Bordering the bay is Ocean Beach and Pacific Beach, both ideal spots to learn how to surf. Head to Mission Bay for equipment rentals and lessons in sailing, kayaking, waterskiing, and more. Fans of thrills and chills should visit the Whaley House Museum, considered by some the most haunted house in the United States. This small, stroller-friendly neighborhood offers opportunities to soak up Spanish Colonial architecture, pop into boutique shops, and treat your dog to lunch on a pet-friendly restaurant patio. Highlights include the Botanical Building, one of the largest wooden lath structures in the world, the San Diego Natural History Museum, and the open-air Spreckels Organ Pavilion, home to a 5,000-pipe organ, the world’s largest.
Encapsulating 17 museums, 19 gardens, a 100-year-old carousel, and even a miniature train, Balboa Park can feel like its own city.
