Alcazar Garden

Balboa Park is noted for its lush landscaping and beautiful gardens, and none of them are more lovely than Alcazar Garden, adjacent to the Art Institute and Mingei Museum. It was first designed by San Diego architect Richard Requa for the 1935-36 World's Fair, known as the "California Pacific International Exposition." He chose the grounds of Alcazar Castle in Seville, Spain as his model and named this venue accordingly.

In recent years, the City of San Diego's Park and Recreation Department has reconstructed Alcazar Garden to replicate the 1935 original. It now contains some 7,000 annuals offering a display of vibrant colors all year round. Features of the garden include ornate fountains, shady pergola, and Moorish tiles of turquoise blue, yellow, and green. It is bordered by boxwood hedges, giving it a somewhat formal appearance.

Alcazar Garden is open to the public free of charge, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Wedding ceremonies of no longer than four hours can be arranged here between the hours of 10am and sunset, but food, beverages, and receptions are not allowed. The maximum capacity is 50 people. Restrooms are available. The address is 1363 El Prado, San Diego, California 92101, accessible by car or the Balboa Park Tram.