Film locations
San Diego on screen
San Diego has been synonymous with Naval aviation on screen since Top Gun turned Miramar and Coronado into global icons in 1986. The locations are real, most are still standing and the city rewards the film-literate visitor considerably.
About San Diego as a filming destination
San Diego's combination of military infrastructure, year-round sunshine and dramatic coastline has made it a natural choice for film-makers since the early days of Hollywood. The Naval presence — the largest concentration of military assets on the US west coast — gives productions access to aircraft carriers, fighter jets and naval facilities that are available nowhere else. Top Gun made this relationship famous; the city has been trading on it ever since.
The Hotel del Coronado, the USS Midway, Kansas City Barbecue and the Point Loma coastline are the core film location circuit for most visitors. All are within thirty minutes of each other and easily combined in a single day from Los Angeles or as part of a longer San Diego stay.
Films shot in San Diego
Top Gun
Tony Scott's 1986 film turned Miramar, Coronado and San Diego into global icons. The locations are real, still standing and still recognisable.
Read the full locations guide →Top Gun: Maverick
Joseph Kosinski's 2022 sequel returned to the same San Diego locations thirty-six years later — real aircraft, real carriers, and a film that earned the comparison.
Read the full locations guide →