If you have ever done any sightseeing around San Diego, there is a good chance that you have already checked out the USS Midway Museum. It is located right in the heart of downtown at Navy Pier.

But did you know, you can also have an overnight adventure on the Midway – known as the Midway Snooze Crewz!?

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Keep reading to learn all about our experience spending a night onboard the USS Midway!

The History of the USS Midway

For all you history buffs out there, this is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that shouldn’t be missed.

The USS Midway was the longest serving aircraft carrier in the 20th century! It was commissioned just one week after World War II but played a pivotal roll in the Cold War.

Nearly 4,000 officers and enlisted troops were onboard the ship when it was a working carrier.

Until 1955, it was the longest ship in the world.

The Midway was decommissioned in 1992 and opened as a museum in San Diego in 2004.

This famous ship now welcomes more than 1 million visitors annually and hosts the Midway Snooze Crewz on select dates throughout the year!

Click here to learn more about the history of the USS Midway.

Preparing for the Midway Snooze Crewz

So how did this adventure come about for my son and I? Not only can individuals book this adventure, groups can also book too – such as my son’s Cub Scout Troop!

We knew we couldn’t miss out on this event so we immediately signed up, paid our fees to the Group Leader and waited for patiently for the date to approach!

Prior to arriving to the scheduled event, we received the document below to assist in preparation for this fun adventure! It included the schedule, packing list, and other helpful information.

Arrival

After getting everything packed, we were set to see what life was like for a USS Midway Sailor!

Our arrival time was set for 6pm and we made sure to be there right on time.

Once we checked-in at the pier, we were escorted on to the ship and lined up according to our group name.

There is a parking lot on the pier, right next to the ship, and parking was $10 for the night.

During this time, the staff reviewed all the rules, went over the schedule, played some fun games and taught everyone some of the lingo used by the crew.

After this, we were brought to our bunks in the berthing area to get our beds set-up and to use the restrooms.

Everyone is assigned a bunk and a locker where you can store your items. The lockers do not have working locks so everyone was asked to keep their valuables on them at all times.

There are no working showers on this ship – keep that in mind when planning your overnight stay!

Tours

After getting all set-up for the night, all groups meet back on the flight deck before beginning the tours of the ship. Each group is escorted to a different area of the ship to learn more.

One of the best parts about this overnight adventure is getting to see areas of the ship that are typically off-limits to day visitors. We even had the chance to sit in the Commanding Officers chair in the Bridge!

Seeing the flight deck all lit up at night time and getting to explore it with no crowds was a really awesome experience.

To enhance your experience further, check out the Little Skippers program by clicking here.

There are fun printables and activities to help kids learn more about the Midway. You can even try out an original recipe – chocolate chip cookies!

Midrats

In the evening, during the Flight Deck Free Time, we were given our midrats. This included a juice box, applesauce and a bag of popcorn.

Midrats is Navy slang for midnight rations.

We found a quiet spot on the flight deck and sat down to relax and enjoy our snack.

After midrats, we toured a few more areas of the ship before it was time for bed.

Lights Out

After spending a good amount of time touring the ship, everyone heads back to their bunks to get ready for lights out.

We were glad that we remembered to bring our flashlights since it is very dark in the berthing area at night. If you are needing to use the restroom in the middle of the night, it would be nearly impossible without one.

Keep in mind, you will be sleeping in the same berthing area as many other people. If you are a light-sleeper, you may want to bring ear plugs – there was A LOT of snoring and other noises throughout the night.

Breakfast

Wake-up is bright and early at 6am. If you aren’t already awake at this time, you certainly will be once Reveille is played on the loud speakers.

Breakfast was served soon after (6:15am) at Café 41 and included a good selection of both hot and cold foods.

Hot foods included waffles, potatoes, sausage, eggs and oatmeal. Cold foods included pastries, muffins, cereal, fruit and more.

Drinks included coffee, tea, hot chocolate, milk and a variety of juices.

After breakfast, there were more tours and hands-on experiences.

This included trying on and learning about the various color uniforms that the deck crew wear and learning the hand signals of aircraft directors.

We absolutely loved this experience. It was informative but also fun for the kids and it was adventure that we will always remember!

For more information on the Snooze Crewz Overnight Adventure click here.

Tickets

The cost is $110 per person when organized with a youth group or $125 per person for family & individual overnighters.

This activity is great for youth groups such as Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, sports teams, YMCA programs and more!

Keep in mind that this program has very limited dates and books up months in advance.

Guests must be at least 4 years old to book the overnight.

At the end of the tour, overnight guests were welcome to stay at the museum to explore further if they wanted to (as it was open for regular business by that time).

Location:

USS Midway Museum

910 North Harbor Drive

San Diego, California 92101