San Diego family guide
Things to Do in Liberty Station with Kids
Curated by Simir Shah
Reviewed & updated August 2026 · we check listings regularly, but hours and prices change — confirm before you go.
Liberty Station on the map
📍 Where Liberty Station is
Liberty Station sits in San Diego, Southern California. Nearest major airport: San Diego Intl (~1 mi / 2 km). It's roughly 109 mi (175 km) from Downtown LA — SoCal traffic can make a drive take far longer than the distance suggests, so plan around it.
Visiting? See SoCal at a glance, getting around and which airport.
🏡 New to Liberty Station? Start hereRec classes, library cards, school lookup, alerts and getting around.OpenClose
- Library card: Point Loma/Hervey Library at 3701 Voltaire St. is the nearest SDPL branch, with a sailboat reading nook and working periscope in the kids' area.
- Storytime: Point Loma/Hervey Library posts its storytimes and family programs on SDPL's online events calendar, linked from the branch page.
- Rec center: Cabrillo Recreation Center at 3051 Cañon St. is Point Loma's city rec center and also handles event permits for NTC Park.
- Find your school: Liberty Station homes fall in SDUSD's Point Loma cluster: Dewey Elementary (TK-4), Dana (5-6), Correia (7-8) and Point Loma High.
- Local insider: NTC Park, the 46-acre city park at Liberty Station on Cushing Road, has two tot lots, a basketball court and big open fields.
- Report it: Get It Done: Get It Done, the city's 311 app and website, takes reports of potholes, graffiti, illegal dumping, broken streetlights, parking problems and missed trash pickups.
- Emergency alerts: Register your cell phone and email with AlertSanDiego, the county's emergency notification system; landlines are already included automatically.
- Kids ride free: Riders 18 and under ride MTS buses and the Trolley free with a Youth PRONTO card or app account through June 30, 2027.
- Trash & recycling: City-serviced homes get gray trash, blue recycling and green organics bins; the monthly fee and schedule are on the city's setup page.
Things to do in Liberty Station
Indoor Play
G3Kids
A children's gymnastics and ninja-warrior gym with classes, camps and an Open Gym 'Work n Play' session where a parent stays onsite. It also does birthday parties, parents' night out and hourly drop-off.
check siteRady Children's Ice Rink
An outdoor holiday rink in the Arts District with skate and helmet rental included. Sessions run 10am–5pm, 5:30–7:30pm and 8–10pm, with Zamboni breaks in between. Net proceeds go to Rady Children's Thriving After Cancer program.
$25 adult, $15 kids 12 & under (skates & helmets included)Museums & Learning
A Walk Back Through Time (self-guided history tour)
Liberty Station's free 17-stop walking tour starts at Sellers Plaza and Gate One, the old Naval Training Center main gate, and ends at the USS Recruit. Each stop has its own page online, so older kids can lead the way on a phone.
FreeNew Americans Museum
A small museum in the Arts District on the immigrant experience in America, with rotating exhibits and cultural programs. It's a good conversation-starter for school-age kids, especially newcomer families.
check site
USS Recruit
A landlocked two-thirds-scale destroyer escort where Navy recruits trained from 1949 to 1997, now open free on weekend afternoons. It's the last stop on Liberty Station's self-guided history walk, and a short stroll from the NTC Park playgrounds.
FreeArts & Culture
Halloween at the Station
A free daytime Halloween in Ingram Plaza with trick-or-treating, inflatable obstacle courses, crafts and a costume contest with age groups (0–6, 7–15, 16+, groups and pets). It's a gentle alternative to evening trick-or-treating for little kids.
FreeLiberty Station Holiday Tree Lighting
The 88-foot Norfolk pine on the North Promenade is lit with live entertainment, fire-truck rides and an outdoor screening of The Grinch. The free lots fill early that night.
FreeMonart Drawing for Kids
A step-by-step drawing school in the Arts District with classes for ages 4–6, 6–8 and 9–12, plus short school-break art camps.
check site
San Diego Craft Collective
Hands-on woodworking, ceramics, fiber and glass classes in the Arts District, with early-childhood programs from age 3, school-age classes from 6, and afterschool ceramics for ages 6–12. A free kids' craft runs at First Friday open houses (5–6pm).
Varies; some free eventsVisions Museum of Textile Art
Run by Quilt San Diego, this Arts District museum mounts about 15 exhibitions a year of contemporary quilts and textile art. The Quilt Visions 2026 Biennial runs through Jan 16, 2027, and the colorful, touchable-looking work draws in kids who sew or craft.
check site
Local shops in Liberty Station
Moniker General
Clothing, home goods, gifts, and jewelry plus specialty coffee and craft beer on tap; a fun family hangout.
Sea Hive Station
A roughly 23,000-square-foot indoor space with 150+ San Diego-based brands and small-business vendors.
Old Town Soap Company
Handmade soaps and body products.
Pigment
The Liberty Station branch of the beloved local gift-and-plant shop.
Seasonal & outdoors near Liberty Station
The closest splash pads, patches, lights and more — distances from Liberty Station.
More San Diego family guides
Liberty Station family FAQ
What are the best things to do in Liberty Station with kids?
Family favorites in and around Liberty Station include Halloween at the Station, Liberty Station Holiday Tree Lighting, Monart Drawing for Kids and San Diego Craft Collective, and more. Our guide lists 12 spots, each with a price note and practical tips where we have them.
Are there free things to do in Liberty Station?
Yes — free family spots near Liberty Station include Halloween at the Station, Liberty Station Holiday Tree Lighting, A Walk Back Through Time (self-guided history tour) and USS Recruit. Our free things to do page lists more across Southern California.
What can kids do in Liberty Station on a rainy day?
Indoor options in and around Liberty Station include Monart Drawing for Kids, San Diego Craft Collective, Visions Museum of Textile Art and G3Kids, and more. Each listing in our guide is marked indoor or outdoor, so you can filter for the weather.
How can families spend a day in Liberty Station?
One easy plan: start outside at Halloween at the Station while kids have the most energy, break for lunch, then head indoors to Monart Drawing for Kids for the afternoon. Our guide has prices and tips for each stop, plus 10 more ideas to swap in.
What does the YourSoCal Liberty Station guide cover?
Our Liberty Station family guide includes 12 things to do and 4 local shops — with independent, non-chain eats and shops.
Listings are curated and may change — confirm hours and details before you go.
Where to stay in Liberty Station
Hotels & rentals via Stay22 · we may earn a commissionCompare hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals near Liberty Station on one map — then book on your favorite site.