Things To Do in San Diego This Weekend
Check out this week’s Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend and make your plans!
Celebrate the Craft serves up seasonal tastings at The Lodge at Torrey Pines, while Mission Bayfest brings live music to Mariner’s Point Park. Bella Vita Fest fills Little Italy with chalk art, Italian food, and wine, and Harvest on the Promenade brings glowing pumpkins, hands-on activities, and fall treats to Liberty Station.
If that’s not enough… there’s plenty more below. Have a great weekend!
This Weekend’s Top Picks – Week of October 15
Catch the Hottest Concerts in San Diego
Turnpike Troubadours bring gritty country storytelling, MUNA turns up the heat with the Gets So Hot Tour, Bonnie Raitt delivers soulful blues, and Kylie Cantrall adds pop sparkle.
Check Out the Latest News from the San Diego Food and Drink Scene
The Craving is your source for the latest menu updates, new cocktail programs, happy hours, and special offers from San Diego’s best restaurants and bars.
Thursday
Explore 15+ Art Stops and Discover a New Mural at North Park Gallery Night
Explore North Park’s creative side during Gallery Night! Visit 15-plus galleries, shops, and studios showcasing local artists, discover colorful street art, and catch the unveiling of Kayl Johnson’s new mural at North Park Optometry. Best of all, admission is free!
Turn Your Wine Getaway Into an Art Adventure
Retired wine barrels become colorful works of art along Temecula Valley’s free, self-guided Barrel Art Trail. Wander wineries, Old Town, and local businesses while discovering unique creations by regional artists, then unlock exclusive offers with the trail’s digital pass.
Meet the Two Juvenile Red Octopuses at Birch Aquarium
Get an up-close look at two juvenile Red Octopuses making their public debut at Birch Aquarium. Discover their remarkable journey from tiny hatchlings to thriving juveniles and witness a groundbreaking milestone in marine animal care and conservation.
Watch Southern California Change, One Canvas at a Time
The coastline you grew up with keeps rearranging itself. Changing Terrain gathers more than 60 artists from Southern California and Baja at Oceanside Museum of Art, including nine who showed in the museum’s 2013 landscape exhibition. Thirteen years later, they’re reading the same region very differently. Worth the drive up.
Friday
Rock Out by the Water at Mission Bayfest
Soak up three days of reggae, rock, and SoCal energy at Mission Bayfest. Catch Rebelution, Kolohe Kai, The Offspring, and more across multiple stages, then explore food, drinks, local vendors, and sunset views at Mariner’s Point Park.
Get Spooked Under the Stars at Rooftop Cinema Club
Rooftop Cinema Club is bringing Halloween thrills to Little Italy with horror classics, cult favorites, and special themed events throughout October. Catch Scream, Hocus Pocus, and Beetlejuice, enjoy rooftop views, and settle in for a spooky movie night above San Diego!
Dive Into a Sea of Halloween Magic
Pirate-themed adventures, trick-or-treat stations, festive entertainment, and the California debut of the all-new Baby Shark™ Halloween Show make SeaWorld Spooktacular a seasonal favorite. Gather the family, snap festive photos, and enjoy some good ol’ Halloween fun.
Check Out the Best Pumpkin Patches in and Around San Diego
The grocery store pumpkin bin gets the job done, but it’s no pumpkin patch. From Valley Center farms to a city lot in Del Mar, San Diego has plenty of places to pick your pumpkin the fun way, with hayrides, corn mazes, and petting zoos thrown in!
Saturday
Watch 40 Chalk Artists Take Over Little Italy
Little Italy hands its pavement over to more than 40 chalk artists, each one building an Italian-themed painting in real time. Italian winemakers pour tastings from regions across Italy, Chef Marco runs cooking demos, and live music carries both days. Walking in costs nothing. Advance wine tickets start at $25.
Make October a Museum Month With the Kids
Bring the kids along for free admission at more than 60 museums, aquariums, gardens, and cultural attractions throughout San Diego and Tijuana. With each paid adult, up to two children ages 12 and under can explore for free.
