Old Cactus Garden

San Diego, United States

3.7

Open now

6 reviews

Contacts

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Telephone:
Not provided
Website:
www.balboapark.org
Address:
Balboa Park Pan American Rd W and Pan American Pl W, San Diego, CA, 92101
Balboa Park
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
1 miCity College
1 mi5th Avenue
1.1 miCivic Center
Categories:
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Bussiness info

Bike Parking
Yes
Good for Kids
Yes

Today

Today 12:00 am – 11:30 pm
Open now
Local time (San Diego) 2:57 PM Sunday, June 22, 2025

Business hours

Monday 12:00 am – 11:30 pm
Tuesday 12:00 am – 11:30 pm
Wednesday 12:00 am – 11:30 pm
Thursday 12:00 am – 11:30 pm
Friday 12:00 am – 11:30 pm
Saturday 12:00 am – 11:30 pm
Sunday 12:00 am – 11:30 pm

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6 reviews of Old Cactus Garden

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Englewood, CO
I’ve never been to a cactus garden but I thought it was really interesting. The grounds are well maintained and there was a wide variety of plants, my favorite was this huge cactus tree located somewhere in the middle of the garden. We honestly came for the rose garden nearby but ended up spending more time in the cactus garden.
Place rating: 5
La Jolla, CA
This is another free hidden garden. Most of the reviews from the previous people seem to have mistaken this cactus garden as the Desert Garden (2525 Park Boulevard) for the one next to the Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden (2525 Park Boulevard).
This particular garden is the «1935 (Old) Cactus Garden», the following info is from the website

This hidden garden is located near and behind the Automobile Museum and Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theatre, NOT the one on Park Boulevard.
«This historic garden was developed under the direction of Kate Sessions for the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition. It contains some of the largest cactus and succulent specimens in the Park and has also been developed to include the exotic African and Australian Protea plants. It is located on the west side of the Balboa Park Club.»
Place rating: 5
Huntington Beach, CA
Wonderful plants! A few pics:
Place rating: 2
Emeryville, CA
I didn’t see the old street artist mentioned in another review, but I did run into a wayward vagabond (I just thought that sounded cool) at the entrance to the cactus gardens who commented on a photo I took and then offered to take a photo for me and my boyfriend (with my expensive DSLR) which I politely declined, then he kept going on and on about how he wouldn’t steal my camera, and how my boyfriend needs to be in pictures, etc. Weird… this is supposed to be San Diego, not Berkeley!
Anyways, as for the garden itself, it was alright. I’m not a cactus connoisseur and there were no signs so I could only really look at spiky plants for so long, you know?
Place rating: 1
San Diego, CA
Watch out for the old street artist that draws people near the roses. This guy asked my friend and I if he could draw us and we told him we didn’t have cash. He said it would be okay, he just wanted to practice. So we sat for him and afterwards, he showed us an ugly pencil drawing of us. Then he told us he would follow us to the ATM machine so we could pay him. When I politely told him I didn’t want to pay for the drawing, he began to threaten us, tell us we were going to go to hell, and even spit towards us! He was horrible! I don’t know how many people he fights with everyday but I’m sure we were not and will not be the first. He needs to be kicked out of the gardens and I hate that I’m giving it one star because of him.
Place rating: 4
Salem, OR
A very impressive collection of cactii, some common, some strange and wonderful and some the size of trees. The collection also includes dry– or desert-​climate flowers, succulents and trees. Unfortunately, no signage identifies what it is you are looking at; but it’s well worth seeing for the price, which is free.