Play, imagine and experiment at San Diego’s world-class museums and explore important historical sites! Also check out cool creatures — from seahorses and sharks to loving lizards and turtles – up close at familyfriendly attractions. On the waterfront, tour the USS Midway Museum, home to the awe-inspiring aircraft carrier. At Balboa Park, stroll the Prado, visit the renowned San Diego Zoo and ride the Carousel, celebrating a century of fun. In Old Town, dress up like a soldier and pan for gold at the Mormon Battalion Historic Site. Experiment with unique musical instruments and catch concerts in Carlsbad, and “play with fire” at a glassblowing studio in Escondido.
Balboa Park Carousel
Park Boulevard at Zoo Place • (619) 232-2282 • 6 map on page 71
Circle back to the past and ride the historic Balboa Park Carousel, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2022! Built in New York in 1910, this menagerie model merry-go-round arrived in Balboa Park in 1922, and continues to bring joy to kids of all ages a century later. Almost all of the animal figures are original, as are the hand-painted murals on the center panels, the outer rounding boards, the military band organ, the motor, and the famous brass ring game. Fifty-two animals — ranging from horses to giraffes to zebras — and four chariots, are hand-carved and intricately and colorfully painted. Rides, set by an old-fashioned egg timer, last 5 minutes, with a top speed on the outside ring of 13 miles per hour. Take a spin and make new memories on this treasured attraction, open 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily June 15 to Aug. 28; and weekends and school holidays in the fall and winter. balboaparkcarousel.org
Balboa Park Explorer Pass
1549 El Prado, San Diego • (619) 232-7502 • 1 map on page 71
Visit amazing museums and more with a Balboa Park Explorer Pass! San Diego’s Balboa Park is the largest urban cultural park in the United States – no other place boasts 1,200 acres, 65 miles of hiking trails, more than a dozen museums, fantastic gardens, performing arts venues, and more! The Balboa Park Explorer Pass provides admission to multiple venues, and is up to a 58% savings over purchasing admission separately. Pass options include the popular Parkwide Pass (visit each participating museum, good for 7 consecutive days), or an Annual Pass that provides admission all year long! Purchase your Explorer Pass by visiting explorer.balboapark.org
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla • (858) 534-3474 • 9 map on page 73
Dive into the world of sharks, seahorses and coral reefs at Birch Aquarium. As the public outreach center for Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, Birch Aquarium features more than 60 habitats with amazing creatures including a rescued Loggerhead Sea Turtle, a Giant Pacific Octopus, Weedy Seadragons and Moon Jellies. Don’t miss the two-story Giant Kelp Forest or the outdoor tide pools where you can touch local creatures including juvenile sharks while enjoying stunning ocean views. New this summer, Beyster Family Little Blue Penguins follows the world’s smallest penguins on their journey from hatchlings to adults, highlighting the challenges they face in a changing climate while celebrating the features that make them so unique. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round with extended summer hours. Advanced reservations are required for all guests, even members. aquarium.ucsd.edu
Deer Park Winery & Auto Museum
29013 Champagne Blvd., Escondido • (760) 749-1666 • 34 map on page 72
Tour this wine and car lover’s dream, blending fine wine with classic automobiles in San Diego’s North County. Vintage vehicle buffs can check out the world’s largest collection of American convertibles, Coca-Cola memorabilia, an array of early Barbie Dolls, vintage household appliances, and other blasts from the past. Iconic wheeled wonders include a luxurious 1935 Packard; a 1950 Nash Rambler, Custom Landau Convertible - famous as the “Lois Lane” car; and 1953 Cadillac Eldorado Biarritz Convertible. Approximately 100 showstoppers ranging from carriages of the 1800s to the muscle cars of the 1970s — each iconic model evoking reverence and nostalgia. Regular admission is $10; free for kids 9 and under. Visitors can toast to these era-defining cars with a glass, flight or bottle of Deer Park estate wine in the tasting room, outside on the covered patio or on shaded picnic grounds. Open 10 a.m. Thursdays-Sundays. deerparkwine.com [Coupon on page 69]
