Best Arts and Culture Places in San Diego Bay

"Balboa Park is home to several San Diegan museums, and the Museum of Art is another magnificence you can visit here. With hosting over half a million visitors every year, this oldest and largest art museum in the region is noted as one of the best museums in San Diego. It has been in operations from the year 1926, exhibiting the most comprehensive art collection anywhere in San Diego."

"Considered one of the great small museums in the world, the Timken houses a wonderful collection of European old master paintings, American paintings, and Russian icons. Artists represented include Rembrandt, Rubens, Fragonard, Bierstadt, Pieter Bruegel the Elder, John Singleton Copley, and Eastman Johnson. Admission is always free."

"Its front doors are located in a gigantic, cathedral-style facade that took a full two years to build, and they can be seen from every direction if you’re in the neighborhood."

"The New Children's Museum re-opened in 2008 with a motto of think, play and create, which is exactly what kids do here. What is different about The New Children's Museum is that they specifically commission works of art with tactile features that appeal to kids rather than re-create existing art to suit a younger generation. There's hands-on art and exhibits to hold the attention of toddlers up through teen years."

"Originally in La Jolla, the New Children’s Museum opened in its current light-filled downtown space in 2008. Entering the multi-story, 50,000-square-foot space, it’s immediately evident that a lot of thought and imagination has gone into the museum’s design. Off the bat, a room lined entirely with mattresses invites kids to literally jump on the bed."

"The NCM blends contemporary art with unstructured play to create an environment that appeals to children as well as adults. The 50,000-square…"

"© Craig Lovell / Eagle Visions Photography / Alamy Stock Photo. With a collection of more than 7,000 photographs by 850 photographers, including Margaret Bourke-White, Alfred Stieglitz and Ruth Bernhard, the Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) devotes itself entirely to the collection and preservation of photography, film and video, including its aesthetic movements and technological advancements. In particular, MOPA’s collection features a large selection of mid-20th-century Soviet Russian photography, social documentary photography and photojournalism."

"The Museum of Photographic Arts (MOPA) is one of a few private institutions dedicated to showcasing photography, film, and video. They also offer various workshops for photography enthusiasts (and I love stopping into the gift shop on my way out). Admission is free but based on a pay as you wish philosophy because one of their goals is to make their exhibitions accessible to all."

"The Power of Photography MOPA is a center for visual learning, passionately dedicated to sharing and exploring the universal language of photography."

"This museum presents exhibits of folk art from around the world, including Indonesia and New Guinea (multicolored masks, dolls, fertility symbols and shadow puppets) and Japan (decorative bottles, bowls and jars). Children will delight in the displays of international toys and antique carousels. Don't forget to visit the Collectors' Gallery/Museum Store for a wide selection of modern and antique arts and crafts."

"Established in 1978, Mingei International Museum is a non-profit public institution that was established in 1978. Located in Balboa Park, the museum houses a variety of art forms from cultures all around the world, both past, and present. It includes nearly 20,000 artistic objects and artifacts from over 140 countries and focuses on folk art, craft, and design."

"While the peaceful, residential neighborhood of South Park has several gift shops worthy of a browse (Grafitti Beach Boutique and Make Good among them), Brake & Rumble is the only spot where you might actually find something you want to buy for yourself, for both men and women. Expect boots, jewelry, cool T-shirts, and more. Note: The shop is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays."

"By Oleg Alexandrov (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons. Visit this vibrant, community-driven museum and get a taste of the San Diego art scene right at the source: the San Diego Art Institute. This museum's mission is to connect contemporary artists from southern California and northern Baja with audiences and to showcase art in a way that promotes cultural perspective and understanding."

"When founded in 1941, the San Diego Art Institute was called the San Diego Business Men’s Art Club, only permitting male members. By the 1950s, women were allowed in and the name had been changed. The cultural institution now showcases experimental art from a diverse array of artists from the Southern California/Baja Norte region."

"A new exhibition of works by San Diego artists opens every four to six weeks in this 10,000-square-foot gallery, dedicated to the advancement of the visual arts through outreach, education, and exhibition."

"Sparks Gallery exhibits and sells original contemporary artwork primarily by Southern California artists who introduce and provide excellent craftsmanship in a multitude of mediums. They showcase combined exhibitions, curated exhibitions by the gallery owner Sonya Sparks, and solo exhibitions. With a focus on surreal and impressionistic artwork, the gallery ministers towards emotive works in themes ranging from portraiture and figurative to landscape and conceptual."

