San Diego Tourism Authority

Home to the San Diego Symphony, The Shell is a new waterfront special event venue steps away from the San Diego Convention Center and lively Gaslamp District. Enjoy stunning, panoramic views of the waterfront and downtown skyline. The scenic sunset steps and patios overlook a large, beautifully landscaped public park. The flexible layout is perfect for hosting a variety of events from seated galas to general sessions to private concerts and networking receptions. Featuring a new, 13,000 sq. ft. stage, ancillary back of-house facilities and state-of-the art production packages. The Shell offers on-site catering highlighting local San Diego cuisine. This venue is truly a world-class destination which is all San Diego at heart.

Enjoy your next event at Petco Park, where everything is possible! Architecturally magnificent Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres is situated in the heart of downtown San Diego, adjacent to the Gaslamp Quarter and the Convention Center. The ballpark offers stunning views of the San Diego Bay and the San Diego skyline. The ballpark is ideal for unique events with a dazzling array of venue options, virtually every square foot of the ballpark is available for rental including the playing field, clubhouses, concourses, terraces, rooftop, restaurants and lounges. You will find a venue to suit your event objectives perfectly - no matter what size, shape, or budget. With more than 20 exclusive venues, the ballpark is designed to host events from 10 to over 10,000 people. Petco Park is perfect for any event you can imagine: private concerts, corporate meetings, tradeshows, networking receptions, holiday parties or fantasy baseball games. Offering sumptuous catering, first-class service and impeccable attention to detail, our events staff will cater to your every need. The Petco Park Events team will help you plan your event from start to finish, working closely with top-quality vendors to coordinate exciting enhancements and decor to take your event to the next level. With its remarkable versatility, stunning architecture and ideal location, Petco Park is truly a venue like no other. Whatever your plans may be - big or small, elegant or casual - we will bring them to life and create a truly memorable event that will be sure to wow your guests!

The cultural heart of San Diego- Just minutes from downtown, you'll find an amazing cultural center and beautiful botanic paradise right in the middle of San Diego. Balboa Park is a cultural oasis that includes 17 museums, gardens galore and the world-famous San Diego Zoo. At 1,200 acres, Balboa Park is one of North America’s most iconic urban parks and a must see on any visit to San Diego. Located just blocks from downtown San Diego hotels, the park has a rich history reflected through its stunning architecture, thought-provoking exhibits installations, and cultural events throughout the year. Balboa Park has a storied history – one that is central to the story of San Diego. It started 150 years ago, when civic leaders took the audacious step of setting aside the scrub-filled mesa overlooking downtown to establish a city park. Today, Balboa Park continues to be a potent mix of what makes San Diego so unique. Ethnically diverse, historically rich, culturally abundant, naturally breathtaking, Balboa Park is where you can experience San Diego’s past and see its future.

A great place to spend the day exploring! Located adjacent to Downtown San Diego along the Big Bay, San Diego's Embarcadero is a testament to the region's colorful maritime history complete with historic ships, museums and harbor tours, as well as a working fishing harbor, cruise ship terminal and plenty of hotels, restaurants and shops.

Thanks to its mild, sunny climate and a wide array of landscapes and natural features, San Diego County contains diversity so spectacular that it takes even local residents by surprise. Hiking is one of the best ways to get close to nearly all of it. On San Diego's coastline, you'll find miles of sparkling beaches overlooked by hikable sandstone bluffs containing the rare Torrey pine. Head inland just a few miles, and you can climb rugged peaks to attain panoramic views of landmarks over 100 miles away. A trip to the mountains will let you wander tranquil, stream-lined meadows under the shade of oaks and pines. You can discover hidden palm oases and contemplate silence and space in the vast expanses of Anza-Borrego Desert. This hiker's paradise truly has something for everyone.

The USS Midway is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Conveniently located in downtown San Diego along the Embarcadero, imagine holding your next event on the longest serving aircraft carrier in U.S. Naval History. Activities for all ages including self-guided audio tours, theater, flight simulators, climb-in aircraft, ejection seats and cockpits, guided tours of the bridge and more. Spectacular flight deck views of the downtown skyline, San Diego Bay Bridge, and active U.S. Navy ships! Midway is an opportunity to experience the uniqueness of San Diego, original home of TOP GUN.

The award-winning San Diego-Coronado Bridge quickly became an area landmark after it opened in 1969. The distinctive curve and soaring sweep of the bridge joins the island of Coronado and the city of San Diego. Consistently ranked as one of the top ten beaches in the U.S., Coronado's coastline offers gentle surf and sparkling sand beaches (courtesy of the mineral Mica) that draw in visitors from around the world. Add to this a charming small-town quaintness, with elegant gardens, old-world mansions, unique shopping experiences, and dining options with spectacular ocean views, no wonder it's been dubbed as "The Crown City" (Coronado is Spanish for "the crowned one").Enjoy the charming shops and watching the military in action at North Island Naval Station

A visit to San Diego's "only" National Park offers tremendous views of the San Diego region and excellent opportunities to explore the natural, historical and cultural history of the area. The "Age of Exploration" exhibit, films, and ranger-guided programs present interesting insights into the history of Cabrillo. A short walk leads to the Old Point Loma Lighthouse. This picturesque structure is restored to its 1880’s appearance and presents life as it was for the light keepers and their families. In the adjacent Assistant Keeper's Quarters, interactive exhibits tell the story of the Lighthouses of Point Loma. In a nearby historic Military building, the exhibit "They Stood the Watch" presents the history of Fort Rosecrans. The bayside trail begins near the lighthouse and offers breathtaking views of the harbor and the city of San Diego. South of the Lighthouse is the Whale Overlook. This vantage point offers pleasant views of the Pacific Ocean and the New Point Loma Lighthouse. Whales are often seen from here in January and February . On the western side of Point Loma lies the rocky intertidal zone, a window into the ocean ecosystem that lies along of San Diego's coast. During periods of low tide, pools form along this shore in rocky depressions (low tide is considered at 0.7 or below). In them you may find anemones, elusive octopus, spongy deadman's fingers, and a myriad of other creatures.