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Navy Ships You’ll See Sailing San Diego Bay

Large gray naval ship on water, viewed from a deck with onlookers.

San Diego is a Navy town, and nowhere is that clearer than on the water. Sail across San Diego Bay and you’ll pass aircraft carriers, destroyers, submarines and hospital ships, often close enough to read the hull numbers. 

For many of our guests, spotting these ships is as big a highlight as the dolphins and sea lions. Here’s a guide to the Navy ships you’re likely to see from the deck of The Yacht America, and how to tell them apart. 

Where the Navy Lives on San Diego Bay 

San Diego Bay has been a Navy hub for more than a century, and it’s still home to one of the largest concentrations of naval power in the world. A few key bases line the water:

  • Naval Air Station North Island: The northern side of Coronado is home to our naval base and it’s actually the birthplace of naval aviation. 
  • Naval Base Point Loma: Near the mouth of the bay, Point Loma is home to the Navy’s San Diego submarines and support ships. It’s just around the corner from Shelter Island.
  • Naval Base San Diego: South of the Coronado Bridge, this is the second-largest surface ship base in the world, after Norfolk, Virginia. It covers about 1,600 acres of land, has 13 piers and is home port to roughly 54 ships.
  • Naval Amphibious Base Coronado: On the Silver Strand, it’s the training home of Navy SEALs and amphibious forces. You may see small, fast boats training in the bay.

Aircraft carrier and sailboat with US flag in a harbor.

Navy Ships You Might See (and How to Spot Them)

Aircraft carriers

You can’t miss them. Nimitz-class carriers are more than 1,000 feet long, with a flat flight deck and a tall “island” tower on the starboard side. San Diego-based carriers include USS Theodore Roosevelt, USS Carl Vinson and USS Abraham Lincoln, which returned to North Island in October 2026 after a record-setting deployment of nearly 11 months.

Fun fact: the San Diego–Coronado Bridge rises about 200 feet over the bay, but that still isn’t enough for a Nimitz-class carrier. That’s why the carriers berth at North Island, on the harbor-entrance side of the bridge.

Amphibious assault ships

These look like smaller carriers, with a flat deck built for helicopters and tiltrotor aircraft. They carry Marines and their landing craft. You’ll usually see them south of the bridge at Naval Base San Diego.

Destroyers

a group of people sitting on a deck of a boat

Destroyers are the workhorses of the fleet, and you’ll see them more than any other w

arship. Look for a sleek gray hull, a single gun on the bow and angular radar panels on the superstructure. Watch for the USS Zumwalt, too. Its angular, stealthy hull looks nothing like a traditional warship.

Littoral combat ships

These smaller, fast ships are built for coastal waters. Some have a sharply angled hull, while others have a striking three-hulled trimaran design.

Submarines

Spotting a submarine is a real treat. Near Point Loma, you may see one heading in or out on the surface, with just its dark hull and sail (the tower) showing above the water.

Hospital ship USNS Mercy

With its bright white hull and large red crosses, the Mercy stands out from the gray fleet. It’s one of the Navy’s two hospital ships and deploys for disaster relief and humanitarian missions.

Tips for Spotting Navy Ships From the Water

  • Bring binoculars. They help you read hull numbers and pick out details on the superstructure.
  • Learn the hull codes. The letters before a ship’s number tell you its type. CVN is a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, DDG is a guided-missile destroyer, LHD and LHA are amphibious assault ships, and LCS is a littoral combat ship.
  • Watch for tugboats. Tugboats alongside a big ship usually mean it’s arriving or heading out to sea.
  • Respect the security zones. Navy ships are protected by security zones, and patrol boats keep other vessels at a set distance. Our captain knows the rules, so you can relax and enjoy the view.
  • Keep your camera ready. Photos of ships from public waters are fine, and a carrier against the Coronado skyline makes a great shot.

What you’ll see changes day to day. Ships come and go on deployments and training, so every sail is a little different.

Whale Watching Tours in San Diego Bay

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you see aircraft carriers on a San Diego boat tour? 

Often, yes. When a carrier is in port, it’s moored at Naval Air Station North Island, which is visible from the water near the harbor entrance.

Is the USS Midway an active Navy ship? 

No. The USS Midway is a retired aircraft carrier, now a museum on the downtown waterfront. You’ll get a great view of it from the bay.

Will we see a submarine? 

It depends on the day. Submarines are based at Point Loma, but they aren’t always coming or going during a sail.

See the Fleet From the Deck of a Legend

There’s something special about watching modern warships from the deck of a 139-foot schooner. The Yacht America is a replica of the yacht that won the first America’s Cup in 1851, and she sails the same waters as today’s Pacific Fleet.

Join us on a whale watching tour or cocktail cruise, or book a private charter for your group.

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