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La Jolla Shores is one of the San Diego area’s best beaches. La Jolla is an upscale community sometimes referred to as the “jewel of San Diego,” but this gem really shines when it comes to its beaches.

La Jolla Shores is a mile-long beach that is popular with locals and visitors alike for a variety of water activities: swimming, surfing, scuba diving, and kayaking. But the fun doesn’t end when the sun goes down as beachgoers light fires to roast hot dogs and party awhile longer.

Home to a huge array of historic aircraft and sparkling spacecraft, the superb San Diego Air & Space Museum can be found not far from the city center in Balboa Park. Its extensive collection of artifacts and numerous exhibits are housed within the fabulous Ford Building which sports such a delightfully distinct design.

Since being established in 1961, the museum has expanded considerably and now has replicas of the Wright Brothers’ gliders on show alongside gleaming jets and rockets sent into space by NASA. As you wander around its galleries full of planes, photos, and displays, you’ll learn all about the history and evolution of aviation and space exploration.

Welcome to Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve ®

TPSNR hours are 7:15 am to sunset.
Visitor Center-Museum Shop is open from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM. There are guided hikes at 10 AM, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and holidays. Mindful Walks, 8 AM, 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month.

Also located along the Pacific coastline north of the city is the stupendous scenery, landscapes, and nature of Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. One of the wildest remaining stretches of shoreline in Southern California, it contains everything from craggy cliffs and pristine beaches to salt marshes, badlands, and a large lagoon.

Thanks to its unspoiled wilderness, the reserve boasts a wide array of fauna and flora and has lots of scenic hiking trails and views for you to enjoy. While bobcats, raccoons, and coyotes reside among its remote reaches, migrating seabirds and whales can sometimes be spotted along the coast.

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve® is located within San Diego city limits and yet remains one of the wildest stretches of land on our Southern California coast! Because of the efforts and foresight of the people in this area, 1,500 acres of land are as they were before San Diego was developed — including the maritime chaparral, the rare Torrey pine, miles of unspoiled beaches, and a lagoon that is vital to migrating seabirds. One can imagine what California must have looked like to the early settlers, to the Spanish explorers, or even to the first California residents here, the Kumeyaay people.

Please take special care to preserve the Reserve and keep it for now and forever. Very briefly, please take note that in this Reserve:

• No food or drink, except water, is allowed in the Reserve above the beach.  Food, of course, is fine on the beach (no alcohol).
• Dogs and pets are not permitted anywhere.
• “Pack it in-pack it out” starting from the beach parking lot. There are no trash cans in the upper Reserve. There are no trash cans along the beach. Trash and recycling bins or dumpsters are available in the beach parking lots.
• No smoking
• All groups need a permit  (Some may have to pay a fee.)
• Drones are not allowed anywhere in the Reserve or Beach. Learn more.

The USS Midway Aircraft Carrier sits in San Diego at the Navy Pier welcoming and enriching guests from around the world. Its patriotic service and military operations are brought to life throughout this interactive museum. Relive the legacy of the longest-serving aircraft carrier in U.S. Naval history-47 years! “Midway Magic” became a recognized term describing the amazing tenacity of the Midway and its crew. When other ships broke down or headed for port, the Midway continued to respond, to perform from the end of WWII all the way through Operation Desert Storm in 1991.

Standing tall in the San Diego Bay, this impressive aircraft carrier is likened to a floating city on the sea and delights visitors year ‘round. During the sunlit-filled hours of the day, locals and travelers alike take pride in the nearly 50 years of military history showcased aboard this stunning vessel. And in the evening, the red, white, and blue lights adorning the deck shine brightly across the harbor.

One activity not to be missed is the opportunity to go aboard aircraft. Head up to the flight deck to experience what it would be like to give the green light to release the planes. Climb into a helicopter or channel your inner Maverick from Top Gun and “feel the need for speed” in a fighter jet. Each aircraft has a unique name, purpose, and capability, and all are showcased throughout the carrier. Downstairs you’ll find flight simulators and more opportunities to jump in the cockpits to see what it feels like sitting in the driver’s seat of a military flying contraption.

Located in Old Town, the second oldest cemetery in San Diego had burials from 1849 to 1880. In 1933, the San Diego Historical Society restored the cemetery based on descriptions and photographs, but over the years some of the boundaries have been moved to accommodate city development. In 1889 a horse-drawn streetcar line was built through part of the cemetery, which later became San Diego Avenue. In 1942 it was paved over, leaving as many as 18 graves under the street and sidewalk. The Ghosts and Gravestones San Diego Tour takes visitors on an intimate nighttime journey through the cemetery to explain the haunted history of this Old Town landmark.