Best Museums in Solana Beach

"As one of the longest-serving aircraft carriers of the 20th century, the USS Midway boasts an extensive and incredible history. Built-in only 17 months and named after the climactic Battle of the Midway in 1942, the USS Midway served the nation honorably during its 50 years in commission. It continues to serve the public as a museum by reminding it of world history and of the U.S. military’s impressive power."

"Kids enjoy pretending they are pirates on the high seas while touring unique sailing vessels at the floating Maritime Museum. Steam-powered boats, sailing ships, and submarines make up the museum’s fleet of nine boats. Families can even spend a night aboard the Star of India, the world’s oldest active ship, during a special Family Overnight Adventure in the summer."

"USS Midway is an aircraft carrier, formerly of the United States Navy, the lead ship of her class. USS Midway is situated 2 km north of Coronado Ferry Landing Shopping Center. Photo: Wikimedia, Public domain."

"A post shared by Klinge Realty Group @ Compass (@klingerealtygroup). It’s not a large museum — in fact, it’s one of the smallest in the area — but the Timken Museum of Art is home to art created by Anne and Amy Putnam. The two sisters are well-known throughout the world for creating a variety of American and European paintings during the early 20th century."

"One of the best museums in San Diego to visit in 2019 is, without a doubt, the San Diego Museum of Art. Founded in 1926, this museum is located in Balboa Park. It has the reputation of being the oldest and largest art museum in the region."

"Its front doors are located in a gigantic, cathedral-style facade that took a full two years to build, and they can be seen from every direction if you’re in the neighborhood."

"The Children’s Museum provides a dynamic, playful public space and community center for children and families—a place to experience exciting art exhibitions, hands-on studio projects, performances, birthday parties, in-depth classes, camps and educational programs. Across the street from the new building is a beautiful park, extending the museum visit outdoors with space for running, climbing, family picnics and a view of the trains and trolley going by."

"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."

"This unique museum collaborates with contemporary artists to create one-of-a-kind art installations. The exhibits include playhouses, clubhouses, and climbable towers. Kids can interact with the exhibits and engage in active play as they would at home."

"Another Balboa park museum, the Museum of Photographic Arts, is a world-class site with an extensive collection of films, photographs, and videos. The museum was opened in 1983 and is one of the three museums which are specifically dedicated to the collection and preservation of photography in the United States. It is home to spacious galleries and state-of-the-art 228 seat theatre exhibiting work from some of the world-renowned photographers and cinematographers, including work by Yosuke Yamahata, the entire Nagasaki Journey: The Photographs of Yosuke Yamahata and an extensive collection from filmmaker Lou Stoumen’s estate."

"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 Power of Photography MOPA is a center for visual learning, passionately dedicated to sharing and exploring the universal language of photography."

"We had a great time visiting the Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park and actually ended up going twice while we were in San Diego. (Our reciprocal membership made this possible.) It wasn’t the largest Science Center we have been in, but it had a great collection of hands on activities for the kids – including a Lego section. Our favorite part was the Tinker Lab where the kids eyes lit up when they saw tons of cardboard and other fun materials they could use to build whatever they wanted."

"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."

"Fleet Science Center is a Science Museum in San Diego, California. It is situated in the Balboa park at the eastern end of the El Prado Drive walkway. It was established in 1973."

"The San Diego Asian Pacific Historic District, San Diego’s historic Chinatown, is an eight-block district adjacent to and in part overlapping with the Gaslamp Quarter Historic District. The San Diego Chinatown is bounded by Market Street on the north, 2nd Ave. on the west, 6th ave. on the east and J st. on the south. 22 structures are considered historically contributing."

"The First San Diego Courthouse, rebuilt in 1992, was originally the town hall. Constructed by the Mormon Battalion, the first brick building in San Diego became the courthouse when the city was incorporated in 1850. It also served as a school, church and polling place."

"Peter Lik’s photography lines the walls of this ambient gallery. With 35 years of experience, this self-taught Australian photographer has explored the earth's natural beauty from behind the lens. Lik's focus on landscapes is matched by the gallery's prime location two streets from La Jolla Cave, where Pacific waves meet the West Coast."

"At Gyu-Kaku San Diego, diners can cook various meats and vegetables at a grill in the middle of their table. For those with a hankering for sushi, Gyu-Kaku offers other Japanese op..."

"Hosp Grove was founded by a group of investors called The Hosp Eucalyptus Corp in 1908. They planted 219 acres of trees in this Carlsbad grove hoping they could be harvested & sold to the Santa Fe Railroad as railroad ties. Much of the grove has been sold off, but what remains are fun, forested trails with plenty of inclines and twists & turns."

"If you want something simple, straightforward, and kid-friendly, this small Solana Beach spot sports a nice grassy area, and also has a playground for kids who get bored of swimming. Fletcher Cove also has picnic tables, bathroom facilities, and a beach wash station. This beach is best for walking, playing (there’s a basketball court, too) and boogie or body boarding, but if you’re looking to lounge on the sand all day, try somewhere else because the sand is limited here and sometimes completely swallowed by high tides."

"The main beach in Solana Beach is Fletcher Cove, aka “Pillbox” (because a WWII gunnery installation is there), located where Lomas Santa Fe Boulevard meets the coast and just across Highway 101 from the Solana Beach train station. There are public restrooms and showers, as well as picnic tables and a basketball court on the bluffs above the beach. Lifeguards are on duty from 8 a.m."