Must-See California Theme Parks & Attractions

San Diego is packed with great things to see and do including these top theme parks and attractions.

SeaWorld San Diego

Spread across 190 acres on beautiful Mission Bay Park, SeaWorld is known for its amazing animals, interactive attractions, aquariums, rides, beautiful landscaping and education programs for all ages.

Join us Dec. 6 and 7 in beautiful Balboa Park for the City of San Diego's largest free holiday festival. The family-friendly December Nights celebration brings visitors and locals together to enjoy the lights, the sounds, the attractions and, of course, the amazing food.

Waterfront Playground Experience with Pirates. The perfect treat for out-of-town visitors and locals alike! These popular 90-minute performances are staged aboard the Maritime Museum of San Diego’s 16th-century Spanish galleon San Salvador. Guests will be fully engaged in pirate theatrics at the dock and underway on San Diego Bay. This hilarious interactive show puts visitors right in the middle of the pirate action. Participants will be sworn in as part of the ship crew, trained how to navigate, sword fight, bail water from a sinking ship, escape from the King’s Jail, swab the deck and other pirate skills. 

General admission included, making the experience an excellent value and opportunity to explore the waterfront museum fleet and exhibits before or after your Boarded experience. Choose from two shows at 10:30 a.m. or 12:45 p.m. 

The Hausmann Quartet and Maritime Museum of San Diego are excited to partner to present the ninth season of Haydn Voyages: Music at the Maritime, a quarterly concert series performed aboard one of the Museum’s historic world-class vessels, the 1898 steam ferryboat Berkeley that operated for 60 years on San Francisco Bay. All concerts are Sundays at 2:30 p.m., and include an intermission for a total length of under two hours. Each creative program will also include informative and entertaining commentary between selections from noted UC Santa Barbara musicologist Derek Katz.

The Hausmann Quartet would like to recognize the support of pH Projects, The Conrad Prebys Foundation and the City of San Diego’s Commission for Arts and Culture. KPBS is the exclusive media sponsor of Haydn Voyages: Music at the Maritime.

Step into a reimagined reality where light, sound, and urban culture converge at City Lights

Opening December 6, 2024, and running through mid-January, 2025, this walkable journey combines cutting-edge digital art and interactive installations.

The Experience:

Embark on a 50-minute journey through six unique zones – featuring lasers, reactive video, LED sculpture, projection mapping, and more – each inspired by a different aspect of city life.

Interact with the art, transforming the visuals with a wave of your hand. Two special zones feature choreographed light and sound performances, creating a powerful synergy that brings the city’s heartbeat to life.

End the experience by indulging in an elevated cocktail lounge featuring a seasonal El Comal tapas-style menu.