Explore San Diego

Gardens & Parks

With its world-class museums, manicured gardens, and world-famous San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park tops the list of sights in downtown San Diego. Its 1,200 acres (485 hectares) makes it the largest urban park in the United States. Apart from its many attractions, Balboa Park also features lengthy hiking trails, distinctive landscaping, Golden Age Spanish buildings, and the world’s largest organ.Balboa Park is divided up into three sections. The central part of the park has the most attractions. The main attraction here is San Diego Zoo, which has more than 3,000 animals, typically in enclosures that replicate their natural habitat. At the Museum of Man, part of the California Quadrangle and its distinctive arch, you can see Native American artifacts. Nearby, the San Diego Museum houses a number of works from European masters from the Renaissance to the modernists.

Wildlife & Zoos

Packed into 40 hectares, the San Diego Zoo presents a stunning variety of nature's largest, smallest, noblest, oddest, and most endangered creatures. This famous zoo has more than 3,000 animals representing over 800 species.Stop first at the San Diego Zoo visitor center to pick up a map. Highlights of the zoo include the Tiger River bioclimatic exhibit, which realistically recreates an Asian rainforest environment, and Gorilla Tropics, which does the same with an African rainforest. The koalas and the rare giant pandas are also popular.The gardens at the San Diego Zoo are renowned and some of the plants are used for the specialized food requirements of particular animals. Especially for kids, the Children’s Zoo allows young ones to pet small critters; they will also enjoy the animal nursery, which shows off the zoo’s newest arrivals. For an aerial perspective on the park, take a ride on the Skyfari.

Water & Amusement Parks

Modeled after the original Legoland in Denmark, Legoland is an enchanting fantasy environment built entirely of those little colored plastic building blocks that many of us grew up with. Legoland is split into nine major sections: The Beginning, Dino Island, Duplo, Village Green, Fun Town, Castle Hill, Miniland USA, Pirate Shores, Imagination Zone, and Land of Adventure. At Miniland USA, skylines of major metropolitan cities have been spectacularly recreated entirely of Lego. In Dino Island, a mini steel roller coaster called the Coastersaurus curves and dips around giant models of Lego dinosaurs. In Duplo, kids play with water and music. Castle Hill is a medieval castle-themed area. Its main attraction is the Dragon, a roller coaster that slowly tours a castle. There’s also face-painting, boat rides, and several roller coasters scaled down for kids.

Wildlife & Zoos

Located within the same grounds and operated by the same people as LEGOLAND, the SEA LIFE Aquarium is a part of a long line of aquariums open to tourists in the San Diego area. However, this aquarium, which is found in Carlsbad, California, has a bit of a twist making it very different than all the other sea exhibitions in the region. The SEA LIFE aquarium blends the LEGO theme with the underwater world exhibitions. Geared towards children and education in a fun way, the SEA LIFE exhibition contains play zones, quiz trails and a number of interactive enclosures. The biggest attraction here is a giant pacific octopus. Guests to the aquarium can actually watch the highly intelligent animal solve puzzles, play with different toys and learn about how these great animals eat and survive in the wild. Other popular animals at the aquarium include clown fish, reef sharks, cownose rays, and seahorse. There is also an interactive rock pool where you can see, and even touch, star fish.

Water & Amusement Parks

This ocean front amusement park offers thrills for kids and kids at heart. For adrenaline-lovers, there’s the Giant Dipper roller coaster and rock climbing, and if you’re looking for fun at a bit of a slower speed, there’s mini-golf and the arcade.There’s no cost for admission. You pay as you go, buying tickets or unlimited ride wrist bands. Along with rides and attractions expect beach boardwalk style grub like ice cream, burgers and pizza. If your visit to Belmont Park includes some time at the beach, you can rent everything you’ll need, from surfboards and wetsuits to beach chairs and umbrellas. Belmont Park is also home to a FlowRider® wave machine and the onlyFlowBarrel® in the United States. Pumping 100,000 gallons of water per minute, the FlowBarrel® wave machine creates an endless 10 foot wave.

