I highly recommend coming to visit this USA Veterans Memorial Monument. This monument was…read moreestablished in the year 2000 and has been an icon in our community of San Diego for 26 years. It is run by an organization that values and appreciates the sacrifices of our USA veterans. Everything in the middle round monument is run by this organization and not by the City of San Diego. The monuments are so very well presented. Each of the walls of honored veterans have a wonderful photo and a brief summary of their service as well as who they were. This is a great educational opportunity for people to come visit and learn about the people who have sacrificed ultimately for our country. It was very nice to see that there were America 250 years flags flying. Also, I love that they have the POW MIA flag flying. at the top of the monument there is a big bench that says "Papa Doug" Manchester engraved on it. I try to come visit this location every other year if not once a year. It's a wonderful reminder about our veterans and how they've sacrificed for our country and for us to have the freedoms that we have today.

Mount Soledad National Veterans Memorial is a significant tribute to our nation's veterans. The…read moresite offers incredible 360 degree views of San Diego County and the Pacific Ocean. The pinnacle of the Memorial is a massive white cross at the summit of the hill. Granite plaques, highlighting 3000 sponsored veterans, encircle the cross. Accessible walkways allow viewing of each of the highlighted veterans. U.S. flags and white rose bushes adorn the site. Panels around the monument describe the site, donors and controversy regarding the cross on public lands. The artistic cross was added in 1996 after court battles. Veterans can be added to the granite wall for fees around $3000 each for engraving. Information pamphlets are available at the site. Several benches are available for relaxing. Parking is somewhat limiting, but we were able to find a space. There are no restroom or other facilities at the site. Admission is free, but donations are requested.

Let's start with the fact that it's "pay what you wish" so if you're not expecting anything more…read morethan a place to poke your head in when you're nearby, then by all means come on by. The lady at the front responded to general questions while seated about the Wisteria being beautiful when it blooms 2 weeks in the year. It would be nice to see all the pergola covered with Wisteria in bloom. She was also funny in commenting about the palm leaves just being framed to look post-modern. The place is tiny and clean. I'm glad that there was a sign warning folks that a side room had content not appropriate for kids. I'm scratching my head at the pieces on display. I'm thinking there have got to be more engaging pieces for this prime real estate. Won't come by again unless there's a different exhibit or event.

This exquisite jewel of a place created the perfect setting for our Rehearsal Dinner family…read moregathering. I can't rave enough about our event person, Carla Cook, and literally everyone we met. From planning, to set up, to actual celebration, the La Jolla Historical Society Wisteria Cottage was complete perfection. Thank you! We will be back

Step back a century ago. The "troll bridges" are two old stone bridges that were built in the…read morehills of Mt. Soledad in the late 1920s and early 1930s They have become part of La Jolla lore. The classic, arched look is similar to that of the larger Cabrillo Bridge that passes through Balboa Park and takes visitors from 6th Avenue to the Prado. We lived not far from these bridges when we had our home in La Jolla Village ... and did not know about them until we saw an article on LaJolla com. It still took some driving and searching to find them. From Torrey Pines Road, take Exchange Place southeast (away from the ocean) onto Soledad Road and make a right on Al Bahr Drive for the first one For the second one, take Hillside Drive south to a right on Castellana Road for the second bridge

I'm GIANTS: Art from the Dean Collection of Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys was inspiration on a grand…read morescale. What I loved most is how beautifully this exhibition moves across time periods, genres, cultures, places and styles--welcoming and celebrating so many different people, perspectives and stories along the way. It's elegant without being stuffy. Sophisticated without losing its sense of fun. Thought-provoking, vibrant, unexpected and wonderfully eclectic. If you're in San Diego, don't miss this installation. San Diego County and Tijuana residents receive special $20 admission, older adults 55+ are $15, and visitors with disabilities receive FREE admission. Admission is also free for guests 25 and under, military, and SNAP/EBT cardholders. And there's something especially meaningful about **Swizz Beatz and Alicia Keys--both San Diego natives--**finding yet another way to give back to our community through art, culture, access and inspiration. Elegant. Eclectic. Joyful. Classy. And, appropriately... GIANT. Tomorrow, August 9, is the final day. Go experience it.

This is a world-class contemporary museum. If you're in the area, don't miss it!…read more Important details: -The entrance is not on the ocean side, you have to walk around the block to Prospect Street. -The museum is closed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday! They are also closed on many holidays, check the hours of operation before visiting. -They participate in Bank of America Museums on Us. Thanks to the friendly person at the front desk who mentioned this. -This museum is near La Jolla Cove which if you like birds, is not to be missed! The museum has three floors and nice outdoor areas including a restaurant. The museum overlooks an absolutely stunning coastline. They go a little overboard with recordings and staff asking patrons to stay away from the art (I get it, but geez!). Be ready for that, especially if you have kids. The Nick Cave fringy art is just too tempting for kids. I went to look out a window and was told to stay back, I mean really. They have a "calm room", and you might need to use that to calm down from being told to stay away from the art so much! Haha. I saw the Giants Alicia Keys exhibit which was great. The movie I could barely hear. They have tons of merch in the store for the exhibit, however I really wanted a t-shirt that was for the museum and not the specific exhibit, but they didn't have any.

