What families say

Balboa Park is huge, so plan on a full day (some families spend two or three) and don't expect to see everything at once—pick a few museums in advance, like the hands-on Fleet Science Center that reviewers say kids love, or the natural history, air and space, or model railroad museums for older kids. Beyond museums, the grounds themselves are a draw: free to enter, with gardens, walking paths, street performers, and the lily pond and Spreckels organ pavilion offering nice breaks between stops. Parking is on-site and reviewers found it easy (roughly $10), but note that most individual museums charge separate admission (around $16/person).

Ages 4–18