California Tower at Balboa Park – Now Open for Tours! Photo Credits: Krista. Collage created with PhotoGrid iPhone app.

After being closed to the public for nearly 80 years, a San Diego icon opened once again in January 2015 – just in time for Balboa Park’s Centennial — and has quickly become a popular destination. So popular that advanced tickets are recommended. The California Tower was built for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. For years the Tower has been referred to as a bell tower, but the tower was not originally designed to have bells and carillons weren’t added until 1946 and the music can be heard for at least a mile – something I did not know until we took the tour recently.

You may recall that part of my Summer Bucket List included climbing the California Tower. We met at the Museum of Man at 10:00 a.m. and checked-in. They have live-feed cameras with Tower Views and an interactive video display to pass the time until the tour begins. After everyone had assembled, we started our ascent up the 125 steps from the Tower entrance to the public level (the eighth Tower floor). The Tower entrance is a space shared with the carillons and keyboard that plays the music. From there you go up three flights of stairs (seven floors in all) – stopping at each landing briefly to learn a little bit more about the California Tower and Balboa Park. The final set of stairs to reach the public level is a spiral staircase and opens up to amazing views of Balboa Park and beyond.

Views of Balboa Park and beyond from the California Tower. Photo credits: Krista. Collage created with PhotoGrid iPhone app.

The day we climbed the Tower was overcast and slightly windy. To the northwest you can look down on the tiled dome of the Museum of Man. We noticed a bird’s nest on the dome’s ledge and our tour guide said it had been a Red-shouldered Hawk’s nest. From each side of the tower we took pictures and admired the beauty of this amazing park. We also learned that Balboa Park – with 1,200 lushly planted acres – is the largest urban cultural park in the United States.

Tours are available seven days a week starting at 10:20 a.m. and ending at 4:20 p.m. (Sundays – Wednesdays) and 7:40 p.m. (Thursdays – Saturdays). Each tour lasts 40 minutes, including 10-15 minutes on the viewing deck. Visitors are asked to check in 15 minutes prior for a safety briefing. Other guidelines and restrictions for the tour can be found by checking out the official California Tower website. This is also the site to make a reservation or you can buy tickets on-site if spots are available. The admission price for the Tower tour includes entrance to the Museum of Man for the day. After we got finished we walked around and saw the exhibits for a bit and then went to eat lunch at Bronx Pizza. It was a fun day and I highly recommend the California Tower to anyone who is physically able to make the trek.

June 27, 2015 — We climbed the California Tower! Do you see the bird nest? Photo Credits: Krista. Collage created with PhotoGrid iPhone app.

Summer Bucket List Update:  Climbing the newly opened California Tower was #1 on my list and it was worth the trip!

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