conference and event venues. Some of San Diego's best known restaurants are on the edges of Harbor Island Park. You can find some lesser known cafes hidden nearby. There are also some boating clubs along the way. For several years, my husband and I would make a picnic at this park and watch the Fourth of July fireworks. It is one of the best venues, if not the best, to watch the fireworks. I often go for runs or walking with my dog there. Also, it is one of my favorite places to take out-of-town friends to simply check out the view and sit on a bench for conversation. Public bathroom facilities are limited, possibly non-existent, so plan accordingly. All in all, Harbor Island Park is a must for both locals and visitors.

Hard A-port Park…read morelocated inside the Port of San Diego that has some nice features and amazing views. The Good: * As mentioned above, the views are second to none and it's a great place to catch a sunset. *Shoreline path for running and walking *Leashed dogs ok *Restrooms *If you plan on visiting, you really should try and make reservations at Tom Ham's Lighthouse restaurant located right on the shore. The Meh: *Not the biggest park in the world but the views make up for it. The Ugly: *Not a whole lot of shade either, so probably not a place to be during a heatwave. Conclusion: Great place to come check out the Ha'bor and soak up some vitamin sea.