In the spirit of trying something new, I vowed to clock in a bit more exercise by exploring San Diego on foot, by bike, and via the occasional jog. Two of the best places to sightsee while logging in some serious steps are Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo. In addition to being some of San Diego’s best attractions, they’re right next to each other.
Is it possible to visit Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo on the same day? This is a question I receive from readers quite frequently.
My trusty daughter-slash-budding-photographer agrees and tried this challenge with me. The result is that it was a full but fun day. With an early start and a late finish, it can be done with the expectation that we will not see either in full. Here is what we were able to get done.
Who This Itinerary Is For (And Who Should Skip It)
This works best for:
- Active adults who regularly walk 6+ miles
- Visitors without young children
- Those with limited time in San Diego (1-2 days total)
NOT recommended for:
- Families with kids under 10
- Anyone preferring a leisurely pace
- Summer visitors sensitive to heat
First: Tips for Saving Time
You will need to prepare a little before you go in order to sightsee efficiently.
Buy Admission Before You Go
Arrange tickets in advance. Most people choose the Go San Diego pass, which combines multiple attractions into one sightseeing pass. You can purchase San Diego Zoo tickets and individual Balboa Park museum tickets online.
Alternatively, Balboa Park offers an Explorer Pass for admission to multiple museums I recommend. The caveat is that the Explorer Pass needs to be picked up in Balboa Park, so you’d need to start there first.
1-Day Pass— Use My Exclusive 2026 Promo Code
Skip the ticket line and go straight to the gate with a mobile or printed ticket. Valid for one year from the purchase date.
Final price (after my discount): $70/ages 12+ and $60/ages 3–11
Use promo code lajollamom to save $8!
Choose a Convenient Parking Spot
Park in one spot for the day. I suggest the Zoo parking lot (on the end close to the museums) or the lot behind the San Diego Natural History Museum or Fleet Science Center, which are also close to the Zoo.
Driving between the Zoo and Balboa Park will only waste time, add frustration, and possibly be fruitless on busy days. Plus, you’ll only want to pay for parking once.
The Zoo now charges $16/day for parking (started January 5, 2026) for non-members and those who don’t live in the City of San Diego.
Do Your Homework
Study the San Diego Zoo map and the Balboa Park museum maps in advance to decide exactly what you’d like to see and in what order.
Prepare to Walk
You’ll need good walking shoes, snacks, an external battery charger for your phone (especially if using the Zoo or Balboa Park’s apps), and determination to get it done.
Fair warning: You’ll be walking miles with significant hills at the Zoo. By 4 p.m., even fit adults report exhausted feet.
Balboa Park: Two Museums, Gardens, and Lunch
From the San Diego Zoo parking lot, we walked to the Fleet Science Center (arriving right at 10 a.m. opening), which is full of hands-on fun for kids.
Every exhibit is designed to teach them a lesson about science, whether it’s building tall structures, playing with optical illusions, and so on. We spent about an hour here, which is enough time to get a good feel for how great it is.
After this, it was time for a quick snack by the fountain before entering the San Diego Natural History Museum.
We spent another hour in the San Diego Natural History Museum, where there is a small collection of dinosaur bones, a great tribute to the flora and fauna of California, and much more that kids will love. While you could absolutely spend more time here, this also is a fine amount of time.
Truth be told, as we passed the Botanic Garden Building above (with a stop to admire the koi and gorgeous orchids inside) as well as the other fabulous Balboa Park museums on the way to the restaurant… I began to wonder if we could really get this done.
At this point, resting our feet over lunch at Panama 66 was most welcome. It’s my favorite Balboa Park restaurant. The food is good, and they have an enormous craft beer selection, but it’s dog- and kid-friendly, especially with the gorgeous sculpture garden in the back.
It’s located to the left of this fountain, below the Museum of Man’s California Tower.
An Afternoon at the San Diego Zoo
By the time we reached the San Diego Zoo, it was after 1:30 p.m. I suggest that new Zoo visitors take the 35-minute narrated bus tour to rest their legs and get the lay of the land. You will see the major animals on this tour, and it’s a great way to decide what you’d like to explore later, on your own.
Because we did not opt for the bus tour, we were unable to cover the entire Zoo in our remaining time and there are lots of things to do at San Diego Zoo for kids. We walked through the Australian Outback, Asian Passage, trekked up to the monkeys, around the flamingos, and into the Wildlife Explorer’s Basecape, the kids’ area.
Tip: The San Diego Zoo is home to hundreds of thousands of tropical, native, rare, and unusual plants, which not only provide shade to most of the Zoo but also make walking through it a treat. By 4 p.m., our feet were tired, so we were done, though the Zoo was open for another hour.
Reverse the Itinerary in Summer Heat
San Diego summers are hotter than in previous years. If visiting June-September, plan to finish at the Zoo by 1pm—the hillside walking becomes uncomfortable, and many animals retreat to shaded areas by early afternoon.
Realistically, after 4-5 hours at the Zoo, most visitors have energy for 1-2 museums maximum. If you want to see 3+ museums, significantly shorten your Zoo time.
The Bottom Line
In a perfect world, you’d spend an entire day in each spot. But, in many cases, time is of the essence. We learned that you can see and enjoy both in one day with strategic planning.
I would plan for no more than two or three Balboa Park museums. Take the bus tour at the Zoo to see and learn as much as possible in a short amount of time. Study the maps in advance, and the rest should fall into place. Then, go home or back to your San Diego hotel to rest!
Another Full Day: Seaport Village – USS Midway – Embarcadero
The other all-day itinerary I recently tackled is as follows. I parked near the USS Midway. I walked down the Embarcadero to see the street performers and to the edge of Broadway Pier to watch the sightseeing boats come and go.
From there, I walked down to Seaport Village to shop and soak in the culture, passing our famous tuna boats along the way (did you know that San Diego was once the epicenter of the nation’s tuna industry?). In Seaport Village, I spontaneously took one of our city’s rental bikes. This also is a full day of walking, but doable.
I plan to try more one-day walking itineraries in San Diego this year. They are a great workout, let me tell you.
Have you ever visited the San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park museums on the same day?
Katie Dillon
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