B-Street Pier & Cruise Ship Terminal Tours

San Diego, where the locals brag about their 70-degree-and-sunny weather nearly year-round, can fill almost any desire you have for a day in port. Historical or naval-related? Check out Old Town or the USS Midway Museum.  Culture, nature and animals? Head to Balboa Park and the famous San Diego Zoo. Beach and water activities? Make your way to Coronado Island or take a speedboat tour.

If you feel like simply exploring, go on a walking tour around districts like Little Italy or Seaport Village.

How to Get to San Diego

Cruise ships dock at the B-Street Pier & Cruise Ship Terminal downtown. Just walk north or south along the water to get to attractions like the Maritime Museum, or grab a taxi or a bike cab outside the port to go beyond downtown. You can also catch the trolley to Old Town or the Gaslamp Quarter, among many other city stops.

One Day in San Diego

It’s going to be a busy day, so hopefully you had a good breakfast on your ship. Start with a cab ride to Balboa Park to spend a couple of hours at the San Diego Zoo (don’t miss the panda bears) or one of the park’s several museums, including the Air and Space Museum, Museum of Art, Model Railroad Museum and Natural History Museum.

When you’re ready for lunch, take a quick cab ride to the Hillcrest neighborhood (or walk the 0.7 miles (1 km) from the northwest corner of the park) for a bite to eat at one of the local restaurants off the typical tourist trail. Then hail one more cab for the ride back to the port, where you’ll catch the ferry to Coronado Island.

Relax on Coronado’s wide beach, just up from the Navy base, and then head to the sprawling and historic Hotel del Coronado (or the Del, as it’s known locally) for a drink, following in the footsteps of Old Hollywood stars like Clark Gable and Mae West.

If you’ve got time after the ferry ride back to port, visit the USS Midway Museum.