An ode to flight, the circular museum houses an extensive display of historical aircraft and spacecraft (originals, replicas and models), including a hot-air balloon from 1783, an Apollo command module and a Vietnam-era Cobra helicopter. Also look for memorabilia from legendary aviators such as Charles Lindbergh and astronaut John Glenn or catch films in the 3-D/4-D theater.
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San Diego Air & Space Museum
San Diego
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Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
11.02 MILES
Built in the 1930s behind a wave-cutting seawall, La Jolla’s Children’s Pool was created as a family beach but has since been invaded by herds of seals…
11.12 MILES
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1.19 MILES
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1.26 MILES
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13.37 MILES
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Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
3.18 MILES
On the site of San Diego's first European settlement, Old Town consists of a cluster of restored or rebuilt historic 19th-century buildings filled with…
1.23 MILES
A couple blocks east of Petco Park, the city's recent landmark is a beauty. Crowned by a steel-and-mesh dome, the futuristic, nine-story library features…
10.84 MILES
Waves have carved a series of caves into the sandstone cliffs east of La Jolla Cove. The one below the Cave Store, a shop selling vintage curios, is 200…
Nearby San Diego attractions
1. San Diego Automotive Museum
0.04 MILES
This museum has a permanent collection of dozens of cars and motorcycles, perfectly restored and well displayed, with classics including a 1981 De Lorean,…
0.08 MILES
Save Starlight (www.savestarlight.org) is an initiative working to restore, revive and revitalize Starlight Bowl. The movement hopes to put on concerts,…
3. Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater
0.11 MILES
This theater in the Palisades Building puts on terrific hand and rod puppet and marionette shows for the little ones. There have been puppet shows here…
0.18 MILES
Here are 15 cottages from the 1915 exposition, inside which you will find furnishings and displays from various countries, plus about 15 cottages built…
0.28 MILES
South of Plaza de Panama looms the tiered benches, curved colonnade and ornate pavilion housing a 5017-pipe organ, said to be the world’s largest of its…
0.32 MILES
The center hosts powerful exhibitions of Mexican and Native American art, including temporary exhibits of contemporary indigenous artwork, dance, theater…
0.32 MILES
Balboa Park includes a number of gardens, reflecting different horticultural styles and environments, including Alcazar Garden, a formal, Spanish-style…
0.35 MILES
Housed in the iconic 1915 California Building, this anthropological museum is packed with exhibits hopscotching from ancient Egypt to local Kumeyaay…