The Balboa Park Carousel has extended its operating hours for the summer season. Throughout the summer, the carousel will be open every day from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. until school resumes on Aug. 26, offering more opportunities to grasp the brass ring. The Balboa Park Carousel follows the San Diego Unified School District calendar and will remain open on weekends and school holidays once school resumes.
The carousel is located at 1889 Zoo Place, and tickets are available for purchase at the carousel ticket booth, $3 per ride or four rides for $10. The ticket booth accepts cash and debit, credit, and touchless payments.
The historic Balboa Park Carousel is celebrating its 100th anniversary in Balboa Park this year. On July 25, the carousel will mark the anniversary on National Carousel Day with free rides and commemorative activities for families.
The Balboa Park Carousel was built in 1910 and is a classic wood, menagerie carousel, featuring 52 original animals. The carousel still runs on its original General Electric motor, and the hand-painted murals, military band organ, and brass ring game are original as well. With the careful care of Carousel manager Bill Brown and staff, the Balboa Park Carousel is running almost exactly as it did in 1910.
Last year, the Balboa Park Carousel and adjacent Kiddie Ride were designated Historical Resources by the City of San Diego’s Historical Resources Board. In a rare move, the city’s board approved the historical designation under three of six possible criteria: Criterion A: “special element of the City’s historical development”; Criterion C: “excellent example of Golden Age Menagerie Style Carousel”; and Criterion F: “contributing resource to the Balboa Park Historic District.”
Forever Balboa Park is the City of San Diego’s partner in advocating for the greater good of Balboa Park. Its focus is to sustain the park’s legacy, enhance its many assets, and collaborate with park stakeholders to envision and execute future plans to benefit both residents and visitors for decades to come. It brings valued resources to the park as a convener and organizer, raising funds and cultivating volunteers to realize and activate projects, programs, and services for the best interests of the park and the greater San Diego community.
