The seasons change in San Diego with out loads of fanfare. We now have year-round sunny and delicate climate, so many of the timber don’t shed their leaves within the fall and also you gained’t truly want to place in your favourite flannel-checked scarf. We make up for what we lack in autumn climate, nevertheless, with loads of seasonal actions, festivals, and fall enjoyable.
There are many fall actions in San Diego, so if you happen to’ll be visiting and searching for seasonal actions in September, October or November, seize a pumpkin spice latte and take a look at this listing.
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1. Take Benefit of Youngsters Free San Diego (TOP PICK)
Youngsters Free San Diego is likely one of the greatest annual occasions in San Diego. For the entire month of October, children get free admission (with a paying grownup) to 50+ museums, plus San Diego theme parks, excursions, and points of interest — together with our main theme parks.
There are additionally restaurant reductions and resort reductions, making October the best time to go to San Diego with children.
Residents must also benefit from these Youngsters Free San Diego offers as properly. With regards to our points of interest, some would require a qualifying ticket, which you may get (at a reduction, too) over at aRes Journey. Be taught extra about San Diego in October.
2. Peep Fall Foliage on the Japanese Friendship Backyard
Visiting the Japanese Friendship Backyard is one in every of my favourite issues to do in Balboa Park. It’s particularly stunning in autumn, and it’s among the finest locations to see some fall colours close to downtown San Diego.
The Japanese maple timber flip sensible shades of crimson right now of 12 months, and also you’ll see different timber and shrubs turning vivid orange and yellow. Youngsters love the koi fish, too.
3. Have a good time Halloween at LEGOLAND Brick-Or-Deal with
This contains LEGOLAND®’s Brick or Deal with Occasion Nights. A lot of the theme parks beautify and weave in some seasonal enjoyable.
4. Or, at SeaWorld San Diego Spooktacular
SeaWorld San Diego hosts their annual Halloween fun-fest SeaWorld Spooktacular on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays by means of October 29. The enjoyable, family-friendly occasion is included along with your park admission ticket and is properly value a go to.
Youngsters can get within the Halloween spirit by taking part in a fancy dress get together or becoming a member of the Halloween Dance Occasion. They’ll additionally get pleasure from secure trick-or-treating alongside the park’s Sweet Path, wander by means of the Hay Maze, go on a Pumpkin Hunt, or try the brand new O.P. Otter’s Spooktacular Shock present on the park’s Mission Bay Theater.
As well as, visitors will encounter SeaWorld’s many outside and indoor animal displays, marine life animal displays, and crowd-favorite exhibits, together with Dolphin Adventures, Sea Lion & Otter Highlight, and the Orca Encounter.
There’s additionally the scarier night Howl-O-Scream occasion that’s for the older teenagers and adults. A separate ticket is required.
Talking of tickets, you may learn my information for purchasing low cost SeaWorld San Diego tickets. Annual Go and Enjoyable Card holders obtain free entry. However you may select a Dine + Drink choice that features meals all day lengthy in addition to different upgrades.
5. Go to Bates Nut Farm
One in all San Diego’s favourite family-owned farms, Bates Nut Farm, hosts its annual Pumpkin Patch and fall actions by means of October 31. Go searching for scrumptious nuts and sweet, but additionally pick your Halloween pumpkin among the many fall foliage, multi function enjoyable place.
Friends can get pleasure from hay rides, face portray, bounce and slides, mountain climbing, balloon artwork, pony rides, and the farm’s fashionable petting zoo. There’s even a mechanical bull for these courageous sufficient! Exercise tickets are offered in $2 increments and can be utilized in direction of every attraction’s requirement.
The farm’s Fall Friday Pageant takes place on October 13, 20, and 27 this 12 months and contains all of the actions above, plus reside music from 3:30–6:30 p.m.
As well as, visitors also can get pleasure from reside leisure each Saturday and Sunday all through October on the farm, plus choose dates in November. You’ll be able to test their occasion calendar for particulars, and also you’ll additionally discover the occasion’s opening hours right here.
Different fall particular occasions embrace the thirty second Annual Scarecrow Contest on October 7. Design and construct a scarecrow to exhibit on the farm all through October, and also you’ll get a jack-o-lantern pumpkin on your efforts, plus there are money and present card prizes for the profitable entries. However be warned, Bates Nut Farm owns all scarecrows as soon as entered so as to add to their well-known assortment! Get the entry particulars.
There’s additionally a Howl-o-Ween Doggie Costume Contest & Parade on October 21 and the Annual Costume Contest & Parade for the entire household on October 22. All the small print are included within the farm’s occasion calendar.
Parking is free on the farm from Monday–Friday however prices $10 per car on weekends in October.
