San Diego attractions

Housed in a historic former naval base, Liberty Station is a thriving dining, arts, shopping and entertainment hub located a few miles north of downtown San Diego in Point Loma.

In a city known for its beaches, Mount Soledad stands out as the mountain worth visiting. The highest coastal point in sunny San Diego overlooks the palm tree–lined Pacific Beach and the bluffs of Torrey Pines. The mountain is home to the the Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial, which honors living and deceased veterans from the Revolutionary War to the present day. On a clear day, 360-degree views of the La Jolla shores, the bridge to Coronado Island, Mission Bay, and even the mountains of Mexico can be seen.

Dedicated to artwork created since 1950, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego – Downtown is one of two locations of the museum (the other is in La Jolla. The MCASD’s collection of 4,700 pieces includes a variety of mediums, from sculpture and painting to video, photography, and installations.

The San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) is at the center of Balboa Park. Inside the ornamented building, you’ll find an extensive art collection that spans more than 7,000 years, from great works by European masters, such as El Greco and Francisco Goya, to an array of South Asian paintings, sculpture, and American and Latin American art.

Dedicated to the natural history of Southern California—from ancient times to the modern day—the San Diego Natural History Museum (also known as The Nat) is one of the city’s most popular, family-friendly museums. Across four floors, its exhibition spaces are dedicated to topics ranging from dinosaurs and fossils to minerals and more.

A San Diego family favorite since 1925, Belmont Park is a beachfront amusement park that offers a wide mix of rides and attractions, from rollercoasters and rockwalls to mini golf and laser mazes. There’s even a 7D theater! There’s truly something for every age group, including the thrilling Giant Dipper rollercoaster, old school Liberty Carousel, and classic arcade games for younger visitors, promising a fun family day out for all.

A wild piece of the California coast just north of San Diego, Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve encompasses more than 1,500 acres (607 hectares) of unspoiled beaches, hiking trails, oceanfront bluffs, Torrey pine trees, and other native vegetation. Visitors find a pristine environment treasured by local nature enthusiasts.

One of Balboa Park’s many museums, the Fleet Science Center is a science wonderland home to hands-on exhibits, live experiments, and an IMAX theater that’s particularly popular. Movies feature subjects like pandas, volcanoes, and the Great Barrier Reef.

At the San Diego Model Railroad Museum (SDMRM), America’s love affair with train travel comes alive. Part of Balboa Park, this 27,000-square-foot facility details the routes that once crossed—or almost crossed—the American West in highly accurate and detailed scale models. Visitors will also learn about the history of US train travel in permanent and temporary exhibits.

Discover the past, present, and future of the automobile at the San Diego Automotive Museum, and see a collection of Harley Davidson motorcycles and the famous 1947 Louie Mattar Cadillac that drove 6,300 miles (10,139 kilometers) without stopping. Learn about the history of the automobile and view a collection of classic cars.

San Diego County is home to more than 90 museums, but the New Children’s Museum downtown is a top choice for families. With three floors of hands-on activities, craft projects, and play areas, the venue provides many opportunities to encourage creativity in kids.

The only limit to the Mingei International Museum is human creativity—and that’s what this space is all about. As a species, we’ve been creating since time immemorial, from pottery to pinatas to Pokemon, and here is where it all gets celebrated. And just like our talents, the museum constantly changes, representing art from all around the world and all over time.

Connecting San Diego's community with the native wildlife of Southern California, this nonprofit nature center in Chula Vista aims to inspire coastal conservation. While smaller than other zoos and aquariums, Living Coast Discovery Center is loved for its close animal encounters, dedicated staff, and scenic setting on the San Diego Bay.

Sunset Cliffs Natural Park comprises 68 acres (28 hectares) of coastal bluffs, sea caves, and arches along the Pacific Coast on the western edge of Point Loma. True to its name, the park is a popular spot for watching the sunset. It's also popular among surfers who come to ride the shoreline's crashing waves.

Stretching from the waterfront to Interstate 5, downtown San Diego is home to a wealth of recreational attractions, restaurants, walkable neighborhoods, and historical sights. It’s a great starting point to get oriented with the city before branching out to the beaches and surrounding areas.

