My daughter's summer has been filled with activity and outdoor adventures. This has been great for my conscious when I've allowed her some screen time at the end of each day. Once school starts back, however, that nagging voice in my head will return telling me to feel guilty about too much time indoors and on screens.
To combat the parental guilt, I've been identifying close-to-home, short walks I can do with my daughter in the evenings after school. I, too, spend most of my day indoors, so it's a great way for both of us to unwind, connect, move our bodies, and get a dose of nature.
If you happen to live in downtown San Diego, read on for a nice nature spot in the western section of Balboa Park. As you read, you may be amazed like I was at how many recreational clubs exist in that tiny pocket of the park, and perhaps you'll be inspired to try a new activity and meet new people. Community/social connections, after all, is a wonderful way to boost our health, in addition to spending time outdoors!
Balboa Park - the Quiet Side
When you mention Balboa Park, most people think of the museums, gardens with immaculate landscaping, and Spanish-Moorish architecture. However, if you venture over the graceful Cabrillo Bridge towards the new high rises of Bankers Hill, you’ll discover a quieter section of the park, an urban oasis perfect for picnicking and peaceful strolls.
A picturesque flat, 1-mile paved pathway winds through the manicured green lawn sandwiched between Balboa Drive and Sixth Avenue–ideal for those using strollers or mobility aids. I’ll describe this route more below, but if you’re seeking more challenge and adventure, there’s also the Bridle Trail that hugs the park’s border along Highway 163. This 1-mile-long dirt path offers rolling inclines along the way, and there are different access points throughout the park, all quite steep and/or with stairs.
Quick tips for visiting Balboa Park-West
Parking along Sixth Avenue and Balboa Drive is free, but if you’re visiting during the week, parking can be challenging due to nearby construction projects (whose workers take advantage of this free parking). Also take a look at the signs indicating street cleaning days to ensure you don’t return to your vehicle…and a parking ticket. Additionally, there are two public restrooms; both are north of El Prado. Lately, both have been open, but sometimes the City closes one, leaving you with only one facility for this entire park section.
Our 2-mile Out-and-Back Walk in the Park
At the north end of Balboa Drive, you’ve got the Sixth Avenue Playground, and at the south end, there’s a small parking lot immediately below the flight path of San Diego International Airport. For this outing, we started in the south and walked north.
One of the first buildings we passed was for the Balboa Park Chess Club near Juniper Street. It’s located next to a bunch of horseshoe pits, and upon further inspection, I saw a sign advertising the Balboa Park Horseshoe Pitching Club. As it turns out, these would not be the last recreational clubs I learned about on this short walk.
Upon approaching El Prado, you can’t miss the sounds of barking and yipping dogs. They’re having a dog-gone good time at Nate’s Point Dog Park. But before you make a detour to check out their antics, take a look at the easy-to-miss sculptures paying homage to Kate Sessions (considered the “Mother of Balboa Park”) and the other visionaries credited with bringing Balboa Park to life.
Immediately past El Prado, look east to catch the emerald “rinks” of the Balboa Park Lawn Bowling Club. On most mornings between 9 and 11, you’ll see folks lining the boundaries and waiting for their turn to bowl.
Trek on and you’ll pass the Trees for Health Garden featuring medicinal plants from around the world. It’s located next to my daughter’s favorite out-of-school adventure–Camp Cahito–and across from, you may have guessed it, another club! This one is the Redwood Bridge Club. They offer classes on multiple levels to help players begin and advance their skills.
Just past the bridge club is the Sixth Avenue Playground and a little further, tucked away behind a row of trees, is the Marston House. This beautiful house-turned-museum was designed by renowned architects William Hebbard and Irving Gill. Tours are available through the Save Our Heritage Organization.
Once we made it back to our starting point, we savored a picnic on the grass-carpeted hillside with shade from one of Kate Session’s towering trees. With our backs on the cushy lawn, we enjoyed plane spotting and comparing the undercarriage of the different aircraft that soared overhead. Though we were smack dab in the heart of high-density housing, freeways, and airport traffic, the greenery on the western side of Balboa Park provided an excuse to slow down and enjoy our surroundings.
Plan your next outing with The GO Deck
Close-to-home nature outings can be a breeze to plan when you GO with The GO Deck. When many think of nature, they envision faraway places like snow-capped mountains or remote forests, but if you just change your perspective, you'll see that urban environments--where the majority of the population lives--are also brimming with nature discoveries.
The San Diego deck is where you’ll find our Balboa Park adventures.
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