Live theatre and music, interactive exhibits and extraordinary historical sites in San Diego County provide one-of-a-kind opportunities to explore, learn and be entertained. More than 90 museums cover the region with many gracing Balboa Park, often referred to as San Diego’s cultural crown jewel. Catch a free concert in the park by the Spreckels Organ Society, dedicated to preserving and promoting the world’s largest outdoor pipe organ. Also visit the the park’s San Diego Zoo, celebrating its centennial in 2016.
Nearby, Old Town San Diego welcomes visitors to 19th-century colonial life. The site is considered the “birthplace” of California, and visitors watch history come alive in the many preserved historic buildings and museums. While in Old Town, visit the Mormon Battalion Historic Site or San Diego County Sheriff’s Museum, or delight in a musical or play at Cygnet Theatre, a popular performing arts venue.
Down by the waterfront, two of the city’s most treasured attractions —the floating Maritime Museum of San Diego and the USS Midway Museum—anchor the bay. Just a stroll away, enjoy a musical performance by the San Diego Symphony’s Summer Pops orchestra, staging outdoor concerts all summer long at the Embarcadero Marina Park South.
North County also draws visitors to the revered Mission San Luis Rey, a jewel of early California history. Regional arts and entertainment venues sharing the spotlight include the Museum of Making Music in Carlsbad and Moonlight Stage Productions, staging Broadway plays and musicals in Vista. In East County, visit four museums at one place at the Heritage of the Americas Museum, or take an old-time train ride with the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum in Campo.
ARTS DISTRICT Liberty Station
2825 Dewey Rd, San Diego • (619) 573-9300 • 5 map on page 56
A burgeoning San Diego hub for life and culture, ARTS DISTRICT Liberty Station is a unique waterfront destination with 120 galleries, museums, artists, makers, restaurants, luxury cinemas and a public market. ARTS DISTRICT is a place to create, connect, learn, shop, dine, explore and buy local art. From artists and dancers to boutique shops, a historic golf course, seasonal holiday ice rink, and event venues, ARTS DISTRICT abounds with entertainment, annual festivals and innovative cultural and culinary experiences. Located at the former Naval Training Center in Point Loma you’ll find historic Navy architecture, vast parks and plentiful free parking. Enjoy Friday Night Liberty, a free monthly first-Friday event, featuring open artist studios, shopping and cultural performances; Artwalk @LibertyStation, a fine-arts festival Aug. 13-14, and a holiday tree lighting set for Nov. 30. libertystation.com/ARTSDISTRICT
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla • (858) 534-3474 • 9 map on page 53
Dive into the world of sharks, seahorses and living coral reefs at Birch Aquarium at Scripps. Perched on a bluff above the Pacific and featuring more than 60 habitats of fish and invertebrates, the aquarium hosts daily animal-feeding and hands-on educational visitor activities. Birch Aquarium also offers seasonal outdoor excursions such as whale watching, grunion runs, pier walks and more. Other programs include monthly SEA Days (Science, Exploration & Adventure!) and Summer Learning Adventure Camps. Also not be to be missed are living tide-pool displays allowing visitors to touch sea stars, hermit crabs, sea cucumbers and other unique animals local to San Diego’s tide pools. Check out the summertime Green Flash concerts, pairing live music with panoramic ocean views, May through September 2016! Open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. year-round. aquarium.ucsd.edu
Cabrillo National Monument
• 15 map on page 56 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Dr., San Diego • (619) 557-5450
About 30 minutes west from downtown San Diego lies Cabrillo National Monument—a gem of a national park named for Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo, the first European to set foot on the California coast. The park features stunning views of San Diego’s coastline from 400 feet above the ocean. Visitors can tour the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, built in 1855; trek the two-mile Bayside Trail offering breathtaking harbor and city of San Diego views; and during low tide, peer into tide pools of the Rocky Intertidal Zone. Also, a lookout point near the lighthouse provides one of the best places on land anywhere to observe migrating gray whales. The park’s elevated location also has military importance: History buffs will enjoy seeing searchlight bunkers and viewing the exhibit, “They Stood the Watch,” which shows the park’s role in World Wars I and II. Going further back in time, re-enactors stroll the park and offer a living picture of life in the 1880s. Visit Cabrillo—San Diego’s Ocean Gateway & National Park—today! nps.gov/cabr or cnmf.org [Coupon on page 59]
Cygnet Theatre • 27 map on page 56
4040 Twiggs St., San Diego • (619) 337-1525 •
Enjoy a memorable night out at Cygnet Theatre, staging critically acclaimed musicals and plays in San Diego’s Old Town. Patrons enjoy excellent views from every one of the theatre’s 246 seats, as well as air conditioning, state-of-the-art lighting and sound, and free parking. Restaurants and shops are just steps away.
