Visitor Information

Open to the public and home of the Orange County Great Park Balloon, the 27.5-acre Preview Park prototypes the kind of spaces and programs that will become part of the larger Great Park. Anchored by the Great Park Balloon, serving as an observation deck that rises up to a 500-foot height for a commanding view, the Preview Park introduces several prototypes for the orange groves, stonework, and plantings that will eventually fill the entire park.

The Preview Park is being actively programmed with concerts, dances, workshops and other special events building regional awareness and giving neighbors an opportunity to participate in the Great Park’s design process. Visible from nearby Interstate 5, the Great Park Balloon rises 500 feet into the air and can carry up to 30 persons in its gondola. From its vantage point, visitors are able to survey the unfolding of the park’s construction and development. A temporary Visitor Center provides exhibits and interpretation of sustainability and the park’s design.

The Preview Park is being developed with both temporary and permanent features. Prototypes of proposed park elements include park lighting, seating and other furnishings. Recycled airstrip concrete is being used in the landscape design. A bio-swale is being prototyped, as well as low water turf, heritage citrus plantings and native shade trees. An organic agricultural program is also underway. A walkable timeline previews the beginnings of a much more extensive feature planned for the park. Historic Hangar 244 is being incorporated into events, which include summer concerts and dances and a winter ice rink.

Visitor Center

In addition to being a gateway to the Great Park Balloon, the Great Park Visitor Center features a number of exhibits that focus on a major guiding principle for developing the Great Park: sustainability.

Sustainability, the idea of enhancing rather than degrading the environment, will permeate every aspect of the design and construction of the 1,347 acre Great Park. The exhibits in the Visitor Center will introduce and provide guests with a better understanding of sustainability and illustrate just a few of the many ways that it will be integrated into the park.

Healthy snacks and drinks are also available from vending machines for your convenience. For more information please contact the Visitor Center at (866) 829-3829 (toll-free).