Wildlife & Zoos

Take a walk on the wild side at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, an 1,800 acre (728 hectare) open-range zoo where herds of giraffes, zebras, rhinos, and other animals roam the open valley floor. The best part is riding the African Express, an open-air, soft-wheeled tram that ferries you around the world’s second-largest continent in what feels like a 30 minute safari.The San Diego Zoo Safari Park houses some 3,500 animals from about 430 species. Animals are in enclosures so naturalistic it’s as if the humans are the guests. Habitats include Elephant Overlook, Lion Camp, and the African Aviary. In Nairobi Village, young kids will enjoy the nursery, where young animals are seen frolicking about; there’s even a petting station. The San Diego Zoo Safari Park offers many extra animal encounter experiences, including Photo Caravans that drive right up alongside the animals and the chance to stand ringside as a cheetah whizzes by you chasing a mechanical rabbit.

Wildlife & Zoos

Inside the boundaries of the San Diego National Wildlife Refuge is the Living Coast Discovery Center, a small nonprofit zoo and aquarium.The Living Coast Discovery Center was first opened in 1987 under a different name, and since 2010 has been a working nonprofit. It's on San Diego Bay in Chula Vista, about 10 miles southeast of San Diego, surrounded by marshland. Exhibits at the aquarium include sea life, shore birds, and native plants. There are turtles, sharks, rays, owls, egrets, herons, and several kinds of raptors. There are scheduled live demonstrations of feedings each day.

Water & Amusement Parks

This amusement park is a popular stop for locals and San Diego visitors, especially if you have kids in tow. Speedsters will want to race on the track strapped in to one of Boomers go karts. If you’re looking for fun that comes with a slower speed, you can test you swing on the miniature golf course. The family-friendly course comes with water and windmills to keep the game interesting. Little ones will also enjoy the Kid’s County Fair. The miniature amusement park has a Ferris wheel and an assortment of other rides and attractions just for them.Batting cages serve up pitches just the right speed, but if you’d rather set sail, bumper boats are the way to travel. Climb aboard ready to soak up some fun. Every boat is equipped with a water cannon.

Buildings & Structure

Mountains in San Diego? Known for its beaches and coastal views, a drive to the top of Mt. Soledad rewards visitors with 360-degree views of San Diego.Winter days, if that’s what you should really call them, are typically sunny and clear and come with views down the coast and out to sea. Summer is nothing to complain about either, but the marine layer has a reputation for clouding the view a bit on some days. Sunset is a popular time to visit. The panoramic spot is also home to the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial and the 29-foot Mount Soledad Cross. Originally dedicated as the Korean War Veterans Memorial in 1952, today it honors living and deceased veterans from the Revolutionary War to current day.

Cultural/Heritage Places

San Diego’s El Prado is located in the center of Balboa Park and is considered by many to be the heart of this most beloved San Diego park. The beautiful Spanish Colonial House of Hospitality is located here, and fully restored to its 1915 splendor. Inside you’ll find visitor information and historical highlights of the park. The El Prado courtyard holds The Prado restaurant, famous for its cuisine and outdoor seating. Just steps away you’ll find the Spreckels Organ Pavilion – an open space containing the world’s largest pipe organ and home to free concerts during summer Sundays. This is the best of Balboa Park, and it would be a shame to miss it.

Museums & Exhibitions

Built in 1850, the William Heath Davis House is the oldest house in San Diego’s Historic Gaslamp Quarter. It was owned by, you guessed it William Heath Davis, but he didn’t build it in San Diego. The pre-fabricated house was shipped to town from Portland, Maine by boat via Cape Horn.It was Davis’ dream to build a city near San Diego Bay. New Town as it was called, included a wharf, store, park and several houses, but there was no potable water. When Davis lost his fortune he gave up on the city that would later become the Gaslamp District. The William Heath Davis House is also the home to the nonprofit Gaslamp Quarter Historical Foundation.

