I attended a Surfrider-sponsored water scarcity meeting here last night and was so impressed with…read morethe San Diego Foundation. The building is beautiful, very spacious and a perfect place to hold community forums. The Foundation is conveniently located right in the middle of Liberty Station, at the corner of Roosevelt and Historic Decatur. There is a large parking lot directly across the street and the big Liberty Station Von's is right around the corner, if you need any last minute refreshments. Inside, the San Diego Foundation is clean, light and airy. The meeting room had excellent seating, good clear vantage points from all angles, and even the airplanes landing and taking off from nearby San Diego International Airport didn't seem to cause too much noise interference. I really like what the San Diego Foundation stands for and appreciate all the good work it does in the community. Now I can honestly say that the Foundation also has an awesome home and is a great place to host community-related forums.

I really appreciate that the San Diego Foundation offers up its space to local organizations to…read moreuse. I work for a public charter school and we have utilized the community room meeting spaces twice for staff professional development. The space is beautifully clean and neat and we have really benefitted from this large space.

I brought in the watercolor below, for restoration, because they employ the only paper conservator…read morein the city. So grateful for their prompt responses and attention to detail! Although the waiting list for restorations is approximately a year for any new work, they were kind enough to squeeze me in to take a look and help freeze the degradation process that had already begun. Christina, their sole paper conservator, removed the acidic backing, and packaged it carefully and thoroughly in acid-free paper to store until she has time to give it her full attention. She is absolutely the best! She was professional, kind, listened to my questions, and gave very helpful, thoughtful, and practical advice for the care of the painting. I know the painting will be in good hands. I am so grateful to have such a resource for museum quality preservation of this gorgeous piece. Will follow up with an after photo once restoration is complete.

minaturrv train exhibit,, many ethnic restaurants,Theatrer ,music hall recomend day long visitread more

The guys were on time, fast and hard-working as they loaded all our donations. The communication…read morefrom the front office was great. Everyone involved was friendly and kind.

Genuine, kind, and professional facility run by real people who occasionally make mistakes. Just…read morelike everyone. Personally grateful for their services. Yelp you're asking for value? At its least it serves three meals a day to hundreds of people. It provides beds and shelter for many thereby helping people get off of living on the streets. It provides job training in quite a few areas where there's demand for those jobs, it provides counseling, connections to faith based services- a variety actually It helps rehouse people too. It's as good as an organization developed to help people gets.

They recently redid the Science Center and it's SO much better! The new layout is more open, and…read morethere's even a free section with fun hands-on activities like the gravity ball spinner and a huge air-powered ball wall. The kids' area got a major upgrade. My 3-year-old spent hours in the building section using real power drills, screws, and hammers! There are also flying-machine activities, a ball pit, building stations, and a toddler area with a pretend grocery store and little city. I do wish some of the building activities had better instructions. Tickets are a little pricey, but CalFresh/WIC admission is only $4 per person, which makes it a fantastic affordable outing for families. Huge improvement overall!

