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    Recommended Reviews - California Tower

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    Kelly S.

    I'm a San Diego native so I grew up going to the Balboa Park museums on field trips and hearing the "bells" from the Museum of Man Tower. I've always been enchanted by them. A few years ago, when they started the Tower Tours, I was so excited and put it on my list of things to do. I kind of forget about it and then found myself trying to think of something special to do for Father's Day. I decided the tour would be great. I went online and reserved tickets for the four of us. They have you pick the specific day and time. The climb up the 8 (I think) flight of stairs is pretty easy. It is a guided tour and the group is limited to 12 plus 2 guides. You climb up 2 or 3 flights and then you stop after each new flight to learn a little bit about the tower and Balboa Park. The information is interesting and it gives people a chance to rest for a minute between flights. (It's not a hard climb, you won't be out of breath or anything.) Once you finally get to the top, you are free to walk around and admire the view and take pictures. We were up there for about 20 minutes. It felt like a good amount of time. The only thing that I didn't care for was that our guide didn't stop talking the entire time. He spoke in a loud booming voice the whole time we were up there. Even when just conversing with individual people. It seemed to interfere with each individual group being able to interact amongst themselves. I recommend this tour as a one time kind of thing. We enjoyed it but it's not something we would pay to do a second time. We are definitely happy that we finally did it though.

    Kylie W.

    YES! Checking out the tower tour should be a MUST on your SD to-do list. It's roughly a 200 stair climb, but you stop at each flight to learn a little about the history of the building/tour. You can only climb to the 8th level on a guided tour, but once you're at the top they give you multitudes of time and the view is gorgeous! One side of the tower you can see the downtown skyline to the left, the water straight ahead, and more architecture to the right.

    View
    Matt R.

    Tourists could probably skip this, but at least one trip up the California Tower is a must for San Diegans. You've been looking at this thing your whole life, and it's finally open! Closed to the public since the 1930s, the tower can only be seen with a tour guide, and it's not accessible for those who are physically disabled. It's pricey, especially if you weren't planning on spending time at the Museum of Man (which has called the same building as the tower home for a century now). And the tower is not exactly a skyscraper. It's basically a walk to the sixth floor of a building. And heck, you can't even get access to the very top. So why go? Because the bird's eye view of the park is still lovely. The Museum of Man is still a fine way to kill a couple of hours. You'll get a good overview of the history of the park and its architecture. And it's an awesome place to take a selfie. The city's planned 100th anniversary party for the park's Panama-California Exposition was, predictably, a catastrophe. But the effort of our museums has helped fill that void.

    Angela R.

    My husband and I wanted to do all the touristy things we could in a day that we were in San Diego so with our museum cover we added the California tower as well. The tour guide was extremely informative and the views up there was breath taking. The near part was that you could actually see Mexico from up there at a far distance... so cool!! Def recommend you stopping by to see this view. The coil stairs scared me a little bit I'm a scaredy cat and was able to do it.

    Stairs to the Tower
    Linda D.

    This was a neat treat! I was honored to be able to go up the stairs of the tower after hearing that it had been closed to the public for almost 100 years. Once you walk up the stairs you are able to take in a breathtaking 360 view of San Diego. Before you climb the stairs they make you sign health waiver. This made me a little nervous about what to expect on the stair climb. My anxiety was eased when I saw a lady on my tour wearing spiked heels ready to climb the stairs. The climb ended up being not bad regardless of how much the health waiver hype. LoL We climbed a section of the stairs, stopped and listened to the history of the tower. Climbed more stairs and learned more. Repeat and repeat this..then you reach the top where they have you go one by one up the narrow spiral staircase. Once at the top, they give you ample time to take photos. And have more historical facts imparted to you regarding the tower and San Diego. Take a journey back down the stairs. It really was neat to hear the history of Balboa Park and how it came about. This was worth the money that you pay, which for me was an additional $10 on top of the admission to the Museum of Man entrance fee.

    Julia K.

    After being closed to the public for 80 years, Balboa Park's California Tower at the San Diego Museum of Man is now open for public tours! From the second floor of the Museum, you go up a staircase hidden to the public for decades. Then you climb seven floors, getting glimpses through narrow windows of the beauty outside. Finally, you climb a spiral metal stairway and emerge into sunlight where you will see a spectacular Southern California vista.

    Omnia A.

    Surprise day date! I didn't even know that climbing this tower was even a thing. I was very pleased with our tour guide Taylor I believe that was her name. Great views from above.

    One of 8 flights of stairs to the top!
    Louis P.

    After being closed to the public for nearly 100 years, the general public can now walk up 8 flights of stairs and view San Diego from the tower in Balboa Park!!! A must try for any visitor to San Diego, or any native. A ticket gets you a private tour guide for the tower and an entry ticket to the Museum of Man as well. The total time is about 30 mins for the tour, and you get 15 mins at the top of the tower for pictures. A great experience for all and a must try!!!

