With a military history that spans nearly 250 years, California is filled with landmarks that let you experience the proud role the state has played in the defense of the United States. From Spanish presidios to aviation museums and gigantic U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, these sites tell the story of the people who served and sacrificed, both at home and abroad. You’ll find destinations throughout the state and can easily follow a pre-built road trip or craft a bespoke itinerary.
SAN DIEGO
Liberty Station, San Diego
Urban sophistication meets San Diego’s Navy traditions at Liberty Station, a onetime Naval Training Center that has been reborn as a bayside community, dining destination, and arts district. Coral-hued Spanish Colonial Revival buildings and a verdant parade ground preserve the facility’s Navy history, even as many structures have been repurposed. A former barracks now houses Liberty Public Market, which is packed with a diverse collection of food vendors. Some are situated in an old mess hall with a vintage mural depicting a timeline of Navy history.
Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego
Overlooking the entry to San Diego Bay at Point Loma, Cabrillo National Monument’s military history dates to 1852. The location where Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo likely landed in 1542 during the first European explorations of the West Coast, the monument also preserves World War II coastal defenses and Old Point Loma Lighthouse, once used as a command post. The exhibit They Stood the Watch examines the monument’s military role and its sandstone bluffs are perfect for observing Navy ships coming in and out of San Diego Bay.
USS Midway Museum, San Diego
Commissioned in 1945 as the world’s largest ship, the 1,001-foot-long USS Midway has been surpassed in size over the decades but it remains a brawny symbol of American naval might. Preserved as the USS Midway Museum along the San Diego waterfront, the ship takes you inside Navy life—from cramped sailors’ bunks to the bridge’s command center. You’ll also see more than 30 aircraft, including an FA-18 Hornet fighter-bomber. And nearby, don’t miss Unconditional Surrender, the giant statue of a kissing couple based on an iconic World War II victory celebration photo.
DESERT
Palm Springs Air Museum, Palm Springs
The Palm Springs Air Museum doesn’t just give you close-up views of remarkable military aircraft, including World War II–era P 51-D Mustangs and a Lockheed Martin F-117 A Nighthawk stealth fighter. The museum can also send you into the wild blue yonder. Its Warbird Experiences offer flights on aircraft from a C-47 Skytrain cargo plane to a bucket list–worthy ride on a Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star subsonic jet trainer.
INLAND EMPIRE
March Field Air Museum, Riverside
Dating to 1918, March Air Reserve Base in Riverside is one of the country’s most historic airfields. The March Field Air Museum displays more than 100 aircraft that tell the story of military aviation from World War I to the present day. There’s a remarkable range of aircraft: World War II bombers, Vietnam-era helicopters, a Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird reconnaissance jet (which could fly 2,000 mph and above 80,000 feet), and Cold War–vintage Soviet MiGs.
LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Battleship Iowa Museum, San Pedro
Launched in 1942, the USS Iowa has been called the last great battleship. Tour San Pedro’s Battleship Iowa Museum and you’ll walk the decks of this powerful 887-foot ship where thousands of sailors served for nearly 50 years in such historic operations as the Battle of the Philippines. The “Battleship of Presidents” also hosted three U.S. commanders-in-chief, including Franklin Delano Roosevelt when he traveled overseas to meet with World War II allies during that conflict.
CENTRAL COAST
Camp Roberts Historical Museum, San Luis Obispo County
The largest U.S. Army basic training installation, 42,768-acre Camp Roberts saw more than 436,000 troops pass through its gates during World War II. At one point in 1944, 45,000 troops were based at this facility north of Paso Robles. The camp was also known for the Soldier Bowl, an outdoor amphitheater where Hollywood stars entertained soldiers. With displays of vintage vehicles, uniforms, and recreations of camp facilities, the Camp Roberts Historical Museum traces the installation’s role from World War II through more recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.
El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park, Santa Barbara
The last of four California garrisons built by Spain, El Presidio de Santa Barbara State Historic Park was established in 1782 to defend against potential British or Russian invasions. Arranged around a parade ground, the 5.74-acre site in the heart of Santa Barbara offers a glimpse of the early days of Spanish colonization and includes such structures as the commandant’s quarters and soldiers’ quarters. El Cuartel, a guard’s residence, is California’s second-oldest building.
Vandenberg Space Force Base, Santa Barbara County
From its days as an army base and a World War II POW camp, Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc grew into the West Coast’s most important satellite and missile launch facility. While classified military operations aren’t publicized, check SpaceLaunchSchedule.com for upcoming commercial and civilian launches. There are good vantage points near Lompoc but be prepared for possible launch delays.
CENTRAL VALLEY
Castle Air Museum, Atwater
During Castle Air Force Base’s 54-year history, the Central Valley facility operated as a flying school before becoming a Strategic Air Command base. Its aviation traditions are celebrated at the Castle Air Museum, a 25-acre facility that displays not only early Superfortress bombers but missiles and drones. You can even tour a Douglas VC-9C that served as Air Force One during six presidential administrations.
SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA
USS Hornet Sea, Air, and Space Museum, Alameda
Alameda has deep Navy ties and is today home to an aircraft carrier that served from World War II and into the space age. At the USS Hornet Sea, Air, and Space Museum, explore an aircraft carrier that survived 59 attacks while deployed in the Pacific. The Hornet was also the recovery ship for returning space capsules during the first two Apollo moon landing missions. Displays include an Apollo test capsule and lunar landing module prototype.
The Presidio, San Francisco
Established by Spain in 1776, the Presidio in San Francisco grew into the Pacific Coast’s largest army post and Western Defense Command headquarters during World War II. Since 1994 it has been part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and you’ll see military history exhibits at the Presidio Officers’ Club and World War II coastal defenses at Battery Chamberlin. Stay in onetime officers’ quarters at the Inn at the Presidio or the luxuriously renovated former barracks at the Lodge at the Presidio. And don’t miss Fort Point National Historic Site, a Gold Rush–era installation at the base of the Golden Gate Bridge.
