San Diego's Balboa Park was founded in 1868 and declared a National Historic Landmark in 1977. It is a one-of-a-kind urban cultural park with museums, theaters, shops, restaurants, and gardens. A majority of the park's sites are on El Prado, a long street running through the center of the 1,200-acre park. Here you can find a wide variety of museums, including the San Diego Museum of Art, the Museum of Photographic Arts, the San Diego Museum of Man, the San Diego Art Institute, and the Natural History Museum. Be sure to check out the Lily Pond and the Bea Evenson Fountain along the way. The San Diego Air & Space Museum is next to the promenade and a sure bet for fans of aviation and military history. There are also a variety of beautiful gardens to explore, including Alcazar Garden, Cactus Garden, Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden, Botanical Garden and Zoro Garden. One the world's best zoos, the 100-acre San Diego Zoo, is also located in the park. Music and theater buffs should hit the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, which contains the world's largest outdoor pipe organ; the Old Globe Theater (a replica of Shakespeare's Globe Theater); or the Casa Del Prado Theater, which showcases family-friendly performances such as Disney's Geppetto & Sons and Fame. -Andrew Robinton

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