Top Rated Parks to Visit in Eastlake

"Balboa Park, San Diego is known as one of the best things to do in San Diego with kids and has everything to suit all ages and your family’s preferences:. Even just wandering around and appreciating the stunning Spanish Renaissance and Southwest architecture and beautiful gardens is enjoyable. Balboa Park is America’s largest urban cultural park, is ranked as one of the best parks in the world, and is one of the best things to do in Southern California – you could spend a full day here!"

"Balboa Park is more than just a green space in the city — it’s a cultural oasis — home to more than 17 museums, theaters, and the famous San Diego Zoo. There are several playgrounds and a miniature railroad to keep the kids entertained, and various restaurants and cafes to grab a bite to eat. The iconic botanical building is a lovely visit with thousands of plants and a lilypond."

"Belmont Park opened for business in 1925 and remains San Diego’s oldest and only beachside amusement park. Things to do at Belmont Park include a ride on the historic Giant Dipper roller coaster, miniature golf, laser tag, arcade games, and a handful of other rides. It’s free to enter and walk through the midway full of pay-to-play carnival games and you can also grab a Dole Whip, giant ice cream cone, hot dog or other quick-service treats."

"San Diego’s answer to the east coast’s Coney Island, Belmont Park is one of the main attractions at Mission Beach, which sits north of Ocean Beach. Get your stomach rollercoaster-ready or if you’re still feeling the heat of your Ocean Beach tacos, just take a nice long stroll along the Boardwalk."

"For some old-fashioned oceanfront fun, wrap up your San Diego Day at Belmont Park. It is like an old fashioned fair and arcade, plus is located directly on Mission Beach. It’s the perfect spot to catch an amazing sunset."

"Old Town State Park is known as the birthplace of California. In 1821, when Mexico gained independence from Spain, a small group of Mexican settlers began building homes at the foot of the hillside below the first mission and Presidio. Because wood was scarce at the time, sun-dried adobe bricks were used."

"The six square blocks on the site of San Diego's original pueblo are the heart of Old Town. Most of the 20 historic buildings preserved…"

"Many people recommended we take in one of the famous San Diego sunsets from Sunset Cliffs, which is just a couple of miles south of the Ocean Beach pier. Sunset Cliffs Natural Park is a 68-acre City of San Diego regional park which extends 1½ miles along the Point Loma peninsula’s western shoreline. You get expansive ocean views, dramatic cliff formations and caves, an intertidal area, and in some spaces plenty of space and rocks for the kids to run over way back from the edge."

"Sunset Cliffs Natural Park encompasses 68-acres of resource-based land that is situated along the western edge of Point Loma. Here you will find sea caves, arches, and coastal bluffs, and you’ll be privy to stunning ocean views. From the cliffs (be careful), you might be lucky enough to catch the California seasonal whale migrations and dolphins but be sure to see the sunsets."

"Or, make your way up to Sunset Cliffs Natural Park to stroll the cliffs and experience the panoramic pink, purple, and bright-orange majesty as the sun goes down. Finish off the day over the hill at Officine Buona Forchetta, where some of the city’s best Italian dishes include handmade pasta and authentic, wood-fired Neapolitan pizza."

"Enjoy the sights and sounds of beautiful San Diego Bay while browsing crafts and having delicious coffee & street food at Ruocco Park Market. With 15+ quality vendors there is something for everyone, from hand made jewelry, hats and clothing, to smoothies, Bao, Mexican, and artisanal coffee by @yipaocoffee. Enjoy the scenery & great vibe every Saturday from 10am to 5pm."

"With both a playground and splash pad (for free!) your littles will have a blast. Also, there are plenty of hiking trails, a beautiful view and a gazebo to host a picnic. A great find if you're looking for something new!"

"It has one of the best views of the San Diego Skyline and yet this small pocket park is seldom visited […]"

"Waterfront Park consists of 12-acres of lush gardens and fountains that are perfect for cooling down in the intense San Diego heat. Kids will love playing in the shallow splash areas where fountains shoot water high in the air. Bring a picnic and relax on the grassy areas while admiring the views of the bayfront."

"Located in downtown San Diego along the bay near Little Italy San Diego, Waterfront Park is perhaps best known for its interactive splash fountains and its extensive, family-friendly open spaces. Outdoor movies in the park and other free events are held here in summer. (Location: Downtown San Diego)"

"If you can’t make it across the bridge to Coronado, you can walk along Harbor Bay to get a photo as well. The angle is a bit different and it’s a good deal harder to park but it can be done."

"Seen as the entrance point for control of the west by Europeans, Presidio Park remains a place of history amidst the city of San Diego. Interpreting the entire site for guests is the Junipero Serra Museum which houses many artifacts dealing with Spanish and Mexican heritage, colonization, the beginnings of customs within California and showcasing the lives of those who began it all. The presidio, first built to protect colonists from attack, later took on roles as military headquarters and a central outdoor space to remember history."

"You will find grassy greenfields, attractive architecture plus columns. There is also a wooded hilltop overlooking the San Diego Bay from that perfect angle where you can catch the sun setting about everything. What a gorgeous place to have your landscape photography!"

"A historical fort established on May 14, 1769, the Presidio was the first permanent European settlement on the Pacific Coast."

"The William Heath Davis Historic House Museum is the Gaslamp district’s oldest surviving structure, a saltbox style home shipped around Cape Horn and assembled in San Diego in 1850. The museum has been home to many fascinating people, including pre-civil war soldiers, a German Spy and Alonzo Horton, founder of San Diego. Each room represents a historic period of the home and is filled with fascinating and amusing stories about the former inhabitants."

"Throughout the year’s many historical figures have visited the William Heath Davis House. As visitors tour the house, they will see each room is dedicated to a different period in the house’s history, and most of it was restored to its 1850’s glory. Rumor also has it that this house hosts its own ghostly visitors as well."

"Swell Coffee Co is an artisan coffee roasting company that recently opened a location in Del Mar’s Flower Hill Promenade. Featuring direct trade coffees from around the world, Swell brings its drinks from the farm to the roaster to the cup. The beans are roasted locally and fans get cups made only for them via a V60 pour-over coffee maker, French press or Chemex, all designed to extract the perfect flavor of the beans."

"A photo posted by Swell Coffee Co. (@swellcoffeeco_) on Nov 28, 2016 at 8:36am PST. Swell has two locations in San Diego, one in Mission Beach and one in Del Mar. I have only been to the one in Del Mar, but the coffee is fantastic, the environment is just about perfect for working (both indoors and out), and the WiFi is a solid ‘B’."