One of San Diego’s crown jewels, Balboa Park sits comfortably among America’s great park-scapes: a showstopper for the quality of its specific attractions (the San Diego Zoo, the Museum of Man, the Japanese Friendship Garden, etc.) and its gorgeous overall architectural and botanical scenery. Last year the city celebrated the 100^th anniversary of the modern park’s birth during the 1915-1916 Panama-California Exposition (although the ultimate origin of the greenspace dates to the 1860s).

When you call the Sofia Hotel (one of the best-in-class hotels in SanDiego) your home-away-from-home here in Southern California, you’re just a short trip away from Balboa Park. And while of course you can entirely experience its appeal on your own freewheeling exploration, we thought we’d spotlight some of the organized tours you can take that shed some behind-the-scenes insight into one of San Diego’s most beloved public spaces.

Ranger-Led Balboa Park Tours

At 11 AM every Tuesday and Sunday, park rangers lead interpretive tours of Balboa Park out of the Visitors Center in the House of Hospitality (a lovely reconstruction of the original building built for the Panama-California Exposition). You’ll learn some fascinating nuggets of history on these forays as well as details on the park’s celebrated landscaping.

Self-Guided Audio Tours

Also at the Balboa Park Visitor’s Center, you can rent an audio tour covering everything from park history to landmarks. The tour lasts roughly an hour and a half, and the last ones offered at 2:30 PM. An excellent choice for appreciating the park on your own, but with an informative running commentary from experts.

Architectural Heritage Tours

Some of Balboa Park’s best-known features are its Spanish Colonial-style buildings erected during the Panama-California Exposition (or recreated in the original style). These include the California Tower, the Cabrillo Bridge, the Casa del Prado complex, and the Spreckels Organ Pavilion. At 10 AM on the First Friday of every month, the Committee of 100 offers guided Architectural Heritage Tours of Balboa Park so you can learn more about the backstories and stylistic highlights of these iconic landmarks.

Botanical Building Tours

Another of Balboa Park’s standout structures is the much-photographed Botanical Building, guided tours of which are offered at 11 AM on the third Friday of the month. You’ll get the inside scoop on the history, the architecture, and (of course) the horticulture represented by this impressive (and florally jampacked) building. The tours kick off at the south end of the adjacent Lily Pond.

Japanese Friendship Garden Tours

Docents lead daily tours (free with admission) of the Japanese Friendship Garden, an utterly beautiful traditional Japanese garden symbolizing the bond between San Diego and its sister city Yokohama. From bonsai masterpieces and fragrant trees and shrubs to stone lanterns, ornate gates, and other seamlessly blended architecture, this oasis of tranquility is a must-see.

A guided tour is a fabulous way to experience Balboa Park during your next stay at one of the very best hotels in SanDiego, the Sofia!