Kids Free in October on San Diego Harbor Tours

1. Star of India

Question: What year was Star of India built?

Answer: 1863

Star of India was built in 1863 on the Isle of Man and originally launched under the name Euterpe. During her long working life, she sailed around the world carrying cargo and passengers before eventually finding a permanent home in San Diego in 1927. Today she serves as the centerpiece of the Maritime Museum of San Diego's collection. She is recognized as the world's oldest active sailing ship.

Here's another way to put her age into perspective: when Flagship began taking passengers sightseeing on San Diego Bay in 1915, Star of India was already more than 50 years old!

2. USS Midway

Question: What kind of ship is the USS Midway?

Answer: An aircraft carrier

It's hard to appreciate just how enormous an aircraft carrier is until you're cruising alongside one. USS Midway was built in only 17 months and named for the Battle of Midway, one of the most important naval battles of World War II. Although she was built during World War II, Midway was commissioned just days after the war ended. She went on to serve for nearly 47 years before being decommissioned in 1992.

The ship was donated to the San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum organization in 2003 and opened to the public as the USS Midway Museum in 2004. Today, families can walk aboard and get an up-close look at life on an aircraft carrier.

3. San Diego International Airport

Question: How many runways does San Diego International Airport have?

Answer: One

That's right — all those airplanes you see arriving and departing San Diego International Airport share a single runway. That makes San Diego one of the most interesting major-city airports to watch from the water.

You may also know the airport by its former name, Lindbergh Field, named for famed aviator Charles Lindbergh. Lindbergh's Spirit of St. Louis, the airplane he flew on his historic solo nonstop flight across the Atlantic in 1927, was built in San Diego by Ryan Airlines.

4. Port & Starboard

Question: When you're facing the front of the boat, what do sailors call the LEFT side?

Answer: Port

On a vessel, port always means the left side when facing forward, while starboard means the right. Unlike left and right, port and starboard don't change depending on which way a passenger happens to be facing — something that's very important when sailors need to communicate quickly. Remember it with an easy trick: PORT and LEFT both have four letters.

5. Is Coronado Really an Island?

Question: True or False: Coronado is really an island.

Answer: False

It certainly looks like an island from San Diego Bay, but Coronado is connected to the mainland by the Silver Strand, a narrow strip of land running south toward Imperial Beach.

Geographically, Coronado is sometimes described as a "tied island" because of that connection. For much of its early history, traveling along the Strand was very different from the drive we know today. The roadway along the Silver Strand was paved in 1924, helping create a more dependable connection between Coronado and communities to the south.

6. San Diego's Skyline

Question: Why aren't San Diego's downtown skyscrapers taller than 500 feet?

Answer: Because downtown is so close to the airport.

San Diego International Airport sits remarkably close to downtown. Because of that proximity and the airport's flight paths, building heights in downtown San Diego are restricted by the FAA. That restriction has helped give San Diego a skyline unlike many other major American cities.

7. Shelter Island

Question: Before it was developed, Shelter Island was...

Answer: A sandbank visible at low tide

Despite its name, Shelter Island isn't actually an island. It began as a sandbank in San Diego Bay that could be seen at low tide. Material dredged from the bay was used to build it into dry land in the 1930s. When Shelter Island was developed in the 1950s, San Diego embraced the era's fascination with the South Pacific. The area became known for its Polynesian-inspired and Tiki architecture, particularly at its hotels, restaurants and gathering places.

And Shelter Island isn't the only “island” on the tour with a surprising story. Nearby Harbor Island isn't really an island either. The man-made peninsula was created in 1961 using material dredged from the bay when the channel was enlarged to accommodate the Navy's larger aircraft carriers. Today, the approximately two-mile-long peninsula is home to marinas, restaurants, hotels and waterfront parkland.

8. California Sea Lions

Question: What animals often hang out around the bait barges?

Answer: California sea lions

Those floating bait barges hold anchovies and sardines for fishing boats, making them a favorite hangout for California sea lions.

Wondering if you’re seeing a sea lion or a seal? Sea lions have visible ear flaps; true seals do not. Sea lions can also rotate their hind flippers underneath their bodies to move on land, while seals typically scoot on their bellies.

And don’t let their lounging fool you—adult male California sea lions can weigh around 800 pounds!

9. Old Point Loma Lighthouse

Question: Why was a new lighthouse built lower down the hill?

Answer: Fog and clouds could hide the old lighthouse's light.

You might think a higher lighthouse would be easier for sailors to see, but at Point Loma, height created a problem. The Old Point Loma Lighthouse, first lit in 1855, stood about 400 feet above the water. Unfortunately, fog and low clouds often hid its light from ships below. In 1891, it was replaced by a new lighthouse closer to the water, where its light was less likely to disappear above the fog.

10. San Diego-Coronado Bridge

Question: Why does the Coronado Bridge curve?

Answer: The curve helps the bridge gain enough height for large ships to pass underneath without making the roadway too steep.

The Navy required 200 feet of clearance for large ships to pass beneath the Coronado Bridge. Its famous curve gave the bridge enough length to reach that height without making the climb too steep.

The 2.12-mile bridge opened in 1969 and changed Flagship history, too. Ferry service between San Diego and Coronado stopped after the toll bridge opened, eventually returning years later for passengers and bicycles.

Want to dive deeper? Explore the fascinating history of the Coronado Bridge from San Diego Magazine.

11. Hotel del Coronado

Question: What year did the Hotel del Coronado open?

Answer: 1888

The Hotel del Coronado — or “The Del” — opened in 1888 and quickly became one of Southern California’s most recognizable seaside resorts.

The Victorian hotel was also ahead of its time. The Del was one of the world’s largest buildings to use electric lighting when it opened, with its electrical system reportedly inspected by Thomas Edison himself.

12. San Diego's Giant Dry Dock

Question: What is a dry dock used for?

Answer: To lift ships out of the water for repairs.

The South Bay is a busy working waterfront where enormous ships are built and repaired.

The Pride of California floating dry dock can lift ships out of the water so crews can work on their hulls. At approximately 950 feet long, it’s so massive it has held two Navy destroyers at once!