More than 20 tall ships and other fascinating vessels from around the world will parade on San Diego Bay Thursday to kick off the annual Festival of Sail.
Led by the San Salvador, a replica of Spanish explorer Juan Cabrillo’s 16th-century galleon, the windjammers will enter the bay at 1:30 p.m. The best spots to view from shore include the Maritime Museum of San Diego, Cabrillo National Monument, Shelter Island, Harbor Island and the North Embarcadero.
The ships should be docked at the museum by 6 p.m. and open to visitors starting at noon Friday and continuing through Labor Day.
Festival visitors will be able to tour the ships, sample marvelous food and drink from dozens of restaurant booths, view mock cannon battles on the bay and shop for one of-a-kind items among more than 150 festival vendors.
Tickets for touring all ships are $11 for adults and $9 for children aged 3 to 12. No tickets are required to enter the vendor area.
Festival of Sail is sponsored by the Port of San Diego’s Tidelands Activation Program, which seeks to bring residents and visitors to the San Diego waterfront.