North Park, charming Garden Cottage by Balboa Park, Zoo, & popular venues

Photo gallery for North Park, charming Garden Cottage by Balboa Park, Zoo, & popular venues

A two-story building with a balcony, large windows, and a visible door.
A gated entrance with a metal gate, a tree with bare branches, and a pathway leading to a building with a white facade.
A residential building with a two-story structure, a visible staircase, and a clear sky.
A two-story house with a front porch, a staircase, and a garage.
A bedroom with a bed, two windows, a bedside table, and a nightstand.

Reviews

8.8 out of 10
Excellent

Highlights

  • Your own private chef
    One of the few properties offering private chef services.
  • Centrally-located
    You're never far from where you need to be with this convenient location.
  • Discover nearby landmarks
    Walk to Balboa Park

Popular amenities

  • Street parking available
  • Refrigerator
  • Internet
  • Washing machine
  • Garden
  • Non-smoking

Explore the area

View in a map
San Diego, CA
  • Place, San Diego Black Ensemble Theater
    ‪10 min walk‬
  • Place, Balboa Park
    ‪15 min walk‬
  • Place, San Diego Zoo
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Airport, San Diego, CA (SAN-San Diego Intl.)
    ‪10 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 2)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Shower only

Spaces

Kitchen
Garden

Add dates for prices

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About the area

San Diego

Located in University Heights, a neighbourhood in San Diego, this apartment is near theme parks. Port of San Diego and B Street Cruise Ship Terminal are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's popular attractions can visit San Diego Zoo and Waterfront Park. Check out an event or a game at Petco Park, and consider making time for USS Midway Museum, a top attraction not to be missed. Discover the area's water adventures with nearby jet skiing, or enjoy the great outdoors with cycling.
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Map
San Diego, CA

What's nearby

  • San Diego Black Ensemble Theater - 10 min walk - 0.9 km
  • Diversionary Theatre - 13 min walk - 1.2 km
  • Balboa Park - 15 min walk - 1.3 km
  • The Observatory North Park - 19 min walk - 1.6 km
  • San Diego Zoo - 4 min drive - 1.9 km

Getting around

  • Mission Valley Center Station - 4 min drive
  • Old Town Transit Center - 11 min drive
  • San Diego, CA (SAN-San Diego Intl.) - 20 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬9 min walk
  • ‪Colima's Mexican Food - ‬7 min walk
  • ‪Pecs Bar - ‬4 min walk
  • ‪Denny's - ‬11 min walk
  • ‪Chances Coffee - ‬9 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is North Park, charming Garden Cottage by Balboa Park, Zoo, & popular venues pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at North Park, charming Garden Cottage by Balboa Park, Zoo, & popular venues ?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at North Park, charming Garden Cottage by Balboa Park, Zoo, & popular venues ?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at North Park, charming Garden Cottage by Balboa Park, Zoo, & popular venues ?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is North Park, charming Garden Cottage by Balboa Park, Zoo, & popular venues located?

Located in University Heights, this apartment building is 0.7 mi (1.2 km) from Balboa Park and 1.5 mi (2.4 km) from San Diego Zoo. Old Globe Theater and San Diego Museum of Art are also within 2 miles (3 km).

Reviews

8.8

Excellent

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 31 out of 47 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 9 out of 47 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 3 out of 47 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 47 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 4 out of 47 reviews

9.4/10

Cleanliness

9.4/10

Check-in

9.2/10

Communication

9.4/10

Location

8.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The host was excellent
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This was a great location for us. Close to public transportation and a great Mexican restaurant. The bungalow was cozy and clean. Surprisingly quiet neighborhood.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A great little apartment for a solo traveler or couple. The bedroom gets a little hot but with windows open and fan it's totally comfortable, especially at night. Also just a great location. I really enjoyed walking to Hillcrest and North Park.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had an excellent stay in this room! It felt like a home away from home. Location was perfect for our trip, nearby North Park and all the shops we wanted to visit!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very nice spot for two people! Cozy bedroom with lots of natural light!!
Stayed 5 nights in Apr 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Cute little apartment. Perfect for our short trip to San Diego!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
What a lovely place! And the neighborhood was great too. Close to lots of things (park, Hillcrest, food, etc.). Would definitely recommend.
Stayed 4 nights in Mar 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 9 Apr 2026
I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed your stay. Thank you for staying with us. We hope you come and stay with us again.
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The property was so cute, clean, and well maintained. The host was very kind and responsive. The property is also in a great location, so close to lots of fun places! We had a blast. Thank you so much!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great spot! Great host!

We had a very good time here, the host was lovely and gave us some great recommendations :) The space was clean, well looked after, and comfortable. So close to lots of fun things and good food. We would definitely recommend!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Cute place and neighborhood

We enjoyed our stay in this very convenient one bedroom. Very close to restaurants and nice neighborhood. Parking is a bit tricky but we managed just fine. Thank you.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Good location, clean, adequate

This little old cottage was just what we needed, had more than we needed and was clean. Wish the parking was better and the heater was updated.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellent location and comfy rooms!