Impressive tech, but proceed with caution for 3-hour feature films!…read more We were super excited to see The Odyssey here for our very first IMAX experience after waiting two weeks for our date! Having already seen the movie twice in a standard theater, we were curious to see how it translated to the Heikoff Giant Dome. Here is the full breakdown of how it works and what to expect: Essential Tips & Logistics for 6:30 PM Box Office Movies: Tickets & Arrival: You MUST buy tickets online in advance. The Science Center itself closes to the public at 5:00 PM, but line up outside around 5:00 PM--the queue fills up fast between 5:00-5:30 PM! Door Opening & Entry: Doors open at 6:00 PM sharp. Once tickets are scanned, you'll enter a second line inside. Members and ADA guests get priority boarding around 6:25 PM, followed by General Admission. Pro-Tip for Groups: Seating is first-come, first-served. It was literally a stampede when doors opened! Have one person hold your spot in the inside queue while another uses the restroom or hits concessions. Concessions: Everything is prepackaged (bags of popcorn, candy, canned sodas/water). No fresh movie-theater popcorn or fountain drinks, but fine for a quick snack. Seats & Seating Placement: Aim as high up and toward the center as possible! We sat in the lower half of the upper section. The seats are clean, comfortable, and feel brand new, but they do not recline. Staring up at the dome for nearly 3 hours caused some serious neck strain. Also, watch out for the glass balcony railings in the upper section, which can partially cut into your sightline. The Film Experience: The sound system is fantastic and the theater itself is spotless, but for a fast-paced action movie like The Odyssey, the dome format just didn't work for us. Being that close made it feel like watching a screen two feet from your face--fight scenes became a blur, and the dome curved the edges of the picture (buildings and straight objects looked noticeably warped/distorted). It felt a bit like looking through a fishbowl. Overall Verdict: No knock at all on the staff, Fleet Science Center, or the incredible tech--for documentary shorts or environmental films, this dome is probably mind-blowing. But for long feature films with heavy action, it didn't add to the movie and was a bit overwhelming. Glad we experienced it, but we'll stick to traditional theaters for feature films in the future! P.S. / Note for Fleet Science Center Management & Staff: I know queuing outside can be tricky to manage, but I wanted to share an observation in case it helps improve the queue process. We arrived around 5:10 PM and were about 10th in line outside. However, the group of 2 people right in front of us gradually grew to 12 as more of their party arrived over the next hour, and another pair grew to 8. By the time the doors opened at 6:00 PM, our spot in line effectively jumped from 10th to around 25th. While holding places for late arrivals is understandable to a degree, seeing groups multiply like that can feel a bit unfair to those who stood outside early. Some retail stores and venues (like those in Hawaii) handle this by handing out numbered queue cards or tokens per person as they join the line, preventing late-arriving party members from jumping ahead of early arrivers. Just a thought for future popular feature film screenings!

I first learned about Traci's Paws through a Facebook event back in 2020, and we've been…read moreparticipating in the event ever since. They help military/veteran families and their fur babies. Our very first experience with them happened during a tough time--COVID, and it was only our second Christmas in San Diego after moving from Hawaii. Being away from home during the holidays was hard, but their team created a drive-through Christmas event that brought so much joy to our family. The volunteers were amazing, and you could feel how much heart they put into making the season special for everyone. My children were given toys and my pet was given treats and a toy. They also gave a free fresh Christmas tree. I cried in appreciation for several days everytime I walked out into our living room and saw the Christmas tree. It brought a bit of normalcy during COVID. Since then, we've participated in several of their holiday and pet-friendly events, and each one just keeps getting bigger and better. Their annual Unleash the Holiday Cheer celebration is one of the best community events in San Diego. They offer so many FREE activities and giveaways for military/veterans including (from the flyer 2025): * A free concert * Crafts and professional Santa photos * Gifts from Santa for the kids ** A Pet Costume Runway Show with big prizes ** - we haven't participated in this but I always look forward to what they participants come up with * Story time with the Candylane Princess * Face painting * Carnival games * A "Puppacino Station" for the pups * Foam party, bubble artist & even a Swifites station * FREE Kong pet toys * FREE vet care vouchers for all attendees - We benefited from this last year. The garbage disposal broke in our home and we couldn't wash dishes. At the same time one of our dogs needed a blood test and procedure done on them. I'm so grateful for the vet care voucher. * 1000+ unwrapped Christmas gifts donated to Active Duty Military & Veterans **This year civilians were able attend for free.** It's community effort, and it shows. The vendors are awesome, the volunteers are friendly, and the atmosphere is always warm and festive. Traci's Paws goes above and beyond to support pets, families, and military communities in San Diego. If you haven't been to one of their events before, check out their Facebook, Instagram page and website- you'll be amazed at how much they offer. This organization has become a part of our family's holiday tradition, and we appreciate them so much. If you looking for an organization to donate or volunteer please consider Traci's Paws.

Tracis paws is an amazing organization that put on a wonderful event that not only allowed us to…read moremeet fellow veterans and dog parents, but also gave us an opportunity to have a picture with Santa! Despite it being kind of warm, they toughed it out and gave everyone an opportunity. There were many vendors and a great costume show. We can't wait to go back next year :) they are so good about trying to help the animals and rescue those that are in need. My rescue did so well and made lots of doggy friends. Were extremely grateful! keep up the good work!

