COVID-19 updates

 

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UPDATE: April 18, 2021

(Note: All openings are subject to change following guidance of local and state government and health officials.)

The historic Central Mesa of Balboa Park is OPEN to visitors (face mask and social distancing required):

  • All Balboa Park parking lots are open at full capacity.
  • The Visitors Center Gift Shop and pop-up Visitors Center kiosk in the Plaza de Panama are open daily from 10am to 4:30pm.
  • The Prado Restaurant is open Tues.–Sat., 11:30am–8pm; Sun., 11:30am–5pm
  • The Prado Perk is open Mon–Thu, 10am–2pm; Fri–Sun, 10am–4pm
  • The Japanese Friendship Garden Tea Pavilion is open 11am –4pm, Wed.–Sun.
  • Panama 66 at The San Diego Museum of Art offers outdoor dining Sun.–Tues. and Thurs., 11am–3pm; Fri.–Sat.,11am–8pm; closed Wed.
  • Café in the Park in the Casa de Balboa, open Fri.–Sun., 10am–4pm.
  • Daniel’s Coffee Cart in Spanish Village is open Tues–Sun., 9:30am to 4pm.
  • WorldBeat Café at the WorldBeat Center is open Fri.–Sun., 11am–6pm.

Balboa Park museums and attractions:

  • Balboa Park Public Gardens — OPEN (except Botanical Building)
  • Centro Cultural de la Raza — OPEN (Fri.–Sun.)
  • Fleet Science Center — OPEN (Fri.–Mon.)
  • Japanese Friendship Garden — OPEN (7 days/week)
  • Marston House & Gardens — CLOSED until July 1; Gift Shop opens May 1 (Sat.–Sun.)
  • Mingei International Museum — CLOSED until Sept. 3
  • Museum of Photographic Arts — OPEN (Fri.–Sun.)
  • Museum of Us — OPENS April 21 (Wed.–Sun.)
  • San Diego Air and Space Museum — OPEN (7 days/week)
  • San Diego Art Institute — OPENS April 23 (Thurs.–Sun., reservations required)
  • San Diego Automotive Museum — OPEN (Tues.–Sun.)
  • San Diego Comic Con Museum — CLOSED until fall 2021
  • San Diego History Center — OPEN (Fri.–Sun.)
  • San Diego Model Railroad Museum — OPEN (Fri.–Sun.)
  • San Diego Natural History Museum — OPEN (Thurs.–Mon.)
  • San Diego Zoo — OPEN (7 days/week; reservations required)
  • Spanish Village Art Center — OPEN (7 days/week)
  • The San Diego Museum of Art — OPEN (Thurs.–Tues.)
  • The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park — OPEN (Thurs.–Sun.)
  • Timken Museum of Art — CLOSED until fall 2021
  • United Nations Gift Shop — OPEN (Tues.–Sun.)

Check each organization’s website for hours and details.

 

Many Balboa Park recreational facilities are OPEN:

  • Play areas for children
  • Dog parks
  • Walking trails
  • Balboa Park Golf Course
  • Balboa Park Disc Golf
  • Balboa Tennis Club
  • Archery ranges
  • Bocce lanes
  • Lawn bowling
  • Horseshoe pits

 

On Hold or Cancelled:

Spreckels Organ Pavilion Concerts: Tune in to their weekly online concert

Click here for more opening information on the arts, science & cultural venues you love!

Please continue to follow state and local guidelines regarding groups, sports activities, physical distancing and mask wearing to ensure everyone’s safe and healthy enjoyment of San Diego’s favorite attraction.  

UPDATE: June 9, 2020

Beginning Friday, June 12, visitors are once again welcome to explore the historic Central Mesa of Balboa Park.

Balboa Park Conservancy volunteers will be ready to greet visitors at the pop-up Visitors Center kiosk outside the House of Hospitality building each day from 10am to 4pm.

The Prado Restaurant is reopening as well, introducing “grab and go picnic basket” service and bringing back the popular dining spot inside the park’s cultural center, Wednesdays through Sundays, beginning at 12 noon and continuing service to late afternoon. The Japanese Friendship Garden Tea Pavilion and the Prado Perk Coffee Cart will also open on June 12 to serve park visitors. Watch for The Prado’s Summer Beer & Wine Garden coming to the Plaza de Panama soon.

All Balboa Park parking lots will be open at full capacity.

As normal activities gradually resume, the Balboa Park Conservancy encourages park users to follow state and local guidelines regarding physical distancing and mask wearing to ensure everyone’s safe and healthy enjoyment of San Diego’s favorite attraction.

UPDATE: April 21, 2020

Parts of Balboa Park reopen for passive purposes only (walking, jogging, or hiking). This includes:

Bird Park and Morley Field
East Mesa 28th St Corridor
Golden Hill Community Park
West Mesa
 

Grape Street Dog Park
Morley Field Dog Park
Nate’s Point Dog Park

As of April 27, the Balboa Park Municipal Golf Course is open, but walk-ups are not allowed, and tee times must be booked in advance. Visit the Parks and Recreation website for details.

Parking lots, the Central Mesa and museums, and Visitors Center remain CLOSED to the public until further notice. Be sure to follow social distancing and other health guidelines to ensure sustained access to neighborhood parks.

Dear Park Lover,

The Balboa Park Conservancy made this decision in partnership with the City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department, and follows the County Health Office order and  California Department of Public Health’s recommendation that gatherings and events of more than 250 people should either be postponed or cancelled.

We are dedicated to the well being of Balboa Park and all of its visitors.  While this is an emerging situation,  we will continue to serve as a critical  resource for your park experience through our Visitors Center or our online channels.

Along with our park colleagues, we are taking an abundance of caution to provide a safe and healthy visit for all. We encourage the recommended preventive actions to avoid and prevent the spread of COVID-19:

  • Stay home if you are sick or not feeling well, except to get medical care.
  • Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, including after touching doorknobs, using the restroom, before you eat, and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, mouth, and face with unwashed hands.
  • Cover your coughs and sneezes with a tissue or sleeve, then throw the tissue into the trash.
  • Distance yourself from those who are coughing or sick. 
  • Practice alternative greetings without handshakes or hugs.

We encourage you to check our website regularly and follow our social media accounts for updates or changes in our activities.

Please call the Visitors Center, (619) 239-0512, for updated COVID-19 information as it pertains to Balboa Park.

Thank you for helping us keep our community safe and healthy.

With gratitude,

The Balboa Park Conservancy