End of the Year Holidays in San Diego 🦃🎄🎅🥂

It is officially my favorite time of the year! Living in a city, we have TONS of options for things to do during the holidays. I wanted to make this guide to help you decide what to do this holiday season. Whether you want to see amazing lights, meet Santa, see a show, or do a holiday 5k - I've got you covered! Please note: this information is what I have found through personal research. I've included links for many activities/events - please make sure to check those out before attending!

I also wanted to include that there are many opportunites to give back to the community. Hands On San Diego has a great list of ways you can give back this season.

Holiday Events + Festivities: Many hotels and neighborhoods around town have holiday festivites + parades planned! They are nicely spread out between the end of November - December so you can attend multiple!

• Holidays at Hotel del Coronado : lightshows, beachside s'mores, movies on the beach, photos with Santa, & more (~11/17-1/7 - dates vary per activity)

• Liberty Station Tree Lighting and Holiday Festivities (11/24)

• Holidays at the Grand: ice skating, Santa, holiday tea, cookie & wreath decoarting and more! (~11/24-1/7 - dates vary per activity)

• December Nights at One Paseo Del Mar (11/24-12/23: Fridays + Saturdays)

• Light up Kensington (11/24)

• Holidays at La Valencia: tree lighting, gingerbread house decorating, brunch with santa, holiday tea (12/1, 8, 15, 22, and 29), and more! (~11/30-12/31- dates vary per activity)

• Coronado Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting (12/1)

• December Nights at Balboa Park (12/1-2) - Free museum admission from 5 to 9pm

• Ocean Beach Holiday Parade (12/2)

• Encinitas Holiday Parade (12/2)

• Holiday Event at Flower Hill Promenade (12/2-12/3)

• South Park Holiday Walk About (12/2)

• La Jolla Christmas Parade - Christmas on the Sand (12/3)

• North Pole By The Sea (12/3)

• Poway Christmas in the Park (12/8)

• North Park Winter Wonderland Fest (12/8 & 12/9)

• Mission Bay Christmas Boat Parade of Lights (12/9)

• Christmas Artisan Market at Mission Bay Beach Club (12/9)

• San Diego Bay Parade of Lights (12/10 & 12/17)

• Holiday Pet Parade in Gaslamp Quarter (12/17)

• SnapDragon Bowl Bash (12/26) - free event!

• Port of San Diego Holiday Bowl Parade (12/27)

Activities/Must See Decor: If you want to see tree/Menorah lightings or go ice skating, check below for options.

• Skating by the Sea at Hotel Del Coronado (11/17-1/7)

• Jingle Jets (USS Midway) (11/24-12/23) - tickets required

• Peppermint Beach Club at Westfield UTC (11/24-12/24)

• Tree Lighting at One Paseo Del Mar (11/25)

• Adams Ave Spirit Stroll (11/25) - small business Saturday event (tickets required)

• Gaslamp Holiday Market (11/29-12/24)

• Little Italy Tree Lighting & Christmas Village (12/2)

• Holiday in the Village (La Mesa) (12/2)

• Liberty Station Hanukkah & Menorah Lighting (12/7)

• Menorah Lighting at One Paseo Del Mar (12/12)

• Old Town Trolley’s Holiday Lights and Sights Trolley Tour (12/1-12/23 & 12/26-12/30) - requires tickets purchased in advance

• Coastal Christmas at Del Mar Fairgrounds - Lights, skating, and Santa! (12/14)

• See a Christmas movie at Rooftop Cinema Club - through Nov/Dec

Shop Small/Local Business: the holidays are a great time to shop small and support local business! I've listed some of my favorite small business below - perfect to buy gifts for yourself and others! If you have recommendations for other small businesses to include, please message me via my Contact page :)

• Female Makers Market (12/10 in Little Italy)

• Pigment

• Libelula Books & Co

• Artelexia

• El Centro Artesano (Old Town)

• Sequoia Nut Butter

• Thirty Flirty Shop

• Casa y Cocina

• Verbatim Books

• Maya's Cookies

• Gathered Home (online only right now)

• Bazaar Del Mundo

• Native Poppy

• Shop Good

• Fuze Jewelry

• Station Salon & Boutique

• Hart + Honey

• Sea Hive Station

• en concordia

• My Scented Garden

• Shop Moniker

Neighborhood Lights: So many neighborhoods around town get into the holiday spirit with amazing lighting displays. A few of them do require tickets, but many are free.