6. Go Tenting at San Diego Zoo Safari Park
When fall comes round, so does the San Diego Zoo Safari Park’s distinctive Roar and Snore Safari. This sleepover journey happens on most weekends in October, November, and December.
Numerous safari choices could be loved by youngsters and their households, and even an adults-only choice. All sleepovers embrace guided after-hours wildlife walks, camp actions, s’mores across the fireplace, dinner, and breakfast.
Friends can improve to the Supreme Roar & Snore Safari package deal, the place you’ll soar by means of the park on a zipline experience, seize binoculars for a Evening Imaginative and prescient Safari by means of the Africa and Asia wildlife sections, get pleasure from a VIP viewing of wildlife encounters over breakfast, and expertise an up-close Wildlife Safari into the park’s savanna habitats in an open-air safari truck.
Tent choices vary from primary (deliver your individual sleeping luggage) to luxurious (wood flooring, retailers, a fan and heater, a queen mattress with linens, and two cots).
Whether or not you favor to tough it or “glamp” in fashion, it is a memorable strategy to spend an evening in San Diego with your loved ones. Costs per particular person begin from $155 up. The Supreme Roar & Snore Safari package deal begins at $315 per particular person.
Roar and Snore runs by means of December 31, 2023, and contains this 12 months’s particular themed sleepover choices, Creepy Camp and Holly Jolly Jungle.
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7. Discover Carlsbad Village and Seashore
Fall is a superb time to go to this stunning coastal city in North County San Diego. The summer time crush is gone, and you may benefit from the miles of sandy seashores with many extra parking alternatives. Look out for dolphins, too, as they’re usually noticed within the ocean there.
Carlsbad Village is true subsequent to the seashore, albeit up an extended flight of stairs from the seashore. The village is a superb place to spend a day with the household. There’s numerous parking proper within the middle by the city sq. complicated, and you may stroll in all places from there.
The fountain within the city sq. is the proper spot to loosen up with the little ones, who can roam round and do cartwheels on the substitute turf surrounding the fountain. There are many present outlets to peruse, loads of cafes for lunch, a gelateria, and even a gourmand popcorn store.
The streets surrounding the primary sq. are dotted with cute however well-priced boutiques, extra outlets, cafes, and eating places. Household favorites embrace Handel’s Home made Ice Cream on State Road and a brief stroll alongside the identical highway will lead you to The Items, the place the large gourmand donuts are to die for!
Eating choices are aplenty. Fashionable eating places embrace 264 Fresco and Campfire, or Pure Taco is a superb household choice.
You can too get the Coaster prepare to Carlsbad Station from the town or different stops alongside the coast. And you’ll hire E-bikes at Pedego Electrical Bikes.
8. Have a good time Dia de los Muertos in Outdated City
San Diego’s atmospheric and delightful Outdated City district is stuffed with enjoyable issues to do within the fall, and the weeks main as much as Dia de los Muertos are a good time to go to.
This Mexican custom celebrates family members who’ve handed, and the streets of Outdated City are adorned with ofrendas (altars) and lots of conventional Dia de los Muertos arts and crafts, together with painted sugar skulls.
This 12 months, the annual Dia de los Muertos candlelit procession takes place on November 2, beginning on the Immaculate Conception Church at 6:15 p.m.
There may even be a free outside screening of Disney Pixar’s Coco within the Plaza de Armas on October 28 at 7 p.m.
Numerous festivities will happen within the State Historic Park all weekend, the place you may honor your individual misplaced cherished one on the Neighborhood Altar, additionally positioned within the Plaza de Armas.
And don’t overlook to soak up one of many incredible Mexican eating places that line the streets of Outdated City, or go to the famed haunted Whaley Home Museum, if you happen to dare!
You’ll be able to test the whole calendar of occasions.
9. Attend the Autumn Pageant at San Diego Zoo Safari Park
For these eager to mingle with animals of all sizes on the Safari Park however only for the day, head to the park’s Autumn Pageant, which is held each Saturday and Sunday all through October.
Enjoyable household actions embrace a maze, a Jamboree dance, and reside nation and bluegrass tunes by The Barn Owls trio.
Pleasant scarecrows are readily available to information you thru the park. And make sure you keep until darkness falls for the Reflections present within the Nairobi Village. The enchanting 7-minute musical journey of floating, flickering lanterns dancing in a choreographed musical journey around the globe is certain to be the proper finish to your go to.
There’s additionally the Halgloween night celebration at San Diego Zoo!
10. Take a Sightseeing Tour
Guests to San Diego usually look into our enjoyable sightseeing excursions like Outdated City Trolley (they’ve a haunted tour which is enjoyable throughout Halloween time), San Diego SEAL excursions, and our number of San Diego harbor cruises. A few of these tour operators take part in Youngsters Free San Diego.