EcoVivarium Living Museum
641 E. Pennsylvania Ave., Escondido (760) 975-9690 67 map on page 72
Get up close and personal with reptiles, amphibians, and bugs at EcoVivarium Living Museum! Guests of all ages can touch and hold snakes, lizards, and turtles. Plus, you might even get to high five a tarantula! Your guided tour of EcoVivarium is fun and educational for the entire family. The downtown Escondido museum is home to over 300 rescued and donated animals. Forty or more Ambassador Animals are featured in the museum each daily, so every visit offers new animal encounters! EcoVivarium also offers the coolest parties in town, loaded with memories to last a lifetime! Walk-in tours are available Thursday-Sunday, Private tours offered Weds.-Sun. EcoVivarium.org
Fleet Science Center
1875 El Prado, San Diego • (619) 238-1233 • 3 map on page 71
Explore 100+ interactive exhibits and fun traveling exhibitions in this inspiring Science Center, Dome Theater and planetarium in Balboa Park. Inside the Fleet Science Center, you can construct marble roller coasters in Studio X, touch a swirling tornado, learn how to generate electricity and explore other fun science concepts! The Fleet is also home to the world’s first IMAX® Dome Theater, showing stunning nature and science documentary films in an immersive, wraparound screen environment. Without leaving your seat, you’ll feel as if you’re on the edge of an erupting volcano or diving underwater to explore a coral reef. The theater also hosts live planetarium shows the first Wednesday of each month. Additionally, the Fleet Science Center offers spring, summer, fall and winter camps, engaging live science talks, unique school learning programs, afterhours events for the 21+ crowd and an array of virtual activities to experience at home. For hours of operation, a film schedule and a list of the current exhibitions, please check the website for the latest information. fleetscience.org [Coupon on page 69]
Heritage of the Americas Museum • 15 map on page 74
12110 Cuyamaca College Dr. West, 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. HeritageOfTheAmericasMuseum.com [Coupon on page 65]
Japanese Friendship Garden
2215 Pan American Rd. E., San Diego (619) 232-2721 G map on page 71
The Japanese Friendship Garden (JFG) is a traditional Japanese garden that features koi ponds, a zen garden and bonsai exhibit. Various water features and florae line the pathways of the 12-acre garden which also houses the largest and oldest bronze Kannon Bosatsu in the USA! JFG is an accredited museum that offers programming and cultural events. General admission starts at $12 and children under 6 are free. niwa.org
Mormon Battalion Historic Site
2510 Juan St, San Diego • (619) 298-3317 • 27 map on page 73
Step into history and experience the journey of the Mormon Battalion. In 1846, as part of the US Army of the West, they completed one of the longest infantry marches in American history — about 2,000 miles — from Iowa to San Diego. The fascinating story of their march, how they built up San Diego, and helped discover gold is the focus of the Mormon Battalion Historic Site in Old Town. It’s FREE, family-friendly, and you can even pan for gold. Open Monday, Wednesday - Saturday 10 a.m .- 7 p.m.; Tuesday 5 - 7 p.m.; Sunday 1-7 p.m. To sign-up for the virtual tour visit the Mormon Battalion Facebook Page at facebook.com/mormonbattalion/ and for additional information visit lds.org/locations/san-diego-mormon-battalion-historic-site
Museum of Making Music
5790 Armada Drive, Carlsbad • (760) 438-5996 • 1 map on page 72
Take note of this completely remodeled interactive museum, a tribute to the love of all things music! Nestled between LEGOLAND and The Flower Fields in Carlsbad, the museum invites visitors to discover the stories of how musical instruments are made, how they change over time, how they move from maker to retailer and into the possession of those who play them. Four newly designed galleries include a panoramic multimedia display, video stories, photos, hundreds of artifacts, and performance clips by major artists. Equally entertaining are “Sit & Play” stations with a variety of stringed instruments, including banjos and guitars. Visitors of all ages will also love the Interactive Gallery, which encourages guests to try out tambourines, ukuleles, bongos, electronic drums, and other unique musical instruments. The museum also regularly presents live concerts by award-winning artists. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. museumofmakingmusic.org [Coupon on page 65]
