The California Tower is a 198-foot historic landmark built in 1915, located within the Museum of Us at 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego, California 92101. This guide covers opening hours, ticket prices, tour schedules, parking, public transport, accessibility, and practical tips for planning your visit.
Last updated May 2026. Note: all parking in and around Balboa Park now requires payment via the City of San Diego’s paid parking system – guides published before this change was introduced may still describe parking as free.
Quick facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Address | 1350 El Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego, CA 92101 |
| Museum opening hours | Daily, 10:00 am – 5:00 pm |
| Tower tour schedule | Mon–Thu: 10:30 am, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm; Fri–Sun: hourly 10:00 am – 4:00 pm |
| Adult admission | $19.95 |
| Senior / military / student / youth (6–17) | $16.95 |
| California Tower tour (add-on) | +$10.00 |
| Children 5 and under | Free |
| Nearest public transport | MTS buses 3, 7, 120, and Rapid 215 to Balboa Park stops |
| Parking | Paid parking in Balboa Park lots (City of San Diego); closest at Balboa Drive / Sixth Avenue |
| Typical time needed | 40 minutes for the tower tour; allow 2–3 hours for the museum and tower combined |
California Tower opening hours
The Museum of Us is open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, including weekends and most public holidays. Tower tours run every day the museum is open. Check the museum’s calendar at museumofus.org for any date-specific closures before your visit.
Tour times by day:
| Day | Tour times |
|---|---|
| Monday – Thursday | 10:30 am, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 4:30 pm |
| Friday – Sunday | Hourly from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm |
The 10:00 am tours on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday must be booked online in advance. Guests on these tours should arrive by 9:45 am to check in. Each tour lasts 40 minutes, including 10 to 15 minutes on the viewing deck.
California Tower ticket prices
California Tower tours are not included with general admission. Visitors must purchase a museum admission ticket (or hold an active Museum of Us membership) before they can book a tower tour. The tower tour costs an additional $10.00 per person on top of admission.
| Ticket type | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult admission (18+) | $19.95 |
| Senior (62+) / military / teacher / student / youth (6–17) | $16.95 |
| Child (5 and under) | Free |
| California Tower tour (add-on, all ages 6+) | +$10.00 |
Tickets can be purchased at the museum lobby or in advance online. Tower tours are limited to six people per tour and sell out regularly, particularly on weekends and Fri–Sun 10:00 am slots. Advance booking is strongly recommended. Tower tour tickets are non-refundable.
Discounts and free admission options:
- Residents Free Days: The fourth Tuesday of every month (except December), San Diego City and County residents and active military with dependents receive free museum admission. The $10 tower tour fee still applies.
- Balboa Park Explorer Pass: Covers general museum admission. The tower tour fee is not included.
- San Diego Museum Month (February): Admission is 50% off with the Museum Month pass. Tower tours are not included in this discount.
- San Diego Public Library Discover & Go Pass: San Diego library cardholders can reserve free museum admission passes. Tower tours are not included and must be purchased separately.
- Children 5 and under: Free museum admission; children must be at least 6 years old to go on the tower tour.
- Native Americans and Indigenous Peoples: Free admission at the front desk; no documentation required.
The Balboa Park Explorer Pass is the closest equivalent to a city pass scheme for this attraction and also covers other Balboa Park institutions including the San Diego Museum of Art, the San Diego Natural History Museum, and the Fleet Science Center.
Ticket prices were verified on the official Museum of Us website and last updated in May 2026.
Five great things to do in San Diego
- 🦁 Visit one of the greatest zoos in the world – with a San Diego Zoo day pass.
- 🇲🇽 Take a day tour to Tijuana – for a taste of Mexico.
- 🐋 See whales and dolphins – on a three hour wildlife cruise.
- 🍸 Enjoy a food and drink tour – of the Gaslamp Quarter.
- 🛶 Explore the sea caves of La Jolla – on a guided kayaking adventure.