Cygnet launches its 14th season in July with a diverse slate of shows. Leading the way will be the classic musical and much-loved “Gypsy” (July 14-Sept. 4), about the ultimate stage mom and her daughter, Gypsy Rose Lee, as she transforms into one of America’s most famous burlesque entertainers. For a change of pace, Cygnet stages two works in rotating repertory by the late playwright August Wilson, who charted the African-American experience. In ”Seven Guitars” (Sept. 28 to Nov. 6), set in Pittsburgh in 1948, friends gather to mourn for a blues guitarist and singer who has died just as his career was taking off. “King Hedley II” (Sept. 29-Nov. 6), also set in Pittsburgh, follows an ex-con in 1985 trying to rebuild his life amid a backdrop of crime and drug struggles in the community. For the holidays, Cygnet welcomes the return of “A Christmas Carol” (Nov. 22-Dec. 24), adapted from Charles Dickens’ timeless tale of hope and redemption. cygnettheatre.com cygnettheatre.com [Coupon on page 57]
Heritage of the Americas Museum • 15 map on page 53
12110 Cuyamaca College Dr W, El Cajon • (619) 670-5194
Journey through time as you visit four museums in one place: Natural History features specimens from throughout the world. Archaeology is filled with pre-Columbian artifacts from North, Central and South America. The artifacts in Anthropology represent Native American life after 1492. The Art Wing has contemporary western art and a Chinese collection, including a jade burial suit from the Han Dynasty. Stroll through the botanical gardens, containing exotic palm trees on one side and desert plants on the other. cuyamaca.edu/museum [Coupon on page 59]
Japanese Friendship Garden • G map on page 54
2215 Pan American Rd E, San Diego • (619) 232-2721
Find peace and enjoy meditation among the ornamental plants, colorful Koi pond and beautiful Bonsai display in this expansive Balboa Park garden. Considered to be a living work of art in Japanese culture, the garden also features a meandering path flanked by artfully arranged rocks, shrubbery and trees. The garden is a popular venue for weddings and corporate events and has both indoor and outdoor facilities. Docent tours are free with paid admission, and special exhibits are also a must-see while visiting! niwa.org
Maritime Museum of San Diego • 11 map on page 56
1492 North Harbor Drive, San Diego • (619) 234-9153
Tour one of the city’s most endearing attractions, the floating Maritime Museum of San Diego, along downtown San Diego’s waterfront. The magnificent Star of India, an 1863 iron bark, is the main draw. The museum’s collection also includes the steam ferryboat Berkeley; the tops’l schooner Californian; a B-39 Soviet submarine; the Pilot, an assistance craft for commercial ships first launched in 1914; an American research submarine the USS Dolphin; HMS Surprise (star of “Master and Commander” and “Pirates of the Caribbean 4,”); the steam yacht Medea, and a Vietnam Era Swift Boat PCF 816. Most recently, the museum has added the San Salvador, a newly constructed replica of the first European ship to reach America’s West Coast in 1542. Guests can also experience firsthand the thrills of sailing on the decks of some of these world-class vessels, including the Californian, the Pilot and the Swift Boat. sdmaritime.org [Coupon on page 59]
Mission San Luis Rey
4050 Mission Ave., Oceanside • (760) 757-3651 • 34 map on page 53
Discover the architectural beauty of Oceanside’s Old Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, known as the “King of the Missions.” Founded in 1798, it is the 18th of the 21 Spanish missions and a jewel of early California history. The museum features an extensive collection of mission artifacts. Stroll around and see its parish, gardens with the historic Pepper Tree and historic cemetery. Stop by the gift shop featuring unique and delicate religious items, mementos and books. sanluisrey.org
Moonlight Stage Productions
1200 Vale Terrace Drive, Vista • (760) 724-2110 • 7 map on page 55
Enjoy an evening out watching Broadway-quality theater in Vista! And catch top stars in concert! Moonlight Stage Productions kicks off its 2016 summer season with the musical comedy smash “Sister Act” (June 15 - July 2), followed by the high-flying classic “Peter Pan” (July 20 - Aug. 6), the riveting “Titanic The Musical” (Aug. 17 - Sept. 3) and the kooky and spooky “The Addams Family” (Sept. 14 - Oct. 1). Summer performances are held under the stars at Moonlight Amphitheatre in Brengle Terrace Park. Audiences may reserve seats or enjoy casual lawn seating along with their own packed picnics.