North Coast Repertory Theatre
987 Lomas Santa Fe, Ste. D, Solana Beach (858) 481-1055 4 map on page 72
Discover immense talent and exceptional productions in an intimate setting at North Coast Repertory Theatre in Solana Beach. The leading arts organization produces seven diverse main stage plays each year. The Rep’s 40th season concludes with the musical comedy murder mystery “The Remarkable Mister Holmes,” (July 20-Aug.21), an irreverent homage to the original Arthur Conan Doyle tales — with singing! The curtain then rises on the Rep’s 41st stellar season with “Annabella in July,” (Sept. 7-Oct. 2). This world premiere comedic fantasy transforms a ski resort during the off-season into a strangely magical environment of self-discovery. This laugh-out-loud comedy is followed by the San Diego premiere of “Into the Breeches,” (Oct. 19-Nov. 13), a hilarious and heartwarming look at the WWII home front and a group of women who band together to keep the local playhouse going with all-female Shakespeare productions. Over the holidays, enjoy the return of an audience favorite “2 Pianos 4 Hands,” (Dec. 7-Jan. 1, 2023), featuring a talented and funny duo who play everything from Bach to Billy Joel. Also, catch Variety Night shows Mondays and/or Tuesdays ranging from comedy nights to stage readings and musical entertainment. View all shows and dates at northcoastrep.org.
San Diego Air & Space Museum
2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego (619) 234-8291 22 map on page 71
Get lost in aviation and space exploration at this top-flight museum in the heart of Balboa Park! See a flight-worthy replica of the Spirit of St. Louis which carried Charles Lindbergh on the world’s first solo trans-Atlantic flight. Experience the real Apollo 9 command module, one of only a handful on display in the world. View aircraft used by barnstormers of the 1920s. Appreciate classic military aircraft from World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Enjoy the only 3D/4D theater in Balboa Park. Now Open! SPACE: Our Greatest Adventure and GALILEO: Space Visionary, two interactive galleries exploring mankind’s never-ending quest to reach beyond Earth’s bonds. sandiegoairandspace.org [Coupon on page 65]
San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
320 N. Broadway, Escondido (760) 233-7755 31 map on page 72
This hands-on children’s museum in North San Diego County sparks a love of learning so all children can discover their wildest dreams. Serving children up to age 10, young visitors are encouraged to learn through play as they set sail on the Discovery Sailboat, engineer with giant blocks, feed chickens in the Children’s Discovery Garden, and uncover a whole dinosaur fossil in the Base Camp dig site. sdcdm.org
Stone & Glass
629 W. Grand Ave., Escondido • (760) 294-7447 • 63 map on page 72
Experience the ancient art of glassblowing when you visit this warm and welcoming studio and gift gallery in downtown Escondido. Watch artisan and sculptor James Stone and his team spin and shape molten glass into gorgeous pieces of art, such as tumblers, bowls, vases, pendants, ornaments and other luminous objects. Stone also plies his craft for small- and large-scale commissions, home decor, and his environmental passion: ocean conservation. Subscribe to the Collectors Club, delivering colorful limited edition hand-blown drinking glasses right to your door. Beginners and/or small groups celebrating special events are invited to “play with fire,” as the business slogan goes, by either registering online, or emailing [email protected]. Both the studio and gallery are open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thurs.-Sat and by appointment. stoneandglass.com
USS Midway Museum
910 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego • (619) 544-9600 3 map on page 73
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. San Diego’s most-popular attraction features an extensive collection of restored aircraft, theater, and self-guided audio tours for adults and families narrated by former Midway sailors to more than 60 locations. Open spaces for visitation subject to change. For hours of operation, safety regulations and a list of the current exhibitions, please check the website for the latest information. midway.org
