"Aircraft-carrier museum whose flight deck is a popular—and often sold-out—viewing location for San Diego's Big Bay fireworks; the deck typically features family-friendly entertainment and all-American concessions, making it a festive place to watch the simultaneous-barge pyrotechnics over the bay." - Patricia Doherty Patricia Doherty Patricia Doherty is a writer who specializes in covering destinations, resorts, and cruises for Travel + Leisure and other publications. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"A downtown San Diego museum ship where families can tour an aircraft carrier and explore aviation exhibits and restored spaces, offering a hands-on, historical experience on the waterfront." - Sarah Bruning Sarah Bruning Sarah Bruning is the special projects and surveys editor at Travel + Leisure, where she has been on staff since 2018. She assigns stories across the magazine, primarily for the Experiences section and feature well. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines
"Now a museum ship, the USS Midway—America’s longest-serving 20th-century aircraft carrier—functions like a ‘floating city’ stretching about the length of three football fields; I spent hours exploring the plane-packed flight deck, hangar bay, mess hall, and berthing, and the in-depth self-guided audio tour can take up to three hours while the museum also hosts roughly 400 active-duty military events a year." - Archana Ram
"A city in California known for its beaches, parks, warm climate, and as a cruise departure port."
"This 971-foot-long floating museum is the best way to learn about and honor San Diego's significant naval community. The decommissioned aircraft carrier is one of the most popular attractions in San Diego. Visitors can get a taste of navy life by visiting the plane-packed flight deck, sprawling hangar bay, mess hall, and berthing. The museum hosts about 400 active-duty military events annually—including reenlistment, retirement, and change-of-command ceremonies—which are all open for the public to observe." - Marie Tutko, Archana Ram