Liberty Station's Historic Experiences
It's a historical landmark that has been transformed into a rewarding experience for the whole family in a city blessed with great weather throughout the year. Its buildings and grounds were taken from the Naval Training Center (NTC) in San Diego. A total of 64 buildings comprise the station; all but 10 have been restored and repurposed. In its history from 1923 until 1998, the NTC made two million recruits into naval servicemen.
1. A brief history of NTC Park, USS Recruit, and Gate One
My cousin, an electrician who worked on classified nuclear submarines, was one of the naval servicemen trained here. The Naval Training Center Park bordering Liberty Station memorializes all those ships with two rows of black blocks. A line of large naval guns lines the front of the ship. Now that the NTC Park is next to the nearby San Diego International Airport, families can enjoy sports, walks, and the underbellies of planes taking off from the park.
Recruit, the ship that never sailed, was the ship through which all of the naval servicemen underwent rigorous training. The monument stands proudly beside NTC Park. Liberty Station's gate one, the only one open past curfew, is now open only to cars. An old prison cell is attached to one of its sides. An expansive green lawn surrounded by flowering shrubs and a large anchor, the keystone of the Liberty Station logo, greets you as you enter the gate.
2. Liberty Public Market
The Former Mess Hall
Liberty Public Market once served as a dining hall for 40000 servicemen. The area has been transformed into a hip dining area featuring 22 food stalls serving various cuisines. The majority of things have been left as they were. It is actually still possible to see the murals painted by artists and naval recruits on the upper walls of the Mess Hall, where there are bars providing refreshment options. The local market also sells crafts, clothes, and jewelry.
There are three promenades: North, Central, and South
Former Parade Grounds
Two rows of old central buildings surround two rows of newly landscaped open spaces for family gatherings that were once parade grounds. The North, the Central, and the South are divided into three sections. There are sidewalks all around the manicured lawns.
In the North Promenade, an 88-foot pine tree is decorated with bright lights starting the Friday after Thanksgiving.
Located on the South Promenade, this historic white church was the venue of many servicemen's weddings and baptisms. Central Promenade is located behind Dick Laub NTC Command Center. There are three outstanding art installations: Facetime, Tesselation, and A Dime to Call Home, as well as a reflecting pool. There is an Instagrammable mural between the Central and South Promenades.
In addition, there is the historic Decatur Road and the Arts District
Historic Decatur Road in Liberty Station is home to art galleries, studios, artistic venues, art societies, and museums where families can have fun or stage events. One building is home to three museums: the San Diego Watercolor Society, which hosts workshops and exhibits of watercolors, and the New Visions Museum for quilt and textile artists, as well as and the New Americans Museum that tells the story of immigrants to this land of promise. The covered walkway between Liberty Public Market and Barracks 41 is adorned with Hugo Crosthwaites murals. These walks are usually located in front of buildings, with artists' chairs providing occasional resting places.
5. The Lot
A variety of entertainment options is available in The Lot, formerly the Luce Auditorium, where recruits can see concerts, comedies, and more. There are now six cinemas offering the latest films and a bar and lounge in front.
6. Events At Liberty Station
Liberty Station hosts special events all year long. Fall is a great time to attend Octoberfest and Halloween at the Station. Additionally, a Nutcracker Tea Party, a Holiday Tree Lighting, and a Hannukah Menorah Lighting are part of Salute the Season. There was an outdoor summer music series in the Arts District last summer. In addition to sponsoring their own events, vendors and businesses also host their own events. Events are kept on a calendar so that nothing is missed. As part of Liberty Stations Centennial celebrations next year, a year-long event will be held.
7. Shops At Liberty Station
I find shopping to be the ultimate entertainment option. The shops are very interesting because of the preference for locally owned businesses. A collection of 30 or more retailers make up the Sea Hive, located in the Liberty Public Market. It is not the only shop in the mall, but I spent a lot of time at Pigment.
Pigment
We are a store that specializes in plants and gardens. Home Depot and Lowe's nurseries had several options for projects at home I needed. A wonderful store like this offers many interesting possibilities. There is a beautiful plant with yellow stems (I love yellow; the plant lady said there is a red variety as well). In the store, different color sections showcase pinks, salmons, and yellows, among other pigment colors. Having been looking for neon plants to brighten up my living room for a long time, I was delighted to find the neon section. Cacti varieties were available for my pergola in another section.
Best Restaurants At Liberty Station
Solare
A few hours after walking along the promenades and the Arts District, my husband and I dined at the posh Solare on Historic Decatur Road. In between cocktails, a delicious charcuterie board accompanied delicious swordfish and sea bass entrees. Rather than enjoy sinful desserts, we finished with chamomile tea and coffee.