Southern California is known for its abundance of beautiful oceanfront views and its city parks which grace the urban landscapes. San Diego is particularly blessed in this regard, having some of the finest urban parks anywhere in the country. Below are described some of the best parks in San Diego and greenspaces within the city limits.
La Jolla Shores
Situated just north of La Jolla Cove is this park, which is home to the Scripps Institute of Oceanography. You can enjoy a stroll along the sandy beach or just relax and do some sunbathing, or take the kids to the playground and let them go wild for a while. If you’re feeling adventurous, you can snorkel side-by-side with a whole school of leopard sharks, which are completely harmless to humans.
Balboa Park
A huge, sprawling park, this facility is home to a number of trails, museums, and gardens. You can explore jungles that mimic the great Amazon rainforest, or you can choose to explore a desert landscape punctuated by cactus plants. All contained within a massive 1,200 acres, you’ll find a great many expressions of nature, all contained within the boundaries of Balboa Park.
Waterfront Park
Massive recent renovations have made this park into a true gem in the city of San Diego, a place where you can cool off when the heat begins to pile up, or where you can take a walk through beautiful greenspace and have a picnic. There are also some eateries along the way, so you can skip the picnic lunch if you’re just feeling lazy.
Fanuel Street Park
Lots of options are available at Fanuel Street Park, including running, biking, swimming, and stand-up paddle-boarding. Situated on a very scenic stretch of beach front property adjacent to the bay, this park offers some great activities which are sure to interest everyone in your family or group.
Trolley Barn Park
Located on Adams Avenue, this area was formerly home to a streetcar facility which stored trolley cars, and was directly adjacent to a huge ostrich farm. It has all been converted into a modern playground for the kiddies, and some shaded greenspace area which everyone can enjoy as a way to beat the heat, and observe the natural landscape.
Cuvier Park
Cuvier Park has one particular section named the Wedding Bowl, which has been used in countless wedding ceremonies in the past, and will undoubtedly serve as the backdrop for many future ceremonies as well. Its idyllic park setting makes it perfect for such gatherings and events, and there’s even a lottery system needed in order to choose the lucky couples who get to claim the space for any given weekend. In addition to being a beautiful park, it attracts many patrons by being directly across the street from the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art.
Palisades Park
Situated at a grassy knoll where Law Street intersects the Pacific Ocean is Palisades Park, which is known far and wide to surfers. At the southern end of the park is The Pier, and at the northern end is Tourmaline, both of which are outstanding locations for big waves and happy surfers. On weekends, you can sit in on a yoga class which donates all proceeds to charitable causes. There are usually more than 100 participants at these yoga sessions, because each one offers a breath-taking view of the ocean while tuning in to one’s inner self.