Photo Credit: Blue Angels
One of my favorite shows in the whole world is back – The 2014 Miramar Air Show. Due to a federal government shut down, last years airshow was grounded. However, this year is promising to be the biggest and best air show yet! If you love watching aerobatics, seeing military jets, listening to planes break the sound barrier, watching the Blue Angels perform and much much more then The MCAS Miramar Air show is just for you. You can purchase preferred seating/parking tickets to the show here or you can take advantage of FREE blanket seating which includes free admission and parking. Watch the promo below for glimpse on what you will see and also check out the video of the Blue Angels at the bottom of this post too!
Miramar Air Show Schedule
Military Performers
- US Navy Blue Angels
- Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Demo
- U.S. Navy Leap Frogs
- U.S. Army Golden Knights
- F-35B Lightning
- Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey
Civilian Performers
- The Patriots Jet
- Sean D. Tucker “Oracle Challenger”
- John Collver “Wardog”
- Steve Stavrakakis “A Tribute to the American Vet”
- Bret Willat “Sailplane Magic”
- OTTO the Helicopter
- Shockwave Jet Truck
- Red Bull Helo
- Radio-Controlled Aircraft
- Fireworks Display
Directions and Parking
**Traffic is extremely heavy on the days of the airshow. If is highly highly recommended to arrive early or stay in a nearby hotel overnight. Here is a link to nearby hotels.
Click on “more options” in the map below and then enter the location from which you will be leaving from and google maps will give you step-by-step directions.
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, is located about 15 miles north of downtown San Diego, between Interstate Highways 805 and 15.
***Extremely important. You must have a valid drivers license, current registration and proof of insurance to bring your vehicle onto a military base. If driving a rental car, valid drivers license, proof of insurance & car rental agreement will be required.
By motor vehicle, access the…
Main (East) Gate from the MCAS Miramar (Miramar Way) exit on I-15.
North or West Gates from the Miramar Rd. exit on I-15 or I-805.
By bicycle, access the…
Main (East) Gate via Kearny Villa Rd., except when Kearny Villa is closed from 12-4pm
for the Blue Angels.
West Gate from Miramar Rd.
North Gate from Clayton Dr.
Free General Admission may use the North, East/Main or West Gates; drivers will be directed to general parking areas.
Grandstands & Box Seat ticket holders may use the North, East/Main or West Gates; drivers will be directed to general parking areas.
Preferred Parking requires special passes. Preferred parking is accessible from Harris Plant Road off of Kearny Villa Road. Pass holders will be directed to the gate. Chalet Ticket Holders: Only You cannot access the preferred parking areas from the North, East/Main or West Gate. Preferred parking will be accessible through the South Gate off the Harris Plant Road exit of Kearny Villa Road.
Handicapped Parking Please use the West Gate or North Gate.
Bicycle Pavilion (BPP) is located near flight line Air Show Entry Gate#2. Bicyclists may enter any of the three base gates and follow bicycle traffic directional signs to the BPP.
[gview file="https://familyreviewguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/as-parking-map-2014.pdf"]
Because it is a military base they are very strict with what can be brought on base. The following items are permitted:
• Children’s wagons (non-motorized)
• Small or medium (hand carried) ice chests or coolers (No crushed ice, ice packs only)
• Standard backpacks
• PCS/cellular phones, pagers and FRS transceivers
• Handheld portable televisions, radios and VHF scanners
• Fanny packs and purses, or bags
• Food and beverages (non-alcoholic)
• Cameras and camcorders
• Folding chairs and lawn chairs
• Hand held umbrellas
• Strollers and wheelchairs
• Baby diaper bags and strollers, if attending with an infant or small child (Stroller parking is available in a designated area behind the grandstands. Strollers are not permitted in the grandstand seating area.)
The Following items are NOT permitted on Base and are subject to confiscation:
• Weapons (regardless of permit) including firearms, knives (including pocket knives
and multi-tools), replica or toy weapons, pepper spray or stun guns
• Alcoholic beverages, unless purchased from approved vendors
• Ice chests or coolers larger than 2 gallons
• Pets, other than service animals
• Glass containers
• Bicycles, roller skates, roller blades, (kick and electric) scooters or skateboards
• Large Backpacks/Bags
- Bring earplugs. It can get very loud at the show.
- Pack a ton of Sunscreen and a hat. It is very hot on the flightline.
- Wear Tennis Shoes. You will be doing a lot of walking on the Base.
- Print Out The Schedule and The Performer List so that when your kids start asking “what is that” you can actually tell them.
- Bring Extra Money as there are food and drink vendors all over the base.
- Pick a meeting point for family members in case you get separated. There are plenty of spots on the flightline that can be easily identified by everyone. Also, make sure that you and your children know where the Lost and Found/Kids Area is located. If you or your children get lost go there.
