California Tower tours have been suspended in response to guidelines set forth by Governor Gavin Newsom, the California Department of Public Health, and the San Diego County Public Health Officer. Learn more here.
See San Diego From New Heights!
Join us for a uniquely-San Diego experience on a California Tower tour!
Visitors are once again able to tour the California Tower, one of San Diego’s most iconic historic landmarks. Make the climb on a 40-minute guided tour highlighting the origins of Balboa Park and the histories of some of the many diverse communities that call San Diego home. All tours culminate in breathtaking 360-degree views of San Diego from the Tower’s eighth-floor viewing deck—from the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Cuyamaca Mountains in the east, and beyond.
Climb the California Tower and get a new perspective on San Diego and its history—visitors and locals alike won’t want to miss this one-of-a-kind experience!
How It Works
California Tower tours are managed by timed tickets, similar to theatre or airplane tickets. Each ticket is issued for a specific date and start time, and tickets will only be honored according to the date and time printed on them. Find available ticket times here.
California Tower tours are 40 minutes long and are offered ten times daily. Guests must have California Tower tour tickets to be admitted, and must be accompanied by our knowledgeable tour guides at all times.
Guests must arrive at least 15 minutes before their tour start time so that they can stow belongings in a locker and join the queue of other visitors who have tickets for the same tour. Guests who are late will not be able to join their tour, and their ticket(s) will not be refunded or exchanged.
Learn more and prepare for your California Tower tour on our guidelines and FAQ pages.
Thank You to Our Community Contributors
Laurie Egan-Hedley
Director, Barona Cultural Center & Museum
Heather Ponchetti Daly, PhD.
Kumeyaay – Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel
University of California, San Diego
Alberto Pulido, PhD.
University of San Diego
Director of the Turning Wheel Project
Chicano Park Steering Committee Member
Chuck Ambers and Associates
Moro African-Latin Museum
Natalie Zhang
Acting Curator and Collections Manager, San Diego Chinese Historical Museum
Thank You to Our Donors
Tower Society ($50,000 and up)
The Legler Benbough Foundation
The Parker Foundation
Jerome D. and Anne Evenson Ryan in memory of Bea Evenson
Dr. Seuss Fund at The San Diego Foundation
Tower Benches ($25,000)
Anonymous
Ms. Jean Stein
The Beyster Family
Mr. Rob and Mrs. Lynne Hayes
Mr. Ron & Mrs. Lucille Neeley
The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation
Tower Steps ($5,000)
The Balboa Park Conservancy
Bank of Southern California
Barona Band of Mission Indians
Mr. Charles & Ms. Charlotte Bird
Bill, Marilyn, Mike, Brian, and Betsy Boggs
The Bowden Family Foundation
Ms. Heather Bowden
Mr. Robert & Mrs. Karen Bowden
Mr. James Carr
Ms. Nancy Carol Carter
Dr. Edwin Chen & Mrs. Hope Carlson Chen
Dr. Kuan-Cheng Chen & Dr. Le Chen
Mr. David & Mrs. Lesley Cohn
Dr. Bernard J. Eggertsen & Ms. Florence Nemkov
Mr. Peter & Mrs. Doris Ellsworth
The Dawe Family
The Donald C. & Elizabeth M. Dickinson Foundation
Dr. Nicholas Fintzelberg, Ph.D.
Mr. Roman & Mrs. Stephanie Friedrich
Mr. Bill and Mrs. Amy Geppert
Mr. Ben Garcia & Mr. Scott Fabianek
Bannister Hall Fund at The San Diego Foundation
The Gay and Lesbian Fund for San Diego of The San Diego Foundation
Mr. Jason Hartley
Mr. Don Howells & Ms. Denise Carabet
Mrs. Nora Jaffe
Ms. Aline Stouse Koppel
Mrs. Peggy Matthews
Honorable Kevin & Mrs. Cynthia Midlam, Ret.
Mr. Pat Minton & Mr. Greg Strange
Sheppard Mullin
Ms. Edie Munk
Mr. Abe Ordover & Ms. Eleanor Musick
The Osmialowski–Thomas Family
Ms. Judith Parzen
Mr. Rick Peters
Mr. James & Mrs. Frances Peterson
Ms. Monica Phariss
Dane, Drake, and Nan Pieper
Mr. Frank & Mrs. Demi Rogozienski
Mr. Jerry & Mrs. Keiko Schneider
Mr. Bruce Shank
Sheppard Mullin
Mr. Jeffrey M. & Mrs. Linda J. Shohet
Mr. Harris Steinberg
Mr. Ken & Ms. Linda Sumner
Ms. Laurette Verbinski
Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians
Mr. Steve Wall & Ms.Franne Ficara
Vistage Group 3080
Mr. Bill & Ms. Lori Walton
Mandell Weiss Charitable Trust
Mr. Stephen & Mrs. Stephanie Williams
Mr. Dean & Mrs. Deborah Wilson
Wood, Smith, Henning & Berman LLP
Mr. Dale & Mrs. Julie Yahnke
Mr. George & Mrs. Meryl Young
Mr. Ron & Dr. Joellyn Zollman
Others Who Have Given in Honor of or to Support the California Tower
Mr. Larry & Ms. Linda Alessio
Mr. James Alford
Anonymous
Ms. Linnea Arrington
Ms. Lauren Beaudry
Ms. Bonnie Brown
Ms. Phyllis Crapo Olefsky
Mrs. Donna Derrick
Ms. Berit Durler
Ms. Edna Everett
Ms. Heidi Farkash
Ms. Mary Felter
Mr. Dieter Fenkart-Froeschl & Ms. Sarah Malka
Ms. Betty Foss
Mrs. Pauline Foster
Mr. Marty Goodman
Ms. Margaret Ham
Ms. Anne Hill
Ms. Grace Hinman
Ms. Sarah Holtmeyer
Ms. Janine Joseph
Ms. Ellen Kern
Ms. Cynthia Lawson
Mr. John & Mrs. Joanne Leslie
Ms. Vicki Lindblade
Mandell Weiss Charitable Trust
Dr. Gay McDonald
Ms. Katherine McDonald
Ms. Winona McNitt
Ms. Nelia Monso
Dr. Elizabeth Nolan
Mr. James & Ms. Janet Respess
Ms. Amanda Schaffer
Ms. Elizabeth Roe Schlappi
Mr. Robert & Mrs. Ann Steiner
Mrs. R.H. Taylor
Ms. Jazmen Tejero Singh
Mrs. Eloise Thomas
Mr. Edward Uribe
Ms. Dottie Vieira
Ms. Anna Wayman
Ms. Hilda Naylor Weil
Mr. Donald & Mrs. Marcia Wolochow
Ms. Linda Yorba