Ever since Spanish ships first sailed into the natural harbor under command of Portuguese explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo in 1542, San Diego Bay has played welcome host to visitors. The present-day bay looks much different, as time has transformed its 34 miles of waterfront into a vacation paradise lined with parks, marinas, restaurants, hotels, shopping, museums and bikeways adorned with eye-catching public art, but San Diego's history lives on in this bustling maritime destination.

HISTORY AHOY!

Today, visitors can step back into San Diego Bay's history and trace Cabrillo's steps or explore the life of a lighthouse keeper who guided mariners. Naval history is on display as well, from the Maritime Museum of San Diego's ships moored along the Embarcadero, to the nearby USS Midway and impressive Navy ships.

• Cabrillo National Monument on Point Loma prominently features a statue of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo who not only discovered San Diego and California, but was the first European to set foot on the U.S. West Coast. From its cliffs, guests enjoy birds'-eye views of the bustling harbor and downtown skyline. A multilingual recorded message provides information about Cabrillo's voyage at a lookout spot above Ballast Point, as well as in displays and a video dramatization in the monument's museum.
• Cabrillo discovered San Diego Bay sailing aboard the San Salvador. The Maritime Museum of San Diego is building a full-size, fully functional, historically accurate replica of Cabrillo's flagship. This vital link to San Diego's maritime history is nearing completion at San Salvador Village at Spanish Landing. After her maiden voyage in January 2015, she will become part of the museum's permanent fleet and sail the California coast as a San Diego ambassador. The build site is open daily to visitors, featuring costumed docents, shipbuilding demonstrations, sail making and Native American Kumeyaay displays such as tulle boats, baskets and pottery making.
• The historic Old Point Loma Lighthouse is one of eight original lighthouses on the West Coast, restored and refurnished into a museum to reflect what life was like for the lighthouse keeper and his family in the 1800s. In the adjacent assistant keeper's quarters, interactive exhibits shine a light on the story of Point Loma's lighthouses. Few places in San Diego afford better views of the California gray whales' annual southward migration, occurring mid-December to mid-March.
• Located along Naval Air Station (NAS) North Island in Coronado, Carrier Row is home to two aircraft carriers in the U.S. Navy's Pacific Fleet: USS Carl Vinson and USS Ronald Reagan. Although the naval base is closed to the public, guests onboard Hornblower Cruises, Flagship Cruises and other harbor excursions can glimpse these magnificent ships in their berths, as well as mighty Navy destroyers docked at Naval Base San Diego in the South Bay.
  Each September as part of Fleet Week San Diego, guests can tour Navy ships and the birthplace of naval aviation during the NAS North Island Open House, the only Navy open house on the West Coast. Other highlights include flyovers, performances by the Navy SEAL Leap Frogs parachute jump team and displays of Navy jets, helicopters, vintage aircraft, boats and hovercraft.
• Another way to experience the U.S. Navy's prominence on the bay is aboard the USS Midway aircraft carrier, the world's most visited ship museum celebrating its 10th anniversary. The Midway highlights San Diego's rich military history and pays tribute to more than 200,000 sailors who served aboard the vessel during its 47 years. Exhibits and activities include 29 restored aircraft, flight simulators and a self-guided audio tour of the crew's sleeping quarters, galley, engine room, hanger, flight deck, towering bridge and more.
• The Maritime Museum of San Diego located along the Embarcadero on Harbor Drive has one of the world's finest collections of historic and other vessels on which visitors can relive the early days of seafaring. Ships include the Star of India, the world's oldest active sailing ship (built in 1863), Californian, the official tall ship of the State of California, HMS Surprise from the Academy Award-winning film Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World and two former Soviet and U.S. submarines.

GO FISH

Since the tuna industry sprang up in the early 1900s, San Diego has been a sportfishing paradise with fresh catches available just off the coast. Thousands of fishermen, cannery workers and shipbuilders once lived and worked along San Diego Bay, creating tight-knit communities in Little Italy and Point Loma. Today, the bay is home to the world's largest sportfishing fleet, welcoming visitors from around the world.

• Anglers can cast their lines on a wide range of ocean fishing trips, departing daily from the bay's H&M, Point Loma and Fisherman's Landings. Excursions include family-friendly full- and half-day excursions, private charters to offshore islands and the outer banks, or longer trips deep into Mexican waters. Depending on the season, yellowfin, bluefin, yellowtail, albacore, halibut, rock fish and more can be caught in the bountiful waters of the Pacific Ocean.
• A cherished local tradition set against the vibrant backdrop of San Diego's sportfishing fleet in America's Cup Harbor is the Port of San Diego's annual Day at the Docks in April. It's the West Coast's largest public celebration of sportfishing, signaling the official start of Southern California's spring saltwater fishing season. Guests of all ages can enjoy free fishing, casting contests, rides on fishing boats and more.
• Dive into the popular new Tuna Harbor Dockside Market, located on Fish Harbor Pier by Seaport Village, to purchase fresh local seafood every Saturday from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Fishermen and women are more than happy to pose with their catches - ranging from tuna and halibut to box crabs and octopus - and fishing boats anchored in the background.

Happiness is calling in San Diego. For more information on San Diego Bay and its renowned maritime heritage, visit the San Diego Tourism Authority's website at www.sandiego.org, the Port of San Diego's website at www.thebigbay.com or call 619-236-1212.

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