- Listen for announcements as they announce the names of the people in the lost and found.
- Bring a blanket and some camp chairs.
- Bring a camera. Airshows are extremely fun to take photos at.
- Pack extra batteries for your camera. If you are using a digital camera, make sure your memory card is cleared out. Don’t get stuck with only room for a few pictures.
- Consider parking up to 2 miles away from the airshow and bringing a bicycle to cover the remaining distance quickly. You will avoid traffic before, and more importantly after the show when traffic can be stuck for hours. (Yes, I said hours).
- Consider finding someone with a surrey bike to take you onto the base if you park far away. There are many of them working the weekend of the airshow.
- Prepare for your bags to be checked by military personnel.
- If you have an air frequency scanner bring it. You might enjoy listening to the air show controllers and pilots.
- Bring Binoculars – Low and medium power binoculars tend to work well for checking out detail. Higher powers are difficult to use for aircraft in flight.
- Bring “wet wipes,” – Airshows normally have outdoor bathroom facilities and having a way to freshen up afterwards is a good idea.
[gview file=”https://familyreviewguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/air-show-full-map.pdf”]
**All Photo Credits belong to The Blue Angels
For more information visit MCAS Miramar Air Show on Facebook and on Twitter.
I love to watch airshows. I have not seen one in a long time, so thanks for sharing.
I always wanted to go to the air show.. we saw some of it from a distance, and it looked so cool!
We’re sponsoring this year! See you there. :)
Heather, what do you mean “we’re” sponsoring. Whose
“we”?
I’ve never seen a helicopter go upside-down like that! Wow!
That is amazing, only time I have seen a helicopter do that was in the A-Team movie and I thought it was impossible LOL!! That looks like a great air show I wish I was able to come see it!
I’ve always wanted to go but just never have yet! I need to take Emi. She’d love it!
Wendy, I am taking my oldest this year and we bought expensive tickets to sit in the shade and be fed LOL. If you take Emi be sure to bring ear plugs.
Wow! They had an airshow here at Baltimore too, just last weekend for the anniversary celebration. They said it was awesome, I was not able to come. :(
My son would absolutely love this. Airshows can be fun. Thank you for all the details!
GREAT information – a LOT going on :D
I’ve always wanted to go to something like this! I will remember your post for tips because you’ve listed some great ones!
I love Air Shows! Great information here. Sounds like a blast!
Air shows are awesome
what a great family fun event!
looks like it’s gonna be a LOT of fun! :D
Just to start, the air show was amazing. We loved it as we did last year and the year before. For the most part the people running it have all been great too.
The problem I had was a big one. Sergeant Wilson at Gate 1 was a total jerk. I say jerk because what I want to call him isn’t appropriate but he is every name I can think of. I asked him for help at 1530 today 9/24/16. At first he seemed like he was gonna help me find my girlfriend’s lost, 75 year old, legally blind, and dehydrated grandfather, but after a minute literally a minute he blew me off. I asked if he could radio the preferred parking lot to have someone look for him there. He was dehydrated and took the handicap assist ride to the wrong gate. Sgt. Wilson would not allow me to enter the air show flight line to find her grandfather. He told me to find a parking person and ask them because it wasn’t his job to help me! I told him I was standing there until he helped me and he said I would be standing there at gate one and eventually I’d be watching him leave. He also told me that if I would go to the parking people I’d probably find her grandpa. Than he laughed at me. I asked why he was laughing and not helping and just laughed again and said it wasn’t his problem! He’s working the gate at an air show, in uniform, and laughing at what I felt was an emergency. I am so disgusted in what kind of people the corps is bringing in. I got absolutely no help from an “NCO” in the marine Corps working the gate. So basically is the corps teaching they’re sgt’s to laugh in the face of someone in need. That is what it feels like. I will NEVER attend an air show on a Marine base as long as I live. I am as of now not giving blood to the blood banks. I was let down by the very people that are suppose to be helping civilians and defending freedom. What if my grandfather collapsed from heat exhaustion … What than Sgt Wilson. Would that be funny to you. Or maybe my son or daughter … Would that be funny also? I would love an answer to these questions if the Marines even give a crap that me, a good person, a veteran, and a hard working American freaking citizen that spent over a $100 at an air show that basically opened my eyes to the complete lack and disregard of honor in the Marine Corps members. Bottom line is when I wore that uniform I took it seriously. I never would have made the Navy look even a fraction of how bad Sgt. Wilson made the corps look to myself, my girlfriend (who I always rant and rave about how awesome the military is … Now she thinks it’s a joke), and her grandfather who actually flew from Bellingham WA just to literally see his first ever air show. What a great impression you have made Sgt. Wilson. I will not drop this until I feel the wrong has been righted by some on that base! I am really upset and saddened that this one marine has made the corps look like this.
I’m very sorry that happened to you.