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Balboa Park vs. Central Park: How Do They Compare?

By Mike in Downtown San Diego Living with 0 Comments

When New Yorkers relocate to other regions of the United States, they usually say there will be two aspects of life in the Big Apple they won’t be able to replace: Ray’s Pizza and the magnificent Central Park in Manhattan. While it could be argued that Ray’s Pizza is a pretty unique culinary experience, there are a few parks around the world that compare to Central Park in many aspects, and San Diego’s own Balboa Park happens to be one of them. Balboa Park is one of the reasons homebuyers often choose condos and lofts in downtown San Diego. Balboa Park is an impressive urban oasis that can compete with Central Park in terms of size, biodiversity, attractions, amenities, and activities for the whole family. Let’s review some interesting facts about each one to understand how they compare to each other.

Balboa Park Is Larger

Here’s something curious about Central Park: when visitors from San Diego tour Manhattan, they’re invariably amazed by how big this New York City borough feels, and this feeling extends to Central Park. In reality, Balboa Park occupies 4.85 square kilometers of land, while Central Park sits on 3.41 square kilometers. There are a few reasons Central Park feels larger to many visitors. First of all, when you enter the park from the south, you’re leaving behind massive skyscrapers and suddenly walking across meadows and grassy fields. Second, many of the structures and attractions in Balboa Park are located close to each other, whereas in Central Park, they’re more spread out.

Balboa Park Has More Wildlife

Naturalists are often amazed at the number of wildlife species that call Central Park home, but that number is minimal compared to those in Balboa Park. You have to remember that sections of Balboa Park are in fact nature preserves, which is why you can see dozens of amphibian, reptile, arboreal, rodent, mammalian, avian, and aquatic species. In fact, Balboa Park is often chosen for field research by biology professors from universities across Southern California.

Balboa Park Has More Attractions Inside the Park

Central Park is surrounded by museums, art galleries, historic districts, restaurants, shops, and many other amenities. By virtue of being located in Manhattan, it offers a lot of things to do. In Balboa Park, there’s more to see and experience inside the park itself. From museums and performance spaces to botanical gardens and the world-famous San Diego Zoo, visitors can enjoy many attractions without leaving the park.

Balboa Park Offers a More Suburban Experience

Central Park makes you forget about the city. Balboa Park reminds residents of San Diego that they’re fortunate to have a natural space that blends right into the downtown residential districts. Visitors from New York City should make it a point to visit Little Italy, just southwest of Balboa Park, where they can enjoy trattorias and even pizza shops that serve slices similar to Ray’s Pizza and other spots near Central Park.

Balboa Park is one of the finest urban spaces in the world, and prospective residents should put it at the top of their list of reasons to consider investing in downtown San Diego real estate. If you’re ready to find your perfect home in the downtown district of America’s Finest City, call on the professionals at 92101 Urban Living to assist you in your search. Give one of our friendly agents a call today at 619-649-0368.