The naked truth in Balboa Park

The History of the Zoro Gardens Nudist Colony

Zoro Garden is still full of nature, just don’t enter au naturale. | Photo via @vesnasocavalile

San Diegans know Balboa Park as a family-friendly destination, but there was a time when part of the park was a bit more adult-oriented. For two years, Zoro Garden housed a nudist colony — a long gone memory, but one that can’t be kept under covers.

🌱 Stripping Down

Like many parts of Balboa Park, Zoro Garden was built for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. During the Great Depression, San Diego wanted to make itself a spectacle. This resulted in the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition to bring tourism + boost the economy. The movement revitalized parts of the city and added must-see shows, like the Zoro Gardens Nudist Colony.

👀 Peeking inside the gates

In May 1935, individuals reportedly came from nature cults in Indiana, New York, Germany + Switzerland to San Diego (we’re guessing they packed lightly) to form the colony. District Attorney Thomas Whalen approved the display after an “undressed rehearsal, allowing the show to open.” Those who wanted the full monty could watch the show for 25 cents — $5.37 by today’s standards — but some spectators tried to sneak a peek between the slates in the surrounding fence.

What happened at the shows? The colony mostly read books, ate vegetables, played handball, and lived normal, naked lives — though some members would overdress in G-strings or loincloths. Occasionally the group performed rituals honoring their faux-ruler “Queen Zorine,” later Ruth Cubitts and then her sister “Queen Tanya.” Sometimes, in a truly bizarre display, a costumed robot named “Alpha” would abduct the queen to create excitement.

Zoro Gardens Nudist Colony Sign — Zoro Garden was known for more than butterflies.

👖 The end of an era

For the 1936 season, entry prices rose to 75 cents — $16.21 today — and the colony was receiving criticism. The attraction drew protestors, and soon, there were arguments among the nudists. In August 1936, the exhibit closed after a financial disagreement with officials leading the California Pacific International Exposition, and the next month the Exposition closed.

☀️ Don’t get dressed yet

It’s no secret that there are places in San Diego County where you can legally explore your inner-nudist, if you’re comfortable in the environment.

The clothing-optional section of Black’s Beach is perfect for beach bums.
In East County, De Anza Springs Resort in Jacumba offers a getaway from your stress and your pants.
Boneyard Beach in Encinitas is a small section of sand that’s perfect for getting rid of your tan lines.

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Wednesday, October 12

Christian Jules Taylor | Wed., Oct. 12 | 6 p.m. | Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa, 9850 Genesee Ave., San Diego | The local singer-songwriter takes the mic.
Entre Deux: an Art Exhibition by 4 French-born San Diego Artists | Wed., Oct. 12 - Sat., Oct. 29 | 12-7 p.m. | The Studio Door, 3867 Fourth Ave., San Diego | Free | A collaborative exhibition by four French artists featuring work in clay, encaustic artwork + mid-century wood furniture.
Marco Benevento | Wed., Oct. 12 | 8:30 p.m. | The Casbah, 2501 Kettner Blvd., San Diego | $20.00 | The genre-bending artist performs with guest William Tyler.

Thursday, October 13

A Nightmare on 80s Street | Thu., Oct. 13 | 8 p.m. | Belly Up, 143 S. Cedros Ave., Solana Beach | $12.00 - $15.00 | A gritty tribute to 1980s classics performed by horror villains of the era.
Pachanga | Thu., Oct. 13 | 5-8 p.m. | Conrad Prebys Aztec Student Union, SDSU, San Diego | Free | The final celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month with music, food, entertainment + a chance to check out Latinx student organizations.

Friday, October 14

It: The Pennywise Parody Musical | Fri., Oct. 14 - Mon., Oct. 31 | 8 p.m. | OB Playhouse, 4944 Newport Ave., San Diego | $28.50 | Float into a new retelling of Stephen King’s “It.”
PoeFest | Fri., Oct. 14 - Sun., Oct. 30 | 6 p.m. | Villa Montezuma Museum, 1925 K St., San Diego | $30.00 | Celebrate the strange, inexplicable + other-worldly — culminating in an encounter with either Edgar Allan Poe or Mary Shelley.

