On February 28, 2026 we visited the Air and Space museum in Balboa Park…read more We definitely enjoyed the museum and all of the exhibits. One of the volunteers showed us how to start the messerschmitt jet engine. This was fascinating. While there, we also had the pleasure of visiting the flight path grill. The hamburgers were fantastic! We wanted to thank the person that grilled them but they are behind closed doors. We couldn't believe the hamburgers cost only $8. The hamburgers were far better than the $22 hamburgers we got at our hotel! We really appreciated having such an enjoyable experience and hope you will give the person that grilled those hamburgers something special.

Whenever we visit a new city, we always try to check three things off our list: visit a museum, do…read moresomething on the water (if applicable) & catch a sports game. The San Diego Air & Space Museum was our museum pick for this trip & it was a fun, educational morning! My husband is a retired Army veteran & enjoys planes, aviation history & anything military-related, so this museum was right up his alley. We could have spent hours exploring all of the exhibits, aircraft, artifacts & historical displays. One of the highlights of our visit was meeting a super outgoing docent shortly after we walked in. Somehow, he kept magically popping up throughout the museum during our visit, sharing fascinating tidbits & fun facts about whatever exhibit we happened to be looking at. You could tell he genuinely loved being there & his enthusiasm made the entire experience even more engaging & personal. (My apologies for not remembering his name. He was an Air Force B-52 pilot & bonded with hubby over their shared military service.) Another really cool aspect of the museum is its location directly in the flight path of the airport. Planes were flying overhead every couple of minutes, which honestly added so much atmosphere to the visit. Hearing & seeing aircraft constantly overhead while walking through the exhibits made the whole experience feel extra immersive. The vintage Pacific Southwest Airlines stewardess uniforms on display were awesome! The museum does a great job balancing serious aviation history with quirky, interesting pieces of airline culture & design history. This was definitely a worthwhile visit - whether you are an aviation buff or just looking for an interesting & interactive museum experience. We both had a great time!

The Japanese Friendship Garden was a stunning place to get married. We got married on the koi pond…read moredeck this past Saturday. The location felt very private and serene with the way Marina sections off garden paths. Plenty of beautiful photo opportunities throughout the garden. Marina, as venue manager, was professional, communicative, and very warm and friendly. She made us feel comfortable and confident that we would have a beautiful wedding, and we did.

My wife and I decided to go here on Memorial Day and it was such a great experience!…read more It was very spacious, the wind was crisp , and it smelled amazing . If you haven't visited this garden , I recommend you do ! Also , Students / 55+ / military receive a discount .

The SD museums of art is at the balboa park amongst other museums and beautiful outdoor flowers,…read moresceneries, etc. there were many tourists out that day including school field trips, groups, etc. I used the gocity pass to check in at the front desk and then I was able to enjoy the museum. It is two stories big offering stairs and elevators. They have security on each art room/ theme area. I was able to observe many paintings that were diverse and unique. Some are antiques kept there for everyone to admire. They have clean restrooms available as well. Bring comfortable shoes because there is pretty to walk around. Staff were very nice and checking went smoothly as well. The sticker you are given can be used all day long to come back to the same Museum. Most museums open at 10AM but plenty of people arrive earlier. I took public transportation to get up there and that was easy.

It had been a minute since I was here last. There were some new exhibits I thoroughly enjoyed:…read more Cafes and Cabarets: the spectacular Art of Toulouse-Lautrec known for his beguiling portraits of Paris nightlife and immortalizing the cabaret culture of Belle Époque Paris. Chanell Stone: Undulation of a Rupture during a journey through the Mississippi Delta. Black and white photographs invite reflection on the Mississippi River as both a natural force and a historical passageway. The museum created an atmosphere of this exhibit with a deeply emotional connection and experience. Graciela Iturbide, arguably Latin America's best-known living photographer from Mexico. This exhibition surveys her most iconic photographs, primarily captured in Mexico, but also worldwide. Also, Dutch Paintings on loan from Boston Museum of Fine Arts. I came during the Great Exchange and it was free if you have membership with a participating museum. It's also free for San Diego residents on the third Tuesday of the month. Two things that surprised me: The first being half of upstairs was closed to prepare for new exhibits. Secondly, several Gallery Attendants behaved very strangely and were definitely not friendly or welcoming. There were two different exhibits where I was viewing the museum app on my phone and witnessed the attendants walking around in circles quickly. It was distracting and odd. I got the impression they didn't want me to linger but I ignored them and they finally stopped. I asked a question to another attendant and he seemed annoyed like I was disturbing him. The friendly women security guards were absolutely wonderful! Lastly, free parking was available for several hours as long as you previously registered with the city. Check out the map online for the different locations.

