Our last full day in California included brunch with friends, followed by a visit to Balboa Park. With more time, we would have spent a day at the San Diego Zoo. But on a busy Saturday on a holiday weekend, we opted for the Natural History Museum instead. The Museum was enormous, with a small living animal collection, a huge dinosaur exhibit, and a section devoted to the flora and fauna of California. Of the many nature museums we’ve visited, I found their interpretive signage to be some of the most engaging that I’ve encountered.

We concentrated our time outdoors in Balboa Park around the museum, walking to the Spanish Village Art Center, El Prado, and the Lily Pond.

Our last historic San Diego stop added another stamp to our National Park Passport at Cabrillo National Monument. The weather had turned chillier and we weren’t able to visit the popular tide pools or walk on the many trails. We were able to learn about the history of the point, including a walk up Old Port Loma Lighthouse. 

Our evening concluded with ringing in 2022 at 9pm (Midnight East Coast time) with friends.