Kids Fun At The San Diego Air & Space Museum at Balboa Park
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THE SAN DIEGO AIR & SPACE MUSEUM
- at Balboa Park -
2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101
619-234-8291
Contents:
😃 INTRO
What is it, Why kids love it, Insider Tips
Hours, cost, deals, memberships, parking & more
👍 FEATURES
What's good to know...bathrooms, food, strollers, dogs, etc.
👩🏻🏫 EVENTS & CLASSES
Birthday parties & private events, toddler times, school break camps & more
Where to find your nearest coffee-fix, restaurants, other fun places to play and even get some errands done with shops nearby
😃 INTRO 😃
💁🏻♀️ WHAT IS IT
The San Diego Air & Space Museum at Balboa Park has a large collection of airplanes: old ones, new ones, fighter planes and biplanes. Only a couple of these allow you to actually get inside, but just being surrounded by their large presence above and all around you is quite inspiring, especially for budding little pilots. Don't miss the space collection with the real life Apollo 9 Command Module and my favorite is the piece of moon-rock on display.
💗 WHY KIDS LOVE IT
climb inside the helicopter
watch a short 4D movie
try the flight simulator
tons of planes!
the gift shop has a large selection of books, toys & apparel
👉 GOOD TO KNOW
There's a cafe in the very back with outdoor patio seating, right underneath the SAN flight path.
📌 VISITOR INFO 📌
as of 4/2022
🕰 HOURS
daily 10-4:30
Closed: Thanksgiving & Christmas
🎟 TICKETS
same day walk-ins are ok
💵 COST
$23 ages 12+
$19 ages 65+, student, retired military
$13 ages 3-11
FREE for ages 2 & under
$8 max flight simulator
$10 docent basement tours for ages 12+, those under 12 are free w/ a paid adult
💸 DEALS
Free Resident Day is the 2nd Tuesday of every month
$4 Off from the San Diegan (no exp date, not sure if this is still valid)
Go City San Diego offers 1-7 day passes
February: get 1/2 off during Museum Month
May: get in for free during The BIG Exchange
October: kids get in free during Kids Free Month
🎫 MEMBERSHIPS
$49 Individual: 1 adult + 1 one-time guest pass
$99 Individual + Guest: 1 adult + 1 annual guest pass
$119 Family/Grandparents: 2 adults + children under 18
$109 Active Duty/Reserve Military Family: 2 adults + children under 18
$39 Student/Senior 65+: 1 adult + 1 one-time guest pass
All members receive:
unlimited general admission
unlimited entry to the Zable 3D/4D Theater
15% off gift shop purchases
10% off food at Flight Path Grill
discounts on special events, classes & birthday parties
free use of museum library & archives
free admission to the Museum of Flight in Seattle, WA
🅿️ PARKING
Parking is FREE everywhere at Balboa Park
There are 2 parking lots a short 5-10 minute walk away and a 3rd one we prefer only for the fun FREE shuttle.
Behind the Comi-Con Museum: on the left/west side of Presidents Way + Park Blvd.
Behind the Spreckels Organ Pavilion: on the right/east side of Pan American Rd E + Presidents Way
Near the Veterans Museum across the street: on the east side of Park Blvd. + Presidents Way. Look for the shuttle stop and the FREE Green Shuttle will drop you off nearby. From here it will be the 3rd stop. The shuttle runs every 15 minutes, fold-up strollers are allowed in the designated metal stroller box on-board.
👍 FEATURES 👍
🚻 BATHROOMS: Yes
👶🏻 STROLLERS: Yes! It’s very stroller friendly
🌱 GROUNDS: Flat carpeted flooring inside, flat concrete pavement outside
🐶 DOGS: Service animals only
🥪 FOOD: The Flight Path Grill is their on-site cafe, you'll find it in the back of the museum on their outdoor patio
🛍 SHOPPING: The gift shop has a great selection of books, toys, apparel, etc.
📽 MOVIES: yes, 3D/4D Zable Theater continuously plays short 20-ish minute shows every day
⚠️ CAUTIONS: n/a
👩🏻🏫 EVENTS & CLASSES 👩🏻🏫
🥳 BIRTHDAY PARTIES & PRIVATE EVENTS
Designed for ages 3-12 and allow up to 30 guests or 40 guests max for extra charge. They also have Remote Birthday Party packages too. More info
On-Site Parties Include:
2.5 hours of party space with a museum facilitator in the Pavilion of Flight either from 10:30am-1pm or 2-4:30pm and tables/chairs with basic decorations
Museum admission for 30 guests, plus extra cost for 10 more. 15 children for ages 3-4 or 20 children for ages 5+
Choice of 1 hands-on activity (Alka-Seltzer Rockets, Foam & Balsa Gliders or Rovers)
Guided museum tour
Gift for the Birthday Child
Parents are responsible for their own paper goods, food, drink & cake
Cost: $350 for museum family members or $400 for museum individual members. $425 for non-members. $12 per extra guest. $50 for flight suit souvenir per child. $40 if you want cloth linen rental. $50 for a propane space heater.
Must book at least 2 weeks in advance.
👧🏻 TODDLER TIME: Little Engineers is every Wed 9-10 for ages 3-5. Cost: $22 for parent/child combo, includes museum admission so stay and explore afterward. Each week is a different theme from earth science, biology and physics topics with hands-on activities for kids that will help build school-ready skills. Weekly topics are posted at this link.
👫🏻 SCHOOL BREAK CAMPS: yes
Grades: TK-12
👩🏻🏫 SCHOOL PROGRAMS: yes
Either at your school or at the museum
👩🏻🏫 TEACHER GUIDES: yes
🎓 SCHOLARSHIPS: yes
🖥 Private Virtual Tour: yes, Wed & Thur 10-3 for $50 incl. up to 5 guests
🗺 WHAT'S NEARBY 🗺
☕️ COFFEE
Their on-site Flight Path Grill has fresh brewed coffee only.
Other Coffee Options at Balboa Park: Daniel's Coffee at Spanish Village (outside cart), Mingei Craft Cafe at the Mingei Museum (inside stand), Prado Perk outside The Prado Restaurant (outside cart)
🥪 FOOD
Flight Path Grill is their on-site cafe in the back on their outside patio. It's right under the SAN Airport flight path so you can watch planes flying right above as you eat. Museum entrance is required to access.
Other Food Options at Balboa Park: Panama 66 (outside patio, near the Art Museum), Cafe in the Park (inside, next to the Photography Museum), Craveology at Fleet Science Center (order inside, seating outside), Flying Squirrel at Natural History Museum (inside), Artifact at Mingei (inside/outside), The Prado (inside/outside), Tobey's 19th Hole Restaurant at the Golf Course Restaurant (inside/outside)
🤸🏻♂️ OTHER PLACES TO PLAY
Everywhere else at Balboa Park!
🛍 SHOPPING
The Visitor's Center at Balboa Park has a great gift shop, as do most other museums at Balboa Park. Hop over to Spanish Village for all kinds of art browsing and shopping. Be sure to stop at the Gem & Mineral Society for a truly fascinating scene.
HAVE FUN!! 🤗
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Lots of time goes into these & it truly means so much to see how helpful this info is to everyone. I LOVE to see everyone getting outside to enjoy all the fun in our wonderful city and making special memories together with your kids. 💕
Thank you so much for your support. 💛