From much-buzzed new guests at the San Diego Zoo to great deals and hot happenings at local attractions and more, fall fun is in full swing in San Diego. Here’s a look at some of the top events, openings and activities around the San Diego region this autumn:
Attractions and events
Pandas make an encore at the Zoo
Cue the panda-monium! The San Diego Zoo has welcomed two new giant pandas named Xin Bao and Yun Chaun. This is the first time pandas have been on display at the zoo since 2019, and it also makes the San Diego Zoo the only place in the United States where guests can view the lovable creatures.
Kids Free returns in October
The 13th Annual Kids Free San Diego is returning this October with special savings and fun for the entire family. During the entire month, families with kids 12 and under can enjoy a variety of deals, from complimentary attraction and museum admission to free meals to welcome amenities at area hotels.
Penguins help SeaWorld celebrate 60th
SeaWorld San Diego continues its “So Much More to Sea” 60th anniversary celebration by welcoming Humboldt Penguins back to the park after 40 years. The penguins will be on exhibit for guests to view and learn from in their new habitat, Penguin Point.
Dine With Elmo debuts at Sesame Place
Sesame Place San Diego has debuted the Dine with Elmo experience at the brand-new Sunny Day Café. The immersive experience allows guests to dine alongside their favorite furry friends and experience exclusive entertainment, including singing, dancing and photo opportunities.
Midway Museum salutes two new exhibits
The USS Midway Museum has opened two exhibits in one: “Midway’s Engineers: Service, Sacrifice and Everyday Life” and the “Fire! Fire! Fire! Experience.” The exhibits not only tell the stories of the ship’s hard-working engineers, but also explore how steam powered virtually every element of the ship, as well as how fire is a sailor’s worst nightmare. Through a combination of sound, light and visual effects, guests are engulfed in the sensory overload of a shipboard fire scenario.
Trick or treating in Little Italy
Children and adults alike are invited to dress up in costumes and collect treats from Little Italy businesses for Trick or Treat on India Street, returning Oct. 27. The Piazza della Famiglia will also be transformed into “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” with a 13-foot Jack Skellington, jumbo pumpkin stacks and Halloween-themed music.
Chula Vista hosts Dia de Los Muertos events
The Downtown Chula Vista Association will bring back the city’s Dia de Los Muertos Celebration for its fourth year on Nov. 12. This vibrant event invites families and friends of all ages to honor and remember departed loved ones with activities such as a community altar, an altar contest, Las Jefas market, live music, dance performances, kids activities and more.
La Jolla serves up return of Art & Wine Festival
The La Jolla Art & Wine Festival returns to the heart of La Jolla Village for its 16th year, Sept. 28-29. The event will showcase regional and international fine art from over 160 artists and a variety of flavor experiences from local food vendors. The Wine & Beer Garden boasts more than 35 international wineries, local craft breweries and distilleries. Live entertainment, including music and dance performances, a two-day silent auction and pet-adoption stations, will also be featured at the festival.
Del Mar Wine and Food Festival set for October
The Del Mar Wine and Food Festival is back for its second year, Oct. 2-7. Renowned chefs, TV personalities and superstar athletes are set to headline the event. The two-day grand tasting event will feature over 100 top restaurants and chefs and 200 wines and spirits. This year, the festival will also pay special tribute to San Diego’s female leaders in various industries through special events.
San Diego Food and Wine Festival marking 20th birthday
Named “Best Wine Festival” by USA Today Top 10, the San Diego Food and Wine Festival is back and celebrating its 20th anniversary Nov. 2-10. The festival promises an exciting lineup of culinary talent, including chefs recognized by the Food Network, Top Chef, the James Beard Foundation and Michelin, and aims to honor the influence of Latin, Asian and BIPOC cultures by uniting talent from both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Del Mar welcome fall racing season
Adding to the fun of the Bing Crosby Fall Racing Season, which runs Oct. 31 to Dec. 1, the Del Mar Racetrack has a full lineup of events this fall. This year, the racetrack also will host the prestigious Breeders’ Cup World Championships for the third time in its history. Returning for the event is Michelin-starred Chef Curtis Stone, who will curate a world-class culinary experience for guests in premium dining areas.