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

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Sunrise + Sunset

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Civic

It’s time to send in those ballots. All 36 San Diego Public Libraries added ballot drop boxes for the Statewide General Election through Tues., Nov. 8 — access will follow the library’s hours of operation. Additionally, the county introduced secure, stand-alone boxes with 24-hour access for ballot returns. 🗳️
San Diego County’s Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs previewed its new Welcome Center in National City, scheduled to open by the end of the year. The facility will provide support ranging from housing + employment opportunities to legal advice and health screenings. 🤝

Sports

Good try, Padres. The San Diego team lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-3 in Game 1 of the National League Division Series (NLSD) last night. The team will be swingin’ back for NLSD Game 2 tonight at 5:37 p.m. at Dodgers Stadium. ⚾ (MLB)

Open

We’re raising a carefully selected glass to the opening of Villa One™ - Tequila Gardens in the Gaslamp Quarter. The new cocktail lounge — founded by Nick Jonas and John Varvatos — opened its doors over the weekend. Inside, you’ll find 160+ tequilas, and yes, the Jo Bro did attend the grand opening. 🥃

Award

Things are going as planned in the Civita community in Mission Valley: Building Industry Association of San Diego named the area the “Best Urban Master-Planned Community of the Year.” Since welcoming its first residents in 2013, the 230-acre development has added residential + commercial lots, park spaces, and more. 🏆 (Times of San Diego)

Traffic

As construction continues on College Avenue in the College Area, expect traffic delays — especially for those heading to the Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre. The venue is advising commuters to allocate additional time, especially those attending the Florence + The Machine show this evening. 🚧

Real Estate

The average home size in San Diego is 1,800 sqft, ranking No. 42 among major cities on American Home Shield’s 2022 American Home Size Index. But the small start gets bigger. Homes have gotten 50.38% larger — comparing homes built before 2018 to those built after — and have the seventh highest cost per sqft: $694.92. 🏠 (American Home Shield)

Listen

What’s my age again? We’re celebrating the return of the locally-founded band Blink-182. Poway native Tom DeLonge will rejoin Mark Hoppus + Travis Barker on a tour in 2023, coming to the Pechanga Arena on Tues., June 20, and the rock trio will release their new single “Edging” on Fri., Oct. 14. 🤘 (Pitchfork)

Art

It’s the year of the dragon in La Jolla where the Mandarin House restaurant debuted a new public art piece on its south wall. “The Dragon Mural,” a colorful painting depicting a dragon in the ocean at sunset, was created by La Jolla native Natalie Bessell. 🐉 (La Jolla Light)

Watch

Want a taste of Snapdragon Stadium? YouTube creator Jay Jay “Jaycation” Maniquis recently posted a video sampling the local eats you can find at the venue, so you’ll be able to map out your meal next time you head to a game or show. ▶️

Announced

If you love this newsletter (and supporting local) as much as we love strolls in Balboa Park, morning lattes from WestBean Coffee Roasters + Saturdays spent watching seals and sea lions at La Jolla Cove (which is a lot) — we’ve got something for you: SDtoday just launched a membership program. Learn more + sign up. 🎉

Trending

Fast-track those holiday shopping plans. For the first time, Amazon is hosting a second Prime Day with the Prime Early Access Sale today, Oct. 12. Some of the best deals we’ve seen: $120 off a Shark cordless vacuum, $100 off a Vitamix One, and $180 off a deep tissue massage gun.*

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A children’s book to help parents

Books written by San Diego authors

Every San Diegan has their own story, and when we wrote our list of local authors, reader Phyllis Schwartz wrote in to tell us about her rhyming childrens’ story “When Mom Feels Great, Then We Do Too!”

“When Mom Feels Great, Then We Do Too!” Cover art — “When Mom Feels Great, Then We Do Too!”

The book helps children understand the ways they can support a parent who has been diagnosed with cancer. As a three-time survivor, the Encinitas-based author was able to draw on her own experiences navigating the difficult discussions with children, but wanted to keep the book upbeat + optimistic.

Schwartz will be in the kids’ zone at the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer San Diego walk on Sun., Oct. 16, from 6:30-9:30 a.m. in Balboa Park. There, she will be giving out 100 copies of her book to children. If you’d like to get involved, you can still register to walk + donate to the cause.

25 MORE LOCAL READS

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Michael.

Editor’s pick: Happy Wednesday, San Diego. Recently, I took a trip to Salt & Straw in Little Italy to cool off and enjoy Halloween SoCal style. I ordered from the seasonal Ice SCREAM menu, getting scoops of “Jack o’ Lantern Pumpkin Bread'' + “Black Cat Licorice & Lavender.” It’s always exciting to explore new flavors — but don’t be afraid to ask for samples, because you can try these experiments before you commit to one. 🥄

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? The Padres enter the National League Division Series.

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Editorial: Monica Garske, Michael Beausoleil, Trevor Peters, Britt Thorson, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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