Sail on a Full-Scale Replica of the First European Vessel to Explore California’s Coastline

If you visit the bustling Port of San Diego you will see firsthand how shipping has impacted this California city. Cruise ships, marine cargo and more keep the waters off San Diego alive with both energy and commerce. The Embarcadero is also home to the Maritime Museum, a remarkable public venue with a worldwide reputation for excellence in restoring, maintaining and operating historic vessels.

According to Visit California, “The museum focused primarily on one historic ship, the Star of India, when it first opened in 1948, but today comprises 11 permanent exhibits and a variety of rotating exhibits. The Star of India still makes a good place to start your visit: The iron-hulled 1863 sailing ship is a State and National Historic Landmark and the oldest active ship in the world. Military buffs will also love the USS Dolphin, the U.S. Navy submarine that holds the record for the deepest dive. Lookie-loos, meanwhile, can’t resist the Medea, a steam yacht from the Gilded Age.

“’Visitors often remark about how the Maritime Museum of San Diego is unlike any other museum they’ve visited,” says Dr. Raymond Ashley, president and CEO of the museum. “Each vessel is like a time machine into a different world—going from ship to ship is like going on a series of voyages through time.’”

This fall, you can sail across the centuries and be part of history as the full-scale replica of the first European vessel to explore California’s coastline makes her next voyage offering visitors a variety of onshore exhibits and seagoing adventures. The next stop will be in Los Angeles at Los Angeles Maritime Museum.

“We are thrilled to have San Salvador visit Los Angeles Maritime Museum,” says Los Angeles Maritime Museum Director Marifrances Trivelli. “San Salvador is the perfect visiting exhibit to attract thousands of visitors and expose more people to Los Angeles Maritime Museum.”

San Salvador dockside tours are scheduled Friday, October 6 through Sunday, October 8 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults including seniors (ages 65 and older) and active military, $7 for children/students 17 and under). Children under 5 are free. Ticket prices include admission to Los Angeles Maritime Museum and a tour of the San Salvador. Los Angeles Maritime Museum is in San Pedro at Berth 84 along the Main Channel of Los Angeles Harbor. Visitors can call (310) 548-7618 for more information.

Pacific Heritage Adventure 4-Hour Day Sails aboard San Salvador are $99 per person Monday, October 9 through Wednesday, October 11. Space is limited. No sailing experience is required.

For more information, visit sdmaritime.org or call Maritime Museum of San Diego at (619) 234-9153 ext. 111.