• Lightscape, Holiday Night in the Garden - Encinitas (11/17-1/) - tickets required

• Jingle Bell Hill - El Cajon (Pepper Drive to Solomon Avenue) (11/24-1/1)

• Christmas Park - Clairemont (Lana Drive and Jamar, off Abernathy Circle) (12/1-12/25)

• Starlight Circle - Santee (Tomel Court) (12/1-12/31)

• Fairway Village - Carmel Mountain Ranch (Sabre Spring along Stoney Gate Pl) (12/1-1/1)

• Christmas Circle - Chula Vista (Whitney and Mankato Streets) (12/10-12/25)

• Enchanted Village - Lemon Grove (12/15-12/22) - tickets required

• Candy Cane Lane - Poway (Hickory Street) (dates TBD)

• Christmas Card Lane - Rancho Penasquitos (Oviedo Street off Black Mountain Road) (dates TBD) Garrison Street Lights - Point Loma

For the Kiddos: there are so many fun activities planned for kids this holiday season. Note: many of them require tickets to be purchased.

• A Very Furry Christmas Celebration - Sesame Place (11/10-1/7 - select dates) - tickets required

• Winter Wonderland - Belmont Park (11/11-12/31)

• Christmas Celebration at SeaWorld (11/17-1/7) - tickets required

• Holidays at Legoland (11/18-1/7) - tickets required

• North Pole Limited Train Ride (11/24-12/18 - Fridays and Saturdays) - tickets required

• Surfin Santa Parade at Seaport Village (11/25)

• Wild Holidays at the San Diego Safari Park (11/25-1/1 - select dates) - tickets required

• Holiday Moonlight Cinema - The Grinch! (12/9)

• Jungle Bells (12/9-1/1) - included with Zoo admission tickets

• Cocoa with Santa (12/17)

Holiday Runs: If you are the active type, here are some holiday runs scheduled for this season. You won't catch me participating but good luck ;)

• O'Side Turkey Trot (11/23)

• Coronado 5K Turkey Trot (11/23)

• Red Nose Run: Dog Friendly 5K + 3K Fun Run/Walk (12/9) - Del Mar

• San Diego Santa Run (12/9)

• San Diego Holiday Half Marathon (12/16)

Shows: One of the best parts of the holiday season are amazing classic Christmas performances like The Nutcracker!

• How the Grinch Stole Christmas at The Old Globe Theater: (11/8-12/31) - tickets required

• Ebenezer Scrooge's Big San Diego Christmas Show: (11/17-12/24) - tickets required

• San Diego Symphony Noel Noel: (12/15-12/17) - tickets required

• The Nutcracker: (12/21-12/23) - tickets required

Festive Food/Drink Pop Ups:

• Cannonball - festive drinks (11/11-12/31)

• Ryan Bros Coffee City Heights - Christmas Espresso Flight

• Cutwater Holiday Lodge Event (11/16-11/19)

• Draft - Miracle Pop Up (11/20-12/31)

• Polite Provisions - A Cocktail Carol (starts 11/20)

• XMAS Pop Up Bar (Gaslamp)

• Ristorante Illando - Winter lights and festive decor (11/21-1/3)

• Over the Top Holiday Lounge (Top of the Hyatt) (11/22-12/27)

• Santa's Lair - Holiday Pop Up at Parq (11/22-12/30) tickets required

• Deck the Halls x Tipsy Elves (Nason's Beer Hall)  (11/23-12/1)

• InsideOut - Holiday Oasis Experience - must be 18+ (11/24-1/6)

• Craft & Commerce (starts 11/24)

• The Grass Skirt - Sippin Santa Pop Up (now-12/31)

• Barbarella - holiday decor and menu

• Christmas Tea at Aubrey Rose Tea Room (11/30-12/31)

• Mister A's Elf on Twelfth (starts 12/1)

I will continue adding events as they get announced so bookmark this post for the future!

XOXO,

The San Diego Scout