New and renovated hotels
Hotel La Jolla debuts new restaurant
Hotel La Jolla has completed a multimillion-dollar property renovation with the introduction of the penthouse-level restaurant concept Sea & Sky, helmed by executive chef Anthony Wells, James Beard Awards 2022 semifinalist for Best Chef. Previously enclosed, the 100-seat dining room and bar area on the property’s 11th floor now feature retractable windowpanes, allowing the wafting in of refreshing salt-tinged sea breezes, and a newly enclosed show kitchen allows guests a front row seat to the culinary action.
Sheraton unveils major renovation on bayfront
Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina has completed the next installment of its over $100 million property-wide renovation with a newly transformed lobby and the opening of three onsite dining concepts. Rumorosa presents Cali-Baja cuisine with sweeping views of the marina. Brewery X Harbor Island is the first San Diego location of the Orange County-based brewery and features a menu of wild and wackily named dishes. Along with the refresh of the property’s three pools, Sunglow Cabana Bar offers frozen drinks for all ages.
Two new eateries highlight Estancia La Jolla renovation
Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa has unveiled two new on-site eateries following the completion of its $26 million renovation and redevelopment this summer. On its pool deck, guests can visit The Palma Bar & Grill, offering cocktails and light bites. The Trading Post Café & Bar offers a slightly more elevated dining experience on an outdoor patio with menu items made with locally sourced ingredients.
Gaslamp’s Omni San Diego Hotel shows off major renovation
Just in time for its 20th anniversary, the Omni San Diego Hotel in the Gaslamp Quarter has announced the completion of its top-down renovation. This includes a redesigned poolside experience, two new food and beverage concepts, refreshed meeting and event spaces, and reimagined lobby and guest rooms.
Arts and culture
PST ART celebration heading to multiple San Diego museums
The Getty Foundation’s major arts event, PST ART, has returned, with several San Diego County museums and institutions participating. The latest edition, PST ART: Art & Science Collide, explores the connections between art and science through exhibitions on topics like ancient cosmologies, Indigenous sci-fi, environmental justice, and artificial intelligence. These exhibitions are part of a series of interconnected exhibitions across Southern California that aim to spark civic dialogue on urgent issues like climate change, AI, and alternative medicine, offering new research, unforgettable experiences and fresh insight. Events include exhibition openings, artist talks, panel discussions, and interactive workshops. Information on participating museums:
- The San Diego Museum of Art presents Wonders of Creation: Art, Science, and Innovation in the Islamic World through Jan. 5, 2025. This exhibition explores the intersections of art and science in Islamic culture from the Seventh Century to the present, featuring over 100 works, including manuscripts, maps and scientific instruments, alongside contemporary commissions that reflect the enduring spirit of wonder and curiosity.
- The Oceanside Museum of Art, in collaboration with the Orange County Museum of Art and Crystal Cove Conservancy, presents Transformative Currents: Art and Action in the Pacific Ocean through Jan. 5, 2025. This exhibition features works by 20 contemporary artists that explore the environmental and cultural challenges facing the Pacific Ocean, emphasizing the interconnectedness of its ecosystems and the power of art to inspire positive ecological change.
- The Mingei International Museum presents Blue Gold: The Art and Science of Indigo through March 16, 2025. The exhibition delves into the complex history and global significance of indigo, exploring its roles in botany, chemistry, and economics, as well as its cultural impact and problematic legacies, while featuring contemporary works by artists such as Porfirio Gutiérrez and Laura Kina.
- The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) presents For Dear Life: Art, Medicine, and Disability through Feb. 2, 2025. This is the first historical survey of artistic responses to sickness, health, and medicine in the United States. It features works by 80 artists, including Lynn Hershman Leeson, David Hockney, and Simone Leigh, exploring how health issues shape artistic processes and subject matter.
- The La Jolla Historical Society, with additional venues at the California Center for the Arts, Escondido, the San Diego Central Library, and the Mandeville Art Gallery at UC San Diego, presents Helen and Newton Harrison: California Work through Jan. 19, 2025. The first exhibit to focus exclusively on the Harrisons’ California projects, it showcases nearly 20 groundbreaking ecological artworks created between the late 1960s and the 2000s, including restaged performance pieces, archival materials and The Lagoon Cycle, displayed for the first time since its acquisition by the Centre Georges Pompidou in 1997.
