San Diego Things to Do Tips by Yaqui Top 5 Page for this destination

San Diego Aerospace Museum San Diego Aerospace Museum Review

This is my husbands favorite place to visit there. It offers some very unique exhibits to see and you'll learn a thing or two about our past aviation history!

There are over 60 examples of aircraft and they have many other types of aircraft on loan. Those on loan may change frequently.

Visitors can experience flight and motion simulators.

Regular Museum Admission Fees: Please check the web site or call them.

**Guided Tours of the Restoration Area are only available on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. Excessive noise may be experienced on the tour.

Regular Hours of Operation
The Museum is open seven days a week Monday through Sunday. Please see below for the hours.

Normal Hours
10:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
With admission until 4:00 p.m.

Summer Hours - (Memorial Day through Labor Day):
10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
With admission until 5:00 p.m.

Closed:Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day

Address: 2001 Pan American Plaza

Directions: Southbound from I-5.
Take the 10th Ave. exit off I-5. Turn left on "A" St. and left again on Park Blvd. Follow the signs to Balboa Park.

Phone: (619) 234-8291

Website: http://www.aerospacemuseum.org

Heritage Park Village - Burton House 1893 Heritage Park Review

This is a classic revival construction was built by retired Army Physician Henry Guild Burton during a period that moderation was desired as far as outside decoration.

Address: 2454 Heritage Park Row

Directions: Just east of the corner of Juan and Harney Streets.

Phone: (619) 297-9327

Heritage Park Villiage - Bushyhead House 1887 Heritage Park Review

Italianate design built by Edward Wilkerson "Ned" Bushyhead (1832-1907) who served as a San Diego sheriff, chief of police, and newspaper owner. This lovely home was moved to the park in 1976 along with two others. Mr. Bushyhead was a survivor of the Cherokee Indian death march "Trail of Tears" in 1838. He was determine to make something of himself and moved west and found success in journalism. This lovely home was moved to its Heritage Park location in summer of 1976.

Address: 2454 Heritage Park Row

Directions: Just east of the corner of Juan and Harney Streets.

Phone: (619) 297-9327

Heritage Park Village - McConaughy House 1887 Heritage Park Review

Built in the Stick Eastlake style, John McConaughy was the original owner and he founded the first scheduled passenger and freight service in San Diego County with his four-horse passenger stages and six-horse wagons operating between San Diego and Julian. Moved to this location in the 1960's.

A law firm works in this lovely home and it is said it is haunted by John McConaughy.
Ghosts.org

Address: 2454 Heritage Park Row

Directions: Just east of the corner of Juan and Harney Streets.

Phone: (619) 297-9327

Heritage Park Villiage -Sherman Gilbert House 1887 Heritage Park Review

Built in the Stick Eastlake style by John Sherman who first owned the home. In 1892-1965 the Gilbert family a San Diego lumber executive bought this lovely home, where the sisters Bess and Gertrude Gilbert, patrons of art and music, belonged to the Amphions club who brought artists from abroad in 1899 and hosted them in there home. Such artists were Yehudi Menuhin, Ernestine Schumann-Heink, and Artur Rubinstein. Moved here in 1971.

The Park Ranger office is located on the bottom floor.

Address: 2454 Heritage Park Row

Directions: Just east of the corner of Juan and Harney Streets.

Phone: (619) 297-9327

Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala San Diego Mission de Alcala Review

MISSION SAN DIEGO DE ALCALA is known n as the Mother of Missions for it was the first mission of the 21 missions of California. Father Serra on July 16, 1769 established Mission San Diego that overlooked the beautiful bay, but since the water supply was poor they did not stay, plus the native people were not exactly happy having military lurking about. So it was a young Father Luis Jayme who suggests another location and Father Serra agreed. This new site had a wonderful supply of water, plus it was located near many villages who were not intimidated by the mission. Yet, sadly, Father Jayme life would end on the night of November 4th, 1775 when several hundred native people rioted, looted, and burned the mission and killed the poor father. He is buried on the very grounds still reminding those sacrifices these Fathers endured in brings a peaceful faith and future.

