Attractions & Events

The 12th Annual “Kids Free San Diego” is returning in October with special savings and fun for the entire family. During the entire month, San Diego hotels, restaurants, attractions, museums, tours and transportation companies are offering families with kids 12 and under a variety of deals from complimentary attraction and museum admission to free meals as well as welcome amenities at area hotels.

The inaugural Del Mar Food & Wine Festival will take place September 6-11 at Surf Sports Park. The festival highlights the best of the Southern California lifestyle, with a lineup of celebrity Food Network chefs including Antonia Lofaso, Brian Malarkey, and Eric Greenspan; local chefs including Tara Monsod of Animae, Claudette Zepeda of VAGA, and Brad Wise of TRUST Restaurant Group; and sports legends including Drew Brees, Alex Morgan, and Rob Machado.

Vanguard Culture’s ENVZN23: Urban Art Takeover will transform industrial spaces, unused buildings, and public areas of Commercial Street in Logan Heights with immersive and interactive art experiences on September 2. Attendees can expect larger than life art displays, live performances in non-traditional venue spaces, and authentic cuisine from a variety of cultures.

CRSSD Fest will bring over 36 artists to San Diego’s Waterfront Park for a two-day electronic music festival, September 23 and 24. Performances by Flume, Underworld, Basement Jaxx, Amelie Lens and many others will set the stage for this popular event. In addition to the music, the festival will offer craft beer, mixed cocktails, food and more.

San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival is back for its 19^th year along the Embarcadero, November 8 - 12. The festival was recently recognized by USA Today 10 Best Guide as the #1 Wine Festival in the U.S. Sample the best tastes and sips from throughout San Diego including Ranch 45, Garibaldi and The Desmond and hear from culinary greats including Food Network Star Claudia Sandoval, San Diego native Sam the Cooking Guy, and more. Additional experiences range from wine, beer and spirit tastings, exhibits from local lifestyle brands and pop-up events throughout the festival.

The San Diego Zoo presents HalGLOWeen on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in October. A skeleton band, scarecrow stilt performers and spider acrobats are just a few of the festive features. Hints of Halloween can be found throughout the park and in the animal exhibits with pop-up dance parties, food and drink and more.

Sesame Place celebrates Halloween with not-so-scary fun at The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular from September 16-October 29. Children are encouraged to dress in their costumes and stop at trick-or-treat spots throughout the park.

Seaworld San Diego kicks off the fall season with Howl-O-Scream from September 29-October 31. Once night falls, the park will transform into a carnival of haunted creatures, spooky sips and bites, and electric live entertainment.

LEGOLAND® California Resort is bringing back Brick-or-Treat during select weekends in September and October. The event will include trick-or-treating for goodies throughout the park, all-new live shows and character meet and greets. Legoland will also debut The Great Monster Chase, a 4D comedic adventure movie for a limited time.  

Quartyard and East Village Association have partnered to produce the 7th annual East Village Oktoberfest celebration on September 30. The lively event will highlight the history of German influence on Mexican lager, music and food. Attendees can expect lots craft beer, traditional Oktoberfest faire including soft pretzels and Bavarian sausages, traditional Polka music and tribute bands.

Belmont Park presents its Fall Festival at the Boardwalk September 9 – October 31. There will be activities and treats for both kids and adults, with trick-or-treating throughout the boardwalk, live music, and fall flavored snacks and drinks. The park will also host its first community 5K on September 17 to raise awareness for childhood cancer.

The San Diego Convention Center welcomes Art San Diego November 3-5. The programming provides a dynamic experience for attendees, offering opportunities to view and interact with works by preeminent international artists, experience leading museums, and enjoy exhibitions that showcase the thriving art and design landscape of San Diego and beyond.

New Hotels & Renovations

The historic Lafayette Hotel in North Park officially debuted its $31 million renovation. C.H. Projects, known for creating some of San Diego's most interesting restaurants and bars, transformed the property with 141 redesigned guestrooms, lobby space and pool, two new restaurants, a vintage bowling alley, cocktail bar, game room and an all-new pool bar.

The Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter underwent a $22.5 million complete remodel of the full-service hotel and new restaurant concept, Wild Hare Bar Garden. The new interior design and architecture create a relaxed and fun urban vibe. The focal point is a beautifully carved maple wood wall with abstract, organic shapes and patterns that portray California’s casual lifestyle.

Set to open August 15, Margaritaville Hotel San Diego Gaslamp Quarter will be California’s first urban Margaritaville location with 235 rooms, laid-back vibes, the Landshark Bar & Grill and the 5 O'Clock Somewhere Bar.

The St. James Hotel, originally built in the Gaslamp District in 1912, has been reimagined as Palihotel San Diego. The redesign brings Palisociety’s signature California quirky sensibility with nautical inspired charm to each of its 122 guest rooms. The hotel also features Saint James French Diner, an all-day dining room that blends the approachable nature of an American diner with the subtle elegance of a French bistro.

Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa has completed a $13.9 million renovation that includes its 210 guestrooms, suites, and outdoor spaces. The new design blends features of the property’s equestrian roots with luxurious design elements. A bee apiary, butterfly sanctuary and chef’s garden have been added to Estancia’s outdoor experience and is a large part of the property’s sustainability initiatives.

Arts & Culture

The San Diego Comic-con Museum, located in Balboa Park, premiered 3 new exhibits in celebration of the 54^th annual San Diego Comic-Con. “Excelsior! The Life and Legacy of Stan Lee,” “Cowboy Bebop 25^th Anniversary Art Exhibition,” and “My Hero Academia,” presented by Crunchyroll, will be on display through Spring 2024.

The San Diego Symphony, Music Director Rafael Payare and cellist Alisa Weilerstein are scheduled to give a performance on October 13 at Carnegie Hall in New York City. It’s the first time in a decade the symphony will return to the legendary concert hall. The program will feature a premiere of a commission by composer Carlos Simon, Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5, and Dvořák’s celebrated Cello Concerto.

San Diego Museum of Art (SDMA) and the San Diego Museum of Photographic Arts (MoPA) have merged to one institution. The collection of over 9,000 images from MoPA will now be housed at SDMA and will allow visitors to experience the world of visual art through multiple lenses. SDMA will open the U.S. debut of Korea In Color: A Legacy of Auspicious Imageson October 28 and will extend through Spring 2024. This special exhibition sheds light on the use of color in Korean painting—known as polychrome painting (chaesaekhwa)—and its role in Korean culture. 

The New Children’s Museum has received an Environmental Champion grant from San Diego Gas & Electric to support the Barona Student Native Plant Garden Project, called ‘Iipay Nyechewuuw. In partnership with Barona Indian Charter School and Barona Cultural Center & Museum, NCM will be able to revitalize and activate its Garden Studio, located in Children’s Museum Park across from the Museum.

The La Jolla Playhouse has announced the remainder of its 2023/2024 season, all of which are world-premier shows. The Untitled, Unauthorized Hunter S. Thompson Musical, directed by Tony award winner Christopher Ashley, runs August 29 – October 8; SUMO, directed by Ralph B. Peña and in co-production with Ma-Yi Theater Company, runs September 26 – October 22; and Babbit, directed by Christopher Ashley and featuring multi-award winning actor Matthew Broderick, runs November 7 – December 3.

The San Diego Maritime Museum has debuted its newest exhibit, “Steam and Splendor: Treasures from the Ocean Liner and Cruise Ship Ephemera Collection” onboard the 1898 Victorian-era steam ferryboat Berkeley. The collection includes over 100 years of recreational ocean travel artifacts, with vintage brochures, passenger lists, menus, cabin plans, and images of dining rooms.

New Venues

Scheduled to be completed by the end of the year, Horton Campus will transform from a shopping mall to a grand, wide-open development with inviting parks, retail shops and office and lab space. The renovated campus is projected to have 683,000 square feet of office and life science space and 264,000 square feet of retail space. For visitors, there will be 50-60 stores, a grocery store, and a gym.

City Tacos opened its seventh San Diego location, a 10,000-square-foot concept called OB Playground in Ocean Beach. The family-friendly space also houses a flower shop, a Mike Hess Brewing coffee shop, and a space that will have rotating small businesses selling their products. The courtyard area has picnic-table seating, lounge seating around fire pits, and bar stool seating.