Crystal Pier is one of the most beautiful spots in San Diego! The ocean views are incredible,…read moreespecially at sunset. Walking along the pier and seeing the cottages over the water makes for a unique experience. A must-visit when you're in Pacific Beach. Please check out my video : https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8sEBT8t/

On a little weekender, on the first day, I told my baby I wanted to walk out to the end of a pier…read moreand do some sunset, beach, drinks type stuff at some point over the weekend. We lucked up on Crystal Pier. My sweet baby's selection. More of a locals hangout. Parking is competitive and paid parking is a grip, but we had a beautiful time! The common theme among every person there was the pause to take it all in. Great vibe! Lots of restaurants. Great walking path up and down the beach. All kids of people. Dog walkers, surfers, people in the sand laying, playing volleyball, all kings of things. By the time the sun was ready to slip away, we were in the perfect spot at the end of the pier. We lucked out of the best weather imaginable. The lightest cool breeze, not overly humid and clear. What a special time!! Holding hands. Sweet kisses. I loved it. Romantic. Refreshing. Relaxing. All the things I love and a fantastic way to start our evening.

There is paid parking, but there's also plenty of free street parking around if you search for it…read moreand keep in mind for the signs that are posted around. It's a must stop if you're in San Diego and it's worth a visit too, even if you're not planning on paying for any of the tours or the tourist spots. Lots of historical architecture, including authentic adobe buildings, statues, signs, and themed shops and such. Each time I've gone here it's been lively, especially so during the holiday season with the decor and the live music playing in the main central square. Lots of photo opportunities and shops and such to peruse and look around. Easy to grab souvenirs here as well and depending on what you're looking for, there may be more than one shop offering it (cultural souvenirs and pieces). Great to shop for outdoor garden decor (little statues and wind chimes) too. There's also toy stores, a hot sauce store, a "Chinese" themed store which is quite funny to visit, and lots of spots to grab food too, sit down and dine in or casual take out. I personally like the churro and champurrado place when it's open. There's a couple restrooms here too, but can get crowded and a bit gross with the large volume of people visiting. Free house museums for self tours where you just walk through and read the little signs that they have, and sometimes there's historical actors as well, which is always a treat.

I visited Old Town San Diego for the first time since I was a child...it's very different from what…read moreI remembered, but that was about 15-20 years ago. It's still cool to see. Plenty of shops, museums, and historic sites to check out. Handful of restaurants had live music. Honestly, the highlight for me was probably the church and the free tortilla I got from the window near Casa de Reyes. Those lived up to the childhood memories I had there. Free parking is good. Walking around is nice. Just do it once to cross it off your bucket list. It's fun, just go with low/no expectations!

Being a tourist in San Diego…read more.. Alana, Yuri, and I didn't know anything about this landmark at the San Diego Tech Center Building, so Yuri Googled it and gave us some information... The artist is Alexander Liberman. He was born in Russia in 1912, moved to the New York in 1941, and died in Miami, Florida, at the age of 87. He had created many red sculptures made out of steel in over 40 cites across the world... including one in Honolulu... It's on the campus of the University of Hawaii at Manoa! "The Gate of Hope" is near Holmes Hall - The College of Engineering. I didn't know that these two sculptures were made by the same artist! Wow! What a coincidence! Anyway, this Stargazer sculpture in San Diego is just one of 40 created by this talented photographer, painter, publisher, and magazine editor. It's majestic and amazing... go check it out if you're in the area!

A historic city park with panoramic views that make the perfect backdrop for all your park needs…read more Perched on a hill above Old Town, Presidio Park stretches across 4 acres and offers some of the most peaceful, scenic spots in the city. My go‑to area is around the Presidio building -- I love wandering through the Spanish‑style architecture and catching the many views of San Diego from the top. I suggest parking in the small lot right next to the building. Once you're done exploring that area, you can drive up to the top and park along the street if you want to continue your stroll through the grassy parts of the park. This park is perfect for photoshoots, picnics, hiking, casual hangs, and even special events (with proper city permitting). We love bringing our pup Enzo here for a relaxing walk. A quiet, scenic gem in the middle of the city.

Tons of hiking trails, gorgeous views of the bay, and super chill vibe. Perfect spot for a picnic…read moreor a solo hike. Watch out for the hills, though - get some cardio. 4.5/5 stars, def coming back!

There are 7 total ships, including the Star of India, and a submarine. You can purchase your ticket…read moreat any of the main booths/boat entrances, then show your receipt to visit the others on the same day. The flexibility of a self-guided tour was great. One ship was away on a sail in the afternoon this past Saturday, but there was more than enough to explore on the various vessels during our visit. Plenty to see and experience on each of the boats. We stepped onto the swift boat where staff educated us about its machine gun. And we walked through and checked out the different sections of the USS Dolphin submarine too. The HMS Surprise was a lovely ship with plenty of references to its use in films. The Star of India was like a museum all on its own, so many areas to explore and a ton of history to learn. The Californian was pretty basic, not very different from many other ships we've visited in the past. Steam Ferry Berkeley was the largest, with displays showcasing scientific instruments, model boats, artwork, the riverboats in Vietnam, the engine room, a torpedo caught by a fisherman, and a special exhibit featuring the "histories of the black pacific". There's a gift shop on site as well. Altogether, the variety of ships at the Maritime Museum made for an interesting adventure, a bit touristy, but worth the cost if you're into history or simply like boats.

Ok so I will split this into two reviews:…read more 1: the ships and actual adventure 2: the reservation process and customer service 1: booked a trip for the Spanish replica ship adventure the San Salvador and really loved it. The ticket also got you access to the other ships to walk around which was cool. But the coolest part was that San Salvador was sailed like they would have sailed it waaay back when. We got to see real rigging masts sails steering all being done by a crew and it was a totally amazing experience and such a perfect day. Bonus: we saw dolphins and it was a perfect day. Drawback: the gentlemen speaking throughout didn't talk into his mic often so missed a lot but oh well - who's really going for history?! such a good time!!. 2. I had a good with my tickets and called and tried to talk to folks in person and could never get someone. The tickets were cancelled but not refunded which was a bummer and staff in the kiosk even said they phone lines were messed up. A bummer. :(