Another tour concepts embrace snorkeling excursions, kayaking excursions, bay excursions, whale watching excursions, or a guided tour across the USS Halfway, the historic naval plane service and museum.
You can too tour the grounds and varied museums in Balboa Park with their Explorer Go. The park’s free tram runs each 10-Quarter-hour.
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11. Go Horseback Driving
Fall is a superb time for the entire household to saddle up and luxuriate in one in every of San Diego’s many stunning trails, and even the seashore, on horseback. The recent solar has cooled, however nonetheless, seize a hat and sunscreen for this enjoyable outing.
Picturesque-guided horseback path rides can be found by means of Surfside Ranch, which is positioned 15 miles south of downtown. You’ll be able to select from seashore or path rides, pony rides for the little ones, or stand up near different furry mates on the ranch’s Petting Zoo. There are llamas, goats, pigs, and even chickens.
Surfside Ranch is at present open seven days per week from 9 a.m– 5 p.m., however test their web site earlier than you go in case hours change. 1-hour path rides begin from $80 per particular person.
An alternative choice is San Diego Horse Connection in Valley Middle, which affords a lesson of their enviornment earlier than you head out on the paths. A one and half hour session with two individuals max, prices $140 per particular person.
12. Take a Vineyard Tour
There are some nice vineyard choices round San Diego County. For a novel expertise, you may hop aboard the Vineyard Practice Tour of San Diego, the place you’ll cruise up and down the coast. Friends disembark at chosen stops for guided historic walks and a few pattern sipping at native wineries and tasting rooms.
San Diego Beer, Wine & Spirits Excursions runs this 5-hour journey. Tickets price $128 and embrace tastings at 4 wineries, a wine-pairing gentle lunch, and different goodies. Friends could also be 18+, however you have to be aged 21+ to drink alcohol.
Different choices for wine lovers embrace heading north to the famed Temecula wine nation, the place award-winning wineries abound. You can too absorb a scorching air balloon experience over the gorgeous vineyards whereas there. Costs for a shared balloon experience price from $170 per particular person.
13, Go Road Eating in La Jolla Shores, Gaslamp Quarter, and Little Italy
Three fashionable areas the place eating places have continued to broaden outside eating into streets and parking heaps for the reason that pandemic embrace La Jolla Shores, the Gaslamp Quarter, and Little Italy.
Eating alongside the streets on a balmy fall night is a well-liked alternative for locals and vacationers alike, because of San Diego’s year-round sunshine and the power felt by being in the course of the motion.
A well-liked alternative for each locals and guests is the Pendry San Diego, the place you may dine and drink exterior within the Gaslamp Quarter.
14. Decide Apples in Julian
Get away your fall scarves and boots for a day journey to this historic gold mining city that’s well-known for its fall foliage and apple selecting. There are a number of U-pick farms to select from in 2023, and after you’ve acquired an excellent haul you may head into downtown Julian to browse the lovable little present outlets.
You would deliver your bushel residence and make your individual apple pie, however there are some fantastic native pie outlets right here that make near-perfect apple and pumpkin pies. Be taught extra about what to do on a day journey to Julian.
15. Hike with Assist From theNAT (San Diego Pure Historical past Museum)
The San Diego Pure Historical past Museum Canyoneers provide free guided hikes on varied trails all through San Diego County from September by means of June, totally on weekends. Enjoyable choices this October embrace the Torrey Pines Loop by means of Gonzales Canyon and the picturesque Sundown Path by means of Cleveland Nationwide Forest.
The Canyoneers put collectively a listing of their favourite trails and ideas within the Coast to Cactus: The Canyoneer Path Information to San Diego Open air ebook that you will discover at native retailers or on Amazon.
How superior to go mountaineering with specialists by means of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. This hike is obtainable in each November and December this 12 months, and you may test the schedule, which incorporates many extra guided mountaineering choices, right here. As well as, month-to-month midweek hikes enable contributors to get pleasure from limited-access trails which might be usually crowded on weekends.
The Backside Line
As the top of October attracts nearer, often, some San Diego neighborhoods go all out with incredible Halloween events, occasions, pub crawls, cruises, and extra.
Fall is a superb time to go to San Diego. Most children are again in class, so fashionable points of interest are usually much less busy, there are extra rooms out there at San Diego inns, and the climate is nearly all the time fabulous, with clear skies and comfy temperatures.
Whether or not you like celebrating Halloween or Dia de los Muertos, there are many choices. Simply make sure you test the hours for points of interest and actions earlier than you go.
What are your favourite fall issues to do in San Diego?
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