I came for The Nat at Night. I'm sooo blown away! This museum is very very educational...packed…read morewith a lot of natural history to learn in one or more visit. I loove the interactive activities and how it engages visitors from all ages. Each level has a niiice flow...places to sit scattered around if you wanted to take a pause to absorb the AMAZING things you've witnessed. To add to this natural history adventure, you can interact with the actual researchers who preserve the artifacts in the basement...asking them questions. There's a theatre on the 1st (Main) floor as well as gift shop. I was very fortunate to get on the Rooftop which had a waitlist of over 80 people when I arrived. I'm glad I did since the food and drinks were really good. Based on my positive experience, I highly recommend this museum to the Yelp Community.

Love coming here with my 3-year-old son! We have WIC, so we were able to get in for free for up to…read more4 people, which is a HUGE benefit if you have WIC or CalFresh. There are several floors to explore with lots to see and plenty of fun play areas for kids. My son especially loves all the dinosaurs! They also have little scavenger hunts in several of the exhibits, which is a fun way to keep kids engaged while walking through. It's educational without being boring and easily keeps us entertained for a few hours. Definitely a great place to take younger kids!

Attended my first -art and wellbeing experience this weekend. Diana was the most amazing docent…read more She walked us through some breath work and some great impressionists. This is a small event and lovely way to spend an hour at the museum. Just grab a ticket to the museum and check in at the booth up front and the experience begins. Diana spent time talking about breathing and grounding your self. While you are given a notepad and pencil to write notes and try to recreate the art. Don't worry you don't have to share tour impressions or art. The experience was located in one room and after we explored the rest of the museum and it is interesting at how different you look at the works in front of you when you are relaxed and in the headspace to experience . Bonus shout out to the museum which is over 100 years old and continues to bring the community together to enjoy and experience the art. I did not take any pictures because I was enjoying the moment.

The SD museums of art is at the balboa park amongst other museums and beautiful outdoor flowers,…read moresceneries, etc. there were many tourists out that day including school field trips, groups, etc. I used the gocity pass to check in at the front desk and then I was able to enjoy the museum. It is two stories big offering stairs and elevators. They have security on each art room/ theme area. I was able to observe many paintings that were diverse and unique. Some are antiques kept there for everyone to admire. They have clean restrooms available as well. Bring comfortable shoes because there is pretty to walk around. Staff were very nice and checking went smoothly as well. The sticker you are given can be used all day long to come back to the same Museum. Most museums open at 10AM but plenty of people arrive earlier. I took public transportation to get up there and that was easy.

We love the Balboa Park Air & Space Museum. Take advantage of free resident Tuesdays, or visit if…read moreyou have WIC or CalFresh benefits its very cheap tickets. When you walk in, you're greeted by an impressive atrium filled with plants, planes, and a water feature, it's an awesome welcome. There are so many aircraft for kids to see, explore, and climb into. The museum offers a very educational experience, and you can easily spend a few hours here. We highly recommend it whether you're visiting San Diego or a local resident.

Whenever we visit a new city, we always try to check three things off our list: visit a museum, do…read moresomething on the water (if applicable) & catch a sports game. The San Diego Air & Space Museum was our museum pick for this trip & it was a fun, educational morning! My husband is a retired Army veteran & enjoys planes, aviation history & anything military-related, so this museum was right up his alley. We could have spent hours exploring all of the exhibits, aircraft, artifacts & historical displays. One of the highlights of our visit was meeting a super outgoing docent shortly after we walked in. Somehow, he kept magically popping up throughout the museum during our visit, sharing fascinating tidbits & fun facts about whatever exhibit we happened to be looking at. You could tell he genuinely loved being there & his enthusiasm made the entire experience even more engaging & personal. (My apologies for not remembering his name. He was an Air Force B-52 pilot & bonded with hubby over their shared military service.) Another really cool aspect of the museum is its location directly in the flight path of the airport. Planes were flying overhead every couple of minutes, which honestly added so much atmosphere to the visit. Hearing & seeing aircraft constantly overhead while walking through the exhibits made the whole experience feel extra immersive. The vintage Pacific Southwest Airlines stewardess uniforms on display were awesome! The museum does a great job balancing serious aviation history with quirky, interesting pieces of airline culture & design history. This was definitely a worthwhile visit - whether you are an aviation buff or just looking for an interesting & interactive museum experience. We both had a great time!

They recently redid the Science Center and it's SO much better! The new layout is more open, and…read morethere's even a free section with fun hands-on activities like the gravity ball spinner and a huge air-powered ball wall. The kids' area got a major upgrade. My 3-year-old spent hours in the building section using real power drills, screws, and hammers! There are also flying-machine activities, a ball pit, building stations, and a toddler area with a pretend grocery store and little city. I do wish some of the building activities had better instructions. Tickets are a little pricey, but CalFresh/WIC admission is only $4 per person, which makes it a fantastic affordable outing for families. Huge improvement overall!

