San Diego Convention Center – Historical Attractions

San Diego is described as “the birthplace of California,” as it was the first place that European settlers inhabited. Because of this, there are many historic attractions to be seen, many of which are close to the San Diego Convention Center. San Diego even has its own historic neighborhood called Old Town.

With this guide, we bring you through the main historic attractions that any history buff will enjoy during their visit to San Diego.

 

Asian Pacific Historic District and San Diego Chinese Historical Museum

The closest historic attraction to the San Diego Convention Center is the Asian Pacific Historic District. Chinese fishermen settled this eight-block area in the 1860s. The neighborhood was also home for Japanese and Filipino communities.

This neighborhood is home to the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, which highlights the experience of the neighborhood’s early inhabitants. Before entering this small, unique museum, guests pass through a traditional Chinese archway into an outdoor area filled with statues. Inside, the museum promotes the Chinese art, culture, and the population’s experiences in San Diego. Past exhibits have included Chinese American women, the symbolism of dragons, classic artifacts, and calligraphy as an art form.

Dive deeper into the history of San Diego’s early settlers by visiting the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum, only a seven-minute walk from the San Diego Convention Center.

 

Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House

The Davis-Horton House, built in 1850, is the oldest wooden structure in San Diego. This historically significant house was once the home of William Heath Davis, a trader who helped establish downtown San Diego. He and his family were influential members of early San Diego society.

The Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House transports visitors into the Victorian Era to learn about what everyday life was like. Each room gives a glimpse into a different phase in the house’s history. Over the course of its life, this residence has served as military barracks, a hospital, and a private home.

A self-guided tour of the Gaslamp Museum at the Davis-Horton House is perfect for those interested in the history of San Diego. This intimate and educational destination is only a nine-minute walk from the San Diego Convention Center.

 

USS Midway Museum

A six-minute drive from the San Diego Convention Center is the USS Midway aircraft carrier. This record-breaking ship was built in 1945, and was the largest ship in the world until 1955. The USS Midway was also the longest-serving aircraft carrier in U.S. naval history. It was active for 47 years, and served through the Cold War and beyond. Approximately 200,000 sailors served aboard the USS Midway over the course of its lengthy life.

The ship now serves as the USS Midway Museum, the most popular warship museum in the country. Guests take a self-guided audio tour through 60 parts of the ship, which includes the sleeping quarters, bridge, post office, and engine room. The ship also contains a massive collection of aircraft, many of which were built in California.

Former sailors who served aboard the USS Midway aircraft carrier narrate the audio tour. Kids will love watching informative videos, listening to their very own audio tour, trying flight simulators, climbing aboard some of the aircraft, and experiencing what it’s like to sit in the cockpit.

There is so much to learn at the USS Midway Museum, and visitors to the San Diego Convention Center are right around the corner from it.

 

El Campo Santo Cemetery

An 11-minute drive from the San Diego Convention Center is El Campo Santo Cemetery, one of the oldest cemeteries in California. El Campo Santo, which translates to “the sacred ground,” was founded as a Catholic cemetery. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974, and many say that it’s only a fraction of its original size.

The church laid citizens of San Diego to rest here from 1849 to 1880. Just two years after the last burial, the city built a streetcar line straight through El Campo Santo Cemetery. Because of this, workers had to move some gravestones into the street and onto the sidewalk. Many visitors say that this disruption of the dead resulted in El Campo Santo Cemetery becoming haunted.

Guests can take a self-guided tour through the cemetery by picking up a free brochure in the museum office.

 

Whaley House Museum

Close to El Campo Santo Cemetery is the Whaley House Museum. This home was once the residence of Thomas Whaley, an early settler of the San Diego area and former president of the San Diego Board of Trustees. His home was the first brick house in the city, and is a classic example of Greek Revival architecture.

The home has taken on many roles in the past, including the first county courthouse and commercial theaters, a general store, a ballroom, a billiard hall, a school, and a polling place. Because of its historic significance, San Diego dedicated the Whaley House as a museum in 1960. The museum has welcomed visitors from all over ever since. The tour guides at the Whaley House Museum are knowledgeable about the history of the house as well as the lives of the former residents.

Since the Whaley House was built on the former site of a graveyard and public gallows, many believe it to be haunted. Life even dubbed it “America’s Most Haunted House.” For some, this makes the Whaley House even more of an appealing destination. The numbers speak for themselves; the Whaley House Museum welcomes more than 125,000 visitors a year.

 

Mormon Battalion Historic Site

The Mormon Battalion Historic Site in the Old Town neighborhood celebrates a unit of hundreds of Mormon soldiers from the Mexican-American War. The volunteer Mormon Battalion is the only religion-based military unit in United States history. It contained more than 500 men. This unit marched the entire way from Iowa to San Diego, which helped open a southern wagon route to California. Their efforts also played an important role in the westward expansion of the United States.

The Mormon Battalion Memorial is free to visit, and also serves as a museum. It features interactive exhibits with informative videos, and an activity where kids can pan for gold. The Mormon Battalion Memorial is only a 13-minute drive from the San Diego Convention Center.