CRSSD Music Festival | Courtesy of San Diego TourismCRSSD Music Festival | Courtesy of San Diego Tourism
There are many ways to approach a visit to San Diego. You could organize your trip by neighborhoods, attempting to try the best foods in each corner of the city. Or you could get even more specific, sampling only the best, say, rooftop bars or wellness activities. But these itineraries risk missing out on some of the best year-round events, festivals, and celebrations that the city has to offer. Since temps rarely go below 60 degrees, that means the city can stay happening all year long. Check out these options to get you started:
Plane geeks, history buffs, and anyone who can appreciate some aeronautical acrobatics flock to Miramar for this performance — a show-off of some of the best flying in the world. Everything from WWII-era P-51 planes to the uber-futuristic, vertical-landing F-35Bs are highlighted at this show, plus plenty of stunt flying from the Blue Angels and Red Bull’s Air Wing teams. Visitors can even tour the inside of several planes, including massive cargo haulers flown by the Marines Corps. It’s a great chance to see some of the most awe-inspiring technology the military is allowed to disclose to the public.
CRSSD — September 28-29, 2024
Hosted alongside the lush fountains of Waterfront Park, CRSSD (you can pronounce it “Crossed,” if you’d like) is San Diego’s largest electronic music festival, bringing dozens of big names in house and techno to three stages. This year’s lineup includes well-known draws like Disclosure and Four Tet as headliners, but even the undercard has some heavy hitters on it: Nora En Pure, Neil Frances, and Quest, among many others. CRSSD also has the perk of being less swampy than your typical rave, thanks to breezes off the San Diego Bay that make it easy to maintain your stamina all night long.
Breeders’ Cup World Championship | Courtesy of San Diego Tourism
October is the best month to be a kid in San Diego thanks to Kids Free, a program that opens up over 50 city museums and attractions to kids, free of admission. The variety to choose from is enormous, ranging from pop culture exhibits like the Comic-Con Museum or LEGOLAND California to historic and scientific museums like the Fleet Science Center, the San Diego Zoo, and the Birch Aquarium. It’s an amazing opportunity for the family to explore all that San Diego has to offer — including local history hotspots like the California Surf Museum or Maritime Museum of San Diego.
San Diego’s hottest chefs — plus others flying in across the country — show off their stuff during this seaside enclave’s food festival. The Del Mar Wine + Food Festival hosts six days of specially-crafted dinners across San Diego, harvest celebrations, and ingredient-themed events, culminating in The Grand Tasting on the former polo grounds at Surf Sports Park in Del Mar. The individual events are jam-packed with celebrity guests and chefs — including a pickleball tournament hosted by Drew Brees — but don’t think it’s all just for fun. The event also aims to raise $25,000 for hunger relief group Feeding San Diego, so your ticket price goes towards a good cause.
If you want to see the city all dressed up, look no further than the Breeders’ Cup World Championship (i.e., the end of international horse racing’s season). Hosted at the spectacular Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, the event puts on several races of different age groups in a weekend-long celebration of luxury. It’s a chance to see the Del Mar at its most elegant, which is saying something for an already-glamorous European-style beach town. The racing events themselves are thundering and adrenaline-inducing, with over $31 million on the line, but the event is worth a visit just to explore the race grounds alone.
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Wave FC | Courtesy of San Diego Tourism
Wave FC is San Diego’s beloved women’s fútbol club who call the new Snapdragon Stadium their home. Despite having only been around for a few years (2022 was their debut season), the team has an impressive win record, taking home the NWSL Shield for best regular season record in 2023 and winning the NWSL Challenge Cup this year. As of this writing, they’re in contention for the Champions Cup. Games will be played throughout the fall, with a final home game scheduled for November 3, but be sure to check out Snapdragon’s other offerings: they host the San Diego State Aztecs, the San Diego Legion of Major League Rugby, and are the home of the Holiday Bowl.
