San Diego’s Balboa
Park & Zoo
Travel Excursion
Queensland Koala – San Diego Zoo
Photo
By Patrice Raplee
By Patrice Raplee
Summer’s golden light shimmers on the lily pond, its undulating surface
casting reflections of the ornate Spanish-Renaissance architecture
that surrounds the tepid pool. Palm trees sway and rustle with an
audible sigh as the heat of the day relents from a cool, evening
breeze. Children giggle as they dip their arms and faces in the circular
fountains lining the fascia of the botanical building. Couples hold
hands as they stroll along the beautiful garden-lined walkways heading
to the theaters for an evening performance. The domicile of this
sun-filled imagery is San Diego’s vast Balboa Park.
Balboa Park’s
undeveloped origin began in 1868 and today encompasses 1,200 acres.
Kate Sessions’ early landscape design of Balboa Park (1892) and the
elaborate Spanish-Renaissance architecture that was constructed for
the first World’s Fair (the 1915-16 Panama-California Exposition),
were the genesis of the park’s current appearance.
The park consists of seven performing arts theaters, 15 museums and several
cultural centers, the San Diego Zoo, gardens, recreation, attractions
and restaurants, not to mention the Spanish Village Art Center. This
magnificently beautiful and historical park is ranked one of the
best international parks in the world and offers so much to do and
see, it is a cultural trip destination in itself.
Visitors who wish to see and experience all the park has to offer should
plan a minimum of three days to explore, and perhaps collect more
if you are an avid museum fan. If you plan to drive, Balboa Park
is located a few minutes away from Downtown San Diego and is easy
to find, just off Interstate 5.
Giant Panda – San Diego
Zoo
Photo By Patrice Raplee
To begin your adventure, start by visiting the magnificent San Diego Zoo,
located in the northwest perimeter of the park. The zoo grounds cover
an extensive area, so be prepared to walk (go early for cooler temperatures
and fewer crowds). The zoo also has guided bus tours throughout the
grounds and a fascinating aerial tram that offers spectacular views.
Upon entering the zoo, veer to the right and follow signs to the Koala
Exhibit. This misted exhibit houses the cute and fuzzy koala bears. These
loveable marsupials sleep about 20 hours a day, but are easily viewed
(even in slumber), clinging to the branches of eucalyptus trees.
The San Diego Zoo pioneered eucalyptus farming, insuring a steady
food supply for their resident Queensland Koalas.
After strolling through the Koala Exhibit, follow the Bear Canyon pathway
that meanders past the lions and bears exhibit. Along the way, the
heady fragrance of jasmine reminds the visitor to look around them
on their quest for the next animal exhibit. The zoo is a virtual
tropical paradise to walk through with exotic species of fauna and
flowers such as Vanilla Orchids, bromeliads and flowering jacaranda
trees.
The Giant Pandas are located in the northern section of the zoo. Their
habitat is enclosed so that visitors don’t stress the animals and
only a limited number of guests are allowed in at a time to see the
pandas. These lines tend to be long, but the wait is worth it. The
engaging and beautiful furry creatures are often chewing mounds of
bamboo, while gazing at passing guests, or taking a siesta close
to the viewing area. A quiet sort of reverence engulfs the visitors
who are viewing the pandas for the first time with the knowledge
that these magnificent animals are among the seriously endangered
species.
Baby Meercats – San Diego Zoo
Photo By Patrice Raplee
Another favorite of zoo visitors are the humorous and energetic meercats.
Brad, the main caregiver of the meercats, sits quietly in a sandy,
prairie-type habitat while the little characters race about him accepting
tasty bits of Iam’s cat food and fresh veggies. He explains that
meercats have a very complex social structure and that a meercat
daughter and mother can kill the grandmother to make the mother an
alpha leader. These adorable little fellows are much smaller than
they appear on TV, such as the cable program Meercat Manor,
but the size of their personalities and their constant antics spellbinds
guests of all ages.
The San Diego Zoo has a tremendous diversity of animals from many countries
with fascinating habitats and lush surrounding grounds. There are
numerous gift shops, small cafes, special exhibits and even fine
dining. In the evening, special and educational programs and events
are scheduled throughout the year, so make sure to carefully check
the zoo’s website, or the visitor’s handout guide upon entering the
grounds. For additional information on the zoo, go to: http://www.sandiegozoo.org.
Just past the San Diego Zoo entrance, keep walking to the right into Balboa
Park. Located on the left-hand side is a hidden jewel literally,
the Spanish Village Art Center. Even many residents of San Diego
are not aware that this community has thrived in their midst since
1937. The village was born from the aftermath of the Second World’s
Fair: ’35 – ’36 California Pacific International Exhibition. Concessionaires
who sold various handcrafts and sundries originally used the buildings.
Sherman Trease was a visionary who contacted artists and executives
when the Spanish Village was no longer needed for the fair. Together,
with members of the park board and individual artists, this group
turned a dilapidated set of buildings into the fabulous art village
that it is today.
Join us next month for the continuation and part two of the Spanish Art
Village and Balboa Park.
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