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. 

Familiar holiday traditions take on a wild twist at the Zoo’s Jungle Bells celebration. The Zoo will be aglow with holiday cheer and decorations, with music filling the air, joyful roaming entertainers, and special food items and sweets available.

This boat tour provides visitors with an educational tour of San Diego Bay. The 45-minute Bay sightseeing tour takes guests out on the water in a large loop first heading toward North Island and the Aircraft Carriers, then stopping at buoy 22. Guests will then head just under Coronado Bridge and make a port (left) turn around one of the bridge pillars. The vessel then heads back towards the Maritime Museum along the downtown side of the waterfront.  Several attractions will be highlighted along the way as guests enjoy the fresh air and view.

Sheduled daily tour times Monday through Friday at 11:00 a.m. 12:45 p.m., 1:45 p.m. and 2:45 p.m.

Weekends: 11:00 a.m., 12:45 p.m., 1:45 p.m., 2:45 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.