I reserved the California Tower tour for just $10, and it was incredibly easy to book online. I…read morewent on a Resident Free Tuesday at the museum of us, which made the experience even better. The highlight of the tour was the stunning 360-degree views from the top of the tower--absolutely breathtaking. Along the way, the tour guide shared fascinating facts about San Diego that I never knew, making it both an educational and enjoyable experience. I highly recommend it to both residents and visitors looking for a unique perspective of San Diego.

The California Tower is one of the tallest and most prominent structure in Balboa Park. It's quite…read morea dramatic and visible landmark that is visible from around the park. I love how the architecture is incredibly detailed, with ornate decorations and arches. It is absolutely gorgeous! This tower adds a lot of character to Balboa Park and worth seeing when in the area!

I stopped here with a couple of friends after getting dinner and drinks and loved being here…read more There is so much history in this spot and I couldn't stop reading and googling about it. I loved the plaques that they had up and the big bulletin board full of information but I also was using google with so many of the graves in order to learn more about the people who were buried there. I am so happy they kept this little piece of history up. It is little and won't take you too long to get through all of the graves that are still there but I loved it still. I didn't feel anything paranormal going on but I didn't care about that, I loved the history of it. I am not from San Diego and I remember all of my elementary school local field trips and learning of my hometown area's so I love to learn the history of San Diego and this is a great place to get a small amount of history. Overall, a great little historical visit!

We usually take our out of town guests here after an evening docent led tour at the Whaley House…read more The historical cemetery is small but it is nice to walk around and read about the graves. There is so much history there. One thing we always point out to friends is the fact that there are still graves under the sidewalk and street. They paved right over them! They have gravesite markers on the sidewalk outside of the cemetery gates.

Free entry! Cool museum at Balboa Park, just next to MOPA. Nice play areas for the little ones to…read morestay busy while you walk around and read about San Diego History. A short 30 min film plays hourly and is full of historic photos and intriguing details about the various inhabitants of the park. I'd never realized that there had been a nudist colony in residence for over a year for example! $0.75 for an all day pass to view them. And for those without the spare change, there were free peepholes in the fencing! I also didn't know that the military were housed, trained, and hospitalized there for each world war. Half the museum was dedicated to the LGBT community and their history in San Diego. A tiny hidden space the size of a closet was dedicated to Japanese history, which I thought was a sad embarrassment considering how much space was dedicated to a kids play area with building blocks, puzzles and a play kitchen and office. And most of the front and exterior were dedicated to models of ships and pictures of the America's cup. This really isn't the way to represent the history of San Diego and it's diversity. It's bound to give tourists a boring impression of such a fantastic city. One of the guides mentioned that they're struggling to attract more interest from school kids and the general public. That's pretty obvious to me. They should study the greats programs hosted by the Star of India downtown in the bay- which had a phenomenal historical program and provides an unforgettable experience for kids of all ages.

Wow, I don't have a touching or emotional story about the museum, and I have to admit, I've only…read morebeen in the store recently. I think the last time I was in the museum was during the week-long field trip to Balboa Park that every San Diego 5th grader gets to do. But I digress. Their store is stuPENdous. I just bought a whole mess of Christmas gifts from there, and had to leave before I burned a hole in my wallet. I found some great prints advertising the California Panama Exhibition in 1915 and 1916, colorful, fun, and uniquely San Diegan. My sister lives in Colorado and is homesick for some SD decor--she's going to love the fun treasures from the Historical Society! Do yourself a favor and spend some money with them. But don't go on Monday, they're closed. Oh! And consider buying the wooden rosary that not ONLY smells like roses (no, I don't know why, stop asking), but comes in a tiny plastic box with a commemorative picture of Father Serra's head on it. Sweet. Go Serra High School!

I'm originally from Philadelphia, so I know a thing or two about famous bells. The Yokohama…read moreFriendship Bell is beautiful in both design and in what it represents. It doesn't even have a crack! I'm going to have to come here for their New Year's Eve bell ringing ceremony. The bell is always worth a stop whenever you're on Shelter Island. Here's to friendship with Japan and to peace. "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof."

Beautiful monument on the bay ! Great way to see a part of history on the walk ! I highly…read morerecommend reading about the significance

Thanks for the memory…read more Bob Hope used his talent & fame to bring a smile to our military overseas by traveling to stations all over the world and giving them a moment of relief and thank you for their service. Forever remembered as a supporter and advocate for the USO. Perfect location for his memorial in front of the USS Midway aircraft carrier.

