The Desert Garden was established on Park Blvd in 1976 and contains more than 1,300 plants, including succulents and drought-resistant plants from around the world, within its 2.5 acres. The peak blooming period is January through March; however, these plants are interesting at any time of year because of their unusual shapes.

The San Diego Air & Space Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, brings the history of aviation and space exploration to life through artifacts from the Wright Brothers, Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and other pioneers. The museum’s interactive experiences include MaxFlight® simulators, the Kid’s Aviation Action Hangar, a 3D/4D movie theater, and hands-on traveling exhibitions.

The Spreckels Organ Pavilion is an outdoor venue that houses the open-air Spreckels Organ in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. With more than 5,000 pipes, the Spreckels Organ is the world's largest pipe organ in a fully outdoor venue.

A living, breathing work of art, the Japanese Friendship Garden and Museum (JFGM) represents the bond of friendship between San Diego and our sister city, Yokohama. The garden includes meticulous stone designs, calming koi ponds, delightful water features, traditional architectural structures and breathtaking vistas. Educational programs, exhibits, festivals and horticultural classes enhance and deepen visitors’ appreciation for Japanese culture.

Housed in historic 1935 Exposition cottages, 34 groups promote multicultural goodwill and understanding through educational and cultural programs.

The California Tower, the soaring, intricately detailed, portion of the California Building, is an icon of San Diego, and can be seen from miles around. The building houses the Museum of Us. Constructed for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, this beautiful structure is an architectural hybrid of architectural different styles, including Baroque, Plateresque, Churrigueresque, and Rococo, with some Gothic details. Designed by Bertram Goodhue, who included intricate ornamentation, arched arcades, carvings and busts, and colorful tile adorning the tower and domes, the building is reminiscent of the Spanish-Colonial churches in Mexico that inspired him.

Styled after Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, The Old Globe presents works not only by the Bard himself but also by modern masters of the form as well as new, emerging playwrights. Annual family musicals invite even the youngest theatre lovers into the fold.