Sights & Landmarks

Across the bay from downtown San Diego, Coronado is a pleasant escape from the jumble of the city and the buzz of the beaches. Follow the tree-lined, manicured median strip of Orange Avenue toward the commercial center, Coronado Village, around the landmark Hotel del Coronado. Then park your car; you won’t need it again until you leave.Locals call Coronado an island, but it's connected to the mainland by the spectacular, 2.1 mile (3.4 kilometer) Coronado Bay Bridge, as well as by a long, narrow spit of sand known as the Silver Strand. The visitor center doubles as the Coronado Museum of History and Art. And then there’s the fabulous, easily recognizable Hotel del Coronado, the interior of which is filled with warm, polished wood, giving the hotel an old-fashioned feel of Panama hats and linen suits. Guests have included 10 presidents and world royalty. For a taste of the Del without the stay, have breakfast or lunch at the beach-view Sheerwater restaurant.

Museums & Exhibitions

In the 18th century, when Spanish settlers arrived here on San Diego’s shores, a band of Kumeyaay Native Americans already inhabited the coast. Though little remains of their settlements today, one of the best places to learn about the Kumeyaay is here at the Museum of Man. Here in San Diego’s only museum devoted entirely to anthropology, artifacts from many of the of the world’s ancient cultures are intriguingly displayed inside. Look at mummies that have been removed from their tombs in the sandy deserts of Egypt, or artwork and pottery from Mayan tribes from modern day Guatemala. Learn about the brutal history of torture and tools of the morbid trade, or peruse a collection of thousands of skulls that date to the origins of man. Some exhibits—like the history of beer—are only on temporary display, whereas collections on the Maya, Egyptians, and Kumeyaay are permanent exhibitions. When finished reading about Mayan monuments and hieroglyphic writing.

Art Galleries

Two locations make it even easier to fit a visit to the Museum of Contemporary Art into your San Diego itinerary. The museum's collection includes more than 4,000 works of art created since 1950.The La Jolla location is perched on nearly three acres of oceanfront property and includes the scenic and colorful Edwards Sculpture Garden. More than a dozen sculptures and installations are on display throughout the museum grounds. The Sculpture Garden is a nice option for families and artists. Pencil sketching is permitted. The downtown location is more historic, set in the former Santa Fe Depot baggage building. Public tours are offered (free with admission) at both locations. Downtown tours begin at 2pm on Saturdays. La Jolla tours are held on Sundays at 2pm. Tours are also held at 5:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month at both locations. No reservations are necessary.

Buildings & Structure

On the southern tip of Point Loma, at the top of hill, you'll find Cabrillo National Monument. The spot is San Diego’s finest locale for history and fine views across the bay to San Diego's downtown. It's also the best place in San Diego to see the gray whale migration (January to March) from land. After a few minutes here, you may forget you’re in a major metropolitan area.The visitors center at Cabrillo National Monument has an excellent presentation on Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo’s 1542 voyage up the California coast, plus good exhibits on the native inhabitants and the area’s natural history. Also here is the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, which is appointed with late-19th century pieces, including lamps and picture frames hand-covered with hundreds of shells. On the ocean side, you can drive or walk down to the tide pools (at low tide) to look for anemones, starfish, crabs, and limpets.

Museums & Exhibitions

For over 60 years, the Maritime Museum of San Diego has enjoyed a well-deserved reputation for being one of the most engaging and imagination-inspiring attractions in San Diego. A history lesson and an adventure in one, the Maritime Museum of San Diego has been repeatedly voted one of the best attractions in San Diego, and visitors from the world over come here to see the excellent collections of historic tall ships, including the world’s oldest active merchant ship, the Star of India, an 1863 iron hulled, triple-mast behemoth. Known the world over for excellence in restoring, maintaining, and operating these historic vessels, a trip to the Maritime Museum will have you exploring (and, on some occasions, even sailing) four different tall ships (the ones with the big masts and sails), two submarines, and several yachts and harbor boats. As you explore these amazing vessels, you’ll discover a sense of what it was like to work and live on these amazing ships.

Sights & Landmarks

Ghostly legends abound in sunny San Diego, so spooky stories associated with an old cemetery shouldn’t come as a big surprise.El Campo Santo Cemetery was used in the mid-to-late 1800s. Some of the city’s early pioneers and infamous figures are buried at El Campo Santo Cemetery. One of the most famous grave sites belongs to Yankee Jim Robinson, who was hung at the site of the historic Whaley House, a couple blocks away. Some say his ghost has haunted the Whaley House since it was built in 1857. As San Diego grew, the cemetery was reduced in size. As a result some graves now lie beneath San Diego Avenue and Linwood Street. Tales of car trouble, chills and misty figures have been reported.