- UC San Diego Visual Arts, in partnership with the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, presents Embodied Pacific through Feb. 5, 2025. This exhibition features 18 artworks created by artists in collaboration with UC San Diego scientists, spanning three locations, including Birch Aquarium and the Indigenous-run Kosay Kumeyaay Market, and explores the intersection of oceanography and Indigenous knowledge, offering a collective vision for sustaining our oceans during a time of critical change.
La Jolla Playhouse premieres fall shows
La Jolla Playhouse has announced its fall lineup, including the West Coast premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winner “Primary Trust,” created by Eboni Booth and directed by Knud Adams; it runs through Oct. 20. A production of “Your Local Theater Presents: A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, Again,” created by Anna Ouyang Monech and directed by Les Waters, runs Nov. 19 through Dec. 15.
Old Globe rolling out four fall/winter productions
The Old Globe Theatre has four plays on the boards this fall: “Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Orient Express,” adapted by Ken Ludwig and running through Oct. 20; “Dracula, a Comedy of Terrors,” through Oct. 27; the return of the beloved holiday classic “Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” Nov. 6 to Dec. 31; and a “A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story,” as performed by Jefferson Mays (an accomplished solo-show virtuoso), Dec. 12-22.
Acclaimed musical “Kimberly Akimbo” hits the stage
Broadway San Diego stages the touring premiere of the musical “Kimberly Akimbo,” based on the David Lindsay-Abaire play about a teenage girl with a condition that causes her to age rapidly. The Tony Award-winning show runs Oct. 8-13 at the San Diego Civic Theatre.
Multiple events heading to Comic-Con Museum
The San Diego Comic-Con Museum has announced exciting happenings this fall. In celebration of World Design Capital 2024, the museum is partnering with the Consulate General of Mexico in San Diego to debut their second binational collaboration: “Border Blitz: Artistas del Cómic de Tijuana.” featuring the art of Charles Glaubitz, Alejandra Yépiz Portillo and Urbano Mata. The museum is also unveiling a new exhibit titled “Myth of Superheroes,” which will explore the evolution of ancient Roman gods and goddesses into today’s superheroes. In November, the museum will host a “Mask-O-Raid” party in partnership with Funko, Inc. Guests of all ages can experience trick-or-treating, a costume contest, bites & treats, party favors, and spooky jams by DJ Chino.
San Diego Symphony unveils long-awaited Jacobs Music Center
The Jacobs Music Center, home of the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, is opening its doors for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic and a subsequent $125 million renovation. The symphony’s upcoming season has been carefully curated to showcase the virtuosity of the world-class musicians of San Diego Symphony Orchestra and bring to life the enhanced acoustics, features, and capabilities of the newly transformed hall. The full schedule, along with tickets, can be found on the symphony’s website.
Navigation is the focus of Maritime Museum exhibit
The San Diego Maritime Museum has debuted its latest exhibit, Art of Navigation. The exhibit features an array of period instruments, charts and voyage accounts from the dawn of the Scientific Revolution of the 16th Century.
Prix Pictet exhibition arrives at MOPA
The San Diego Museum of Art welcomes Prix Pictet’s Human, the latest exhibition from the world’s leading award for photography and sustainability, to the Museum of Photographic Arts at The San Diego Museum of Art through Dec. 15. The exhibition evaluates human’s role as stewards of the planet and sheds light on the critical issues of global sustainability.
EXCHANGE Pavilion open to visitors in Balboa Park
Through Nov. 15, visitors to Balboa Park can check out the EXCHANGE Pavilion, erected as a part of World Design Capital 2024. On select Thursdays, visitors can experience Community Connections, a special series produced by World Design Capital.
Restaurants, breweries and bars
Top chefs open La Jolla’s Le Coq
James Beard Foundation Best Chef California Finalist Tara Monsod, alongside Food Network Chef Brian Malarkey and Chris Puffer of Puffer Malarkey Group, opened Le Coq in June. The French steakhouse is situated in downtown La Jolla and has a menu grounded in the precision of traditional French culinary technique.