This expansive series of food-focused events celebrates their 20th anniversary this year, and will feature over 300 chefs, wineries, farmers, artists, and brands over the course of the week. The events include documentary screenings, vineyard tastings, and neighborhood-specific tours of San Diego’s best culinary scenes. This series culminates in a Grand Tasting as well as a Grand Fiesta (including a taco taste-off), both held right on the scenic waterfront of San Diego Bay, just steps from downtown and the Gaslamp Quarter.
The NCAA season starts to heat up in November, and the best place to watch some of the biggest teams in college basketball is at LionTree Arena on the UCSD campus. This year, teams from Ole Miss, NC State, Purdue, and BYU will be among those facing off in the Thanksgiving tournament, which benefits Rady Children’s Hospital.
Torrey Pines golf course | Courtesy of San Diego Tourism
The earliest events of the PGA Tour naturally seek out warmer weather, and the Farmers Insurance Open is one of these, held at the public Torrey Pines golf course. A cliffside course with views of the Pacific, Torrey Pines gives city dwellers the chance to play a world-class round of golf for only $25. (Playing the course also then enables you to backseat the pros during the Open, opining on how you would’ve done things differently.) The Farmers Insurance Open sets the tone for the longer PGA season, and has historically been the launching point of many of golf’s biggest stars.
San Diego FC Season Kickoff — February 2025
San Diego FC, San Diego’s first men’s Major League Soccer team, kicks off its inaugural season in 2025. Also hosted in Snapdragon Stadium, the team is composed of an international roster of elite players, so new fans will have an easy time connecting with their favorites coming in from other leagues. As with the recently-formed San Diego Wave FC, this season represents a one-time opportunity to get on board with fandom before anyone else. The team’s culture and identity will be shaped by their inauguration and early games, so you won’t want to miss any of the season openers.
Concours D’elegance | Courtesy of San Diego Tourism
SoCal means classic cars, and America’s Finest City shines during the La Jolla Concours D’elegance where where 150+ cars are displayed along the pristine Pacific Ocean. This car show is the biggest all year, bringing in everything from early-automobile classics to more modern fan favorites. The categories range from “British Royalty” to “Japanese, 1967–1998” so there is something for all auto buffs to appreciate. For a taste of the gleaming chrome you can expect to see, take a peek at last year’s winners.
Although many San Diego festivals take advantage of the waterfront access that the city offers, few make as much of the space as Wonderfront. Boat flotilla parties and sunset cruises are part of the weekend, paired with huge names performing on stages across the bay. Although the lineup for 2025 hasn’t been announced yet, 2024’s headliners spanned several genres, including Weezer, T-Pain, and Beck, so you’ll be able to find something to like.
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FUNDED IN PART WITH CITY OF SAN DIEGO TOURISM MARKETING DISTRICT ASSESSMENT FUNDS.
Four suspects were behind bars Friday for allegedly beating a man to death two months ago during a fight at Linda Vista Park.
Arrested Wednesday on suspicion of murder in connection with the violent death of 59-year-old Ruben Rimorin were Juan Garcia Alavez, 21, Juan Manuel Lopez, 26, Brian Reyes, 20, and Franklin Joseph Tuell, 21, according to the San Diego Police Department.
Rimorin was found gravely injured about 3:45 a.m. Oct. 18 on a sidewalk in the 6800 block of Osler Street, just west of the park, SDPD Lt. Chris Tivanian said. Paramedics tried in vain to revive the victim before pronouncing him dead at the scene.
It remains unclear what sparked the deadly fight.
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The suspects were being held at San Diego Central Jail without bail pending arraignment, scheduled for Friday afternoon.
National City’s Pepper Park can soon expand in size by nearly 50%, thanks to a ruling this week by the California Coastal Commission to approve the National City Balanced Plan.
The approval of the plan at the CCC’s Wednesday meeting, developed by the Port of San Diego, means that not only will the popular park have the ability to increase in size, big changes are coming for commercial, recreation and maritime uses on the National City bayfront.
