By Linda Tancs

Art and nature are inextricably linked at Balboa Park in San Diego, California. On the natural side, who can resist the 100-acre San Diego Zoo? There’s also the Moreton Bay fig tree, one of the three largest Moreton Bay figs in the State of California, with a height of 78 feet, a crown width of 123 feet and a trunk girth of 486 inches. Illuminated during the Balboa Park December Nights celebration each year, it was planted as a small tree in a garden of the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. That event also boasted The California Tower, an iconic city emblem and hybrid of architectural styles and artistic movements, including Baroque, Plateresque, Churrigueresque, Rococo and Gothic. You could spend days exploring the park’s rich and expansive environment. For the time-strapped, consider a ranger-led tour or stroll along at your own pace with a pre-recorded audio tour. There’s even a 35-minute guided bus tour that gives a good overview of the zoo.

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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.