The inaugural Moonlight Presents series continues in 2016 with a spectacular lineup including Elton John tribute artist Craig A. Meyer, who brings his show “Remember When Rock Was Young” to the Moonlight on Oct. 28; and “America’s Got Talent” 2012 semifinalist Tim Hockenberry, who performs Nov. 19. For a special holiday treat on Dec. 3, the series hosts a performance by Lightwire Theatre, which will stage “A Very Electric Christmas.” Lightwire Theater combines dance, puppetry and technology into its dazzling shows. Kids are also invited to play in a snow area before the performance!
Also don’t miss Moonlight Cultural Foundation benefit concerts, including New York City-based string quartet “Well Strung,” performing July 9; and vocalists Chris Mann and Shoshana Bean performing beloved Broadway hits on November 12. moonlightstage.com [Coupon on page 59]
Mormon Battalion Historic Site
2510 Juan St, San Diego • (619) 298-3317 • 27 map on page 56
Step into history and learn about a journey of Mormon Battalion families who left the sweltering heat of Iowa in 1846, as part of the US Army of the West, and completed one of the longest infantry marches in American history — about 2,000 miles — to San Diego. This fascinating story and much more is the focus of the Mormon Battalion Historical Site in Old Town. You can even pan for gold! Best of all, it’s free! lds.org/locations/san-diego-mormon-battalion-historic-site
Museum of Making Music
5790 Armada Drive, Carlsbad • (760) 438-5996 • 1 map on page 53
Take note of this dynamic museum, a tribute to the love of all things music! Located behind the Flower Fields in Carlsbad, this hidden gem is home to hundreds of vintage instruments and specialty exhibits held throughout the year. Live concerts at the museum feature famous international and national musicians as well as local talent. Visitors can also pick up and play instruments like keyboards, drums and guitars in a vibrant hands-on area. A walk through the museum’s chronologically organized, 100-year history of music takes center stage. Gallery tours can be selfguided or for groups, led by docents. Either way, visitors will leave singing a happy tune! museumofmakingmusic.org [Coupon on page 57]
Pacific Southwest Railway Museum Association, Inc.
750 Depot St., Campo • (619) 465-7776 • 35 map on page 53
Take a leisurely journey on an old-time train through San Diego’s rugged and scenic East County mountains on weekends. Walking tours of the 40-acre museum are included and feature extensive displays of historic artifacts spanning more than 100 years of Pacific Southwest railway history. Seasonal offerings include the spring Easter Bunny train, the Pumpkin Express to the Pumpkin Patch in the fall, caboose rides, and the winter North Pole Limited Santa train, an East County tradition. Opportunities are offered for rides on a locomotive with an engineer (cab rides) and operating a huge diesel freight locomotive (Engineer-For-An-Hour). The nonprofit museum also displays the 1894 La Mesa train depot in downtown La Mesa, open on Saturday afternoons. Train schedules vary, and guests are asked to check the web site’s calendar for any changes. psrm.org
Reuben H. Fleet Science Center • 3 map on page 54
1875 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 • (619) 238-1233 •
Experiment with 100+ interactive, “do-touch” exhibits and check out fun traveling exhibitions in this inspiring science museum and planetarium in Balboa Park. Inside the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center you can construct marble roller coasters in the Tinkering Studio, interact with a swirling tornado, learn how to generate electricity and explore other fun science concepts!
The Fleet’s Giant Dome Theater features the world’s first IMAX projector, showing stunning nature and science films in an immersive, wrap-around dome experience. Without leaving your seat, you’ll feel as if you’re exploring a National Park, soaring high above beautiful ancient landscapes or swimming with colorful and amazing sea creatures. The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center also offers spring, summer and winter camps for kids in kindergarten through 8th grade, engaging live science talks, unique school learning programs and after-hours events for the 21+ crowd.