Watch Time & Tradition Collide at Oceanside Museum of Art
Explore Kaloust Guedel’s Where Time Bends Softly, an exhibition reimagining centuries-old inlay techniques through a contemporary lens. Discover how fiber, structure, positive and negative space, and contrasting materials come together to explore transformation, continuity, and time.
Discover the Best Places to See Fall Foliage Around San Diego
San Diego isn’t exactly New England… but we still have some great spots to get the fall feels. Remember, the changing colors happen really quickly, so be ready to hop in your car!
Sunday
Savor the Flavors at Celebrate the Craft
Celebrate the Craft is back at The Lodge at Torrey Pines, bringing together Southern California’s finest chefs, vintners, and artisans. Treat yourself to incredible farm-to-table pairings, meet the creators, and soak up breathtaking, 360-degree ocean views overlooking the iconic golf course.
Wander Through The Glowing Hollow at Harvest on the Promenade
Bring the family to Liberty Station for a fall celebration featuring five immersive experiences, including The Glowing Hollow. Explore seasonal activities, interactive installations, creative play, and festive surprises as the North Promenade transforms into a colorful autumn destination.
Slip Into Masquerade After Dark at Top of the Hyatt
Step into an elevated Halloween experience at Top of the Hyatt, where dramatic décor, themed cocktails, and a new sushi menu set the mood. Dress in masquerade attire, ride up to the 40th floor, and take in sweeping harbor views.
Get on the Pier Only Birch Aquarium Can Open
Birch Aquarium educators are taking you past the glass this fall. Sunset Pier Walks get you onto the Ellen Browning Scripps Memorial Pier, normally closed to the public, for plankton, squid dissection, and shark science. Tidepooling Adventures put you at the water’s edge at low tide. Both sell out fast.
Great Things To Do in San Diego
Rise and Shine at San Diego’s Best Sunrise Spots
Start your day with breathtaking views as the sun rises over San Diego. From scenic mountain overlooks to peaceful coastal spots, discover beautiful places to catch the first light of day. Grab your coffee, bring your camera, and enjoy the sunrise!
Explore Normal Heights, One of San Diego’s Best-Kept Secrets
Discover the charm of Normal Heights, where neighborhood bars, local eateries, independent shops, and a lively arts scene create a welcoming atmosphere. Stroll along Adams Avenue, uncover hidden gems, and experience a laid-back side of San Diego worth exploring.
Unleash Your Inner Kid at San Diego’s Best Arcades and Adult Playgrounds
Who says playtime is just for kids? From retro arcade games and mini golf to bowling, escape rooms, and friendly competition, San Diego has plenty of ways to have fun. Round up your friends and discover your next playful adventure!
Your 2026 Guide to San Diego’s Best Bars
We’re rounding up the best bars in San Diego right now, from laid-back neighborhood gems to standout cocktail spots. These are the places we keep coming back to in 2026.
Upcoming San Diego Events Worth Knowing About
Step Inside the Story at Ghost Light Masquerade
Enter an immersive Halloween world where dance, theater, and storytelling unfold around you. Don a mask, follow mysterious spirits through The Nocturne Theatre, choose your own path, and get as close to the performers as your curiosity allows.
Set Sail for a Spooky Night on the USS Midway
Board the USS Midway for a family-friendly Halloween party packed with costumes, dancing, a treasure hunt, and spooky photo ops. Then settle in under the stars for an outdoor screening of Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
Bar Hop at the Downtown San Diego Halloween Bar Fest
Mad City Bar Fest’s Halloween Bar Crawl gets you one wristband for six Downtown bars, including Whiskey Girl, barleymash, and Tom’s Watch Bar. Live DJs, drink specials, and capacity updates keep the day moving, so come in costume and bar hop at your own pace.
Dress Up and Give Back at Halloween at the Station
Bring the family to Liberty Station for costumes, trick-or-treating, crafts, a DJ, obstacle course, and Hollywood car show. Enter the costume contest, explore the festivities, and bring nonperishable food donations to help support local military families and veterans.
Uncover the Strange After Dark at The Nat
Explore all five floors of The Nat during a 21+ Halloween takeover filled with tarot readings, paranormal encounters, scavenger hunts, cocktails, costumes, and curious specimens. Dance to DJs, swap ghost stories, and discover the museum after dark.
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See you there, San Diego!
