San Diego Air & Space Museum Discount Tickets & Tips for Visiting

The San Diego Air & Space Museum is a stunning collection of authentic and reproduced artifacts related to air and space technology set in Balboa Park. The museum’s motto is “Preserve, Inspire, Educate, Celebrate!” and it certainly succeeds in its mission. Check out our helpful guide for visiting the San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park, packed full of ways to save on admission, tips for visiting, other nearby attractions, and much more.

How to get San Diego Air and Space Museum discount tickets?

We’ve got you covered – San Diego Air and Space Museum admission is available with the below money saving options, so you can choose the attraction pass that’s right for you: 1. All-Inclusive Pass – All you can do. Includes admission to dozens of attractions. 2. San Diego 4-Choice Flex Pass – Choose as you go. Includes admission to 4 attractions. 3. Build Your Own Pass – Select the attractions you want to visit prior to visiting. See all available passes, attractions & prices – Learn more. Image of Shop, Shopping Mall, City, Convention Center, Grass, Urban, Hotel, Outdoors, Airplane, Person,

Tips for Visiting the San Diego Air & Space Museum

  • The Museum offers free admission for San Diego County residents and active duty military and their families on the 4th Tuesday of each month.
  • Definitely scout out parking options prior to going to the museum. It is located in Balboa Park, which is extremely popular for both tourists and locals. You can find a printable map on the Balboa Park website. It includes instructions for parking at Inspiration Point to catch a tram to the park.
  • Plan on visiting several of the park’s excellent museums and attractions. They are all within walking distance of the San Diego Air & Space Museum.
  • Check with the admissions staff when entering to see if any of the docents are available for tours. They are excellent sources of information.
  • Bring a little extra cash if you wish to enjoy the flight simulators.
  • Plan on spending a little extra time to watch one or more of the museum’s videos highlighting the role aviation played in armed forces throughout the twentieth century.
  • Special exhibits are not included with the Go San Diego Card. For current exhibit and upgrade information, please call (619) 234-8291.

When is the best time to visit San Diego Air & Space Museum?

Since the museum exhibits are indoors, just about any time of year is a good time to visit the San Diego Air & Space Museum. Parking lots in Balboa Park fill up quickly. If you prefer not to use the tram, arrive by 9:00 a.m. and enjoy walking in the gardens until the museum opens. Avoid Tuesdays if possible. The museums and other attractions in Balboa Park are free to San Diego residents on a rotating basis on Tuesdays. This is a popular day for school field trips, and the museums are quite busy.

What should I bring to the San Diego Air & Space Museum?

Image of Child, Female, Girl, Person, Aircraft, Vehicle, Airplane, Bring your shopping list for holiday and birthday presents! The gift shop has a wide selection of space and flight themed merchandise that make excellent, unique and fun gifts for kids and adults alike. Bring a snack or picnic to enjoy in the atrium that is located in the middle of the museum. The atrium is light and airy as well as peaceful, and you will enjoy looking up at the vintage aircraft hanging from the ceiling. Wear a nice outfit if you wish to have your picture taken standing on the moon! The pictures are a whimsical addition to any photo display at home.

What to do at the San Diego Air & Space Museum?

Image of Indoors, Museum, Aircraft, Airplane, Vehicle, The museum guides you through several galleries containing exhibits that highlight the unique role San Diego played in aviation. See exhibits including the Theodore Gildred Rotunda, the World War I Gallery, and the World War II Gallery. Plus, the Golden Age of Flight Gallery, and the Modern Jet and Space Age Gallery. The museum is located in the Ford Building which was constructed for the California Pacific International Exposition. In 2005 it became affiliated with the Smithsonian Institution. Only ten aerospace museums exist in the United States. The San Diego Air & Space Museum is the only one to have such an affiliation. Upon entering the foyer, you will find the actual landing module from Apollo 9. This is only the beginning of an amazing journey through aviation and space flight technology and history. The history of aviation represents a significant element of our history. The museum includes displays including a model of the Montgolfier brother’s hot air balloon launched in 1783. It the very first manned contraption in history to break free from gravity and fly humans above Earth. You can also see the advancement of flight technology. Progress from vintage aircraft from the two world wars, the Korean War and the Vietnamese War. Guests can visit the rotunda free of charge and shop at the gift store, although admission is required for the remaining exhibits.

