Top Attractions for Cruise Visitors in San Diego

Cruise visitors sailing to or from San Diego will enjoy a city with plenty of pre or post cruise options. The Port of San Diego welcomes cruise ships throughout the year at San Diego’s B Street Cruise Ship Terminal.

Getting Around

The downtown area can be seen from the cruise port. Visitors can take public transportation, a trolley or a bike cab to explore. The San Diego Airport can be seen from the ship, and is a short taxi ride from the pier. Rental cars are available at the airport for excursions off the beaten path.

What to do in port

San Diego offers a lot of diversions that appeal to groups of all ages and interest levels. California’s second oldest city has museums, great beaches, shopping, interesting restaurants, a world-famous zoo, great golf courses, and amusement parks that compete for cruise visitor’s dollars.

Close to port:

Seaport Village is located about a mile from the cruise dock and offers visitors a fun destination close to the ship to find souvenirs and have a bite to eat. www.seaportvillage.com. Be on the lookout for their free shuttle when you are in port.

Hard to miss and right next to the pier is the USS Midway Museum. The U.S.S. Midway opened in 2004 as a naval aviation museum.

Whale Watching: If you are in town during whale watching season make sure to check out a tour. There are two main migrations of whales with the giant blue whales starting sometime in May and lasting until October. The gray whale migration starts in December and goes strong until late April. Check out http://www.newportwhales.com/ for more information.

Off the beaten path but worth the effort:

For those that love building with lego bricks, then a side trip to Legoland California is a must. Located in Carlsbad, which is about a 30-minute drive from downtown, is the place to be. www.lego.com/legoland/california.
Animal lovers can go to the San Diego Zoo www.sandiegozoo.org, or Sea World San Diego www.seaworld.com for the day.
Maybe a little far from the pier, but worth the visit for those staying overnight in San Diego is a trip to Balboa Park. www.balboapark.org.
Shoppers can head out to Las Americas Premium Outlets, if you have a car and a need for some great bargains.

Surfs Up!

If you have the time, your bathing suit and a ride, manage to get to one of the beaches in San Diego county. Famous breaks can be found at Swami’s in Encinitas and elsewhere in Leucadia. If surfing is not your thing, rent a kayak, paddleboard, or just people watch if you are so inclined.

Find out more:

San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau
See the Port of San Diego’s cruise ship calendar here
San Diego International Airpot

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