Monday, May 19, 2008

My Town Monday: Balboa Park, San Diego

National Historic Landmark House of Hospitality (with the Visitors Center inside)


How Balboa Park describes itself: "the nation's largest urban cultural park."

Just minutes from downtown San Diego, Balboa Park is made up of about 1200 acres. It's home to fifteen museums, the world-famous San Diego Zoo, the Old Gobe Theatre, a junior theatre, a puppet theatre, the Spreckels Organ Pavilion outdoor stage, eight amazing gardens, the Spanish Village Art Center(35 art studios and over 50 artists working on site), picnic areas, canyon hiking trails, three leash-free dog parks, a golf course, restaurants. And more.

California Tower


Admittance to Balboa Park is free. So is parking. El Prado is the main road through the park. It's pedestrian only. Admission to the various museums and the zoo can kind of add up. So, you might want to check out the seven-day Passport and the Zoo/Passport Combo. There's also Free Tuesdays where a different museum is free each Tuesday. Although, um, forget about this in the summer; Free Tuesdays are way crowded. You might want to contact the Balboa Park Visitors' Center:
(619) 239-0512, 1549 El Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego, California, 92101.

What else can I tell you? Wear comfortable shoes. LOTS of walking. Basically, Balboa Park is pretty much on every visitors' to-do list. It's an experience, a urban cultural park.

Child #4 and I were at Balboa Park this weekend for the Brownie bridging ceremony. This is when Brownies from all over the county come to walk across the bridge, which symbolizes their advancement from one level of Brownies to the next. My little Brownie has been promoted from a brown to a green vest. Congrats to Child #4. And congrats to me for FINALLY getting all those badges sewn on.



They close the bridge to traffic for an hour to let HORDES of brownies, their leaders, their families hoof it across the bridge.

What was on the other side of the bridge, you ask? Live music, arts & crafts, face painting AND SAN DIEGO GAS & ELECTRIC! What was SDG&E doing at the other side of a Brownie bridge, you ask? They had a booth where you could trade in your light bulbs for their energy-efficient cousins. How very Californian.

And here's a particularly special troop.


(From: http://www.balboapark.org, http://www.sandiego.gov/park-and-recreation/parks/balboa)


My Town Monday comes to us via Travis Erwin. Thanks, Travis! Click on his site to read his post about, uh, deep-fried calf personal parts. AND to find links to the other participants.

AND I STARTED THIS BLOG ONE YEAR + ONE DAY AGO!

25 comments:

  1. Yay for your daughter! And Yay for the Brownies. I was in the brownies. I think our bridge was a fake little thing in our troop leader's living room. How cool for your daughter to walk a real bridge with everyone else!

    I didn't know about this park. It sounds wonderful.

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  2. P.S. Happy Blog Anniversary too!

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  3. Happy blog anniversary for sure!

    This place looks amazing. It reminds me of a combination of places in my city. And those free days? Yowza! Crowded isn't the word. Thanks for sharing this!

    ~Debbie

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  4. Don't forget: anniversary tribute to Miss Snark on Pat Wood's Blog starting May 20th.

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  5. Balboa Park is a beautiful place. I was there when I traveled acorss the country in a VW convertible with a crzy guy many many years ago. Happy blog-iversery.

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  6. Wow - I never had that kind of thrilling experience during my Brownie promotion.
    And you do deserve congratulations for sewing on all those badges. After Cubs and Scouts here, I developed a belated but great appreciation for my mother's sewing skills and patience.

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  7. Congrats on the anniversay!!!!

    Wow. That place sounds wonderful and what beautiful buildings!

    Once again, a wonderful "My Town Monday" post!

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  8. Sounds like a great place and a great day!

    Congrats on your blog anniversary!

    Take care - see you - Kellan

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  9. San Diego sounds wonderful. I hope the Tourism people know all the good work you're doing for them!

    Heartiest congratulations to Child #4 for her Brownie Achievement. Hope that you had a great day in Balboa Park.
    (Ok now the Rocky theme tune is banging in my head)
    And Happy Blogiversary. The blogosphere is a much smilier place for having you ;0)

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  10. I've been there! But I would have enjoyed it more if me and my buddies hadn't taken that trip down to Tijuana the night before.

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  11. Happy blogiversary! And thanks for the well-wishes about the book...also, no, I haven't been sleeping...last night I logged 2 hours. Can't keep this up for too long!

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  12. Cheers to your blog anniversary and thank you for taking me back to Balboa Park!

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  13. Congratulations on your blogging anniversary and to your daughter on her accomplishments. I was a Brownie years and years ago.

    Balboa Park is amazing. I haven't been there in years, but I've enjoyed many trips to the park and zoo over the years.

    Linda

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  14. Balboa Park is wonderful. I even like the name.

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  15. the blogiversary calls for cake and an umbrelly drink!

    i love those brownies...

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  16. Sewing all those badges on isn't easy.
    Great for your daughter
    Happy blogaversary

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  17. Happy blog anniversary!!!!

    WTG for your daughter.... very impressive.

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  18. Congrats to your daughter and happy anniversary! Oh, and I want to go there!
    Teri

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  19. Yay for #4. Sounds like a park I'd like to visit, although not on the most crowded days.

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  20. happy anniversary and thanks for saying you liked LOTTERY!!

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  21. Hurray! Happy Anniversary and once again, great post!

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  22. Happy Blog-versary!

    I cannot believe I lived in SoCal for 15 years - an hour from San Diego and I missed this stuff!

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  23. that place looks like so much fun! and i love that troop picture!

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Comments are always welcome!