World War I Gallery

The World War I gallery includes realistic touches such as a boardwalk and tent displays from the era. Plus, it. features reproductions of a Fokker Dr. I, Albatros D. Va, and Fokker E. III Eindecker. In addition, you will find authentic specimens of the Nieuport 28, Sopwith Pup, and a SPAD VII c. 1. The museum removed the fabric skin from the Sopwith Pup for visitors to have a clear view. See the craftsmanship and technology that went into making the aircraft up close. By pressing a button, you can see rotary engine and propeller movements and how they coordinated with the triggers so pilots could avoid shooting their own plane.

World War II Gallery

The World War II Gallery has exhibits of a Curtiss P-40E Warhawk, Stearman N2S-3 Kaydet, and North American P-51D Mustang. Additionally, it features a Supermarine Spitfire Mk.XVI, Messerschmitt Bf109G-14, and a Douglas C-47 nose and cockpit section. The gallery has a wide array of other aircraft from the era, in addition to movies highlighting battles and other actions in the war. In addition, the exhibit includes engines used in the war such as the Rolls-Royce Merlin 62, Junkers Jumo 004B-1, and the Pratt & Whitney R-1830-17.

Golden Age of Flight Gallery

The Golden Age of Flight Gallery has vintage aircraft on deck and hanging from the rafters. Exhibits include a Consolidated Pt-1 Trusty, Lincoln Standard J-1, Aeronca C-3 Collegian, Gee Bee R-1, Albatross, Pitts Special, Fleet Model 2, Piper J-3 Cub, and a Ryan B-5 Brougham.

Modern Jet & Space Age Gallery

The Modern Jet & Space Age Gallery offers a thrilling view into the space race and modern flight era. The gallery has a Bee Aviation Wee Bee, F/A-18 A Hornet Blue Angel 1, Douglas A-4B Skyhaw, Apollo Command and Space Module, and Gemini spacecraft. In addition, you will find a Boeing GPS-12 satellite that was operational and launched into orbit with the original 23 GPS satellites. The exhibit includes displays honoring the astronauts of the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo missions.

Edwin D. Mckeller Pavilion of Flight

The Edwin D. McKeller Pavilion of Flight includes the Education Center that hosts Family Day activities occurring monthly. It includes a comprehensive exhibit of artifacts from the now defunct Pacific Southwest Airlines, and a display honoring women in flight.

What attractions are near the San Diego Air & Space Museum?

The San Diego Air & Space Museum is located in Balboa Park, which offers visitors choices that include art museums, exhibits, botanical gardens and more. Here are a few we suggest adding to your itinerary...

  • The Japanese Friendship Garden is just steps away from the San Diego Air & Space Museum, and it represents an expression of friendship between sister cities San Diego and Yokohama. The gardens utilize a design method known as shibui, which highlights elegant simplicity and quiet beauty. They combine the elements of shrubs, trees, water and rock to create a harmonious, contemplative environment.
  • The San Diego Natural History Museum is a short walk within the park from the Air & Space Museum. It was founded in 1874, and it is the oldest scientific institution in Southern California. You will enjoy a stunning collection of fossils, artifacts and environmental displays in the four story building.
  • The Botanical Building in Balboa Park includes the tranquil lily pond near the entrance. The building was constructed for the 1915 Exposition, and it is one of the biggest lath structures worldwide. The Botanical Building has over 2,000 permanent plants such as ferns, cycads, orchids and an array of tropical palms and plants.

Where to eat near the San Diego Air & Space Museum?

