An amazing tour with an amazing tour guide. Well worth the time and money. Highly Recommend!!
Wes B
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By the time the Naval Training Center closed in 1997, more than two million men and women had passed through its gates on their way to becoming sailors. Today that same ground is Liberty Station – a thriving arts and cultural hub where the naval history is still very much present if you know where to look. Our Liberty Station walking tour takes you through both worlds – and there’s more to discover here than most people realize.
| Price |
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| Departure times | 10:00am |
| Availability | Tuesday – Friday, June – August Wednesday and Thursday, September – May |
| Duration | 2 hours |
| Group size | Maximum of 15 people |
| Meeting point | “USS BRAVE” art piece, outside of the Liberty Public Market, 2816 Historic Decatur Rd Suite 135, San Diego, CA 92106 |
| Ending point | Near our departure location, at the “USS BRAVE” art piece, 2816 Historic Decatur Rd Suite 135, San Diego, CA 92106 |
| Know Before You Book |
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| Included |
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| Not included |
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| What to bring |
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| About your guide | Your guide is a San Diego native with a genuine passion for this city and the stories that make it unlike anywhere else. Every tour is personal by design, if you have a particular area of interest, just let us know in advance and we'll do our best to weave it in. |
Your tour begins at Camp Paul Jones, the heart of the former Naval Training Center. The park-like setting feels peaceful today, but look a little closer and the history of this place starts to reveal itself.
We’ll get a sense of daily recruit life as we pass by the buildings where they slept, received medical care, and were fed – the unglamorous but essential business of turning civilians into sailors. Along the way we’ll pass the Sail Ho Golf Course – several notable golf pros have played here over the years, and two people have chosen it as their permanent home.
After viewing the park-like setting of the original entrance, we will see how the demands of World War II transformed the base dramatically by 1943. This includes the arrival of the WAVES, Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, who took up residence in a nearby barracks, away from the men.
You’ll also have the chance to try your hand at a sailor skill or two before we make our way to the Command Center, where the top brass kept the base running. Several exhibits here bring the recruit experience to life – including one dedicated entirely to food.
Next is Ingram Plaza – today a gathering place for community events and celebrations, though its original purpose was considerably less festive. From there we’ll stop at the Boats Memorial, dedicated to the 52 submarines and their crews lost during World War II – a powerful reminder of national sacrifice, and worth a moment of reflection.
We’ll see Preble Field in the distance, where recruits once marched during training and on graduation day. To celebrate their accomplishment, we’ll head to a local brewery to raise a glass to the two million men and women who passed through these gates – and to your own completion of the tour.
Here, our guide will wish you fair winds and following seas, but not before pointing you toward the best of what Liberty Station has to offer today – whether that’s exploring the Navy’s legacy further or discovering the cultural gems and restaurants that have made this neighborhood one of San Diego’s most vibrant.
