Balboa Park: Historic Highlights & Secret Spots
San Diego, USA
From USD 44.00
Office phone number: +1 (619) 432 7560
Balboa Park: Historic Highlights & Secret Spots
San Diego, USA
Culture shock rating
Worried we’re going to shock your senses? Relax! We believe part of the fun of travel is immersing yourself in the destination and its culture, meeting the people, and learning what makes the place tick. We’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The cultural shock rating ranks how different the experience is from most Western cultures. But no matter the level, don’t worry, you’ll have a local, in-the-know guide with you every step of the way.
Low
Consider these tours your 101 intro to a place. Transportation might be private or a very comfortable public option, and the activities are usually visits to iconic sites and locations that are familiar to most Western cultures – but that will still give you fantastic insight into a destination.
Medium
Expect to rough it for parts of this tour, whether that’s on a packed public bus or in a local market off the tourist trail. There might be a few language barriers or unfamiliar cultural customs, and you’ll get an experience different from what you're used to at home.
High
You're out there in the global community! We’re going to take you down streets you’d rarely explore on your own, introduce you to local customs and languages, and take you for a ride in whatever transport is available. Get ready to take it as it comes, whatever comes. There might be a shock, but oh man, it’s worth it.
Physical rating
Worried our tours are too tough? Relax! From leisurely strolls to muscle-burning treks, we’ve got a wide range of tours with something for everybody. The physical grading gives you an idea of how much huffing and puffing you can expect on the tour.
Low
Slow and steady is all you need here. These tours have very limited physical activity, such as walking relatively flat streets, sites, or markets, and climbing in and out of the transport provided.
Medium
Not too hard, not too soft, these tours are just right! You can expect a bit of physical activity, but nothing overly challenging – perhaps walking up and down hills, riding a bike for up to 30 kilometers along mostly flat terrain, or jumping in a kayak for a gentle paddle on flat water.
High
Get ready for a workout! These tours are our most challenging and involve intense walking, hiking, kayaking, swimming, or bike riding. You could be making steep climbs by foot or pedal, or working your core in the water. We recommend you have a good level of fitness to join this tour.
-
Tour snapshot
Explore one of the country’s best urban cultural parks. Balboa Park has a bit of everything, including grand architecture, diverse museums, cultural institutions and captivating gardens. You will visit spots that even locals don’t know about. Keep the camera handy for what might be the prettiest tour in town!
-
Highlights
- Discover the inspiring, quirky, and fascinating history of one of the nation’s largest urban cultural parks
- Uncover historical and architectural treasures hiding in plain sight
- Explore a botanical garden’s vibrant collection of more than 2,100 plants
- Learn about the early 20th-century expositions that shaped Balboa Park
- Find the best spots to photograph Balboa Park’s beautiful Spanish colonial revival architecture
-
Schedule details
- Duration: 2 hours
- Meeting point:
Next to Founder’s Plaza statues between 6th Ave and Balboa Drive on Laurel Street at the west entrance of Balboa Park. They are located in Sefton Plaza and are directly across the street from the Lawn Bowling Club.
- Find the exact meeting point with what3words:
- Starting time: 10.00 AM, 1.00 PM
- Ending point:
Plaza de Panama in Balboa Park.
Language: English
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, one beverage at a park coffee cart
Exclusions: Food and drinks beyond what is included, souvenirs and personal shopping, tips/gratuities for your guide. Entrance to the museums are not offered with this tour, but your guide will provide suggestions along the way for you to come back and visit during your own time.
Balboa Park is home to gorgeous gardens, lovely walking paths, and plenty of cultural gems, from theatres to museums featuringthe arts, the sciences, and more. You’ll get a full overview of the park and its rich history on this San Diego walking tour that explores how the park has become a symbol of the city.
We’ll kick things off at the Founder’s Statue on the west side of the park. We think you’ll agree San Diegans were visionaries, when they set aside 1800 acres of land for the park all the way back in 1867. Then we’ll stop at the California Tower, built for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, has since become a city landmark. The face of the tower depicts the early history of the city.
Next up, we’ll head to Alcazar Garden, which was inspired by the same-named gardens in Spain. Used for both the 1915 and 1935 expositions, the garden offered fair-goers a respite from the hustle and bustle of the exposition, and provides a picturesque foreground to photos of the California Tower. Snag the perfect Instagram shot while you’re here (remember, #localsknow).
Following after, we’ll head to the Old Globe Theater which is a Tony Award-winning, world-renowned professional theatre group modeled after The Globe Theatre London.
From there, we’ll walk through the heart of the Prado, where you’ll get to spy unique building façades and roof supports that most visitors don’t notice.
We’ll also check out Zoro Gardens, a sunken garden that was once a nudist colony (seriously) during the 1935 California Pacific International Exposition. Today, it’s a butterfly garden that contains everything butterflies need for their full life cycle.
We’ll then continue past the Bea Evenson fountain, the Natural History Museum and we’ll pop into the Spanish Village Art Center to observe artists at work in their studios. By now you will have worked up a thirst so we’ll grab a drink at a local coffee cart before continuing on past one of the largest Morton Bay fig trees in California and the San Diego Junior Theater.
But we’re not done yet! We’ll then head to the Botanical Building (currently closed on Thursdays), home to more than 2,100 plants. It’s the perfect stop for photographers and flower-lovers alike, and the adjacent lily pond full of koi makes more than just a pretty picture — you’ll learn how the pond was an important part of the war effort during WWI and how it helped injured sailors and soldiers during WWII.
Our tour will end at the Plaza de Panama, but before we say goodbye, your guide will give you directions to the nearby Visitor Center (for snacks, maps, souvenirs, and museum passes), suggestions for places to eat, and tips on what else to see and do within the park.
-
Additional information
Inclusions: Local English-speaking guide, one beverage at a park coffee cart
Exclusions: Food and drinks beyond what is included, souvenirs and personal shopping, tips/gratuities for your guide. Entrance to the museums are not offered with this tour, but your guide will provide suggestions along the way for you to come back and visit during your own time.
Dress standard: Please wear casual dress and comfortable shoes. Take current weather conditions into consideration.
Your Trip: For your Urban Adventure you will be in a small group of a maximum of 12 people.
Confirmation of booking: If you have your voucher, your booking is confirmed. We'll see you at the start point. Get in touch if you have any concerns or require more information via the email address or phone number (business hours only) on your voucher.
Additional Information: Although our tour doesn’t include access to any museum, your guide will be more than happy to provide specific info on entry fees and attractions at each site for you to consider and visit during your time after our tour has ended.
Closure of sites: Very occasionally museums, gardens and roadways are closed due to special events or routine maintenance. If this occurs, we will find a similar alternative for you to visit during your tour. If you have any concerns, feel free to email us at info@sandiegourbanadventures.com
Child Policy: This is a child-friendly tour. Children over 6 inclusively are permitted on this tour at the rate listed above. Please select ‘child’ above when booking. Children under the age of 6 are permitted to join this tour free of charge. Please inform us at the time of booking if you’ll be bringing a child under the age of 6. You can do so in the special request box on the checkout page.
-
Local contact
Office phone number: +1 (619) 432 7560
Email address: info@sandiegourbanadventures.com
BACK TO TOP