Beginning service in 1945, just after the close of World War II, the U.S.S Midway was the largest ship in the world until 1955. Seeing action in the Vietnam War and Desert Storm, she was operational for 47 years. Post decommission, the Midway moved to its current home along Navy Pier in San Diego and now serves as a fantastic museum. The ship itself would be worth the time to see, it’s massive. Self guided tours are complemented with audio devices and many docents along the way to enhance the experience. You can freely walk the ship to visit the flight deck, huge galley, engine room, hospital, barber shop, workshop, jail, laundry, sleeping quarters, post office, and the bridge. As if that wasn’t enough to make it worth the stop, the museum also includes numerous exhibits and restored historic aircraft covering multiple eras. There are also flight simulators, films, and several interactive items to take in. One could easily spend several hours wandering this very cool location, but for those with only an hour or so, it’s still worth a stop if you are close to downtown San Diego.

SAS Score: 3