The Prado Restaurant is located in the House of Hospitality near the Visitor Center in Balboa Park. It offers elegant, full service dining. The menu includes beautiful salads, seafood, braised short ribs, duck, steaks and other delectable fare. Anthony’s Seafood is a short drive to the harbor district. This iconic restaurant offers a wide array of delicious seafood dishes. In addition, the restaurant sits at the water’s edge. It has stunning views of the San Diego bay, Coronado Island and Point Loma.

Need to Know

Hours

  • Daily, 10:00 am-4:30 pm.
  • Hours subject to change.
  • Please contact (619) 234-8291 or visit the museum website for current hours.
  • Closings: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day. All holiday hours are subject to change without notice.

Address

2001 Pan American Plaza San Diego, CA 92101

Save on Tickets with a Go San Diego Card

Remember, the Go San Diego® Card is the best choice for maximum savings and flexibility, which includes San Diego Air & Space Museum tickets, plus admission to your choice of other top attractions. Save up to 55% on top museums, tours, and activities vs. paying at the gate. Visit multiple attractions for one low price.

Lindsay Eagan
Go City Travel Expert

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Mission San Diego de Alcalá in Mission Valley
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Things to do in Mission Valley San Diego

Split along its length by the San Diego River, Mission Valley lies just east of downtown and around eight miles from the golden California coast. This vibrant neighborhood is a shoppers’ paradise, with some of the city’s biggest malls as well as plenty of lovely parks to stroll and relax in. It’s great for hikers too, with easy access to Tecolote Canyon National Park and the rugged hills and canyons of the Mission Trails Regional Park to the east. Read on to discover our favorite things to do in Mission Valley San Diego. Immerse Yourself in Mission Valley History Just east of Interstate 15 lies the Mission San Diego de Alcalá, a beautiful sugar-white church that has stood on this site since the 18th Century, and from which the valley takes its name. Tours of this working church – the oldest building in California – are available Monday through Friday, allowing you a glimpse into its long history. Visit the remains of the friars’ lodgings at the southern end of the compound and pause among vibrant purple bougainvillea, spiny yucca plants and fragrant pine trees to admire the mission’s gleaming white facade, with its Insta-perfect tower containing five bells and topped with a wooden cross. In the gift shop, pick up a free guide to the church’s artworks then step inside to admire the grand wooden altar as well as paintings and statues that date from the 15th Century to the present day. There are also many museum artifacts relating to the mission’s past, including clothing, tools, pottery and weapons plus photos of local photos of Kumeyaay elders. At the other end of the valley, Presidio Park allows you to walk in the footsteps of the first European settlers on the site where the Mission San Diego de Alcalá was first established by Junípero Serra and Gaspar de Portolá in 1769. And it’s from Serra that the park’s museum takes its name. Step inside to immerse yourself in San Diego’s heritage, from the indiginous Kumeyaay people through Spanish explorers to Mexican settlers. Then climb the Junípero Serra Museum’s famous tower, from where the sweeping views across the park’s manicured lawns to the Old Town and Pacific beyond are really quite something. Shopping and Entertainment If your idea of a good time is shops, shops and more shops, then Mission Valley is likely to be right up your