Navy homecoming in San Diego: which pier, who gets on base, and where to watch

This guide is for spouses, parents and friends getting ready for a ship's return to San Diego, and for locals who want to cheer one in from shore. It covers which base each kind of ship comes home to, how families get on the pier, the first-kiss and new-parent traditions, and the public spots where you can watch without base access. Base rules come from Navy Region Southwest and Naval Base San Diego's Return to Homeport guide; viewing spots come from local news coverage of a 2026 carrier return.

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Leaflet | © OpenStreetMap contributors

Navy pier (base access)

1. 1Naval Base San Diego — Most surface ships; sponsored guests only
2. 2NAS North Island, Stockdale (3rd St) Gate — Aircraft carriers; main gate open 24/7
3. 3Naval Base Point Loma — Submarines at Ballast Point

Public viewing

1. 4Shelter Island — Shoreline along the bay entrance channel
2. 5Cabrillo National Monument — High view of the bay entrance; 9-5, fee
3. 6Coronado Dog Beach — North end of Ocean Blvd, next to North Island
4. 7Seaport Village — Downtown bayfront
5. 8USS Midway Museum flight deck — Admission required

Pins are approximate. Base pins mark the installation or main gate, not the exact berth, which the command confirms close to the date. Source: Navy Region Southwest, KPBS, NPS, checked October 5, 2026.

See these on the full San Diego map

1. Where ships come home

Carriers tie up at NAS North Island, at the north end of the Coronado peninsula; KPBS reported on October 5, 2026 that USS Abraham Lincoln, with about 4,500 crew, was due there around noon that Thursday after a near-record deployment. Surface ships come home to Naval Base San Diego, the big waterfront base south of downtown. Submarines return to Naval Base Point Loma, where Submarine Squadron 11 is based; USS Springfield arrived there from Guam on July 21, 2026. Whatever the ship, the berth can change, so confirm it with the command, not a news report.

2. How families learn the date

Your main channel is the command's ombudsman, a volunteer who is the commanding officer's official representative for family communication, passing command news down to families and family concerns up. If you do not know who yours is, the Navy's Ombudsman Registry has a Contact Your Ombudsman feature that emails the assigned ombudsman for any listed command. Many commands also run a Family Readiness Group (FRG) that plans the pier welcome itself. Expect the date to firm up late and to move.

3. Who can get on the pier

Homecomings happen inside secure bases, so every guest needs sponsorship and must be vetted for base access. The command decides who is invited and submits the names; Naval Base San Diego asks for guest access requests at least seven working days before the homecoming. Base access is described as "a privilege and not a right," so a late or incomplete request can mean watching from shore. If you need help at a gate, the Visitor Control Centers are below.

4. First kiss, first hug and new parents

The best-known tradition is the first kiss: one sailor's partner, chosen by drawing, is the first to greet the ship and gets the first kiss on the pier. Navy history writers describe it as a raffle that builds momentum about halfway through a deployment; Naval Base San Diego's guide calls them opportunity drawings and asks commands to give every sailor at least one entry. Some commands also hold a first hug drawing. Sailors who became new parents during the deployment are commonly let off early to meet their babies. As the ship approaches, crews man the rails, lining the deck in dress uniform, a custom the Navy traces to 1596. Reserved parking near the pier usually goes to new parents, first kiss and first hug winners, guests with disabilities, the ombudsman and FRG leaders.

5. What to bring and what to leave home

• —Bring: photo ID, sunscreen, umbrellas for sun or rain, water, a small first aid kit, snacks and something to keep kids busy.
• —Bring: a sign or banner if your command allows it; check any rules the FRG sends.
• —Leave home: balloons, confetti, large coolers, alcohol and pets. Documented service animals are the exception.
• —Check first: media and any filming are coordinated through the base public affairs office, so ask the command before bringing a hired photographer.

6. Watching from shore without base access

Anyone can watch a ship come in. For the Lincoln's October 2026 return, KPBS pointed people without base access to Shelter Island, Cabrillo National Monument, Coronado Dog Beach, Seaport Village and the USS Midway Museum flight deck, as well as live-stream feeds of the ship entering the bay. Shelter Island, Cabrillo and Dog Beach sit along the channel ships use coming in from the ocean, so you see the ship up close as it passes. Seaport Village and the Midway look across the bay toward North Island and downtown's waterfront.

7. Make a day of it

Flying in? Stay close to the base the ship returns to. For Coronado and North Island, see best hotels in Coronado and the Coronado neighborhood guide. For Naval Base San Diego, downtown is close: see where to stay in San Diego by area. Waiting a day? The USS Midway Museum is free for active-duty members and $26 for veterans.

If the homecoming starts a new tour here, our PCS to San Diego checklist, living near Naval Base San Diego and living near NAS North Island cover the next steps.