How to get to the California Tower
By public transport: MTS buses 3, 7, 120, and Rapid 215 stop on the east and west sides of Balboa Park. These routes connect with all MTS Trolley lines. From downtown San Diego, Rapid 215 departs from near the Santa Fe Depot (Amtrak/COASTER) and the Cruise Ship Terminal. Check schedules and fares at sdmts.com.
By the free Balboa Park tram: A free tram runs every eight minutes in a loop through the park, serving the major car parks. Take the tram to the stop in front of the equestrian statue near the House of Hospitality and The Prado Restaurant, then walk west along El Prado toward the Cabrillo Bridge. The museum is a short walk from that stop.
On foot: The museum is a 15 to 20-minute walk from downtown San Diego via the Cabrillo Bridge footpath.
Parking at the California Tower
All parking in and around Balboa Park now requires payment through the City of San Diego’s paid parking system. For current rates and map of parking areas, visit the City government website.
The closest parking to the Museum of Us is on Balboa Drive or Sixth Avenue, near the western end of the Cabrillo Bridge off Laurel Street. Additional paid lots are available at Inspiration Point, behind Spreckels Organ Pavilion, east of the Comic-Con Museum, and in front of the San Diego Air and Space Museum. The free Balboa Park tram connects all major car parks to the museum area.
How long to spend at the California Tower
The tower tour itself takes 40 minutes, including 10 to 15 minutes on the eighth-floor viewing deck. Allow at least 10 minutes before your tour to check in, sign waivers, and store belongings in the free lockers.
To also visit the Museum of Us exhibits, allow 2 to 3 hours in total. The museum’s general admission includes access to all current exhibits and the ground-floor live-view display screen showing high-definition footage from the tower’s four compass points.
Accessibility at the California Tower
The California Tower is not ADA-accessible. The historic nature of the building prevents installation of an elevator, and the only way to reach the viewing deck is to climb 125 steps. The tower is not recommended for visitors who are pregnant or have heart, knee, or back conditions. All guests must be able to climb unassisted at the group pace; tour guides cannot slow the group for individual guests.
Visitors who cannot make the climb can view live high-definition footage from all four compass points on a 78-inch curved screen on the museum’s ground floor, included at no extra cost with general admission.
The museum itself is wheelchair accessible. Free wheelchairs are available at the lobby for visitors with limited mobility. An ADA lift is located inside the eastern wing. Wheelchairs are available to borrow free of charge. Sensory-friendly quiet mornings are held weekly on Sundays from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, with reduced noise and sensory stimulation across the museum.
What to see from the California Tower
The tower’s eighth-floor viewing deck sits approximately 357 feet above sea level and offers a 360-degree view of San Diego. On a clear day, visibility extends around 23 miles.
North: The San Diego Zoo’s Skyfari gondola cables are visible crossing the canyon below, alongside the Old Globe Theatre, a bird aviary, the North Park water tower, and the Cuyamaca Mountains in the distant northeast.
West: The Cabrillo Bridge runs directly below. Beyond it are Banker’s Hill, downtown San Diego, the Point Loma peninsula, San Diego Bay, and the Pacific Ocean. To the northwest, the tiled California Dome sits almost directly beneath the deck.
East: The Plaza de Panama and the broad green expanse of Balboa Park’s central promenade stretch out below. The Laguna Mountains form the backdrop, with the antenna-topped peak of San Miguel Mountain visible on clear days.
South: The curved Coronado Bridge spans the bay in the foreground. Beyond it are downtown skyscrapers, the Coronado Peninsula, Mexico’s Coronado Islands, and on clear days, Tijuana’s Otay Mesa and the coast of Baja California.
The guided tour also covers the history of Balboa Park, the 1915 Panama-California Exposition, and the stories of communities that have shaped San Diego. The tower houses a 100-chime electronic carillon whose music carries up to a mile from the tower.
