Discover San Diego's Military Legacy

Step into San Diego's military past and present through such fascinating and moving experiences as the USS Midway Museum, the San Diego Veterans Museum, waterfront public art and more. You'll discover stories of courage, loss and achievement from the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines. Learn all about these meaningful San Diego military sites and plan your explorations today.

USS Midway Museum

Where: 910 N Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101
The USS Midway Museum is the most-visited of the 100-plus historic naval ship museums in the continental United States. Berthed at Navy Pier along San Diego's Embarcadero, the Midway is a floating tribute to the thousands of military personnel who served their country aboard the ship over the course of nearly 50 years. Highlights include self-guided audio tours; more than 40 exhibits and displays, including many restored aircraft; access to the mess deck, berthing spaces, hangar deck, flight deck, island superstructure and more; Mach Combat F-8 and F-4 phantom flight simulators and flight stations; a Flight Avionics motion simulator; and interactive, story-telling docents, many of whom are Midway veterans. Active-duty and reservist personnel receive free admission; retired military receive discounted admission.

Navy SEAL Museum San Diego

Where: 1001 Kettner Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101
Honoring the region’s proud naval history, San Diego is home to the West Coast’s only Navy SEAL Museum. At this Downtown San Diego museum, visitors can get a behind-the-scenes look at the mental and physical discipline required to join this elite force, immerse themselves in exhibits that delve into key SEAL missions and experience a high-tech virtual reality rescue mission — a program developed by a former Navy SEAL.

Maritime Museum of San Diego

Where: 1492 N. Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101
The Maritime Museum of San Diego, set along San Diego's beautiful harborfront Embarcadero, houses one of the world’s finest collections of historic and other vessels, including key military craft. Step aboard the USS Dolphin and check out the interior of the deepest-diving submarine in U.S. Navy history. Or book a ride on Swift Boat PCF-816 and take in a 75-minute narrated tour around the harbor on this fast Vietnam War-era craft.

San Diego Air & Space Museum

Where: 2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101
The San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park is home to a massive collection of classic military aircraft ranging from the dawn of flight through WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, the jet age and beyond. The museum also features an International Aerospace Hall of Fame, honoring the inventors, engineers, pilots and industrialists who created and built airplanes. Active-military admission is free.

Cabrillo National Monument

Where: 1800 Cabrillo Memorial Dr, San Diego, CA 92106
Along the paths of Cabrillo National Monument at the tip of the Point Loma Peninsula sit the remains of coastal defenses built to protect the approaches to San Diego Bay. You'll find base-end stations, fire control stations, searchlight bunkers and other remnants of troubled times; lonely sentinels that now serve to guard our memories of the past. Housed in an old radio station, the exhibit "They Stood the Watch" shares the stories behind the relics, and ranger talks are often given on weekends. For those who wish to learn more, the Cabrillo National Monument Foundation bookstore, located in the Visitor Center, offers several titles about Fort Rosecrans and the military history of Point Loma.

Liberty Station

Where: 2701 Lytton St, San Diego, CA 92106
Hundreds of thousands of military recruits passed through the gates of the San Diego Naval Training Center over the course of its long history. This decommissioned base has now been transformed into Liberty Station — part residential community, part arts district and part retail center. With many of the businesses housed in the historic structures that date back to the 1920s, just walking around Liberty Station provides a deep sense of history. The base's former command center and parade ground are included in what is now called Arts District Liberty Station, a cultural district with galleries, artist and dance studios, restaurants and retail stores. The command center contains historic displays of the old Naval Training Center and Point Loma. Admission is free.

San Diego Veterans Museum

Where: 2115 Park Blvd, San Diego, CA 92104
The San Diego Veterans Museum in Balboa Park honors all the men and women who have served in the U.S. armed forces. On display are a variety of historical artifacts, documents, memorabilia and artwork from the Civil War era through Desert Storm in Iraq. Admission is free.

Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial

Where: 6905 La Jolla Scenic Dr S, La Jolla, CA 92037
Located high atop Soledad Mountain in La Jolla, the Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial honors war veterans from all branches of the military. Features include a 43-foot cross originally dedicated to veterans of the Korean War and black granite plaques dedicated to individual veterans. Visitors can also enjoy awe-inspiring panoramic views of San Diego County from the Pacific Ocean to the mountains.

Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery

Where: 1700 Cabrillo Memorial Drive, San Diego, CA 92106
The final resting place for thousands of American service members, Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery was founded in the 1930s and is now both a California Historical Landmark and a part of the National Register of Historic Places. Its white grave markers are a signature of the Point Loma peninsula, arrayed on grassy slopes along both sides of the route to Cabrillo National Monument. The cemetery also houses numerous monuments and memorials to losses suffered over the long history of U.S. military conflicts.

"Greatest Generation Collection"

The Port of San Diego showcases an inspiring collection of military heritage artworks dubbed the "Greatest Generation Collection" along the Embarcadero. The USS San Diego (CL-53) Memorial is a striking monument commemorating the distinguished World War II service of San Diego's namesake cruiser. The Homecoming sculpture depicts the happy return of a sailor from the sea, reunited with wife and child. The black obelisk and bronze sculptures of the Aircraft Carrier Memorial honor all who've served on the Navy's aircraft carriers. The Admiral Sprague bust presides from its pedestal over the Battle of Leyte Gulf Memorial, a fitting remembrance of one of the most desperate and heroic naval actions in U.S. history. Lastly, the Military Tribute to Bob Hope honors the famed entertainer's efforts. All artwork is located in a beautiful waterfront park on Harbor Drive at the G Street Mole in Downtown San Diego.

Fleet Week San Diego

San Diego proudly salutes its armed forces each fall during Fleet Week San Diego, the largest military appreciation celebration in the nation. Visitors have an opportunity to attend numerous special events during this commemoration.

MCAS Miramar Air Show

Every year, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (formerly home to the Navy's fabled Top Gun fighter-pilot school) is honored to host an amazing lineup of military and civilian performers at the renowned Miramar Air Show. MCAS Miramar's flight line will be transformed to accommodate more than 100 military and civilian aircraft, simulation rides and fun for the kids, plus a variety of food and beverage offerings.

Veterans Day

During November, take the time to honor and thank those who have served in the United States armed forces at one of the many Veterans Day events, parades, special offers and more.