The Spanish Village Art Center in Balboa Park

© Kit Leong / Shutterstock

Spanish Village Art Center

San Diego

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This cluster of exuberantly painted cottages built in 1935 to resemble a traditional Spanish village is now home to 37 artist studios and galleries orbiting a courtyard with colored cobblestones. Drop by to watch potters, jewelry makers, glassblowers, painters and sculptors at work or to enjoy concerts on the weekends.

Behind the Spanish Village (near the zoo entrance), there’s a 1910 carousel with most of the original hand-painted animals, and a miniature railroad offering three-minute, half-mile rides.

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A traditional carousel dating back to 1910, offering 5-minute rides on colorfully painted animals.

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