Father Serra returned to the mission and had it rebuilt, but this time it in the style of army fort. Although the mission had to endure great hardships due to droughts and not having enough supplies it eventually started seeing profit with good crops. By 1797, it had finally accomplished 565 baptisms, 1405 converted to Christianity and with the land area of 50,000 acres of corn, wheat, barley, kidney beans, chick-peas; vineyards, and vegetables. It also owned 20,000 sheep, 10,000 cattle, and 1250 horses.

By 1821 with Spain loosing ownership, Mexico’s new government had other ideas. Not loyal to the Spanish Missions, the lands were taken and given to Santiago Arguello. When the United States gained ownership, the mission became a fort. Several military companies occupied the mission around 1846 -1856. The first was the Mormon Battalion Company B , who were the ones that built the second floor to house their troops so they could keep the animals downstairs was the stables. They had ladders that led to the upper floors. Then the Army of the Pacific housed here from 1851-1858 and was still used as a headquarters for the Army till 1862. Yet, finally President Lincoln deeded all the California’s missions back to the church with some acres too. In 1892, the Sisters of Saint Joseph of Carondolet moved onto the mission compound and conducted an American Indian childrens' school for seventeen years. The mission has been rebuilt several times over the years, till finally in 1931 it was built to mirror its original 1813 style. MISSION SAN DIEGO DE ALCALA is still a very active parish as all the others missions today!


Visitor Center Museum and Gift Shop Hours: Open 9:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m. daily

Address: 10818 San Diego Mission Road San Diego, CA 92108

Directions: From Los Angeles:
I-5 south to I-805 south to I-52 east to I-15 south. Exit Friars Road east.
Right at first signal onto Rancho Mission Road. Left at first signal onto San Diego Mission Road. The Mission is one half block on the left.

Phone: (619) 281-8449

Cabrillo Bridge 1914 Balboa Park Review

While traveling along Highway 163 to the San Diego Zoo, you will pass right under this bridge. I commented to my sister that this bridge looks very old tried to click a picture of it, but the traffic was moving fast. I was able to take a picture of it from the zoo skyline tram and while exploring Balboa Park as we crossed it a couple of times. Lots of people walking, bicycling, driving, and jogging across it, so please drive slowly!

This is an historic 1,500-foot-long bridge with 56-foot-wide archways started out as a pedestrian pathway for the 1914 Exposition. Then Franklin Roosevelt, assistant secretary of the Navy and Mayor Charles F. O'Neill, made an inaugural auto crossing of the bridge. It remained closed to traffic during the Exposition, but gradually traffic increased once the expostion closed. It went through a $3.5 million rehabilitation which was really needed.

Address: 1549 El Prado

Directions: North East of Downtown

Phone: (619) 239-0512

Website: http://www.balboapark.org

Spreckels Organ Pavilion 1914 Balboa Park Review

This lovely ornate theatre caught my eye when exploring Balboa Park. I had no idea it has an actual 1914 pipe organ that contains 4,530 pipes. It is secured by a medal door. After researching it was John D. and Adolph Spreckels dream to donated this lovely organ to the city he loved. It is considered one of the world's largest outdoor pipe organs. It found a home here during the 1914 for the Panama-California Exposition.

On Sundays they perform free weekly performances sine 1917.

Hours:
Concerts, Sun. 2:00–3:00 p.m.; mid-June–Aug.
International Summer Organ Festival Mon. 7:30 p.m.

Address: 1549 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101-1661

Directions: North East of Downtown

Phone: (619) 2-8138

Website: http://www.sosorgan.com/

Moreton Bay Fig Tree Balboa Park Review

This living piece of history was planted in 1915 and considered one of Balboa Park landmarks. It's over 70 feet tall, with a canopy spread of 125 feet and a trunk diameter of 13 feet. It is located across from the San Diego Natural History Museum. It has a fence all around it to keep folks from disturbing it to keep it healthy.

Address: 1788 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101

Directions: North East of Downtown

Phone: (619)232-3821

Website: http://www.balboapark.org

Casa del Prado Theatre 1913 Balboa Park Review

This lovely ornate Spanish Colonial building is located in Balboa Park. Casa del Prado was built for the 1913-15 California-Panama Exposition. It has served for 60 years as the San Diego Junior Theater and the San Diego Civic Youth Ballet and seats 600.

Address: 1800 El Prado, San Diego, CA, 92101

Directions: North East of Downtown

Phone: (619) 239-8355

Website: http://www.balboapark.org