alley. It boasts not one, not two but three mega-malls: Fashion Valley, Westfield Mission Valley and the Hazard Center. Fashion Valley is a huge – and we mean biggest-in-San-Diego huge – open-air mall that cover some 40 acres. So you might want to make a shoe store your first port of call, in order to slip into something a little more comfortable. Good news: there are plenty to choose from. This is the place for budding fashionistas, where luxury brands including Cartier, Fendi and Louis Vuitton rub shoulders with major department stores like Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s. There are also plenty of cafés and restaurants for punctuating your shopping odyssey with well-earned breaks, and a cinema showing all the latest blockbusters. Golfers can get in the swing of things at the Riverwalk Golf Club, an 18-hole championship course that’s just a hop and a skip from Fashion Valley. Here, mature oak, palm and eucalyptus trees catch the coastal breezes as players face-off against gently rolling fairways with close to 70 hazardous bunkers. And all against a beautiful backdrop of picturesque wetlands and water features, including three lakes and the San Diego River. Bliss. Into the Valley Follow Mission Valley east and you’ll soon reach the ruggedly handsome Mission Trails Regional Park. At over 7,000 acres it’s one of the largest urban parks in the United States, with dozens of excellent walking trails to choose from. The most popular of these takes you 1,593 feet up to the summit of Cowles Mountain where, here at the highest point in San Diego, you can take in dizzying 360-degree panoramas of the city and beyond. And, if you want to get a little more off the beaten track, fear not: there are over 60 miles of trails available throughout the park, meaning it’s not difficult to achieve a sense of near-isolation, with just the colorful wildflowers and maybe the odd hummingbird or rattlesnake for company. A little north of Mission Valley, Tecolote Canyon National Park also makes for a fine day out. Grab a picnic and take the six-mile Tecolote Canyon Trail, which weaves a fairly flat and unchallenging route through the valley, keeping your eyes peeled for the elusive creatures that lend the canyon their name (tecolote is the Spanish word for owl). Mission Bay Mission Valley also provides great access to the 4,600 acres of waterways, beaches and islets that make up the huge aquatic playground that is Mission Bay. Explore the shoreline by bike or live a little and get a drenching on the water. There are sports galore to try here, from the high-octane to the positively sedate: go jet skiing and surfing, or cruise elegantly across the bay on a paddleboard. Child-friendly beaches here are also great for sandcastle-building and picnic-eating, though perhaps not at the same time. Speaking of activities that will keep the kids entertained, Mission Bay also just so happens to be the location of SeaWorld San Diego. Go for the incalculable multitude of sea creatures great and small, and stay for high-energy thrills from the likes of the river-rapid log ride and – if you’re game – the fastest and highest roller coaster in San Diego. Kids will love meeting great beasts of the sea, including loggerhead turtles, killer whales, reef sharks and the elusive Giant Pacific Octopus in the 19 aquariums here, and there are touch pools where you can get up close to some of the ocean’s friendlier critters, such as rays, crabs, cleaner fish and (harmless!) bamboo sharks. Save on things to do in Mission Valley San Diego Save on admission to San Diego attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Hillcrest street sign
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Things to do in Hillcrest San Diego