"Where: 530 Sixth Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101 After studying art at the University of San Diego, Sonya Sparks started a career in the art business because she felt that, in the early 2000s, San Diego’s art world was very closed off to young upstarts. If the art world wouldn’t bring her in, she’d have to start her own gallery. Which is exactly why she launched Sparks Gallery in 2013."

"Don’t miss Pigment, my favorite store in ALL of San Diego! If you’re more of the outdoorsy type, head over to Cabrillo National Monument. You can check out the vintage Point Loma lighthouse and take in gorgeous views of the city harbor. Try to time your visit with low tide, because you’ll be able to check out the tide pools for creatures."

"Not only is Pigment a great place to pick up some cute gifts for you and your friends, but it is also a very Instagrammable place in San Diego!. The store has ultra-cute backgrounds and a super chic three-toned pink mural outside the North Park location."

"Organized by color, Pigment is a huge home and gift shop stocked with all kinds of stuff, from kid's shoes to vintage-style barware. You'll definitely find something you want to take home, but at the very least, you'll have fun looking around."

"Renowned as the world’s largest vegan restaurant chain, Loving Hut has two outlets in San Diego that serve an array of standard dishes along with signature plates that suit local tastes. Loving Hut uses fresh locally sourced ingredients to create hearty, healthy, and tasty cuisine, including favorites such as udon soup, spring rolls, spicy cha, and the signature Heavenly Salad. Other items range from noodle soup and crispy wontons to chow mein, eggplant tofu, and grilled seaweed."

"With over 200 locations in over 35 countries, Loving Hut is the largest and fastest-growing vegan chain in the world. Each Loving Hut has a different menu; the Loving Hut on El Cajon Blvd. has yummy options like pho, fried rice, chow mein, burgers, and vegan cheese bread."

"Ok, so Old Town San Diego is definitely kitsch, but if you can look past all the sombreros, tacos stands and Tequila Tasting Taverns, there’s a whole heap of history to be had. For that reason alone I recommend you add Old Town to your San Diego itinerary."

"Located in Old Town, El Agave is not your typical tourist trap. Here you'll feast on authentic Mexican cuisine in a dimly lit, romantic setting. El Agave is known as a "tequileria" — which means diners have access to over 2,000 different tequilas!"

"A photo posted by Donut Panic (@donutpanicsd) on Jan 11, 2017 at 6:16am PST. “Donut Panic”about eating amazing donuts from this little shop on Mission Gorge Road because they are organic and in San Diego, we love the organic, healthy options – even when it comes to eating donuts!. On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and weekends, Donut Panic offers 100% vegan donuts and bagels, and during the rest of the week they have traditional desserts and old fashioned donuts."

"Besides a clever name, Donut Panic is also great at glazed donuts. Along with traditional donuts, they offer vegan creations such as chocolate espresso almond, Earl Grey, maple bacon glaze, and even rosewater cardamom. Baker Linda Dami combines potato flakes mixed with flour, soy milk, sugar, salt, oil, and yeast."

"Address: 6171 Mission Gorge Rd, Ste 113, San Diego, CA 92120. Neighborhood: Grantville. Don’t panic when you see the donuts at Donut Panic...their donuts taste just as good as they look!"

"A fun-filled, colorful and cheerful shop, S3 Coffee Bar is a family owned business serving local roasted coffee from Cafe Moto and cold brew from Red Hat Coffee. But so much more than that, it has come to be world-renown for it’s magical and colorful coffee and tea concoctions, specifically the 24K gold cappuccino, Rose Gold latte and Rainbow Latte. S3 is serious about delicious coffee and presenting the age-old cuppa Joe in a myriad of new and fun ways."

"S3 Coffee Bar is yet another great coffee shop in San Diego. What makes this coffee shop great is not only the taste of the drinks but also the appearance of them!. Many of the drinks feature all kinds of decorations and colors."

"There are two main parts to the S3 Coffee Bar (aesthetically speaking). There’s the 2D cartoon-like setting on one side and the adorable pink and white set up you see pictured above."

"Hoppy days are ahead at Pacific Beach AleHouse, which will officially open for patio dining on Saturday, January 30th, ready to serve up toothsome bites and frothy brews on their scenic patios. Be sure to order their Jumbo Bavarian Pretzel paired with one of the location’s fresh house brews."

"This brewery/restaurant offers up brunch, lunch and dinner at its restaurant, which also gives its patrons a stellar glimpse of the Pacific Ocean. PB Alehouse serves a variety of different burgers, sandwiches, flat breads, salads and tacos. There’s really something for everyone."

"El Cajon’s Burning Beard Brewing is open for dine-in and take out of crowlers, new growlers, and bottles. Call ahead or stop by for pick-up."