Liberty Station

Liberty Station was built in the early 1920s as a Navy training site. For 70 years, eager recruits came here to learn the ropes, until the site was closed in the 1990s. Following this the area was redeveloped into what you see today—a 28-acre (11-hectare) complex that comprises hotels, houses, restaurants, a gourmet market, shops, parks, a conference center, and more.

It’s possible to spend an entire day on the site, visiting the shops and art galleries or dropping into the museum—Life of an NTC Recruit—to learn about Liberty Station’s naval past. During the summer, regular outdoor movie showings will give you a reason to stay later.

• Liberty Station is wheelchair accessible.

• You can find street-food eats and local beers at the Liberty Public Market.

• On Sundays in the summer, there’s live music by local bands.

Liberty Station is located in Point Loma just north of downtown San Diego. It’s close to the airport and accessible by car or taxi. Parking is free. To get there by public transit, catch the Green Line or UC San Diego Blue Line trolley to Old Town Station, then transfer to the 28 bus; it’s about a 5-minute walk.

Liberty Station is open all year round—and with San Diego’s mild climate there’s no bad time to visit. Visitors can attend events like movie showings and live music over the summer months.

A short hop from Liberty Station is San Diego Old Town, the site of the first Spanish settlement in the US. There are many historic buildings to see, such as the Whaley House Museum—one of two “official” haunted houses in America—and Junípero Serra Museum, built on the site where California began. Alongside this you’ll find shops selling traditional Mexican handicrafts, and a variety of restaurants.