“We are grateful to the California Coastal Commission for its support of the National City Balanced Plan,” said Danielle Moore, chair of the Board of Port Commissioners. “The progress we have made has been anchored in tireless collaboration with the community, business leaders and, of course, the city of National City. It’s about bringing more recreational opportunities to the bayfront while also streamlining and strengthening maritime operations, and we are eager to bring these projects to life.”
Other components of the balanced plan include:
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Realigning Marina Way to serve as the buffer area between commercial recreation and maritime uses
The closure of Tidelands Avenue between Bay Marina Drive and West 32nd Street, and West 28th Street between Tidelands Avenue and Quay Avenue, around six acres, to increase terminal efficiency by eliminating redundancies
The development of a recreational vehicle park, tent sites, cabins and the “ultimate development of up to two hotels with up to 365 rooms, as well as dry boat storage,” a port statement read
A connector rail project to connect the existing rail and loop track located on the National City Marine Terminal to additional rail car storage spots at the existing Burlington Northern Santa Fe National City Yard east of the National Distribution Center
The Board of Port Commissioners must accept the CCC’s certification, then the port and city can begin the process of completing the above projects.
“I am proud of the work we have done to help create a lasting legacy for National City, the Port of San Diego, and the entire region,” said Port Commissioner GilAnthony Ungab. “Nearly a decade in the making, this plan balances the interests of the community and many other stakeholders, addresses public access, maritime, and recreation uses, and expands waterfront access in my community.”
The National City Bayfront is 273 acres of waterfront land and 167 acres of water, and includes the National City Marine Terminal, Pepper Park, Pier 32 Marina, the Aquatic Center and pieces of public art.
Mayor Todd Gloria announced an initiative Wednesday intended to expand housing options in neighborhoods by integrating small-scale residences such as townhomes, rowhomes and cottages into an area’s existing character.
The Neighborhood Homes for All of Us initiative is also intended to support community land trusts — nonprofit organizations that acquire land to create permanent affordable housing.
“Since Day 1 of my administration, I have been focused on building more homes that San Diegans can actually afford — and getting them built faster,” Gloria said at a news conference Wednesday. “‘Neighborhood Homes for All of Us’ is the latest piece of that puzzle. This innovative program will break down the barriers that have gotten in the way of building the type of housing that I believe is ideal for young families and first-time homebuyers for whom the dream of homeownership has long felt out of reach.”
Around 80% of land zoned for housing in the city is restricted to single-family homes, which continue to increase in price, Gloria said. And a significant portion of new housing being built consists of apartment buildings with primarily studio and one-bedroom units, leaving working-class families fewer and fewer options for homes.
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Neighborhood Homes for All of Us is intended to increase the housing supply and allow community land trusts to keep housing affordable in disadvantaged communities for low- to middle-income families.
“San Diego is an incredible place to raise a family, and more families need the opportunity to do that in San Diego’s existing, highly desirable single-family neighborhoods where their kids can learn and play in a great community,” City Planning Director Heidi Vonblum said. “But today, that comes at a price that is out of reach for too many. Integrating more options for families requires careful and thoughtful planning, with input from existing and future community members across the city, to ensure these new home opportunities for San Diego’s families are built in ways that best enhance and benefit San Diego’s amazing neighborhoods.”
The initiative will roll out in two phases. In the first phase, beginning this week and continuing through next summer, San Diegans can help determine what the neighborhoods can look like. The public will be able to see renderings showing small-scale neighborhood homes within San Diego’s existing communities, along with new regulations that “provide a clear pathway for building these homes,” according to a statement from Gloria’s office.
Phase 1 will also include an open house and ways for the community to provide feedback and concerns.
Phase 2, scheduled for the second half of 2026, will be for city staff to develop regulations allowing for the building of more neighborhood homes in a way informed by the public feedback.
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The initiative is partly funded through a Regional Early Action Planning grant from the San Diego Association of Governments.
