San Diego owes a debt of gratitude to Kate Sessions, a nature lover and professional horticulturist with a vision for a barren parcel of land, now Balboa Park. Encompassing 1,200 acres in the heart of the city, Balboa Park was the site of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition and the California Pacific International Expo of 1935. Many of the buildings constructed for those events now house the city's museums and cultural centers; the 1915 Expo's Spanish-Colonial style California Tower is arguably the most visible symbol of San Diego.

Balboa Park offers a multitude of activities for families, in addition to its 15 museums. Make your first stop the Visitors Center; staff can provide information about the day's events and can tailor an itinerary for your family.

You can reach for the brass ring on an antique carousel located next to the entrance of the San Diego Zoo, then ride a mini-train through a grove of eucalyptus and pepper trees. Or cross a wooden footbridge and explore the rain forest-like Palm Canyon, the entrance of which is just opposite the Organ Pavilion.

A visit to the Balboa Park Puppet Theater transports kids through time to their favorite fairy tales and adventures.

On Sundays, visitors can enjoy a free concert at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion then amble over to the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages for a cultural fair with food and music.

Balboa Park is also home to two golf courses, and the nine-hole three-par is perfect for beginners.

Picnic spots: Some of our favorites include the lawn in front of the Botanical Building, which overlooks a sweeping rectangular Lily Pond. Or the lawn near the tranquil Alcazar Gardens, where you can enjoy a bag lunch on stone benches while listening to the trickling of ancient tiled Spanish fountains. You can also spread a blanket under the huge shady oak tree opposite the Spanish Village, or on the lawns near the Aerospace Museum.

Tours: A Balboa Park Ranger will meet you in front of the Visitor's Center at 1pm each Sunday and Tuesday to lead one-hour interpretive walks through the Park. This may be okay for children in strollers or those age eight and older, but it may be too much walking and information for those in between.

Audio tours are also available from the Visitors Center for a nominal fee (adults $5, seniors and military $4, and children $3).

Parties: You'll find two large open green spaces with playgrounds and picnic tables at opposite ends of the park. Either of these make for great picnic or party locations. One is Balboa Park West located between 6th Ave and Balboa Drive at the end of Quince Avenue; the other is Pepper Grove Park, off Park Drive near the Centro Cultural de la Raza.

Getting around: A free tram operated by the City Parks and Recreation Department runs from the easternmost parking lot at the intersection of Park Drive and President's Way through the Pan American Plaza area, to all the museums on El Prado, and across the Cabrillo Bridge to Balboa Park West. We recommend it highly, especially on Free Tuesdays.

Passport to Balboa Park: A Passport provides admission to 13 museums/attractions during a one-week period, and is the most cost-effective way to see a majority of the remarkable museums. Packages range in price from $35-$59 for adults and $19-$33 for children; the price varies depending on if the Zoo is included or not. Passports can be purchased at the Visitor's Information Center located in the center of park at the House of Hospitality.

Free Museum Admission: Each Tuesday, the Park offers free admission to alternating museums. Please note that some of the museums are only free to San Diego County residents, active military, and students attending a San Diego County school or university. These museums are San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego Model Railroad Museum, Japanese Friendship Garden, San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum, San Diego Aerospace Museum, and
San Diego Automotive Museum.

The monthly Free Tuesday schedule is as follows:

First Tuesdays:

San Diego Model Railroad Museum

San Diego Natural History Museum

Reuben H. Fleet Science Center

Second Tuesdays:

Museum of Photographic Arts

San Diego Hall of Champions Sports Museum

San Diego Historical Society and Research Archives

Third Tuesdays:

San Diego Museum of Art

San Diego Museum of Man

Japanese Friendship Garden

Mingei International Museum

Fourth Tuesdays:

San Diego Aerospace Museum

San Diego Automotive Museum

House of Pacific Relations International Cottages

The municipal facility, Balboa Park Golf Course, includes an 18-hole golf course and a 9-hole executive golf course, driving range, practice putting greens, coffee shop, golf store, and half-way house. Golf merchandise can be purchased at the golf stores, and clubs and golf carts can be rented. Both group and private lessons are available. To make tee time reservations by phone, call the Computer Reservation System at 619.570.1234.

The Future Champions Junior Golf Academy is an afterschool, weekend, and summer junior golf program held at Stadium Golf Center.

The academy has daily group classes, on-course instruction, private lessons, summer camps, monthly tournaments, skills challenges, and special events throughout the year.

The 22-acre MacArthur Park includes a community center, recreation center, picnic areas with tables, barbecue, benches, and rest rooms. MacArthur Park also has a municipal pool, Khulken Baseball Field, and the nine-hole Sun Valley Golf Course. For reservations at the community center, call 619.667.1307.

Mission Bay Golf Course is San Diego's only public lighted 18-hole golf course. Tee times can be booked seven days in advance and made by calling 858.581.7880.

Pelly's Mini Golf is a 36-hole miniature golf facility with two themed courses: Pellys' Surfin' Safari boasts a surfing theme featuring surf history, local breaks, and surf icons; Pelly's Ocean Adventure journeys from the beach deep into the ocean, and offers dolphin, gray whale, and other marine-life encounters.

Stadium Golf Center offers PGA golf instruction, pro club fitting, an award winning golf shop, impressive tournaments, a large driving range, and batting cages.

Sun Valley Golf Course offers several golfing options for children and teens, including special rates for regular play, both private and group lessons, and golf camps during school breaks. For a more in-depth experience, try the Jr. Academy, where kids can enjoy group-style lessons, rounds with the resident pro, skills challenges, and tournaments.