Tours

Get to know Balboa Park even better! Our public tours reveal the hidden stories, vibrant gardens, and rich history that make Balboa Park a place like no other. Led by passionate volunteers, these tours are a gift to the community.

Suggested donation of $5 — proceeds contribute to our work enhancing and sustaining Balboa Park.

General Tour

A guided tour of Balboa Park’s Central Mesa is available every Tuesday and the 2nd, 4th, and 5th Friday of the month at 11 AM. Tours meet outside of the Balboa Park Visitors Center (1549 El Prado).

This tour is a great introduction for visitors (and locals!) looking to learn more about the history, horticulture, architecture, and culture in the Park.

Balboa Park Women’s History Tour

The Balboa Park Women’s History Tour happens every 3rd Saturday of the month at 10 AM. The tour meets at the Bea Evenson Fountain, between the Natural History Museum and Fleet Science Center.

This tour was developed in collaboration with the Center for Women’s History at the San Diego History Center. It highlights the historical and contemporary women who have left an impact on the park, including philanthropist Ellen Browning Scripps, the “mother of Balboa Park” Kate Sessions, and sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle.

5 Flavors Tour

Join us at the Trees for Health Garden every 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Friday of the month at 10 AM. The tour meets at the north entrance of the garden, located along Balboa Dr.

Attendees will stop at different plants and learn about their corresponding flavor, where they can be found in everyday life, and how to incorporate them into their daily routines. Guides will use the plants as a teaching tool and provide optional tasting samples at each stop. Please Note: Those with food sensitivities are encouraged to avoid tasing any samples that may cause them harm.

Horticultural Tour

A special monthly tour will focus on the park’s unique biodiversity and highlight various horticultural wonders. Led by horticultural enthusiast, Bill Edwards, the tours take place every 1st Saturday of the month at 10 AM and meet at the Balboa Park Visitors Center (1549 El Prado).

Check back quarterly for upcoming tour topics.

January – Monumental Trees of Balboa Park
Balboa Park is festooned with trees from around the world that have monument status in the State of California. This tour will point out their unusual features and provide backgrounds to some uses in their countries of origin and around the globe.

February – Off the Beaten Path Flora
In the heart of the park, but easy to miss, is a rich variety of landscaped areas with many beautiful plants. Hidden away is a combination of little known park history mixed with some one-of-a-kind floral specimens.

March – Desert Cactus and Succulent Garden
Balboa Park has succulents from around the globe. Some are strikingly beautiful in their symmetry while others look like something from another planet. Each has found a way to survive in arid environments where most life forms are unable to live. This tour will focus on examining the clever adaptations and beauty of the many fascinating forms.