Practical visitor tips
| Tip |
|---|
| Book your tower tour online before arriving, particularly for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday visits – tours sell out regularly, and the 10:00 am slots on those days cannot be purchased at the door. |
| No bags of any kind are permitted on the tower tour; free lockers are available in the museum lobby. Arrive with a smartphone or compact camera for photos, and leave large bags and backpacks at your accommodation or in your car. |
| Wear flat-soled, closed-toe shoes – the museum specifically recommends this for the tower steps, which include narrow spiral sections. |
| Arrive at Balboa Park with extra time to park and walk to the museum; the free tram can add 10 to 15 minutes to your journey from the car parks at the far end of the park. |
| If the 4:30 pm weekday tour is your target, note it is the final tour of the day; late arrivals will not be admitted, and tickets are non-refundable. Arrive at the museum by 4:15 pm at the latest. |
Frequently asked questions about the California Tower
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| How much does it cost to go up the California Tower? | The tower tour costs $10 per person on top of general museum admission ($19.95 for adults, $16.95 for seniors/military/students/youth aged 6–17). Children 5 and under cannot participate in the tower tour as the minimum age is 6. |
| Do you need to book California Tower tickets in advance? | Advance booking is strongly recommended. Tours are capped at six people and sell out, especially on weekends. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 10:00 am tours must be booked online and cannot be purchased at the door. |
| Is the California Tower suitable for children? | Children aged 6 and over may go on the tour, provided they can climb 125 steps unassisted without being carried. Children aged 6 to 16 must be accompanied by an adult. Children under 6 are not permitted on the tour. |
| Is the California Tower wheelchair accessible? | No. There is no elevator, and the only access to the viewing deck is via 125 steps. Visitors who cannot climb can view live tower footage on a 78-inch screen on the museum ground floor, included with admission. |
| Is the California Tower included in the Balboa Park Explorer Pass? | The Explorer Pass covers general museum admission, reducing the entry cost, but the $10 tower tour fee is payable separately and is not included in the pass. |
Things to do near the California Tower
San Diego Zoo – The zoo’s main entrance is directly adjacent to Balboa Park and visible from the tower deck. Allow a full day for the zoo, which covers 100 acres and houses over 12,000 animals.
San Diego Museum of Art – Located in the Plaza de Panama, a short walk east of the Museum of Us along El Prado, with a permanent collection of European old masters and rotating exhibitions.
Spreckels Organ Pavilion – A free outdoor pipe organ in Balboa Park, approximately a 10-minute walk south of the museum, with free public concerts on Sunday afternoons at 2:00 pm.
Old Globe Theatre – A Tony Award-winning theatre complex immediately north of the California Tower, visible from the deck. Tours of the theatre are available on selected dates.
Cabrillo Bridge – The 1,500-foot arched bridge at the western end of El Prado provides pedestrian access to the park and views back toward the California Tower and California Dome. Free to cross on foot.
What to visit tomorrow: observation towers and elevated viewpoints within two hours of San Diego
Cabrillo National Monument, Point Loma (15 km, ~15 minutes southwest) – A hilltop national monument with panoramic views of the Pacific, San Diego Bay, and the Coronado Bridge, plus a restored 1855 lighthouse.
Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial, La Jolla (18 km, ~25 minutes north) – A hilltop memorial with 360-degree views of San Diego, Mission Bay, the Pacific Ocean, and on clear days, Catalina Island.
Palomar Observatory, Palomar Mountain (90 km, ~1.5 hours north) – A working astronomical research observatory at 5,500 feet elevation operated by Caltech, offering self-guided and docent-led tours of the historic 200-inch Hale Telescope.
Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles (200 km, ~2 hours north) – A publicly accessible observatory on the south slope of Mount Hollywood with sweeping views of the Los Angeles basin and the Hollywood Sign, plus free public telescope viewing on clear evenings.
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway (200 km, ~2 hours east) – A rotating cable car ascending from the Sonoran Desert floor to the summit of San Jacinto Peak at 8,516 feet, with views across the Coachella Valley and surrounding mountains.
More Southern California travel
Other California travel guides on Planet Whitley include:
- Plan your visit to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Petersen Automotive Museum, La Brea Tar Pits and Museum of Tolerance.
- Guide to boarding a giant aircraft carrier at the USS Midway Museum in San Diego.
- Plan your visit to Fleet Science Center in San Diego.
- Why Descanso Gardens is an easy escape from LA.
- Complete guide to the Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum in Yorba Linda.