    Tour stop in the way up
    Chris C.

    California Tower isn't a "must" for a tourist but if you live in San Diego or visit with any regularity you should definitely check it out at least once. It's pretty pricey as you need to go as part of a tour in conjunction with admission to the Museum of Man ($22.50 for both or $25 if you also want to see the torture exhibit), but the views of Balboa Park and downtown San Diego are pretty sweet. The guides are well-informed and they keep the group size pretty small so you don't feel like you're being crowded out of the way as you peer out and enjoy the scenery. They pace the tours pretty slowly so kids and the elderly should be able to manage the climb without too much difficulty. TIP: Tickets are on a timed basis. Given the frequent morning clouds, you might want to visit late morning or in the afternoon when it's not as gloomy.

    Taylor L.

    I think it's really great that the tower is now open to the public to be able to climb up and expierence the beautiful scenery of San Diego. The view is totally worth it, and the stairs leading up to the balcony of the tower and not very hard at all. The only thumbs down about the tower I have is the price. As a san diegan I have seen many of the museums time and time again and the Museum of man is not one of my favorites but to purchase tickets for the tower, you also have to purchase tickets to the museum. Me and my mom paid $38 (with student and military discount) to only see the tower. They should make tickets for guests who solely want to climb the tower and not see the museum.

    Mark N.

    I don't see why wouldn't check this out at least once. As others have mentioned, it is a historical building that has been closed for so long. The admission is cheap and the views are wonderful. Be prepared to climb some steep and shallow steps however.

    Tower from outside
    MJ E.

    The tour up the tower is definitely worth the fee. It's a work out if you aren't in shape, but the views of balboa skyline and San Diego is definitely worth it. Our tour guides were very casual and we were not rushed. Definitely would do it again

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    Ask the Community - California Tower

    How much is entrance fee?

    The tower tour is $10-$23 depending on age and if you are active duty in military. No child under age 6 is allowed on the tour.… Read more

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    Review Highlights - California Tower

    It's roughly a 200 stair climb, but you stop at each flight to learn a little about the history of the building/tour.

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    Gaslamp Quarter Association - Young Blood. A unique speakeasy bar where cocktails are made to your flavor preferences. Easily, one of the best bars I've been to.

    Gaslamp Quarter Association

    4.1(236 reviews)
    1.4 miGaslamp

    We attended our FOURTH Taste of the Gaslamp, this is 2025!!! We have been coming since 2022!!!…read more It's a FUN San Diego Event. We started at Goodnight John Boy, which is a 1970's Nightclub!!! It was also STOP 1, serving PIZZA. We stopped at in on 16 RESTAURANTS!!! HERE IS HOW OUR DAY WENT: We proceeded over and up. We ate PIZZA again at PIZZA ON FIFTH. THEN, back down, BACK AND FORTH, and down some more. Back and Forth, AND UP!!! We had pizza and more pizza, a couple places had sliders. CHEESE BALLS at The Field!!! I ate both of our Cheese Balls, and they were large and filled with soft, creamy white cheese. When we walked into THE FIELD, the Staff approached us and took us to a table, the only empty table in the place!!! After that, they even exchanged the stool that was there with a backed chair. GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! YUMMY, yummy Truffles at Sugarbear!!! We then ran into the MEXICAN REGION, with Rockin Baja and Hasta Manana, and Baja Rick's Cantina!!! We loved HASTA MANANA, in particular. It went all out MEXICAN FOOD, we had three different things to eat, including Chips and Guacamole, a Potato Taquito, and Arroz Con Leche. HASTA Manana was the HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY!!! At ROYAL India, we tried Chicken Marsala!!! We were thrilled to see CAFE SEVILLA again serving Paella!!! We were also thrilled to see SUGAR BEAR again serving DELICIOUS DESERTS!!! I have to say this about SUGARBEAR, we were greeted warmly by the owner, who was standing outside. It was JUST LIKE LAST YEAR. WHAT A DAY!!! I mean, this is a Classic San Diego LOCATION, location, location, the Gaslamp Quarter. Then, DID I MENTION, you get to taste the food at 16 Restaurants!!! TELL ME, what is better???

    Very charming neighborhood of downtown San Diego! I stayed at the Sofia Hotel so walking and…read moreexploring the area was convenient and so easy. I loved getting to pass by all the historic buildings, most were constructed in the Victorian era. Also lots of restaurants and shops along the way to Harbor Drive

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    Gaslamp Quarter Association
    Gaslamp Quarter Association
    Gaslamp Quarter Association - Chocolate Cremerie Desserts at Taste of the Gaslamp 2023.