Boasting near year-round sun, sandy beaches, and cultural attractions, San Diego encapsulates the Southern California lifestyle. It's a popular debarkation point for day cruises and multi-day voyages to Baja Mexico, South America, Hawaii, and the Pacific Coast and a destination itself. Spend a few days here to soak up the sunny vibes.

The San Diego-Coronado Bridge—or, as it's often called, the Coronado Bridge—stretches for 2.1 miles (3.4 kilometers) across San Diego Bay, connecting the cities of San Diego and Coronado. Since its completion in 1969, it has become a landmark of San Diego and the primary way to access the beaches of Coronado.

The ritziest of San Diego’s seaside suburbs, with a Tudor aesthetic that somehow doesn’t feel out of place, Del Mar boasts restaurants, galleries, high-end boutiques, and a horse-racing track where locals and visitors gather in the summer for races and other events.

A family favorite on hot summer days, San Diego's Aquatica water park features splashy attractions for all ages. Twisting waterslides and a 500,000-gallon (2.3-million liter wave pool offer adrenaline-packed thrills, while a lazy river and kids play area are ideal for younger swimmers.

Located in Balboa Park, the San Diego History Center (not to be confused with the nearby San Diego Natural History Museum details the city of San Diego from past to present. Founded in 1928, the center is housed in the beautiful Casa de Balboa, which is also home to the Museum of Photographic Arts and the San Diego Model Railroad Museum.

Find out what makes San Diego such a great destination for craft beer lovers at the Ballast Point brewery. Here you can see where the beer is made, grab a bite, and of course, try a variety of different brews.

An artistic neighborhood with Mexican roots, Barrio Logan in San Diego is home to former warehouses that have now been turned into galleries, taco shops, and craft breweries. Its centerpiece, Chicano Park, boasts nearly 100 murals depicting the community’s activism efforts, alongside images of notable figures like Frida Kahlo. The area is known for its culinary arts as well—specifically homestyle Mexican food.

On display at San Diego’s Museum of Photographic Arts are a collection of over 7,000 images from 850 artists and an exploration of the art of photography in all its forms. The pieces inside this small yet well-designed museum inside Balboa Park run the gamut of photography’s history, from early daguerreotypes to photojournalism and avant-garde photo art.

You’ve certainly seen museums dedicated to music, artists, and entertainers, but this is an entire showcase dedicated to the making of music—aka musical instruments, musical trends, musical discoveries, and more. Visitors will explore 500-plus musical instruments (some hands-on), learning all about the evolution and creation of sound. Concerts and live performances fill the museum calendar, too.

In recent decades San Diego has become closely associated with an excellent craft beer scene, and you can learn just why it has become so popular at the Green Flash Brewing Company.

Get a taste of the San Diego beer scene at Karl Strauss Brewing Company. The longest operating brewery in town, it’s often credited with helping to kick off the city’s craft beer movement.

Test your driving skills at the Speed Circuit Family Fun Center in Chula Vista. Along with a go-kart track, this entertainment complex offers a Thrill Park with a zip line and other challenges, plus a ropes course, shuffleboard, and an arcade.

California’s second largest city is an appealing destination for vacationing cruisers in search of a beach break, outdoor recreation, diverse cultural experiences, and lots of sunshine. In fact, you can expect around 300 days of sunshine yearly in this southern California port city that shares a border with Mexico.

El Prado, the beautiful 13-acre (5-hectare) Spanish colonial complex built for San Diego’s Panama-California Exposition in 1915, is considered a jewel of Balboa Park. The former House of Hospitality is now home to a popular restaurant, while the Spreckels Organ Pavilion hosts free outdoor concerts in the summer.

A must-visit for architecture lovers, San Diego’s Heritage County Park preserves some of the city’s finest examples of Victorian homes. Located adjacent to Old Town San Diego State Historic Park—and spanning some 8 acres (3 hectares)—the park was developed in the 1970s and ‘80s, when the historic houses were relocated to this site.