Hillcrest welcomes locally focused Cellar Hand
Cellar Hand, the first full-service restaurant venture by the Perr Family, the family behind Pali Wine Co., opened this June in the Hillcrest Neighborhood. Chef Logan Kendall’s menu is hyper-local focused, with farm-to-table dining featuring dishes made with fresh ingredients sourced from the nearby Hillcrest Farmers Market. The wine selection includes options from Pali Wine Co. and other producers, emphasizing tradition, terroir, and sustainability.
BASTA! is newest addition to Little Italy restaurants
BASTA! is the latest concept of Grain & Grit Collective and San Diego chef Sam the Cooking Guy to open in the heart of Little Italy. BASTA!’s menu offers a delectable fusion of Italian-inspired dishes and guests can expect new, fun twists on classic Italian dishes as well as signature “Sam the Cooking Guy” bites.
New chef revamps menu at Kona Kai’s Vessel
Vessel Restaurant + Bar at Kona Kai San Diego is getting a refresh from new Executive Chef Ethan Brown. Chef Ethan has introduced a new menu highlighting fresh, organic ingredients sourced from local farms in dishes like salmon poke, mahi tacos and crispy maple leaf farm duck wings.
Borrego Rooftop Kitchen opens at Hotel Indigo
Located on the ninth floor of Hotel Indigo in the lively Gaslamp Quarter, Borrego Rooftop Kitchen + Cocktails is a desert-inspired oasis with views of Petco Park, cozy seating, and inviting firepits perfect for gatherings. Highlights include seasonal ceviche, hibiscus-cured kanpachi, cochinita sliders made with slow-roasted pork shoulder, and oversized platters of ribeye, halibut, and maitake mushrooms served with house-made blue corn tortillas. Expertly crafted cocktails, prepared seasonally, complement the culinary creations.
Thrills with grills at ‘Playing With Fire’ chef event
During its “Playing With Fire” outdoor grilling sessions, The Grill at Torrey Pines pairs up with some of San Diego’s hottest chefs to present delectable wood-fired dishes, as well as local craft brews. Guests can experience the thrill of the grill Oct. 14, featuring Chef Carmine Lopez from Wolf in the Woods and Fall Brewing Company.
CH Projects debuts Middle Eastern-focused Leila
The North Park neighborhood has welcomed Leila, the newest concept from CH Projects that pays homage to cofounder Arsalun Tafazoli’s Middle Eastern roots. Leila brings together flavors from all over the region, from Morocco to Iran. At the helm of Leila’s kitchen is Executive Chef Wesley Remington Johnson, whose culinary journey spans several renowned establishments across the country. Complementing the culinary offerings is a cocktail program curated by CH Projects’ returning alumnus, Leigh Lacap, along with CH Beverage Director Alicia Perry.
Multi-use concept Fox Point Farms opens in Encinitas
Encinitas is now home to Fox Point Farms, a unique living and dining concept that revolves around a three-acre organic regenerative farm. In addition to 250 townhomes, cottages and apartments, Fox Point Farms is also home to Haven Farm + Table, Fox Point Brewing Co., and several other establishments that will be supplied by the farm directly.
Ponyboy restaurant and bar saddles up at Pearl Hotel
A fixture of the Point Loma neighborhood for nearly 70 years, The Pearl Hotel has introduced its most ambitious and imaginative restaurant and bar concept, Ponyboy. Ian Ward and Danny Romero, previously of three-star Michelin-recognized Addison, are behind the project, which promises a menu inspired by the innovation of home cooking in the 1960’s.
Acclaimed Baja chef’s 31THIRTYONE opens in North Park
Chef Drew Deckman, owner of Deckman’s en el Mogor in Baja’s Valle de Guadalupe, has debuted his family’s very first U.S. restaurant, called 31THIRTYONE, in San Diego’s North Park neighborhood. At 31THIRTYONE, Deckman’s earth-to-table mission is centered on preserving the watershed of Southern California and northern Baja while creating an inspiring restaurant that redefines the future of sustainable dining. The cause-based concept will fund regenerative farming projects — pledging 1% of monthly revenue to help farmers implement carbon farming projects through various grants — and the restaurant advocates for sustainability at every level of operation.