Balboa Park is a 1,200-acre urban cultural park in San Diego. It’s actually larger than New York's Central Park! In addition to open space areas, natural vegetation zones, gardens, and walking paths, it is home to 15 major museums, renowed performing art venues and several theaters, housed mostly in ornate Spanish-Renaissance structures. Placed in reserve in 1835, the park's site is one of the oldest in the United States dedicated to public recreational use.

The Botanical Building in Balboa Park is probably the most photographed location in San Diego, and it's mostly due to the beautiful Lily Pond. Located in front of the building, this pond is home to a number of koi (Japanese fish), a few turtles and some lotus plants too. The US Naval Training Station actually used the pond to teach rowing and swimming to new sailors during World War I and the US Naval Hospital use dit as a physical therapy pool for wounded sailors during WWII.

It is especially busy on the weekends, but well worth a visit!