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. :(

The Maritime Museum of San Diego is honestly one of the most impressive history museums I've…read morevisited because the artifacts are the museum. You aren't just looking at history -- you're surrounded by ships that actually survived it. The Star of India, launched in 1863, survived mutiny, violent storms, collisions at sea, and decades carrying immigrants across dangerous oceans. Some sailors believed the ship was cursed after captains died during early voyages, yet somehow she survived long enough to become the oldest active sailing ship in the world. HMS Surprise shows the brutal reality of naval warfare during the Age of Sail. Ships like this once carried enough cannon firepower to destroy enemy vessels while sailors lived packed below deck surrounded by gunpowder, disease, and fear of battle. The Berkeley steam ferry even helped evacuate survivors during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake while much of the city burned. One of the most fascinating exhibits is the Soviet B-39 submarine from the Cold War. The inside is unbelievably cramped and gives you a real sense of what life was like beneath the ocean during one of the most dangerous periods in modern history. The USS Dolphin may have been my favorite. This experimental deep-diving U.S. Navy submarine helped test advanced underwater technology and launched the deepest-fired torpedo in naval history. The museum also includes the San Salvador, recreating the ship that explored California's coastline in 1542 -- long before America existed as a country. What makes this place incredible is the timeline it creates: 1500s exploration... 1800s global sailing... steam-powered industry... world wars... Cold War submarines... All sitting together in one harbor. This place doesn't just teach maritime history -- it shows how ships shaped exploration, immigration, trade, warfare, and entire empires.

What a wonder family experience here at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Through the years,…read morethe museum curators have designed a great collection of exhibits that capture our attention to the history of our planet. There are many different types of exhibits that highlight the history of this museum. Access to the different exhibits is easy to maneuver. There's also a great cafe located on the First Floor. I enjoyed the Amazement in the Basement exhibit highlighting the efforts of the staff in the preservation of artifacts for the future. Paid parking is readily available. Definitely a return visit call for the family!!!

I'm not reviewing the museum itself--I'm reviewing the Friday Night at The Nat experience, and it's…read moredefinitely worth checking out during the summer! On Friday evenings, the rooftop is open, offering beautiful panoramic views of Balboa Park and an amazing spot to watch the sunset. The atmosphere is relaxed, with drinks, food, music, and a great place to unwind after work or start your weekend. As an added bonus, museum admission is 50% off on Friday evenings, so you can also explore the exhibits if you'd like. If you're looking for a different Friday night activity in San Diego, I highly recommend giving this summer event a try.

A beautiful conservatory that houses over 2,000 plants. It's humid and feels like you have just…read morestepped into a mini jungle. It's very photogenic and the best part is that it's free to everyone. Weekday mornings are the best time to visit because this place is popular and gets very crowded. I always leave wanting to purchase more plants for my home.

What do you mean no lilies in the lily pond?…read more Zero. Also, pay parking is awful. I can forgive the no lilies, but the parking situation - abhorrent.

Prime Visitor Small…read moremuseum/gift shop/visitors center for the City of Coronado that's located in the heart of downtown. Evidently, they used to charge money ($5) to visit, but during our visit (Aug '22), it was free. The museum has some info on the history of Coronado as well as rotating art exhibits. This is also the home to the Visitor's Center and a small gift shop, so you can get any questions you might have and pick up some souvenirs. Nice place to visit that won't take you more than 20min but def worth a stop if this is your first time visiting Coronado.

Located in the little town of Coronado is the Museum of…read moreHistory and Art. This museum, almost as tiny as this town is small, has some wonderful information about Coronado's history. In the midst of the shops and restaurants, we stumbled upon this gem. For a $5 entrance fee (children are free), we spent a bit more the an hour looking at the exhibits. Information about the town's naval history, the resort The Del, and the main exhibit about James Stockdale (Medal of Honor Recipient) can be seen here. The best part of our visit was the displays about the 1969 Navy Medal of Honor recipient, Admiral Stockdale. Besides seeing all the great information about his childhood and family, there's also details about how he received his medal. The Admiral, who received this honor for his bravery during the 7 years he was held captive as a POW in Hao Lo prison in Vietnam, was truly a man of integrity. While looking at the exhibits, a young man started talking to us about his hero, Admiral Stockdale. He gave us a brief history about this "great man" and told us how he was awarded his Medal of Honor. He also mentioned that his hero's statue was located right out in front of the Naval Academy in Coronado. Although we may not have had a tour guide, this was even better! It was nice to see someone so young who was so proud of his Naval heritage. This is a fun way to see a bit about Coronado's history. The old clothing, especially the Naval uniforms, the history about The Del, and seeing the actual 1969 Naval Medal of Honor, is a great way to learn about the history of Coronado!

A Funday Sunday Adventure! It takes a lot to get me downtown on a weekend if it's not for a great…read moremeal or a baseball game. Usually super busy, crowded and some areas very smelly, I'd rather kiss a pig than be there. The WNDR museum caught my eye. Saw some ads and had nothing planned. Checked tickets and availability was wide open for that day. Easy entering the lobby as well as starting our tour whenever we preferred. There were exhibits upstairs and down. Many were pretty cool with mirrors and lights which made for some WOW moments. Other guests generally moved at about the same pace as us. Some stayed in certain areas for extended time, which, at times caused some backlog of movement. Restrooms located adjacent to the snack bar which is just beyond the entrance/ lobby. Easily a great visit for the young and young at heart! I believe the WNDR museum is scheduled to close at the end of August '25.

Really cool museum, small but plenty of exhibits! My kiddo was fascinated! Must buy tickets online,…read morestreet parking or park in the parking structure near by. They have a little cafe, small little store to purchase souvenirs, clean bathrooms. Would definitely recommend!