Spanish Village Art Center

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Location: Balboa Park (3 Miles Northeast of Downtown San Diego)

Open Daily: 11AM – 4PM (Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas)

Cost: Free

Features: Village of 37 art studios hosting over 200 artists working with paint, jewelry, clay, metals, baskets, and more.

spanish-villageSpanish Village Art Center Highlights: Walk through this festive village of artists and watch their creativity unfold in various fields of art. Visit to just browse around or to find a new piece of work to take home with you. This outdoor area is located between the Natural History Museum, San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park Miniature Railroad and the Balboa Park Historic Carousel.

Art Studios – View the map of Spanish Village and a list of studios and the types of art they display.

Events Calendar – The Spanish Art Center offers demonstrations and events on various art themes. It often includes live music and booths where artists show off their wares.

Spanish Village during the Holiday of Lights Festival
Food – The Village Grill is located near the entrance to the Spanish Village Arts Center. It offers sandwiches, burgers, and other hot foods with an outdoor seating area. You will also find cafes near the entrances of some of the museums in Balboa Park. If you are looking for something more than what is offered in a cafe, Balboa Park’s Prado Restaurant is more of an upscale full service restaurant. You can read more about the food options on the Balboa Park web site.

No Smoking is allowed in or around the Spanish Village Art Center.

Information on Visiting the Spanish Village Art Center

Admission Prices:

  • Parking is Free
  • Entry is Free

Directions from Google Maps to 1770 Village Place in San Diego, CA 92101

Parking – There are two parking lots next to the Spanish Arts Center. Both can be accessed just after you turn on to Village Place. If these lots are full, the next best option is to find street parking or head south on Park Boulevard towards downtown and take a left on Presidents Way where you will find larger parking lots. It will take you 15 minutes or so to walk to the Museum.

You can also take the free Balboa Park Tram from the larger parking lots. The Tram starts near the end of the Presidents Way driveway. Get off at the Prado stop near the Balboa Park Information Center and walk a few minutes down to the other end of the Pedestrian Mall. Make a left on Village Place just before you reach the Museum of Natural History and walk about 100 yards.

Traffic – Unless there is a major event at Balboa Park, which occurs a few times during the year, getting in and out of the Spanish Art Center is relatively easy using Park Boulevard. If you approach Balboa Park using southbound SR-163, traffic occasionally backs up a little over a mile before reaching the Park Boulevard Exit, which is the same exit for the I-5 northbound. However, the delay will only take a few extra minutes. Likewise, if you are planning to get on SR-163 northbound after leaving the Spanish Art Center, plan on a short delay during the mid and late afternoon hours as a few entrance ramps merge together before reaching the highway. (Learn how to get the latest traffic updates.)

Transit – Buses serving Balboa Park drop passengers off on Park Boulevard near the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center and the San Diego Museum of Natural History. The stop is underneath a pedestrian bridge, which you can take to the other side and find the Spanish Art Center, which is about 50 yards to the right of the Museum of Natural History. (See San Diego Transit Information for the downtown transit map, which includes Balboa Park, and information for the online Transit Planner.)

You can also get off the bus at Presidents Way to catch the Free Balboa Park Tram. The Tram starts at the end of the driveway, on the east side of Presidents Way and circulates every 10 minutes from here to the main circle at the Prado stop, near the Balboa Park Information Center. (However, you will still have a longer ways to walk than from the bus stop noted above.) The Tram runs from 8:30AM – 6PM daily with extended hours during the summer and special occasions.

Balboa Park Map – The map shows a listing of all Balboa Park Museums, attractions, bus and tram stops, and places to eat. You should also print out the Balboa Park Tram Map from the City of San Diego. It is not as detailed but is helpful because it includes names on each of the buildings. With the other map, you need to use a map key to find the name of a building.

Find More Attractions with Similar Themes or Location: Art Museums, Balboa Park, Cultural Gifts |

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