The Big Bay

Complement your visit to the nation's largest urban park with a trip along one of the world's most scenic harbors, the San Diego Bay! From Point Loma's historic lighthouse to the Sweetwater National Wildlife Refuge, sample an exciting array of museums, public art works, natural wonders, unique shopping, and fine dining, all offering spectacular views of the bay. Feeling adventuresome? Try a harbor excursion or whale watching trip. Waxing nostalgic? Check out the Maritime Museum and USS Midway. Just want to eat, play, and shop? No problem. Seaport Village and Coronado have something to suit everyone's tastes.

Maritime Museum of San Diego

The Maritime Museum of San Diego located on Harbor Drive near the corner of Ash Street, enjoys a worldwide reputation for excellence in restoring, maintaining and operating historic vessels. The museum's collection includes the world's oldest active ship Star of India; the 1898 steam ferry Berkeley; the 1904 steam yacht Medea; the 1914 Pilot; a B-30 Soviet attack submarine; the state's official tall ship Californian - a replica of a mid-19th century revenue cutter; and the H.M.S Surprise, a magnificent replica of an 18th century Royal Navy frigate featured in the award winning film "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World."

The Maritime Museum is open every day of the year from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Special packages that include Bay tours are available.

USS Midway

South along the Embarcadero from the Maritime Museum is the longest-serving aircraft carrier in U.S. Naval history, the USS Midway. Now a museum, the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum features:

• Self-guided audio tour with admission to 60 exhibits including 24 restored aircraft. The audio tour features interactive, story-telling docents - many of them Midway veterans who lived or worked in the spaces you'll visit
• Access to engineering, mess deck, berthing spaces, foc's'le, hangar deck, officers country, flight deck and the island superstructure, and 24 restored aircraft
• Three types of optional flight simulators
• Virtual video tour of access-limited spaces
• Gift shop
• Fantail Café
• Handicapped elevator from Navy Pier to the hangar deck, second deck and flight deck

The Aircraft Carrier Museum is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with the exception of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. The ticket booth closes at 4 p.m.

Greatest Generation Collection

Immediately south of the USS Midway is the Port of San Diego's Greatest Generation Collection, an assembly of military heritage public art. The artworks are located in the tidelands park at the G Street Mole, which is located off Harbor Drive approximately one block south of Broadway Pier and adjacent to the Aircraft Carrier Museum. Artworks include the USS San Diego (CL-53) Memorial, Battle of Leyte Gulf Memorial, Military Tribute to Bob Hope, Aircraft Carrier Memorial, and Homecoming sculpture, a seven-foot bronze sculpture depicting the joyous reunion of a sailor, his wife and child upon return from deployment.

"Unconditional Surrender" is a 25-foot sculpture that brings to life a famous black and white image of a sailor kissing a young nurse in Times Square, New York City, on August 14, 1945. Located at G Street Mole, the image captures the spontaneous eruption of joy and euphoria that swept a war-weary nation when the public announcement was finally made that World War II was over. "Unconditional Surrender" is on-loan to the Port through March 21, 2010.

Urban Trees 6

There is a new "grove" of Urban Trees along the North Embarcadero of San Diego Bay. From Broadway to Laurel, Urban Trees 6 reflects the work of 30 artists, with works ranging from serious to lighthearted, whimsical to abstract. What many have in common is that they are kinetic, attracting attention as they move in the wind. The sixth installment of Urban Trees includes some standouts such as "Wind & Shadow" by Cathy Coverley, a blue and yellow canopy bearing multi-colored glass disks that rotates with the direction of the breeze and casts colorful ever-changing patterns on the pavement below. Neal and Tiffany Bociek's "SIC'Emore (doggie tree)" kinetic sculpture featuring images of dog breeds brings a fun spirit to the waterfront. The dogs swivel in the wind and the yellow toy poodle image that tops the tree functions as a weather vane. Click here to view all the trees, artists and descriptions.

Bob Hope Tribute

Bob Hope, the actor, entertainer and comedian, is almost universally known around the world for his long career as a star of film and television. Yet it is in the hearts of generations of U.S. servicemen that his most enduring legacy resides. For a span of more than fifty years beginning in 1943, he dedicated himself to entertaining soldiers, sailors and airmen of the armed forces in the many battlefronts and remote outposts where they've served throughout the world. His overseas USO tours, which often took place over Christmas, were deeply appreciated and fondly remembered by countless thousands of servicemen on protracted tours of duty, often under combat conditions, far from their homes and families.

Now the legacy of Bob Hope is commemorated by a major sculptural artwork titled "A National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military," Located in a grove of coral trees atop a landscaped mound with broad curving steps, the National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military features a grouping of sixteen larger than life-sized bronze figures in circular plaza. The figures represent a typical road show with Bob entertaining troops near the front. The focal point is a bronze of Bob Hope himself by renowned sculptor Eugene Daub. Fifteen additional sculptures form an eternal audience representing men and women of the five branches of the U.S. military services. The fifteen military bronze figures were designed and fabricated by the Daub Firman Hendrickson Group and the Steven Whyte Studio. The National Salute is a fitting tribute to not only Bob Hope but to the legions of servicemen and women he entertained over the years.

Art around San Diego Bay

Art, culture and community accessibility to San Diego Bay are top priorities of the Port of San Diego. The Port's Public Art Program, an important element of that vision, was created to promote a healthy, vibrant atmosphere that contributes to the quality and identity of the region. The Port's public art collection - known as the "Tidelands Collection" - has received international recognition for its creative projects. These projects celebrate San Diego's international ties, cultural diversity, military significance and unique oceanfront environment.

With several upcoming installations, the collection will continue to provide the tidelands with stimulating works of art. Please visit the Big Bay site for a complete list.