it is unfortunate that a place that is supposedly a welcome center, can treat visitors with great…read moredisregard. At least this was my experience when I tried to get some information and maps. Amanda was playing with her cell phone the entire time and showed she was irritated when me and other visitors interrupted her game to get information from her.

I picked up a brochure in the San Diego Airport that said to come here for a free postcard. It did…read morenot disappoint. If you've gotten tired of tourist traps especially the nearby "seaport village", or Old Town, but you still want to get your souvenir on, definitely stop in here before you spend money at the Midway museum or Kansas City BBQ (where the Great Balls of Fire scene with Anthony Edwards & Meg Ryan in the OG Top Gun movie was filmed) down the road. The selection of items is sparse but it is the least price-gougiest I've encountered in town, probably because they're subsidized by the tour companies. I got a hefty fridge magnet for $8 (same one cost $14 in seaport village) and some SD-themed sweatshirts for $26 that were selling for $30-$40+ in Old Town. Also, you can book various private San Diego Bay sailing tours at the same time. If you are a fan of the Navy, I highly recommend stepping right outside and booking the 2 hour Flagship tour.

A pretty great afternoon here exploring this ecosystem and getting the opportunity to view some…read moreamazing birds! Estuaries are great places for birders and bird viewing and this place is such a gem! Visitor center has an exhibition to learn about the Estuary, gift shop, ranger on duty, bird books you can borrow, restrooms and water fountain available. Ranger on duty today was super helpful and kind. She shared with me that the Clapper Raill could be seen here and gave me directions to take N McCoy trail and this was where I would most likely see this Rail, which is unique to this Estuary! I was pretty excited about that, however, since I came in the early afternoon. I did not spot one. Oh well, this means I have to come back! After this, I tackled S McCoy trail, which is a longer trail but when you come to the end of it, it where three water ways meet and this was amazing as so many birds were here. I got to see egrets, Willets and also some long billed curlews! Curlews have a very long beak and they are pretty striking birds! Wow! The path is well paved, flat and plenty of benches along the way. Great for a hike, bring your dog, come for a run, come for birding, enjoy a healthy dose of nature! No shade here so make sure to put on sunscreen and bring water. Overall, a lovely place to visit, definitely come check it out if you like nature and birds.

This a cool place. I came heat because I heard from a friend that it was a good place to come for…read morea walk and it was. Parking is mostly street parking and a small parking lot at the Visitor Center. I started at Imperial Beach Blvd. and took the N. McCoy Trail and worked my way down to the end, where the water is between the north & south McCoy Trail. There's a nice look out there and a few benches to relax and bird watch. The trail I took was in good condition and consisted of compact soil and surrounded by the estuary and native brush, plants, and cacti. There were occasional benches along the trail. It was a good walk and I look forward to taking the S. McCoy Trail next time.

Having access to hiking and mountain biking so close to the major urban center of San Diego is a…read morehuge benefit to everybody who lives here that enjoys the outdoors. Right now through March is the best time of year to visit in my opinion. Everything is beautiful and green and the flowers are starting to come out. I just hiked there this past weekend and it was spectacular. Over the course of the years when we have had super blooms, the mountainside on South Fortuna gets covered with poppies. We only saw a couple puppies here this past weekend but super exciting! With a little bit of rain in the near future forecast, the wildflowers are going to explode. So many different choices of trails to hike, but the south Fortuna Mountain is definitely my favorite. There's a kick ass section of over 200 stairs that goes straight up the hillside. That's the hillside where the poppies come out and it's one hell of a workout. It does get incredibly hot out here in the summer months. I would proceed with caution, if choosing outdoor activities here at those times. Tons of water, early morning or late evening start time for activities and adequate sun protection are a must. There is very little shade on these trails. I would also recommend always going with a buddy, just in case there's an emergency, and using the AllTrails app so you don't get lost.

I've been wanting to go to Mission Trails for the longest and finally had the opportunity to go…read morerecently. It was a typical beautiful day...I thought why not enjoy it at Mission Trails Regional Park. It was easy to get to and plenty of available parking...choice of lot or street. That's greaaat parking is not an issue whatsoever! Our goal was to see the dam. We had a pleasant walk...basking in the sun...listening to nature...reading park info displayed and signage. Along the way, we realize there were pipeline work being done for what appears to be for waste. We weren't sure for how long this work was going on. When we almost arrived at our destination, we were disappointed to find out the road to the dam was closed due to construction. I wish this sign was at the start of the trail. We could've taken another trail instead. It's all good though. We enjoyed looking at the open areas with rugged hills and valleys while taking in the nature surrounding us. Overall, it was a good outdoor experience. We'll be back :-)

I stopped in for some last-minute gifts on the final day of my San Diego trip. The Visitor Center…read moreis small and no one greeted me or asked if I needed help, but there were plenty of different T-shirt options specifically. I was able to find those, plus some pens to purchase. Prices were probably slightly inflated but not terribly. Check out was easy. Bathrooms were right outside of the center in the courtyard, and those were clean and orderly.