The cottage was perfect for two people and the host was exceptional. Francesca made us feel most welcome, almost part of the family. It was an easy walk to Morley Field, to University Heights, Hillcrest, and South Park. We walked home from the Zoo and Balboa Park Museums, but drove to the Maritime Museum and the Library downtown. We'll definitely be back.
Stayed 4 nights in Feb 2025
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great apartment, great location

The apartment was fully appointed, spacious, clean, and comfortable, and easy walking distance to 2 bus lines and Balboa Park itself, as well as coffee shops, grocery stores, and restaurants. The patio was pretty bare of plants and greenery so did not particularly have an inviting garden feel, but did offer plenty of seating.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quaint cottage in North Park

Great location near all the eats, drinks, and entertainment. Parking is rough in the evenings. Area is flat so walking from car to cottage was easy. Suggest ubering. Hotspot at the Lafayette Hotel within walking distance.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Close to everywhere I wanted to go.

Attending my son's graduation and a little vacation while there. Minutes from airport, balboa park, San Diego zoo. Very pleasant cottage like dwelling, great for two. Coin operated washer and dryer on premises. On street parking available. Just make sure your back to your VRBO by 4/5pm. Just inherit to this area of San Diego.
Stayed 5 nights in May 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
I spent 10 days at this lovely little home and thoroughly enjoyed my stay. It's in a quiet neighborhood with great walkability. Smart & Final, restaurants, and Boulevard Fitness are all within easy walking distance, making it a convenient home base.The home was clean, comfortable, and nicely decorated. It's an older building, so there are a few quirks like single-pane windows and some windows that can be a little stubborn, but nothing that detracted from my stay. The living room ceiling fan was fantastic, and keeping air flowing through the unit made the summer heat manageable.The kitchen had everything I needed to prepare meals, and the microwave...microwaved. The bedroom has a closet for luggage and clothes, plus an extra fan that made sleeping more comfortable. The bathroom is small but clean and perfectly functional.Check-in and check-out were easy, and the keypad entry was very convenient. Coin-op laundry (1.50 wash/1.00 dry, quarters only) is in the neighboring building. I also met a few residents during my stay, and everyone was friendly.Overall, I'd happily stay here again. It's a comfortable, well-kept place in a great location, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a quiet place to stay in San Diego.
Stayed 10 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Warm get away

We arrived late at night, really difficult to find the little house with out a porch light on.Otherwise just fine. The rain had made the patio kinda messy but we still enjoyed the sunshine.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Tiniest of tips

This is a perfectly lovely place to stay and I will come again. You may wish to have a small fan available for bedroom. It was hot this weekend and that would have been the very best thing to have.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect for What I Need

As a senior, I need a quiet place to rest in the afternoon and sleep at night. Visiting my son in North Park we were out early and walked 5-8 miles a day exploring different places. Everything (including my son) was an easy walk from this rental. I plan on returning.
Stayed 8 nights in Mar 2025
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great little place to stay

Great place to stay, my only complaint was a hair dryer was listed under amenities but couldn’t find one in unit. Also there were some hanging ornaments above bed that kept bumping into each other at night and making noise, I’d recommend moving these out of the bedroom. Other than that, great location and unit.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

San Diego

Apt was as i expected; perfect location as it was literally 6 blocks from my other daughters apt and walking distance to coffee etc. Had all the amenities that we needed for our short stay. There was an unusual heat wave of 89 degrees and there was a fan but somehow it didnt work that well as it think it needed to be cleaned.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2025
Verified review

6/10 Okay

Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Communication

Review

Very noisy in the area and the unit itself especially the furnace. Thin walls could here neighbors.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Conference stay

My friend and I stayed here for a few days while attending a conference in town. The cottage is small but super cute, nice neighborhood, walkable to restaurants and coffee. The only slight issues were that the heater, even when off, produced some heat. The shower had very low water pressure and felt like it couldn't fully rinse of soap/shampoo etc. Otherwise the host was quickly responsive and the cottage was very clean!
Stayed 4 nights in May 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 26 May 2025
I’m sorry about the heat. We have just recently transitioned to summer weather and we will be turning off the heater pilots. We are also in the process of having the water pressure tested with the city. I’m so sorry for the inconveniences. Thank you for staying with us! We appreciate you!
Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, communication, location
Disliked: Listing accuracy

Cute dwelling, nice neighborhood

The property is duplex, not a stand-alone cottage. It was a good size for two people, and close to our family member living nearby. Many restaurants, shops, bars etc. within walking distance. The site exterior photos need to be updated. There is not a garden anymore, it is all paved with patio chairs. Guests need to be told the name of the dwelling as well as the address. Confusing otherwise, but a nice neighbor showed us to the door.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2025
Verified review

2/10 Terrible

Disliked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy

Cancelled hours before stay

I received a cancellation a few hours before my stay was scheduled to begin and had to scramble to find another place for the night. Being a holiday weekend, this was not easy or cheap. Will not attempt to stay here in the future.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023
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