The USS Midway Museum is the retirement home of longest serving aircraft carrier of the US Navy, now decommissioned and allows visitors aboard to visit over 60 exhibits and 29 restored aircraft along with a self-guided audio tour and museum docents standing by. Visitors can see the crew's quarters, engine room, ship's jail, post office, even visit the flight control room, and participate in 2 flight simulators. The Midway was the world's largest ship until 1955 and saw action in the Vietnam War and was the flagship during Operation Desert Storm.

The San Diego Museum of Man explores the human experience throughout many different time periods and ancient civilizations that have lead us to who we are today. History ranges from Pre-Columbian and western America to the Mayans of Mesoamerica. The museum houses some of the United States' most crucial Ancient Egyptian artifacts like coffins, mummies, and burial masks.

The San Diego Air and Space Museum tells the history of aviation and aims to preserve air and space artifacts. Exhibits include the Apollo IX Command Module, a Douglas SBD-4 Dauntless involved in the Battle of Midway, a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina "flying boat", and a Dirigible Artifact Collection.

The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center contains over 100 interactive exhibits, such as the Tinkering Studio for inventing and experimenting, a creative exhibit for kids 5 and under, and many more. The center is home to the world's first IMAX Dome Theatre, built in 2008.

The Santa Fe Railroad Depot is the oldest and only still-standing railroad terminal in its original location in the United States and now operates a railroad museum on the depot's first floor.

The Living Coast Discovery Center is a zoo and aquarium featuring over 350 species of saltwater marsh, bay, and upland animals and plants native to the San Diego area. Species include shorebirds, jellyfish, sharks, sea turtles, hawks, owls, and sting rays.

The California Surf Museum, started in 1986, shows off the history of surfing with a timeline of surfboards from the 1900s to today and memorabilia such as photos, magazines, surfing equipment, and art related to the sport. The museum also hosts events like the Surf Film Festival, book signings, concerts, and more.

The Oceanside Museum of Art provides the community with modern and contemporary works of art by regional, national, and international artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. The museum offers permanent and rotating exhibitions as well as films, concerts, culinary events, and more.

Mission San Luis Rey de Francia is the largest of all 21 missions in California. It was founded in 1798 and named for the 13th century King of France, St. Louis IX. It is now the home of several Franciscan Friars, a cemetery, a Retreat Center, historic church, and museum. The museum contains artifacts from the Luiseno Indians, early Spanish missionaries, and tells the history of the mission, including a brief occupation by U.S. military from 1847-57.