San Diego, on the Embarcadero.

Where the photos are in San Diego

1. USS Midway Museum

   A five minute walk from B Street Pier. The aircraft carrier's hull towers over the waterfront and makes the biggest backdrop on the Embarcadero.

2. The Victory Kiss statue

   In Tuna Harbor Park, a 25 foot statue of the celebratory kiss between a sailor and a nurse at the end of World War II. It is one of the most photographed things on the harbor.

3. The Embarcadero walk

   The waterfront route to Seaport Village is about a mile, 20 to 25 minutes at a relaxed pace or 30 to 35 with photo stops. It passes the Midway, the statue, Tuna Harbor and Ruocco Park, and on a clear day you can see Coronado Island and the San Diego-Coronado Bridge across the bay.

4. Coronado Island

   The Flagship ferry leaves from Broadway Pier and crosses the bay to Coronado in about 15 minutes. Coronado Beach and the Hotel del Coronado are on the other side, if you have a full morning.

5. The Gaslamp Quarter and Little Italy

   Each about a ten minute walk from the terminal, with restaurants for a pre-cruise lunch and plenty of street color for a candid picture.

How the light works

Morning is the best time on the Embarcadero, when the bay is calm and the carrier catches the sun. San Diego's coast can be hazy early in the day, which is kind to faces. At sail-away the ship heads out toward the Pacific, and the low sun lights the water and the skyline behind you.

Before you board

San Diego has two cruise terminals, B Street Pier at 1140 North Harbor Drive and Broadway Pier at 1000 North Harbor Drive, only a three minute walk apart. Both sit on the Embarcadero, a two mile stretch of downtown waterfront, so your documents will name the pier and you can plan a walk around it.

Details checked September 2026. Piers, fees and schedules change, so confirm with your ship's daily plan.

Questions people ask

Can I walk to the USS Midway from the terminal?

Yes. It is about a five minute walk from B Street Pier.

How do I get to Coronado from the cruise terminals?

The ferry leaves from Broadway Pier and crosses the bay in about 15 minutes.

Which pier is which?

B Street Pier, at 1140 North Harbor Drive, is the main terminal. Broadway Pier, at 1000 North Harbor Drive, is the second one, a three minute walk away.