Shopping

Westfield UTC has transformed a previously unused space within the center to three open-air pickleball courts for visitors to enjoy through October. Located near the UCSD campus in La Jolla, the courts are complimentary and open on a first-come, first-serve basis. The pickleball courts provide an arena for locals and visitors alike to participate in the fastest growing sport in the nation.

Restaurants, Breweries & Bars

The Fisher’s Group has officially opened their first U.S. location with Fisher’s San Diego in the Little Italy neighborhood. Fisher’s is committed to providing the freshest and highest-quality seafood to its guests and promises a culinary experience combined with elegance and Mexican seafood inspiration.

Two Ducks is a new pop-up fine dining outdoor culinary experience, presented by brothers Danny and Dante Romero, formerly of Wormwood in North Park. The 10-course tasting experience seats 20 guests at a time and focuses on a menu of fantastically whimsy bites based on French techniques and Mexican culinary influences.

The Heights recently opened its doors in the Little Italy neighborhood. The restaurant embraces the laidback essence of San Diegans and aims to make all guests feel like family. Led by Michelin Star Chef Davide Cimarottaf, The Heights’ menu is inspired by coastal European dishes.

Husband-and-wife duo Niccolò Angius and Cesarina Mezzoni, and longtime friend Giuseppe Capasso, who brought the buzz-worthy Cesarina to Point Loma, are set to unveil its newest location, Elvira, later this year. Named after Niccolò’s self-made great-grandmother, Elvira looks to center its cuisine around traditional Roman cuisine as an osteria-pizzeria concept. The restaurant’s design will have elements of historic Roman eateries and will bring a European feel to Ocean Beach.

NOVO Brazil Brewing Company is scheduled to open a new brew pub location in the Westfield Mission Valley Mall later this year. The menu will feature Brazilian classics, such as empanadas, skewers of Brazilian BBQ, coxinha (chicken croquettes), and picanha (prime sirloin) alongside traditional bar fare. There will be more than 60 taps serving NOVO beers and its counterpart, NOVA kombuchas, hard seltzers and cocktails.

Anni Venti La Trattoria is now open in Lemon Grove. The three Gagliano brothers named the restaurant after their family’s original restaurant in Palermo, Italy, where each of the brothers grew up working. The brothers bring years of culinary experience to each of their dishes, putting a modern twist on Italian favorites.

A new Italian restaurant, Aromi, has opened in the heart of La Mesa. The menu gives a fresh take on classic Italian dishes, and Chef and partner Francesco Mancino is dedicated to using the freshest, highest-quality ingredients. The restaurant offers both indoor and patio seating, allowing guests to dine in their ambiance of choice.

Husband and wife duo chefs Elliott and Kelly Townsend have debuted Long Story Short in the North Park neighborhood. The menu will be updated regularly, depending on what they are able to source locally and seasonally from several purveyors, including Chino Farms in Rancho Santa Fe and Saraspe Seafoods in Mission Bay.

Awards and Recognitions

San Diego County has welcomed its fifth Michelin starred restaurant, with Valle in Oceanside receiving one Michelin star. Valle is the first-ever restaurant with Mexican cuisine to receive a Michelin Star in San Diego. Mabel’s Gone Fishing, located in the North Park neighborhood was recently named a Bib Gourmand restaurant, a designation signifying the restaurant as having great food at a great value. Artifact at the Mingei Museum in Balboa Park was also added to the Michelin Guide this summer.

Transportation

The City of San Diego has teamed up with San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) to launch a shuttle throughout Pacific Beach. Fittingly named “The Beach Bug,” the all-electric shuttle provides a sustainable mode of travel for beach goers to get to their favorite sunny destination, including the Balboa Avenue Transit Station.

The San Diego Regional Airport Authority has announced the 19 restaurants and 7 retail stores that will be added to the San Diego International Airport Terminal 1 renovation. Popular San Diego establishments including Puesto, SIP Wine & Beer, Mr. Moto Pizza, and Carnitas Snack Shack will be added to the terminal alongside new culinary concepts from celebrity chef Brian Malarkey and skateboarding legend Tony Hawk, both of whom call San Diego home.

For press releases and information on San Diego, click here.

For images, click here.