Impressive tech, but proceed with caution for 3-hour feature films!…read more We were super excited to see The Odyssey here for our very first IMAX experience after waiting two weeks for our date! Having already seen the movie twice in a standard theater, we were curious to see how it translated to the Heikoff Giant Dome. Here is the full breakdown of how it works and what to expect: Essential Tips & Logistics for 6:30 PM Box Office Movies: Tickets & Arrival: You MUST buy tickets online in advance. The Science Center itself closes to the public at 5:00 PM, but line up outside around 5:00 PM--the queue fills up fast between 5:00-5:30 PM! Door Opening & Entry: Doors open at 6:00 PM sharp. Once tickets are scanned, you'll enter a second line inside. Members and ADA guests get priority boarding around 6:25 PM, followed by General Admission. Pro-Tip for Groups: Seating is first-come, first-served. It was literally a stampede when doors opened! Have one person hold your spot in the inside queue while another uses the restroom or hits concessions. Concessions: Everything is prepackaged (bags of popcorn, candy, canned sodas/water). No fresh movie-theater popcorn or fountain drinks, but fine for a quick snack. Seats & Seating Placement: Aim as high up and toward the center as possible! We sat in the lower half of the upper section. The seats are clean, comfortable, and feel brand new, but they do not recline. Staring up at the dome for nearly 3 hours caused some serious neck strain. Also, watch out for the glass balcony railings in the upper section, which can partially cut into your sightline. The Film Experience: The sound system is fantastic and the theater itself is spotless, but for a fast-paced action movie like The Odyssey, the dome format just didn't work for us. Being that close made it feel like watching a screen two feet from your face--fight scenes became a blur, and the dome curved the edges of the picture (buildings and straight objects looked noticeably warped/distorted). It felt a bit like looking through a fishbowl. Overall Verdict: No knock at all on the staff, Fleet Science Center, or the incredible tech--for documentary shorts or environmental films, this dome is probably mind-blowing. But for long feature films with heavy action, it didn't add to the movie and was a bit overwhelming. Glad we experienced it, but we'll stick to traditional theaters for feature films in the future! P.S. / Note for Fleet Science Center Management & Staff: I know queuing outside can be tricky to manage, but I wanted to share an observation in case it helps improve the queue process. We arrived around 5:10 PM and were about 10th in line outside. However, the group of 2 people right in front of us gradually grew to 12 as more of their party arrived over the next hour, and another pair grew to 8. By the time the doors opened at 6:00 PM, our spot in line effectively jumped from 10th to around 25th. While holding places for late arrivals is understandable to a degree, seeing groups multiply like that can feel a bit unfair to those who stood outside early. Some retail stores and venues (like those in Hawaii) handle this by handing out numbered queue cards or tokens per person as they join the line, preventing late-arriving party members from jumping ahead of early arrivers. Just a thought for future popular feature film screenings!

Came here on a slow Wednesday afternoon because we found free tickets from the library…read more Just a heads up, right now the parking is $10 for four hours at certain lots. Anyways, this museum was pretty entertaining. Plenty of things to see and do that we'll keep you entertained for a few hours. They have the history of beer, a section dedicated to people's secrets, and relics from different countries. Across the open area is the cannibal exhibition. It has an eerie feeling in some areas but I would recommend walking through it.

This is the second museum that we booked through San Diego Discover and Go using our library card…read more The place is absolutely incredible! We enjoyed each exhibit and learned a lot about history, race, power, and the way of life of those before us. The ticket includes entry to the other museum across the street which showcases the history of cannibalism. It's a very interesting place! I love the mini interactive activities they have too. Head on to Balboa Park if you're looking for fun places to visit with family and friends!

What a gem in National City! Christopher gave us a fabulous tour of the farm animals and was so…read morekind to let our little toddler feed the goats and admire all the creatures that live here. She loved hearing the chickens and turkeys and watching the goats, emu, pig and lamb. A highlight was picking some delicious tomatoes right off the vine. We are grateful for the experience and welcoming volunteers. If you visit, be sure to bring a cash donation to help this special place continue to run.

Cute place ! A hidden little gem ! Had no idea this place even existed !…read more Went here for a children's Bday party ! They had a cute little set up and even had a jumper ! I'm assuming you have to rent one your self ! I did see a few animals , not as many as I had hoped for ! But I did enjoy checking out the fruit trees ! The trees are beautifully maintained . The bathrooms are in the back decently kept and good size !!

I learned so much about the local history. This is a great place for local artists to show their…read morework!

