San Diego Architecture Cruise

Experience San Diego from a new perspective on a narrated architecture cruise along the city’s vibrant waterfront. From the water, you’ll gain a broader understanding of how design, planning, and environmental stewardship are shaping the region’s evolving coastal landscape.

Throughout the journey, local design professionals will share insights on how San Diego is approaching issues such as climate resilience, public space, and equitable access to the harbor.

The cruise will depart from and return to the downtown waterfront near the San Diego Convention Center, passing key sites along the way, including the Embarcadero, Seaport Village, the Coronado Bay Bridge, the USS Midway Aircraft Museum, and surrounding landmarks—providing a unique vantage point on the city’s evolving coastal landscape.

Submitted for AIA CES approval.



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Learning Objectives

1. Describe how San Diego’s waterfront planning and design strategies respond to climate resilience, sea-level rise, and coastal change.
2. Identify key public spaces and waterfront amenities that demonstrate approaches to equitable access and community connection along the harbor.
3. Explain how architects, planners, and civic leaders balance environmental stewardship with urban development along the coast.
4. Analyze how waterfront design, infrastructure, and place-making shape San Diego’s identity and relationship to its marine environment.

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