The Fleet is open 365 days a year, including holidays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday. Hours and current exhibitions are subject to change so please check the website for the latest information, rhfleet.org. rhfleet.org [Coupon on page 59]
San Diego Art Institute 
1439 El Prado, San Diego • (619) 236-0011 • 14 map on page 54
Entering its 75th year, San Diego Art Institute showcases artists from Southern California and Baja Norte, with a focus on San Diego County. SDAI develops professional careers of local and regional artists and supports multimedia contemporary art practices through exhibition, education, and outreach, with new exhibitions opening to the public every four to six weeks in our world-class facilities. Visit SDAI to view innovative work by leading artists; youth and veteran artworks; and selected pieces for purchase. For lists of upcoming events and calls for art, please go visit SDAI online. sandiego-art.org
San Diego Air & Space Museum • 22 map on page 54
2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego • (619) 234-8291
Get lost in aviation and space exploration at this top-flight museum in the heart of Balboa Park. Marvel at the model of the Montgolfier brothers’ hot-air balloon, which launched the first manned ascent in 1783. View aircraft used by barnstormers of the 1920s. Appreciate restored airplanes representing classic military aircraft that flew in World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. See the only flying replica of the Spirit of St. Louis, which carried Charles Lindbergh on the world’s first solo trans-Atlantic flight, and the real capsule used in the Apollo 9 space mission. Open now through 2016, the special exhibition “Da Vinci: The Ultimate Innovator” brings to life more than 90 machines, robotics, artworks and innovations from history’s most famous innovator, Leonardo Da Vinci. Visitors experience Da Vinci’s bicycle, spring-powered car, hang glider, and helicopter, as well as reproductions of his most famous paintings, including the Last Supper and the Mona Lisa. sandiegoairandspace.org [Coupon on page 59]
San Diego Automotive Museum • 21 map on page 54 2
080 Pan American Plaza, San Diego • (619) 231-2886
Pay homage to classic motorcycles and collectable autos of the 20th century at this world-class museum in Balboa Park. Check out “Show Stoppers,” a permanent car and motorcycle collection including a stunning group of Indian Motorcycles, an extremely rare 1966 Bizzarrini P538 and of course the beautiful three-wheeled 1932 Morgan Super Sport just to name a few. Other exhibits include presentations on actor and automobile and motorcycle racer Steve McQueen, and Louis Mattar’s Fabulous Car. sdautomuseum.org [Coupon on page 59]
San Diego Model Railroad Museum
1649 El Prado #4, San Diego • (619) 696-0199 • 2 map on page 54
Train your sights on the impressive San Diego Model Railroad Museum in Balboa Park. Home to 28,000 square feet of space in the lower level of the Casa De Balboa building, the museum features six bustling train exhibits. Four take visitors on a panoramic journey through real or imaginary Southwest railway lines with a fifth operating display devoted to rare and modern toy trains. The sixth and newest permanent exhibit is “Centennial Garden Railway,” an exciting G-scale model version of Balboa Park in 1915-1916. Both massive and intricate, the layouts are maintained by local model railroads clubs. Everything from mountain scenery to miniature buildings have been handcrafted in the various O, HO and N scale exhibits. Trains come equipped with realistic engine sounds, horns, whistles, and even smoke! The museum also offers school visits and summer camps. Visitors may enjoy “Loco for Locos: Railroadiana and Railroad Kitsch,” on display through summer 2016. Open every day except Mondays. sdmrm.org [Coupon on page 59]
San Diego Sheriff’s Museum
2384 San Diego Ave, San Diego • (619) 260-1850 • 27 map on page 56
Tour the San Diego Sheriff’s Museum in Old Town, an educational and entertaining experience for visitors of all ages. The museum covers the entire history of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department from its inception in 1850 through today. The recently renovated museum contains cars, motorcycles, real-life jail cells from various eras, and replica Sheriff’s offices from the 1850s, 1940s and present. Children can sit on a real-life motorcycle and use the siren, pick up a bullet-proof vest, play with handcuffs, and sit in a real Sheriff’s car! Adults will appreciate the rich history of the department reflected throughout the museum. Ask the docent to take a picture of your entire family—locked in a jail cell! Open from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Donations are appreciated. sheriffsmuseum.org