We sometimes stop by the Balboa Park Visitors Center to grab brochures and explore the little gift…read moreshop. The staff is always nice, and there are some really cute things in the gift shop. Located near the Prado Restaurant, this Visitors Center is fairly easy to miss. Since there is so much to see in Balboa Park, I'm so glad that they have several knowledgeable employees working here. The gift shop contains a small selection of cute souvenirs. There are also drinks, snacks, and some great books on Balboa Park and the surrounding San Diego area. We are planning on getting the Passport to Balboa Park the next time we are here. If you like Balboa Park as much as we do, this Visitors Bureau Center is worth a stop when you are here!

I spotted this tree that spoke to me while riding on the way to breakfast at Hash House. After…read moreleaving breakfast, we came back to Balboa Park it was a peaceful and grounding experience before heading to the airport to return home. That moment honestly made me decide the park was a must-visit. I ended up stopping by afterward just to walk around, release some stress, and enjoy the calm energy. I even found myself just sitting in a tree, hugging two or a few, and taking in the quiet; especially in the Trees for Health Garden, which felt fitting for the whole experience. It was a simple but meaningful stop that added a peaceful pause to the end of the trip before heading back to the airport. I even met a squirrel that I chat with; I named him James. While I was chatting with him, he even place his paw on his chest as if he was asking me "are you speaking to me?" It felt great speaking to my own little grandma Willow tree moment.

Yes - park and museums are lovely, but for me, I just didn't love Balboa Park…read more Didn't hate it but if you are someone with just a weekend in town, I think there are better options for afternoon activities in the zillions of things there are to do in SD. All I'm saying is don't get fooled making this a top of your list, must do-thing. Go if you REALLY want to, but don't feel like you missed out if you made a different selection.

Gotta love Mission Bay Park. I have been here a few times after hanging out at the beach. Park is…read morestill near the ocean, but it is still a short break to get away from everything. Nice running and biking trails we have indulged inside before. Great scenery of the ocean and city here. I just love it.

Great spot for a relaxing weekend outing! We come here all the time with friends for BBQ since it's…read morea convenient location for families with kids. Plenty of space for the kids to play, at the sand area or the playground. It can get crowded so parking can be tricky but we always manage to find a spot so no complains. Piece of advice...stay away from the public restrooms there!

If you are looking for a place to hold an event, this is right in Balboa Park and the servers are…read moretop notch.

Such a cool visitor center with some iconic merch for purchases. Inside you will find a cool model…read moreof the actual grounds of Old Town when it first operated. It is such a great blast from the past. The store has lots of souvenirs to purchase from aprons, books, and other knick knacks. The most favorite though are the books. Lots of the books are based off of San Diego's history and talks about what San Diego has to offer. You can collect a stack of brochures that have info on local attractions and excursions. Apparently, you can take a tour around the town but when we came in, no one was available at the time. So, we will try again next time we visit. Overall, such a a cool place and if you want to know more about SD, stop by to be educated. SD's history is pretty cool and worth the time to hear about.

We always come by here when we're in Old Town. With a small selection of brochures and unique…read moresouvenirs in their gift shop, this information center provides a good look into Old Town San Diego's history. The Robinson Rose Information Center has a really interesting model of Old Town. Although they don't always have an employee readily available to answer questions about the town's history, they do have some nice brochures and maps of the area. I also noticed that there were some cool new displays here earlier this month. Their small store sells some unique cookbooks, aprons, and potholders. My son likes looking at all the books about the town's history. They also had a section of books focused on missions and a good selection of vintage toys (like marbles and jacks) on our last visit here. The best part about the Robinson Rose Information Center are the tours. We met the volunteer outside (I think his name's Bert) for some great information and tour around the town. We had a great tour of the Courthouse, La Casa de Machado y Stewart Museum, Mason Street School, and La Casa de Estudillo. We're here so often that Bert remembered us during our previous visits to the McCoy House, Seeley Stables, and La Casa de Estudillo. Bert is always so knowledgeable and friendly. He's wonderfully informative about the entire town and so patient when answering questioning. Although this information center may not be the most exciting part of town, Old Town San Diego State Historical Park's tours are really fun and a great educational experience for kids and adults alike!

This is one of the trail heads that will take you to South Fortuna going up the stair master of…read morehell. It will also link you up to North Fortuna trail head if you want to do a double peak like I did today. I rate this hike difficult to moderate depending on fitness level. The toughest part you'll face are the inclines getting there and the stairs from hell. It is really hard to get an exAct address as the GPS map shows this as a unamed road, but it is right of mission gorge and Jackson drive. You make a left when you hit the intersection and it's a dirt lot. You'll take the visitor center loop trail just follow the trail sign. From here it gets very confusing and tricky to navigate to South Fortuna. You'll hit the first fork go right and follow the Fortuna Saddle Trail. We then took another right and followed the Suycott Valley Trail. Which then takes you to the South Fortuna Trail. I know you have to hike these trails to get to South Fortuna! You'll cross a bridge and bit further in you'll need to prep for the stair master from hell. Some of the stairs are still well intact and closer to the top more eroded and rocky the steps get. I won't lie this part is difficult and I was out of breath at the top. Don't stop yet! The peak is still further in! Yes keep going don't give up! The views are not spectacular don't except too much. But you did it! From there we took went back to the saddle back fork and did North Fortuna! Or you can end it and take the Fortuna saddle trail west to complete the loop back to the visitor center loop. Super confusing with the routes to take, it is better to do it with someone that is familiar with the trail. Other than that it's a good workout! 4.6 miles add on North 4.1 miles. Bring plenty of water it will get hot and there is no shade.

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