Museums & Exhibitions

Ever since 1874, when this Natural History Museum became Southern California’s first scientific institution, researchers have tirelessly been working to showcase the tales of the world around us. In this highly interactive, highly educational, natural history museum, visitors can learn everything from the mysteries of fossils to the saga of California’s water. Go deep inside an Egyptian tomb to see the buried treasures of King Tut, or explore the astounding biodiversity of the greater San Diego region. Sit back and enjoy a film inside the enormous 3D theater, or compare the shapes of over 200 skulls from a wide assortment of animals. The scientists and researchers who work with the museum are some of the top in their field, and who have dedicated their lives to explaining and learning the secrets of the natural world. Whether it’s trying to figure out why whales breach in the nearby waters offshore, or dissecting the facts about everything from penguins to coffee.

Museums & Exhibitions

Essentially a floating city, the U.S.S. Midway Museum is housed inside the namesake ship, formerly one of the U.S. Navy’s flagships from 1945 to 1991. Aboard the hulking vessel, visitors can explore more than 60 exhibits as well as peak inside the museum’s aircraft collection. Exhibits in the U.S.S. Midway Museum include the engine room, the ship’s brig, machine shops, and the crew’s sleeping quarters. You’ll walk along the narrow confines of the upper decks to the bridge, admiral’s war room, and the control tower. On the ship’s flight deck, you can walk right up to aircrafts, including an F-14 Tomcat, F-4 Phantom jet fighter, and an A-7 Corsair. Three flight simulators, music videos, films, interactive exhibits, and the Ejection Seat Theater round out this family-friendly experience.

Museums & Exhibitions

The year of 1911 was historic for the field of aviation. In an even that would shape the aviation as we know it, the Vin Fiz Flyer—piloted by Calbraith Perry Rodger—completed the first transcontinental crossing of the United States in an airplane. The flight required 82 hours of total time in the air—although the entire trip, including ground time, was a remarkable 84 days. Today, commercial jetliners make the trip in a little over five hours, and with the ease of transport that aviation has provided, it’s almost too easy to forget the steps that brought us up to this point. At the San Diego Air & Space Museum, however, every visitor, both young and old, can see how the craft of aviation has changed since its early years. Gaze on an intricate reproduction of the original Vin Fiz Flyer, or examine a replica of Charles Lindbergh’s famous Spirit of St. Louis. Military enthusiasts will love the collection of Hellcats and early fighter planes.

Art Galleries

Before you even walk in the door of the San Diego Museum of Art, you’re already looking at the piece of art that’s the building’s soaring façade. With heavy influence from the cathedrals and universities of cities in central Spain, the ornamented building is like a slice of Europe in the middle of Balboa Park. On the museum’s interior, the artwork continues with an extensive collection that spans over 7,000 years, from classic paintings by European masters to an array of South Asian art. Compare the style of Francisco de Goya with El Greco or Henri Matisse, or peruse the fascinating global collections from Quebec, Mexico, or China. There’s an entire section of native artwork from the Americas and across the Pacific, as well as gripping photography from some of the world’s original photojournalists. It’s the oldest and largest museum of its kind in the entire surrounding region, and since the temporary exhibits are always changing.

Museums & Exhibitions

If walls could talk, the Whaley House could fill history books. Completed in the 1857, it served as the home of the Whaley Family, Mr. Whaley's general store, San Diego's first commercial theater, and the second county courthouse. All aspects of the home have been restored and today it is open to the public as a historic house museum.On the basic tour, visitors explore on their own, but docents are available to answer questions about the house’s history and ghost stories. Rumor has it the house has been haunted since it was built. The Whaleys reportedly believed the spirit of Yankee Jim Robinson haunted the house. Robinson was hanged on the property before the house was built. According to legend, there is a list of ghosts that roam the house, including the Whaley’s daughter Violet, who committed suicide in 1885.