San Diego Symphony
750 B St., San Diego • (619) 235-0804 • 28 33 map on page 56
Orchestrate an evening out enjoying world-class performances by the San Diego Symphony. Hear Brahms, Beethoven and Broadway hits! From October through May, the symphony performs at Jacob Music Center’s Copley Symphony Hall, offering a Jacobs Masterworks classical repertoire, a Fox Theatre Film Series, Family Concerts and Jazz @ The Jacobs, showcasing popular guest artists. Special concerts during the 2016-2017 indoor season include Flamenco singer Diego El Cigala, the renowned Vienna Boys Choir, world-famous Irish-Celtic musicians the Chieftains and many more diverse performances. From July through September, the symphony presents the outdoor “Bayside Summer Nights” season at Embarcadero Marina Park South, mixing classical favorites and pop music — and new this summer, three Thursday night jazz concerts. This festive atmosphere on San Diego’s picturesque waterfront kicks off July 1-3 with the patriotic “Star-Spangled Pops,” an all-American program along with a military salute and fireworks show, and closes over Labor Day weekend with the rousing “1812 Tchaikovsky Spectacular.” sandiegosymphony.org
Save Our Heritage Organisation
2476 San Diego Ave., San Diego • (619) 297-9327 • 27 map on page 56
Experience firsthand a “place in time” at a historic San Diego home or site, thanks to the region’s leading preservation group, Save Our Heritage Organisation, or SOHO. Begun in 1969, the nonprofit has raised awareness and appreciation of San Diego’s architectural, cultural, and environmental heritage. Among the many landmarks SOHO has saved are the Hotel del Coronado, the Santa Fe Depot, the Villa Montezuma, and Horton Plaza’s Irving Gill-designed fountain, which is on SOHO’s logo. It currently operates the Adobe Chapel Museum and Whaley House Museum, both in Old Town, the Marston House Museum & Gardens in Balboa Park, Santa Ysabel Store and the Feed Store in Santa Ysabel and the Warner-Carrillo Ranch House in Warner Springs. Tours of these charming repositories of local history are available. sohosandiego.org [Coupon on page 59]
Spanish Village Art Center
1770 Village Place, San Diego • (619) 233-9050 • 5 map on page 54
Color your world at this unique historic art center in Balboa Park, where 37 working-artist studios have opened their doors to the public for over 80 years. Visitors are invited to watch glassblowers, potters, painters, sculptors, jewelrymakers and other craftspeople create one-of-a-kind pieces—all for sale. Events include the Potters’ Guild and Art Glass Guild patio sales, both held twice a year. Summer camps for kids and adults along other classes for all ages are also offered. spanishvillageart.com [Coupon on page 59]
Spreckels Organ Society
1549 El Prado, Suite 10, San Diego • (619) 702-8138 • 15 map on page 54
Behold the world’s largest outdoor pipe organ while enjoying its vibrant sounds during year-round concerts by the Spreckels Organ Society. Performances are held in Balboa Park at 2 p.m. every Sunday, and on Monday evenings in summer (7:30 to 9:30 p.m.) All concerts are free and open to the public. Seating is outdoors in the organ pavilion, on metal benches that seat up to 2,500 people. Guests are encouraged to bring blankets, seat cushions, shade hats, or sun umbrellas and musicloving pets are welcome, as well as picnics. Stroll down the Prado to cap off the day. spreckelsorgan.org
USS Midway Museum
910 N Harbor Drive, San Diego • (619) 544-9600 • 3 map on page 56
Explore the 4-acre flight deck of the awe-inspiring aircraft carrier USS Midway, a naval aviation museum in downtown San Diego berthed at Navy Pier. The floating “city at sea” houses an extensive collection of restored aircraft. Admission includes a self-guided audio tour, narrated by former Midway sailors to more than 60 locations, including sleeping quarters, engine room, galley, brig, post office, machine shops and pilots’ ready rooms, officers quarters and the bridge—the tallest point of the ship and its command and control center. Family-oriented activities for all ages include family audio tours, flight simulators, climb-aboard aircraft and cockpits, interactive exhibits, Battle of Midway Theater, and much more. midway.org [Coupon on page 59]
The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park
2115 Park Blvd, San Diego • (619) 239-2300 • 25 map on page 54
Tour this center honoring the men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces and Wartime Merchant Marine. The museum is located in Balboa Park in the former World War II-era Navy Chapel adjacent to the Veterans Memorial Garden (with its B-24 Bomber) and the San Diego Vietnam Peace memorial which lists all the San Diegans who were killed or listed as MIA during Vietnam. veteranmuseum.org [Coupon on page 59]