Terrific communication, our previous custom shirt person retired - so we needed to start over. We…read morewere so pleased with the finished product and competitive pricing, we have already placed a second order - great local company - definitely recommend

People that are in the automotive, general repair or machine industry know how hard it is to find a…read moresolid, reputable machine or CNC shop. It's even harder to find a shop that has skilled workers with common sense and good training. Believe it or not, common sense and skilled workers does not always go hand n hand. For example, you might have a great skilled worker that knows how to do his job, but when it's time to think "outside the box" they might get uncomfortable because they need some directions on how to perform the task. Well I was lucky to run into DustIn and his shop. I called around a few other shops and they weren't too familiar with what I needed done (thread repairs on a 3" diameter) but Dustin had that "I'll figure it out, bring it over" attitude which I love. Not only did he get to work as soon as I got there, but he showed me how to finish cleaning the threads out Incase the work he did wasn't enough. I appreciated his honesty and his "let's get it done" attitude! Will definitely recommend others to his shop!

Such an eye-opening experience! It was so great seeing everyone gather for a good cause and support…read moretheir families through this walk. Lots of volunteer abilities and everyone involved was super helpful and kind.

From the owner: Questions about memory loss? We're here to help! We provide free support to people living with…read moredementia, their families, and education to the community at large. As a local nonprofit, every dollar donated stays in San Diego County.

The Green Store in Ocean Beach, San Diego, brings to mind a library and eco-center. And it is…read moreboth! I went there for a presentation by the public figure Rob Greenfield. When I first walked in, I noticed a hodge-podge of tapestries, rugs, throws, modern eco art, all in earthy and jewel tones. The backdrop was dark wood paneling and shelves, and scattered through the room were strings of lights. You can smell the wood in the room, musky and lingering. The store's mission is one of community, philanthropy and teaching. The walls are lined with magazines and books focused on green-living. The space is offered free of charge to community-minded green initiatives and serves as a lending library. The presentation was a treat. Rob Greenfield recounted how he lived solely off the food he grew or foraged for, essentially fruits and vegetables, for a whole year! He showed images of the meals he prepared, and they looked delicious! His adventures are documented on his YouTube channel. Rob is an engaging and dynamic speaker. It was so interesting to learn about his experience and the different green initiatives he supports and has received help from. One of the initiatives he mentioned includes a grant that funds planting ten fruit trees in your community, accessible to all that anyone can apply for. I had a great experience. It's so eye-opening and inspiring to learn about different ways of life, the extent to which Rob went to to complete a community-serving project and his level of dedication to this cause!

Great place to get ideas and meet likeminded people concerned about climate change. Get on their…read moremailing list. They have outstanding presentations.

This is my local Y and I come here multiple times a week today they treated all of the members to a…read morefree pancake breakfast from 7 to 9 AM with as many pancakes and sausages and eggs and oranges and orange juice that you could eat. But the best part of it all is sitting and getting to know your fellow members and swapping stories and making new friends. Everyone smiles here in the staff get along so well and it's just the happiest place on earth If you're looking for a place to get a good workout, this place has everything so you don't need to look any farther than the Y.

The T. Claude and Gladys B. Ryan Family YMCA has been an amazing resource for me as a single mom…read more During a financially challenging time and a major life transition, they truly came through for us. I was humbled and incredibly grateful to receive a scholarship that helped reduce the cost of our membership and my son's summer camps, allowing me to start my new jobs while school was out. They also worked with us on a payment schedule that made camp costs manageable. Knowing my son is somewhere safe, having fun, and making wonderful memories gives me such peace of mind. It makes my heart smile to hear him excitedly share all of his adventures when I pick him up each day. The Camp and Adventure Guides Program Director, Alejandro Villasenor, has been an immense help to our family. You can tell he genuinely loves what he does and treats families in the community with kindness, warmth, and a sincere desire to give children the best summer camp experience possible. My son had a wonderful and memorable time at YMCA camp two summers ago, and he has had another fantastic experience this summer through the Pokémon LEGO Engineering Camp, Craft Camp, Splash Camp, and next he'll be attending Horse and Ranch Camp, which he's incredibly excited about because he'll get to learn to ride horses! Thank you, Alejandro, all of the wonderful camp counselors, and everyone else at the Ryan Family YMCA. We truly appreciate everything you do for our family and for so many others in the community.