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    Chocolate Cremerie Desserts at Taste of the Gaslamp 2023.

    The Homecoming Statue

    The Homecoming Statue

    4.4(11 reviews)
    1.8 miDowntown

    Pretty iconic statue along the boardwalk before you get to Seaport Village. There's not really a…read morequeue to take your picture in front of it, so hop in while you can. When I visited, there was yellow tape in front of the statue roping it off. Not clear on why.

    this statue seems to be mistaken for the Unconditional Surrender statue a lot by reviewers…read more Unconditional Surrender is tall and in color, while the Homecoming statue is life sized and bronze. They could not be more different. You will find this statue on a grass patch along the street. Parking here to get a closer look is relatively simple. There is a huge metered lot within a reasonable walking distance of this statue. It is a simple statue that depicts a sailor being embraced by a woman, that I assume to be his wife and a small child that I assume to be shared by his wife. The sculpture is the work of Stanley Bleifeld, whose intent was to express the joy of the reunion between a family when a sailor returns from a long deployment. The statue not only honors the service member, but the sacrifices made by families during challenging periods without their loved ones. The San Diego sculpture is a replica of the original one in the US Navy Memorial in Washington, DC. You will find other copies in Virginia and South Carolina. The statue is about 7 feet high and was dedicated in August 1998. It is showing its age a bit, but still looks pretty good. It is a powerful sculpture and you can really feel the reunion. Be sure to check out the expressions on the sculptures' faces, especially the kid's. Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. There are a ton of statues and memorials in that area including the USS San Diego Memorial, The Bob Hope Salute, The Aircraft Carrier Memorial and the Unconditional Surrender statue. I would also consider visiting the USS Midway Museum, as well.

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    The Homecoming Statue
    The Homecoming Statue - Love this

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    The Homecoming Statue - Iconic

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    Iconic

    Horton Plaza Park - Outside

    Horton Plaza Park

    2.9(52 reviews)
    1.2 miGaslamp

    For the nany groups that gatgerwd at the park you would find the shore patrol that patroled the…read morestreets for the times were early with the servicemen that would have time in the city on shore leave. For the Horton Plaza pigeon park fid have its bad sidez wgen the mall storez started changing it caused the park to be cleaned up. The Pigeon Park gad a tunnel that ran under the park that connected to the old Grey Hound Station that is locat at 1st and Broadway. The Banking Building tgat is located at the front it was one of the many that handeled the many stores for the Wells Fargo handled the businesses of Horton Plaza as the shopping center was changing. When planet hollywood was at the mall the rsstaurant was the support for the ma with the vest food and surprising dishes. Horton Plaza Park was the front row seats to the many premeres of the msll the park was one you saw the many speakers the park was the center of the visitors and the news conferences that would be broadcasted from the park. The founder and the one that developed the many properties i the fathers of the Gaslamp anx the Spreckles theater Alonzo Horton the founder of the gaslamp and the many of thr New City the firzt bame for the city of San Diego. Horton Plaza Park the centwr of the historical landmarks for the Horton Pkaza Park was an empty field before the mall was built the Spreckles Theater one of the first musical and the first Black and White theater. With the US Grant Hotel tht oldest of San Diego it was the business hotel the hietorical loxation that oversaw the openinfband the dedication of the park. As a Yelp Elite Reviewer the historical locationd of the Broadway the main street that runs down the middle of the city. From the trip that I toom down to San Diego the park been changed with i dustrial blowers and generators for the theater was started but was never finished. The company that was doing the demo and the remodel the problem there is no money the demo and remodel had ruined the Historical Landnark seeing this the city has ruined the Histotical welcome to visitors.

    I work a block away from this parking lot and the late night parking attendant tonight was much…read moremore rude than usual. He told us to basically go to a different parking garage since they were experiencing issues tonight and only have one lane open versus 3 lanes. After I thanked him for dealing with everything he didn't say anything except "next time park it on market" it's always the guy with the hat late night that is so quiet and rude to all myself and all my coworkers. There has been one lovely late night lady and she's the best!!! 5 stars for her. Bring her around more often. Not this mean guy that hates literally everyone.

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    Horton Plaza Park - With the many parts of the Horton Plaza Park there is under construction of the outdoor theater and the Ampitheater.

    With the many parts of the Horton Plaza Park there is under construction of the outdoor theater and the Ampitheater.

    Horton Plaza Park - With the Horton Park the one hotel that has the ties to the park is the US Grant hotel which donated money to the building of the park.

    With the Horton Park the one hotel that has the ties to the park is the US Grant hotel which donated money to the building of the park.

    Horton Plaza Park - The many areas of the Horton Plaza Park and the site of the Horton House which you can see the site as the right.

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    The many areas of the Horton Plaza Park and the site of the Horton House which you can see the site as the right.

    California Tower - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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