We walked through the Bob Hope Salute after lunch at The Fish Market restaurant. It was a simple,…read morequick attraction right by the water, close to the Navy ship in the same shared space as the restaurant. The tribute to Bob Hope was small but meaningful, honoring his connection to the military and USO performances. It's not a long stop, but it fits nicely in to a waterfront walk if you're already in the area. I spoke with a friendly stranger who wore a Aggie baseball cap, and captured photos per their request of a couple who react the dip kissing pose of The Who I'll assume was Bob Hope in uniform, and his lady. This was a peaceful and quick point of interest with a nice view and location. It's worth a walk through, if you're already here in the parking area.

This sculpture is a tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and is located along the Martin Luther…read moreKing, Jr. Promenade, near the Children's Museum's playground. It is actually 5 life-sized bronze hands with arms coming up from a base, spelling out the word DREAM in American sign language. The sculptures were dedicated in 2001 and are the work of Roberto Salas starting to show signs of their age and has corroded a bit. They still look decent enough though. If you can not read sign language, don't worry, they have the corresponding letter posted under it on the base. There is a bronze plaque on the ground in front of the sculptures that reads, "DREAM, A TRIBUTE TO MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. Artist: ROBERTO SALAS Five bronze hands celebrate the spirit of Dr. King's vision as they silently yet boldly speak to us with the symbol of sign language. Collectively they spell the word . It is a word that is both a noun and a verb, a word that symbolizes hope and idealism, a word that reaches deep into the pockets of our humanity and creativity. The word is D R E A M. Commissioned for and the citizens of San Diego through the City of San Diego Redevelopment Agency and the Centre City Development Corporation. January 2001" The plaque has seen better days but is easily read. There is metered street parking nearby if you want to park and get a closer look. You will find commercial lots/garages within a reasonable walking distance and there is a tram stop nearby as well. I am really feeling the art along this promenade and the dedications to MLK. This one is no exception. It is very creative and well put together. Great job. Anyway, as with most sculptures that I have visited and reviewed, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. You could start with the Seaport Village or the Children's Museum.

Visited this base a few times during our vacation with our sailor in December. Warning, you must be…read morecleared before being granted entry to this base, even if already cleared on North Island, which is done at a different location. Didn't see much, as we only stopped off at our son's barracks to drop off or pick up some items. My only concern is for the sailor's safety, as the fences are not very tall and while we waited for him to come back out, a person pulled up by the fence near his barracks, as if to make a drug transaction.

So the gas station on this base:…read more Pros: It's a few cents cheaper than off base. Cons: The pump barely works. They pump slow or they just don't work at all. It only takes card. Most of the lights are broken, so it's ghetto and dark at night. They don't clean up around there because trash is everywhere on the ground. Wild animals are everywhere. The sensors on the pump barely work, so watch for over fill. You can tell the Navy doesn't really care about it because there has been one pump broken for about a month now. It seriously looks ran down from the 1950s.

I was going to go to Torrey Pines Park but they are not dog friendly, and I get it. So looking…read morearound a map of San Diego, I found the Steele Canyon Bridge. I have never been here, and never been to this part of Spring Valley. It is an interesting drive coming out to the area. Once you pass the shopping center, you'll sort of see the bridge, and the first parking area off the first street you can turn right on. If you drive down a little further, there's another parking lot. The bridge is really cool! Although, there's a lot of colorful grafitti on the steel beams, on the pathway, and on the cement entry. Lots of "colorful" language too, so parents be aware. Once you walk over the bridge there's a small pathway to the right which will take you on the main trail. There's an information board at the parking lot. You will need to keep your dog on its leash, though we did see a dog running around with its owner near a tree. There are no bathrooms or water fountains so you need to prep before coming. We didn't walk the trail because I had to use the restroom and we didn't have water. But the area looks pretty cool to walk through. Some others were walking over the bridge as we were leaving. I think the best time would be early morning. We were there around 2 pm and the sun was strong, so a hat and sunscreen is advised. I'm definitely coming back. It's a part of San Diego's history that's easy to get to. You do need to be careful when leaving because the cars are coming pretty quick from both sides. Cako Approves!

Excellent spot for photos! Not to mention easy hiking trails. There's a new parking area to…read moreaccommodate more hikers.