Museums & Exhibitions

San Diego County is home to more than 90 museums, but the New Children’s Museum (NCM) downtown is a top choice among many families. Every visit brings the opportunity for kids to create something different. With three floors of hands-on activities, craft projects, and play areas, art is constantly being created. Kids are encouraged to roll of their sleeves and create a masterpiece.In addition to performances and seasonal events, NCM runs a number of regular continuing programs including Toddler Time on the second Friday of the month and Finger Painting Friday on the fourth Friday of the month. NCM is across the street from Children’s Park, offering easy access to a nice spot for kids to run around and let off some steam.

Museums & Exhibitions

From the collection of Harley Davidson motorcycles and exhibit on Steve McQueen, to the famous, 1947 Louis Mattar Cadillac that drove 6,300 miles without stopping, the San Diego Automotive Museum is a cache of classic cars. Here you’ll find a permanent collection of classic American cars, as well as a rotating display of historic cars that define automotive nostalgia. In addition to the collection of nearly 80 cars, there’s a section on general automotive history, a look at the historic “Plank Road” that led to San Diego’s growth, and a scavenger hunt for kids to find the facts about different cars. Visiting the museum takes approximately an hour—unless of course you’re a mechanic or racer—in which case you could spend the better part of the day in this sanctuary of horsepower and design.

Museums & Exhibitions

There was once a time when traveling by train was the image of American romance— galloping across the open plains on the back of a steaming steel horse. With the advent of planes and automobiles, however, the era of train travel in the United States has long since passed its twilight. Unless, of course, you’re at the Model Railroad Museum, where the power of locomotives is as clear as the trains are timeless. Here at this 27,000 square foot enclosure inside of Balboa Park, railroad clubs have created artistic scale models of classic American trains. Follow a train as it plies the rails of the historic Tehachapi Pass, and look at models for the Pacific Desert Line—a track that was planned from San Diego to the east but never came to fruition. The meticulous craftsmanship that’s gone into the models is nothing short of astounding, and in addition to the models and trains themselves, visitors can learn about the legendary history of traveling the U.S. by train.

Museums & Exhibitions

It’s been said that hands-on, experiential learning enhances education, and if that’s the case, then the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center is helping to educate every person who walks in the building’s door. Especially enjoyable for families with children, this interactive science center has permanent exhibits on everything from energy to California’s water to the journey of cells in our body. Work with your hands at the “Tinkering Studio” inspired by famous inventors, or watch one of the live experiments conducted by the center’s staff. Learn about genetics and DNA and what’s inside of an atom, or channel your inner architect with the collection of 15,000 building blocks. The biggest treat, however, is the enormous IMAX domed theater with movies on everything from Humpback whales to the most mysterious corners of our Universe. This is the only domed IMAX theater in Southern California, and the movies displayed provide visitors of all ages with an enthralling visual feast.

Art Galleries

Humans, in a word, are utterly and truly fascinating. Creating art is a human tendency as old as humans themselves, and here at the Mingei International Museum, folk art from over 140 countries is on intriguing and captivating display. Though exhibits here are constantly changing, examples of work include handmade dolls that date to the 19th century, to exquisite, hand turned, wooden bowls and weavings from grass and leaves. There have sections devoted to global headdresses and an extensive collection of tequila bottles, and—in true San Diego fashion—a large exhibit made entirely from surfboards that explores the art of surfing. Above all, it’s human creativity itself on display that’s manifested in thousands of forms, and there’s an uplifting, unifying, and inspiring spirit that accompanies a day spent browsing the genius of our planet’s myriad cultures.

Museums & Exhibitions

From the original Native American settlers who called this desert home, to the Spanish explorers who constructed missions through the San Diego region, this city has one of California’s lengthiest and richest histories. Here in the San Diego History Center, the series of events that created the city are on intricately detailed display—where over 2.5 million historical photographs help weave the city’s tale. On a visit to the famous Balboa Park museum, examine postcards of how San Diego looked while it was still in its original infancy, and learn the lengthy military history of the nearby bases and ships. Explore a collection of pottery and textiles from early San Diego residents, as well as an extensive collection of fine art relating to San Diego. This is one of America’s only museums that tells the history of a town, and after an hour spent reading the city’s history and walking the photo lined halls, visitors will have an entire new perspective.

