Page 80 - 2023-2024 Travel Guide to California

MARITIME MUSEUM
OF SAN DIEGO
Walk the decks of the Maritime Museum of
San Diego’s historic fleet, afloat on San Diego Bay,
representing 500 years of seafaring history
Star of India anniversary sail with Californian in San Diego. PHOTO: CHRIS SZWEDO
B Y L E N O R E G R E I N E R
TOUR THE BAY
AND SAIL, EXPLORE
OUR CONNECTION
WITH THE SEA
Maritime Museum
of San Diego
SDMaritime.org
GUEST GENERAL ADMISSION includes main and
below deck access to all exhibits, below; Maritime
Museum fleet including USS Dolphin submarine in
foreground, bottom. PHOTOS: MARK ALBERTAZZI
At the area’s waterfront Maritime
Museum of San Diego moors a world-
class collection of historic sailing
ships, steam-powered boats, and subma-
rine. As one of the nation’s best maritime
museums, it enjoys an international repu-
tation for restoring, maintaining, and
operating sea-faring vessels—some listed
as California State Landmarks and National
Historic Landmarks on the National Reg-
ister of Historic Places. Four historic vessels
take passengers aboard for on-the-water
adventures.
Learn About the Age of Sail
Lovers of storytelling and maritime history
can explore 16th-, 18th- and 19th-century
sailing ships. The world’s oldest active
sailing ship, the 1863 Star of India, circled
the globe 21 times. This San Diego icon
celebrates her 160th birthday this year.
Explore the mighty gun decks of the
H.M.S. Surprise, an 18th-century Royal
Navy frigate replica and stage to the Oscar-
winning movie Master and Commander: The
Far Side of the World. The San Salvador is a
replica of the galleon that explorer Cabrillo
sailed into San Diego Bay in 1542, discov-
ering America's West Coast. California’s
official tall ship, Californian, is also docked
at the museum. She is a replica of the 1847
Revenue Cutter C.W. Lawrence, which
patrolled the coast of California enforcing
federal law during the Gold Rush.
Maritime History Comes Alive
Steamships include an 1898 steam ferryboat,
Berkeley, a California State Historic Land-
mark and National Historic Landmark. The
1904 Royal Navy steam yacht, Medea, is one
of the last active WWI warships. Plus, the
world’s deepest diving sub, the 1968 USS Dol-
phin, amassed many naval accomplishments
and you can venture underwater to explore.
Adventure Alive Ashore and at Sea
Find entertaining, educational exhibits
aboard many vessels with daily dockside
self-guided tours and docent-led group
tours. You can also add on-the-water excur-
sions, such as a 45-minute harbor history
cruise on the 1914 harbor Pilot boat or Naval
history tour aboard Vietnam-era PCF 816
Swift boat on San Diego Bay.
For sailing enthusiasts, the museum
offers four-hour weekend sails aboard
the Californian and San Salvador. For a truly
unique step-back-in-time sailing vacation,
book the multi-day ocean-going San
Salvador Pacific Heritage Tour.
78 2023-24 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA