(Apologies for the incorrect hashtag. Blame auto-correct. I fix it later on.)

Participating in the adventure (R to L) was April Arrglington, Susan Bell, Amanda Price and April’s friend Kyle, whose tradecraft doesn’t allow us to reveal his last name (j/k).

Balboa Park is beautiful! Site of not one, but two World’s Fairs, it has 15 museums, theatres, a zoo and many gardens & fountains.

As it so happens, the park was also the site of San Diego’s December Nights, which was a large holiday fair with vendors, performers, carnival rides, and, most importantly, food!

EPISODE ONE: Honeymoon Bridge

The anomaly was first spotted near the Old Globe Theatre…well, actually via a sticker on its box office window.  This is how all the episodes would later begin, with a sticker on a door or window.

The first stop was in Alcazar Garden, which featured this fountain. We all gathered around to listen to the first part of the story on a cell phone.

We learned the story of two young lovers separated by his service in the Navy. They were to meet at the Honeymoon Bridge which formerly spanned Palm Canyon in the park. The best part of this story was the recorded dove calls used to warn her lover that the night watchman was out to get him!

EPISODE TWO : Leave Everything and Go

This adventure began at front door of the Museum of Art and led us to the Botanical House aka The Big Bird Cage.

Here’s a photo of what the markers looked like. They were mostly hidden in flowerbeds, but could be very difficult to locate amongst all the holiday displays & booths.

Had to share the frightening dancing mimes with Steve Peters:

EPISODE THREE: The Go-Betweens

This story took us across a bridge to a lovely rose and succulent garden.  The lovers from the first two stories had now been separated by war — he on a submarine, she in an internment camp in Arizona – and friends tried to help them communicate.

In the Spanish Village Art Center, we hunted down a kaleidoscope, across from which sat Father Christmas. I asked him to wave to Twitter.

In Zorro garden, we not only found lovely flowers, but a wedding party taking photos and a group of guys practicing parkour.

EPISODE FOUR: Movie Night

We headed towards the Japanese Garden and the Spreckle Organ Building.

These episode clues were scattered in the midst of many, many fair goers and we had some difficulties finding them. The initial sticker was in an off-limits staging area and we had to ask them for help.

We were to look for a bust of Spreckle. We were thinking something really large, not small & hidden behind a nativity scene!

I personally found this episode & its locations very interesting. We even picked up a local San Diegoan who came with us to find a clue. He knew about the game, but had only listened to a single stop in episode one.

EPISODE FIVE: Rosie’s Night School

This story started at the Air & Space Museum, which was a school during WWII.

Nearby was the World’s Fair Industry building, which had been turned into a gymnasium.

We started to lose daylight as we ventured into a cactus garden, then into the heart of the international area of the former World’s Fair. Here the holiday fair was in full swing with entertainment & international food vendors.

This was the last marker we were to find near the House of Iran and United Nations building. It just got too dark to try & continue.

Now we took some time to enjoy December Nights before heading back to LA…

Took a Skyfari gondola ride on the way back to the car!

If you can’t make it to San Diego before the adventure ends, you can always play along at home.  Here’s the map & codes to listen to all seven episodes. Enjoy!

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