Small, but charming and informative civic museum discussing the history of the town and the valley…read more Helpful and friendly staff. Easy parking.

I have an unabashed affinity for conservatories, I confess I watch Bridgerton just so that I can…read moremarvel at the conservatories they unveil for their summer time dance galas. Anyway, the botanical building in Balboa park, Sand Diego though made of wood lath is nonetheless considered a conservatory and reputedly the only wood lath conservatory in the world and also one of the largest of its kind globally. As soon as one enters, they are greeted by the intoxicating smell of fecund moist earth. The wood lath structure allows the breeze to flow through but cuts down the harsh sun creating a dappled sanctuary. I felt like a little child let loose in candy land, the display is a feast for the senses with monsteras, philodendron, ferns, orchids, begonias, cycads etc in every corner. One side had majestic soaring plants reaching the ceiling while the other side felt bare in comparison. The lily pond greeting one at the entrance also houses turtles, pink lotuses, frogs and fish. Overall a must visit for people who have a thing for plants or even-otherwise.

This is a nice little area if you want to walk around and look at some plants. They also have some…read moreflowers and a little water fountain as well inside the Botanical building. We came here during my wife weekend birthday getaway and she wanted to come to Balboa Park. I parked at a parking lot nearby this building and just walked here. The weather was kind of cloudy and humid but once get inside, it felt nice. My wife and I been here before when we first started dating so it was nice to bring our daughter with us this time.

There are 7 total ships, including the Star of India, and a submarine. You can purchase your ticket…read moreat any of the main booths/boat entrances, then show your receipt to visit the others on the same day. The flexibility of a self-guided tour was great. One ship was away on a sail in the afternoon this past Saturday, but there was more than enough to explore on the various vessels during our visit. Plenty to see and experience on each of the boats. We stepped onto the swift boat where staff educated us about its machine gun. And we walked through and checked out the different sections of the USS Dolphin submarine too. The HMS Surprise was a lovely ship with plenty of references to its use in films. The Star of India was like a museum all on its own, so many areas to explore and a ton of history to learn. The Californian was pretty basic, not very different from many other ships we've visited in the past. Steam Ferry Berkeley was the largest, with displays showcasing scientific instruments, model boats, artwork, the riverboats in Vietnam, the engine room, a torpedo caught by a fisherman, and a special exhibit featuring the "histories of the black pacific". There's a gift shop on site as well. Altogether, the variety of ships at the Maritime Museum made for an interesting adventure, a bit touristy, but worth the cost if you're into history or simply like boats.

Ok so I will split this into two reviews:…read more 1: the ships and actual adventure 2: the reservation process and customer service 1: booked a trip for the Spanish replica ship adventure the San Salvador and really loved it. The ticket also got you access to the other ships to walk around which was cool. But the coolest part was that San Salvador was sailed like they would have sailed it waaay back when. We got to see real rigging masts sails steering all being done by a crew and it was a totally amazing experience and such a perfect day. Bonus: we saw dolphins and it was a perfect day. Drawback: the gentlemen speaking throughout didn't talk into his mic often so missed a lot but oh well - who's really going for history?! such a good time!!. 2. I had a good with my tickets and called and tried to talk to folks in person and could never get someone. The tickets were cancelled but not refunded which was a bummer and staff in the kiosk even said they phone lines were messed up. A bummer. :(

Living Coast Discovery Center is such a hidden gem in Chula Vista! It's tucked away on the bay near…read morethe new Sweetwater Park and Gaylord hotel. There's plenty of parking, and then you take a short shuttle to the entrance. You're greeted by a sea turtle outside, and inside there's a smaller area with local fish, reptiles, and other animals. My favorite part with kids is how interactive everything is. You can pet and touch the friendly rays and sharks, and the indoor touch pools let kids touch starfish and sea anemones. It's really fun, hands-on, and educational. All the volunteers are very helpful educational, good with kids. Outside, you can walk around and see local birds, hawks, and eagles while enjoying beautiful views of the bay. Bring lunch or snacks and you can easily make a whole morning out of it. Another huge plus is the discounted admission for WIC or CalFresh families, and they offer discounted memberships for up to four people. If you live nearby, the membership is definitely worth it for popping in for an hour or two with the kids.

My friend who needs a wheelchair to get around arrived and their shuttle could not accommodate…read moreher!! Nowhere on the website does it say that they do not accommodate nor does it say that we should call before coming to make sure she would be able to enjoy the center. It's so disappointing that at this day in age, Living Coast did not think about individuals like my friend. Thanks you for your reply. Perhaps the information you relayed on my post can be added to the website? Also, what is your on-site address? My friend was dropped off by MTS access and following the adress provided on your website.