Museums & Exhibitions

There’s more to sports in San Diego than the Padres, Aztecs, and Chargers. Sport has played an enormous role in this California city’s history, and here at the San Diego Hall of Champions, exhibits display how sailing and surfing have also shaped the town’s heritage. Inside the halls of what’s officially the nation’s largest multi-sport museum, visitors will find everything from the history of the America’s Cup to a collection of the 100 different San Diego athletes who have graced the cover of Sports Illustrated. This is also the site of the Breitbard Hall of Fame—a display that recognizes native San Diegans who have excelled in professional sport. Currently, the hall of fame recognizes 135 athletes from 20 different sports, and over 42 sports in total are represented in this soaring, three-story museum.

Museums & Exhibitions

The idea of visiting a museum never sounded so good. If you love music you’ll love the Museum of Making Music. The museum looks and listens to the history of American music and instruments from the 1890s through current day. Along with listening to samples of tunes created over time, visitors have the opportunity to see more than 500 vintage instruments. In addition, there are a number of hands-on try-me instruments throughout the museum to channel your inner musician. The site also hosts a number of concerts and live performances.

Art Galleries

There are two things on display at San Diego’s Museum of Photographic Arts: A collection of over 7,000 images from 850 artists, and the actual art of photography itself in all of its many forms. The pieces inside this small museum run the gamut of photography’s history, from early daguerreotypes dating back as far as the 1840s, to images of Russia in the mid-20th century and award-winning photojournalism. There’s a modern movie studio inside of the museum that highlights the evolution of film, and displays on photography’s technological advancements show how far the art form has come. More than just the photos themselves, however, it’s the different story that each photo tells that makes this a memorable stop. Considering that many of the photos on display are historical and social documentaries, the museum offers a lens into photographer’s roles in capturing societal change.

Stadiums & Arenas

Petco Park is an open-air stadium in downtown San Diego located just minutes from the Gaslamp Quarter. In bygone days, you might have heard people refer to this as Qualcomm Stadium, but no more. Since 2004, the San Diego Padres have called Petco Park their home and it’s here you’ll be able to catch a game during baseball season. Known for its comfortable seating, diverse restaurant selection, and even a mini play area for kids before a game, Petco Park is the stadium of choice for anyone visiting the San Diego area.

Fun & Games

Seaport Village is San Diego’s preeminent shopping and dining complex. A slice of independence in busy San Diego, the Seaport Village is beautiful and relaxing escape in an otherwise busy world. Come here to window shop the boutiques, sit on a park bench and stare into the ocean, grab a bite to eat, or to simply have a glass of wine and catch some outdoor entertainment. Just a short walk from the Gaslamp Quarter and plenty of boutique and big name shopping, Seaport Village is a popular hang-out for tourists and locals alike.

Fun & Games

The well-known San Diego Convention Center is a staple structure in the city. The impressively equipped location hosts many of San Diego’s famous events and happenings — most notably, the entertainment bonanza that is Comic-Con International. Enjoy the sunny, bayside views and free WiFi while attending one of the events held here before taking a quick walk to the numerous restaurants and shops nearby in the historic Gaslamp Quarter. Check out what’s going on at the convention center during your next visit for some entertainment.

Market

As a major port and hub of the U.S. Navy, it’s no surprise that one of the city’s most important commercial districts is a former naval base. Once a military barracks and training center, Liberty Station is a cultural hub with a celebrated food market. The many food stalls, small shops, and even art galleries bring together some of the best of each in San Diego and represent the city’s diverse influences. The Liberty Public Market is a food hall comprised of artisan food, beer, wine, cocktails, and the city’s top local flavors. Spread out over 28 acres, the Liberty Station architecture showcases San Diego’s historically Spanish roots. Many of the historic buildings have been tastefully converted into modern businesses and venues, many stretching along its main promenade. It’s also a major arts district, home to museums, dance companies, music halls, and a popular monthly art walk.