SAN DIEGO PARKS AND RECREATION

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Located near downtown, Balboa Park is the largest urban cultural park in the U.S.  First established by the City of San Diego in 1868, it is also one of the oldest city parks in the nation and is the most visited single destination in the city.  Its 1,200 acres include 17 museums,  gardens and attractions, the San Diego Zoo, and miles of hiking trails.   

One of San Diego Parks and Recreation best options is located at the southern tip of the Point Loma Peninsula. The Cabrillo National Monument  commemorates the landing of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo at San Diego Bay on September 28, 1542. The park offers a view of San Diego's harbor and skyline, as well as Coronado and Naval Air Station North Island.  

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. This unique coastal environment features expansive ocean views and dramatic cliff formations and caves.

Presidio Park allows visitors to walk in the footsteps of California’s early European settlers. This popular attraction is in the location where Gaspar de Portola and Junipero Serra constructed the San Diego Presidio and the Mission San Diego de Alcala in 1769. The fort and church encompassed the first European settlement in the area that is now known as California. 

Point Loma is one of the oldest communities of San Diego and one of the area's most-visited neighborhoods, featuring some of the best activities and outdoor adventures around. With spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, the San Diego Bay, the downtown skyline, and Coronado, the sights in Point Loma are unparalleled. 

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve® is located within San Diego city limits. The 1,500 acres of land are as they were before San Diego was developed — including the maritime chaparral, the rare Torrey pine, miles of unspoiled beaches, and a lagoon that is vital to migrating seabirds.