View Attractions Related to: Astronomy & Outer Space
by TourGuideTimReuben H. Fleet Science Center
Location: Balboa Park (3 Miles Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Generally open 9:30AM – 8PM Summer & Weekends (5PM on Winter Weekdays)
Cost: $13 ($11 for Kids ages 3-12 and $12 for Seniors 65+); Additional Cost for IMAX Movies
Features: Over 100 Hands-on Science Exhibits, Southern California’s only IMAX Dome Theater, Planetarium, Simulator Ride.
San Diego Air & Space Museum
Location: Balboa Park (3 Miles Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: 10AM – 4:30PM (Must enter by 4PM). Open until 5:30PM during Summer. Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Cost: $18 ($7 for Kids ages 3-11 and $15 for Seniors, Military, Students)
Features: One of the Nation’s Best Aerospace Museums; San Diego has the Richest Aviation History in the World
Astronomy in San Diego County
The San Diego Mountains and Desert provide one of the best places in the world to get a clear view of the night sky. Good weather patterns help to limit atmospheric distortion while the remote location and support of nearby communities to keep lights dim provides the darkness needed to create a stargazer’s paradise.
Desert Adventures
Location: Borrego Springs (93 Miles/ 2 Hours East of San Diego Coastal Areas)
Time: Most Events Take Place Between October and May
Cost: Starts at $55 per Event.
Features: Desert Jeep Tours; Group Tours on Military Transport Vehicles; Astronomy Nights; Ghosts & Legends; Wine Tasting; Customized Tours
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Location: Anza-Borrego Desert (Visitor Center is 93 Miles/ 2 Hours from the Coastal Areas of San Diego)
Visitor Center Hours: 9AM – 5PM; Thursday through Monday From October to May; Weekends from June to September.
Cost: Free (Except for $6 per day parking at 3 Campgrounds)
Features: Sonoran Desert Meets the Peninsular Mountain Ranges Creating the Most Diverse Desert Landscape in the World and offering Hiking, Camping, Horseback Riding, Desert Wildflower Viewing, Stargazing, and Geological Exploration.
Borrego Springs
Location: Borrego Springs is surrounded by the Anza-Borrego Desert (93 Miles/ 2 Hours East of San Diego Coastal Areas)
When to Visit: October through May
Features: Desert Town Providing Hospitality to Guests of the Anza-Borrego Desert; Includes Resorts, Spas, Stargazing, Adventure Activities, Life-Size Pre-Historic Animals, and Cultural Events.
Palomar Observatory
Location: Palomar Mountain (78 Miles / 1 Hour and 45 Minutes Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Open Daily: Generally open 9AM – 4PM (Closed on December 24th and 25th)
Cost: None
Features: Home to One of the World’s Most Powerful Telescopes; Took Clearest Pictures Ever of Outer Space in 2007; Images Used in Google Sky; One of America’s Finest Scientific Achievements.
Cleveland National Forest
Location: Cleveland National Forest (1 Hour Drive from the Coastal Areas of San Diego)
Cost: Most Visitors Will Need An Adventure Pass – $5 per Day or $30 per Year.
Features: Mountains, Meadows, Views of Ocean and Desert; Scenic Drives; Eagles; Falcons; Trails for Hiking, Biking, and Horseback Riding; Campground & RV Sites
Historic Mountain Town of Julian
Location: Julian (62 Miles / 1.25 Hours Northeast of Downtown San Diego)
Features: Historic Town in the San Diego Mountains with Hiking, Wine Tasting, Gold Mines, Stargazing, Shops, Famous Apple Pie, and Surrounded by Forests