Just north of Balboa Park, the uptown neighbourhood of Hillcrest is the beating heart of San Diego’s LGBTQ+ scene, its tree-lined streets brimming with lively gay bars, international restaurants and fab brunch spots. Stay here for the vibrant community feel, huge annual Pride parade and proximity to top San Diego attractions including the fine gardens, museums and architecture in Balboa Park and the iconic Spruce Street Suspension Bridge in nearby Bankers Hill. Read on to discover our favorite things to do in Hillcrest San Diego. Historic Hillcrest Immerse yourself in Hillcrest history with a wander through the neighborhood’s leafy streets. It won’t be long before you spot a traditional Craftsman’s house. These simple, rustic bungalows date to the Arts and Crafts movement of the early 20th Century and were originally intended as an antidote to Victorian ostentation. Well-preserved specimens can be identified by architectural hallmarks such as modest wooden exteriors, terracotta porches and wide oak doors. The most famous of these is Marston House at the top of Balboa Park. Visit the museum here for a fascinating glimpse into the Arts and Crafts movements inside the private family home of George W. Marston, dubbed ‘the father of Balboa Park’ for his part in establishing this vast green space. Stroll beneath fragrant pine and eucalyptus trees and California Oaks in the museum’s five acres of mature gardens and pick up unique Arts and Crafts-influenced gifts including pottery and prints in the cozy shop, located in the former carriage house. Hillcrest Life Hillcrest’s lively streets are abuzz with fine places to eat, drink and shop. Head to University Avenue for a mouthwatering variety of international restaurants serving up everything from steaming bowls of ramen and eye-wateringly spicy Thai curries to authentic Italian pizzas and aromatic Afghani kebabs. Nearby Fifth Avenue is the place for thrift-store fashions and a chilled brunch scene, while the Hillcrest Farmers’ Market rolls into Normal Street every Sunday, with nearly 200 vendors selling organic produce, handmade clothes and more, accompanied by live music and the intoxicating scents of street food. It’s also around these central thoroughfares that you’ll find the hub of San Diego’s LGBTQ+ scene, with dozens of gay bars and clubs to choose from. Head to Rich’s for karaoke, games and dancing till late and to Urban MO's Bar & Grill for imaginative cocktails, themed evenings and weekend brunches. Hillcrest Brewing prides itself as 'the first gay brewery in the world’ and serves up a selection of its own concoctions including Crotch Rocket Irish Style Red Ale and Banana Hammock Scotch Ale alongside guest beers, cocktails and more. The epicenter of San Diego’s annual Pride festival, Hillcrest welcomes around 300,000 revelers every July for a series of events including inspirational speakers, a 5k fun run, top-flight live music and entertainment and, of course, the legendary Parade, a colorful celebration that weaves through the neighborhood’s streets, leaving music, laughter and joy in its wake. Local Highlights Hillcrest's location, bounded by Mission Hills, University Heights, North Park, Bankers Hill and Balboa Park, means there’s plenty more to see and do in the immediate vicinity. Head south along First Avenue to reach the Spruce Street Suspension Bridge in Bankers Hill. At 375 feet long, this discrete footbridge is an iconic local landmark with cracking views of the verdant Kate Sessions Canyon below. Those with a head for heights will find much to enjoy on a stroll across this feat of 1912 engineering. Those without may however wish to get their kicks elsewhere – strong gusts of wind have been known to make the bridge sway somewhat dramatically. Eek! Over in Mission Hills, hedge enthusiasts will have quite the ball at the extraordinary Harper’s Topiary Garden. Here, the owners’ neatly trimmed bushes have become a piece of living art, with more than 50 expertly hand-coiffed sculptures in their front yard. The result is nothing less than magical. Look out for dinosaurs, surfers, a Buddha and all manner of other weird and wonderful shapes. The neighborhood’s quirky outdoor theater, Cinema Under The Stars, shows a program of classic and cult movies year-round, thanks to its retractable weatherproof dome and infrared heating. Balboa Park Bordering Hillcrest to the south, Balboa Park is San Diego’s sprawling urban playground, covering some 1,200 acres. Inside, you’ll find the best museums and formal gardens in town. You’ll recognize the San Diego Museum of Art from its elaborate Spanish Renaissance-style facade, just one example of some of the fantastic – and fantastical – architecture on display along the El Prado Boulevard. Statues of master painters Velázquez, Murillo and Zurbarán stand sentry over the grand entrance and their works loom equally large inside, along with major pieces from Goya, Monet, Canaletto and more. Stroll the length of El Prado to admire the wildly diverse architectural styles on display, from Casa del Prado’s shaded cloisters and garlanded columns to the playful California Building with its colorful tiled dome, three-story belltower and enchanting mix of the Baroque, the Rococo, the Gothic and the Churrigueresque. Also worth seeking out is the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, an ornate Italian Renaissance confection that houses the the biggest outdoor organ on the planet and hosts free organ recitals every Sunday as well as evening concerts in summer. Among the dozens of things to do in Balboa Park you can also – deep breath – meet thousands of cute critters at San Diego Zoo, ride painted beasts including a lion and a dragon on the park’s traditional century-old carousel, chill with an ice cream on the broad lawns in front of the picture-perfect Botanical Building, and meander zen-like among bonsai groves, koi ponds and cherry blossoms in the Japanese Friendship Garden. Save on things to do in Hillcrest San Diego Save on admission to San Diego attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak

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