USS Midway #2

USS Midway #1

County Administration Building

Opening ceremonies were held on December 23, 1938 for this WPA project that employed 300 men. Back in the day this building was a prototype of American civic center architecture and received the label of “first skyscraper” for the towering 10 stories. It sits on the waterfront welcoming seafaring travelers with an impressive aesthetic approach. An inscription on the east side reads “Good Government Demands the Intelligent Interest of Every Citizen.”

USS Midway Museum on the waterfront in San Diego

A tour of the USS Midway includes a large number of aircraft and exhibits covering 47 years of service.  For a live webcam view of the ship click here.

Pirate ship HMS Surprise is ready for you to step aboard

You can step aboard a full size pirate ship in San Diego!  The HMS Surprise is a 179-foot 24 gun frigate replica used in the movie “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World”.   The Maritime Museum  has restored her to seaworthy condition and sails her several times a year. 

USS Howard DDG83 and USS Peleliu LHA5

USS Howard is named in honor of Gunnery Sgt. Jimmie E. Howard, USMC, (1929–1993), recipient of the Medal of Honor for his leadership of a platoon against repeated attacks by a battalion-sized Viet Cong force. Every time USS Howard sets to sea from its homeport of San Diego, it passes within view of Gunnery Sgt. Howard’s grave at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery and salutes it’s namesake.

In November 2001, the USS Peleliu delivered the first U.S. Marines to Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. On August 10, 2008 she responded to a distress call from the merchant vessel the Gem of Kilakari, who was being attacked by armed pirates in the Gulf of Aden north of Somalia. The attack was successfully halted with no injuries.

USS Peleliu LHA5 and USS Howard DDG83

Art along the waterfront in San Diego

“Tailwalking Suncatcher” by Stephen Fairfield This glittering sailfish is a constant rainbow of colors as it tailwalks across the oceans surface. Its scales diffract the sunlight while its sail and fins glow a rich cobalt blue. Made of steel pipe, hardware cloth and plexiglass, the artwork also features a base with waves made from recycled automobile steel.

“Imagine” by Kent Kraber This artwork captures the imagination in all of us. The artist depicts dragons as caretakers rather than fearsome or devious creatures.

“A Day in the Life” by Meilisa Lim Standing before this seemingly restless squid brings the viewer closer to the inhabitants of the ocean. Its colors and swirls allow it to be seen as it would be in the water. Constructed of brightly colored fiberglass and resin, this imaginative creature stands ten feet tall.