Best Museums in Cardiff-by-the-Sea

"Nothing smacks of U.S. military might better than a Navy aircraft carrier. The USS. Midway, anchored at the embarcadero, is the most visited floating museum in the world. Commissioned a week after the end of World War II, the USS Midway embarked on an unprecedented 47-year odyssey that ended after Midway served as the Persian Gulf flagship in Desert Storm."

"Walking along the San Diego waterfront on the Embarcadero, you might be surprised when you come across one of the US military's largest ships. The decommissioned USS Midway is permanently berthed at Navy Pier. The highlights of a visit to the USS Midway Museum include more than 60 exhibits and 25 restored aircraft."

"San Diego Museum of Art is known for its collection of renowned Spanish and Italian masters, collections of Indian paintings, 19th- and 20th-century American sculptures and paintings, and new and changing exhibits from across the globe. Famous names include El Greco, Diego Velázquez, and Francisco Goya. The museum restaurant, Panama 66, is one of our favorite places to eat in Balboa Park."

"The renowned permanent collection includes Spanish and Italian old masters, Asian paintings, and 19th- and 20th-century American paintings and sculptures. In addition, the Museum regularly features major exhibitions from around the world."

"The San Diego Museum of Art is one of Balboa Park's most popular attractions, drawing over a quarter-million visitors every year.[Learn more]"

"The New Children's Museum re-opened in 2008 with a motto of think, play and create, which is exactly what kids do here. What is different about The New Children's Museum is that they specifically commission works of art with tactile features that appeal to kids rather than re-create existing art to suit a younger generation. There's hands-on art and exhibits to hold the attention of toddlers up through teen years."

"This museum is concerned with developing children’s creativity and imagination. It originally opened in 1983, and it has been one of the favorite places of the youngest visitors in San Diego ever since. The vision of this museum is to engage children in developing numerous skills through contemporary art."

"The NCM blends contemporary art with unstructured play to create an environment that appeals to children as well as adults. The 50,000-square…"

"© Craig Lovell / Eagle Visions Photography / Alamy Stock Photo. With a collection of more than 7,000 photographs by 850 photographers, including Margaret Bourke-White, Alfred Stieglitz and Ruth Bernhard, the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) devotes itself entirely to the collection and preservation of photography, film and video, including its aesthetic movements and technological advancements. In particular, MOPA’s collection features a large selection of mid-20th-century Soviet Russian photography, social documentary photography and photojournalism."

"The Museum of Photographic Arts, also known as (MOPA) is also located in Balboa Park. Founded in 1974, this museum represents one of the three museums in the US whose main focus is only the preservation and collection of photography. The main mission of this museum is to educate and inspire its visitors."

"The Fleet Science Center has over one hundred hands-on exhibits for curious kids and their parents. Kid City was designed for children up to five years of age and features a block corner for budding architects, the Little Learner’s Lab and its Young Explorer computer stations, a Fire Truck exhibit that teaches street safety, and the colorful and exciting Ball Wall that demonstrates the properties of physics. Older kids will gravitate to the Studio X maker space where they can participate in regularly scheduled workshops or create something on their own using the studio’s tools and materials."

"Featuring eight galleries that hold more than 100 interactive science exhibits, the Fleet Science Center is the best place to go for hands-on learning. It’s also home to the world’s first IMAX Dome Theater, which shows the biggest films on the planet. Since its opening in 1973, the Fleet has been one of San Diego’s most-visited museums, thanks to the theater and interactive exhibits like Kid City (an exhibition just for kids age five and under)."

"The Fleet Science Center, also known as “The Fleet,” is a science museum and planetarium located in the popular Balboa Park in San Diego. With over 100 interactive exhibits with something for all ages, a visit to The Fleet will give your kids a better understanding of science and how it impacts the world around us. Spend your time exploring space, electricity, water, and virtual reality, or play around in Kid City."

"Source: Photo by Flickr user Allie_Caulfield used under CC BY 2.0. Much fun can be found here at the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum!. Located in beautiful Escondido, this museum offers some of the most fun things to do in Escondido, for both kids and adults!"

"This is a fun and interesting museum where you can not only look at exhibits of musical instruments but you can try your hand at playing some of them. Each gallery represents 20 years, with vintage instruments as well as audio and video clips of that era's popular music. The final gallery is an interactive music room where visitors put on head phones and try out keyboards, guitars and uncommon instruments."

"The Museum of Making Music is an interactive music museum in San Diego, California. This museum entails how the musical industry supplies the musical instruments, products, & gears to the world, because of which we all are creating music today!. On your entry into the museum, you will see remarkable examples of musical instruments."

"Opened in 2000, this museum aims to inform and educate the public about the perks and heritage of creating music."

"Therefore, it’s possible to walk into this museum to learn about California’s mission history (the museum sits on the first European settlement site in California) for free. If you did enjoy your visit and feel compelled to donated upon exit, this is possible. (Location: Presidio Park / Old Town)"

"Within Old Town don’t miss Casa de Estudillo, which is one of the few original buildings (many are reproductions), Whaley House and Museum, which is believed to be haunted and Junípero Serra Museum, literally the place where California began. You can get more information here."

"Since it was founded more than nine decades ago, the Gemological Institute of America has been one of the world’s most prominent authorities on all things relating to diamonds, gems, precious stones, and pearls. The GIA’s headquarters is located on Armada Drive in Carlsbad. It features a popular museum chock-full of interesting exhibits and incredible works of craftsmanship."

"Of course I could not forget Rubio's, the Godfather of the Fish Taco. It was Ralph Rubio who while visiting Ensenada ate his first fish taco and from that came a vision of fish tacos everywhere. And while today everyone seems to have a fish taco on their menu it wasn’t that long ago that the idea of fish - in a taco - would elicit “ewwwwws” and “no way, dude”."

"If you’re looking for a quick, reliable bite to eat, stop into one of the many Rubio’s locations for fish tacos, quesadillas and other Mexican eats."

"The Setting Sun Sake Tasting Room is offering to-go bottles and growlers and dine-in service Tuesday - Saturday. Delivery available Tuesday-Thursday in San Diego (order here) or shipping to homes further away (order here)."

"Chef Jay Payne helms the coastal-inspired menu at this Marina District restaurant, where highlights range from straightforward oysters on the half shell to creative concoctions like lobster potpie and coconut curry mussels. For stronger appetites, it’s all about the seafood paella: saffron rice topped with a medley of local lobster tails, shrimp, squid, clams, mussels and chorizo. A post shared by Sally's Fish House & Bar (@sallysfishhouse) on Mar 30, 2017 at 12:34pm PDT"

"San Diego Zoo Safari Park is one of the best things to do in San Diego for kids though plenty of adults go for the safaris, to see the animals, and learn more about conservation. Large free-range enclosures are designed to closely mimic the natural habitats of exotic animals like rhinos, camels, cheetahs, gorillas, giraffes, lions, tigers, warthogs, wild cattle, and zebras. More than 3,000 animals representing 300 species roam freely throughout the park, and you can see them from trams, golf carts, trucks, large helium balloons, and zip lines."

"The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is an expansive wildlife sanctuary that is home to more than 3,000 animals representing more than 300 species. Its renowned botanical collection represents 3,500 species and 1.75 million specimens. Over half of the Park’s 1,800 acres have been set aside as protected native species habitat."

"Where: 15500 San Pasqual Valley Rd.Transport yourself to the savannah quicker than you can say “Look at that leaping lemur!. ” Sidle up to giraffes, rhinos, and antelopes on the Africa Tram. Track Sumatran tigers on the three-exhibit Tiger Trail."