This location is not accessible on disc 4
You'll be in and out of Balamb a few times early in the game, but the town plays no specific role except as a waypoint. There are a number of Shops and a few Draw points to find.
One pair of items of note are the two versions of Timber Maniacs you can find here. Once you take one, the other disappears, and which you take will alter Selphie's writings somewhat.
After Balamb Garden becomes mobile, you'll see Galbadia Garden hovering outside Balamb. If you didn't bring Zell with you, he'll force his way into the party once you enter. (At this point, Selphie also becomes available again after a brief period where she was not.)
With all the Galbadian soldiers, entering and leaving will not be easy. You can talk your way in, but getting out is more complicated. To start with, visit Zell's house on the right side of the main street. Speak to the Big Bad Rascal twice and he will leave. After you visit the hotel, you'll find the Bid Bad Rascal at the mayor's house next door to the Dincht's. Follow him to the town entrance, then talk to the guard. Keep the text window open until the Big Bad Rascal leaves, then meet him back on the main street. From that point on, he'll cause a distraction if you want to leave town (although you still can't put Selphie in the party outside).
When you head to the hotel as instructed, the commander won't be in, but the guards will tell you to find the captain. There are a few ways to do this. You can follow the clues of various people in town all over until you find the captain back at the hotel. A quicker method is to speak to the people near the hotel until one mentions that the dog in the harbor is sometimes used to find the captain. That dog will lead you to the captain, who will run back to the hotel where you can face him.
It's also worth noting that Zell will let you into his room once you visit the hotel and see that it's closed. You can rest and save here, as well as seeing some amusing scenes depending on who else is in the party.
The captain turns out to be Raijin. You'll fight a two-part battle, first against him and two G-Soldiers, then against him with Fujin. Don't forget to Draw the GF Pandemona from Fujin.
When travel is not otherwise restricted by the plot, you can pay 3,000 gil to take the train from Balamb to Timber.
There is a fun sidequest here on disc 3, with a nice reward. Enter the town with Zell in the party, and you'll see a girl walking in the town entrance. (If you come by train, she'll be at the train station instead.) She'll mention that some girl went to Zell's house. Head there and talk to Zell's mom, then stay at the Balamb Hotel. After a cutscene, you'll get Combat King 003.
You may notice the Queen of Cards near Balamb Station. You can start a very long, very annoying sidequest to get five rare Cards by losing a rare (level 8+) Card to her. Each time you do this, she will move to another of the eight Locations she can appear in. She will usually give a hint as to her next destination. If you want to pursue her quest, you'll need her to go to Dollet. (It's worth pointing out that you can get these Cards much more easily on disc 4 by playing the Queen of Cards or any CC member on the Ragnarok.)
The Queen of Cards can also add or remove rules from the region she is in, though she charges a hefty fee and the available rule change is randomly determined. She will move from her current Location after you win or lose a level 8–10 Card in a game with her. From Balamb she is most likely to head to Galbadia (Deling City), and otherwise moves to Dollet.
One pair of items of note are the two versions of Timber Maniacs you can find here. Once you take one, the other disappears, and which you take will alter Selphie's writings somewhat.
After Balamb Garden becomes mobile, you'll see Galbadia Garden hovering outside Balamb. If you didn't bring Zell with you, he'll force his way into the party once you enter. (At this point, Selphie also becomes available again after a brief period where she was not.)
With all the Galbadian soldiers, entering and leaving will not be easy. You can talk your way in, but getting out is more complicated. To start with, visit Zell's house on the right side of the main street. Speak to the Big Bad Rascal twice and he will leave. After you visit the hotel, you'll find the Bid Bad Rascal at the mayor's house next door to the Dincht's. Follow him to the town entrance, then talk to the guard. Keep the text window open until the Big Bad Rascal leaves, then meet him back on the main street. From that point on, he'll cause a distraction if you want to leave town (although you still can't put Selphie in the party outside).
When you head to the hotel as instructed, the commander won't be in, but the guards will tell you to find the captain. There are a few ways to do this. You can follow the clues of various people in town all over until you find the captain back at the hotel. A quicker method is to speak to the people near the hotel until one mentions that the dog in the harbor is sometimes used to find the captain. That dog will lead you to the captain, who will run back to the hotel where you can face him.
It's also worth noting that Zell will let you into his room once you visit the hotel and see that it's closed. You can rest and save here, as well as seeing some amusing scenes depending on who else is in the party.
The captain turns out to be Raijin. You'll fight a two-part battle, first against him and two G-Soldiers, then against him with Fujin. Don't forget to Draw the GF Pandemona from Fujin.
When travel is not otherwise restricted by the plot, you can pay 3,000 gil to take the train from Balamb to Timber.
There is a fun sidequest here on disc 3, with a nice reward. Enter the town with Zell in the party, and you'll see a girl walking in the town entrance. (If you come by train, she'll be at the train station instead.) She'll mention that some girl went to Zell's house. Head there and talk to Zell's mom, then stay at the Balamb Hotel. After a cutscene, you'll get Combat King 003.
You may notice the Queen of Cards near Balamb Station. You can start a very long, very annoying sidequest to get five rare Cards by losing a rare (level 8+) Card to her. Each time you do this, she will move to another of the eight Locations she can appear in. She will usually give a hint as to her next destination. If you want to pursue her quest, you'll need her to go to Dollet. (It's worth pointing out that you can get these Cards much more easily on disc 4 by playing the Queen of Cards or any CC member on the Ragnarok.)
The Queen of Cards can also add or remove rules from the region she is in, though she charges a hefty fee and the available rule change is randomly determined. She will move from her current Location after you win or lose a level 8–10 Card in a game with her. From Balamb she is most likely to head to Galbadia (Deling City), and otherwise moves to Dollet.