With 2025 just around the corner, now is the perfect time to begin thinking ahead to your San Diego, California travel plans. When you’re someone who finds that you can relax and unwind best with plenty of sunshine and access to versatile fun involved in your journey, San Diego is a vacation destination that never fails to impress. When you head this way in 2025, you’ll find you can add all the amazing stops, features, activities, events, and attractions travelers have come to know and love in San Diego. You’ll also have the opportunity to add some new experiences to the lineup that are slated to be up and going in the new year, making your trip even more unforgettable! Here is a preview of San Diego events in 2025.
A Preview to San Diego Events In 2025
No matter when you arrive in San Diego, you’ll find yourself immersed in a vibrant and welcoming cityscape that showcases a refreshing balance of outdoor recreation and city-center fun alike. Year-round, San Diego enjoys near-perfect weather with average daily highs lingering in the mid-70s. If it’s time in the great outdoors you’re after on your next adventure, you really can’t go wrong with San Diego because it’s a city that’s proud to host around 260 days of annual sunshine on average. That means there’s plenty of time to check out the plethora of stunning shorelines to explore spanning over 70 miles of California’s coastline in total. The beaches here are just as suitable for sunbathing as they are for shelling, strolling, a game of beach volleyball, or quality time building sandcastles with the kids when you’re planning a fun-filled family trip.
Beyond the sand, those heading to San Diego in 2025 will find it’s easy to add stops at top destinations like SeaWorld, Balboa Park, and the San Diego Zoo to their must-visit list. The city is also always brimming over with amazing museums, art galleries, theaters, and world-class eateries to check out as well during a visit. When you’re looking forward to exploring the diversity of San Diego, neighborhoods like North Park, the Gaslamp Quarter, and Little Italy are terrific places to start. When you’re not out enjoying hiking, biking, or kayaking your way through San Diego’s versatile habitats and ecosystems, you can just as easily spend time diving into history and culture at places like the USS Midway Museum while you’re in town.
However you choose to spend your time in San Diego in 2025, you’re definitely in for a treat! The following 2025 preview will give you a better idea of some of the fan-favorite opportunities for fun to add to your vacation itinerary as well as the up-and-coming experience exclusive to 2025 that you won’t want to miss out on during your stay.
Upcoming Events and City Additions to Look Forward to in 2025
If you’re flying into San Diego to enjoy time away from the hustle of life in 2025, there’s a good chance your first encounter with a brand-new addition to the city will happen upon arrival. That’s because Terminal 1 at the San Diego Airport is scheduled to have it renovation fully completed this year. The Terminal 1 renovation completion marks just the first phase of a larger airport overhaul which is on track to be finished by 2028 and is something locals and visitors alike are looking forward to enjoying.
For travelers heading to San Diego in 2025 excited to infuse some creative inspiration into their getaway, the first Art Walk of the year will be hosted in La Jolla on January 5, 2025, from 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm. This beloved event is organized by the La Jolla Village Merchants Association and is hosted on the first Friday of each month. It’s an event that’s always highly anticipated and in 2025, it’s shaping up to be a treat for attendees thanks to the more than 16 participating galleries, free food, and drinks handed out too. It’s a must-experience for art aficionados and those who just love a good creative stroll too. Bring your family and friends and kick off 2025 the right way by attending the first Art Walk of the year in San Diego.
San Diego is also slated to welcome the new Gaylord Pacific Resort & Convention Center in 2025 with doors opening to the public around late spring. It’s been designed to be yet another terrific venue for hosting large-scale events and meetings in the city and reservations are already being accepted.
Travelers who are looking forward to spending time at SeaWorld San Diego during their 2025 visit will find a variety of new additions on the calendar to look forward to experiencing at the park. From the new jellyfish exhibit to a reimagined Journey to Atlantis experience, the new year is going to bring new thrills at every turn. Jewels of the Sea: A Jellyfish Experience is scheduled to open in spring 2025 and will be an innovative addition to the park with highly immersive and interactive exhibits. Storytelling will be built into the unique galleries as guests admire jellyfish of all kinds while learning about their pathways through the open oceans. The new jellyfish exhibit will also host an eye-catching centerpiece comprised of a 10-foot tall acrylic archway of jellyfish and an 18-foot tall cylinder alongside a touchable globe of water and jellyfish. Journey to Atlantis upgrades in 2025 are arriving on the heels of the park’s first coaster celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024. The renovations will pay tribute to the original design while incorporating more immersive elements throughout including water, special effects, and performances.
If you’re heading to San Diego at the beginning of 2025, you’ll be right on time to catch the last day of the iconic San Diego International Auto Show on January 1. This popular and eye-catching event is hosted downtown and tickets start at just $12 to set your sights on some of the automotive industry’s most impressive car models ever designed all in one convenient location!
More 2025 Seasonal Events to Enjoy in San Diego on Your Next Trip
The annual calendar of fun events in San Diego is always impressive and 2025 is shaping up to be no exception. Between January and April, visitors can purchase tickets to see the National Lacrosse League’s San Diego team known as The Seals play at Pechanga Arena. The annual Farmers Insurance Open Golf Tournament will be hosted in January at Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla while San Diego Museum Month kicks off in February. During this time, visitors and locals can take advantage of access to more than 60 area museums at discounted rates of 50% ticket prices. All you have to do to enjoy this annual event is pick up your pass at one of the 80 participating libraries throughout the city.
Between December and April, whale watching is at its peak in San Diego making it the perfect time of year to book your place on a tour led by a naturalist. As whales make their way along migratory paths towards Baja California, you’ll enjoy the privilege of seeing these incredible creatures up close while learning more about their behaviors, habitats, and conservation efforts across the globe.
Between February and March San Diego welcomes the Cymbiotika San Diego Open to town, seeing droves of top tennis players taking to the courts in the name of thrilling competition. The annual St. Patrick’s Day parade in San Diego will once again be a must-see in 2025, while Mardi Gras sees the city come to life in vibrant style between January and February.
Those who are heading to San Diego in the springtime can see the San Diego Padres play at Petco Park starting in March with the season running well into September each year. If you’re looking for one of the most Instagramable moments possible in San Diego, you’ll want to make sure your trip happens between March and May when The Flower Fields of North San Diego are in full floom across nearly 50 acres of stunning terrain. San Diego Restaurant Week is a popular annual event among food enthusiasts that happens twice a year with the first wave scheduled for March. ArtWalk takes center stage in April across Little Italy while Cinco de Mayo festivities are in full swing in May. This month also marks the arrival of the annual Wonderfront Music & Arts Festival featuring three days of music, food, and waterfront fun to enjoy.
Your summer getaway to San Diego in 2025 can enjoy some quality time enjoyed at the annual San Diego County Fair which is the largest of its kind in the state held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds each year. Blue whale watching season happens in San Diego in the summertime too beginning in June and lasting through early September. If you’re someone who loves classical music, you’ll be delighted to find the San Diego Symphony Summer Season in full swing during your warm weather getaway starting in June. Many of the summer series performances are hosted at Jacobs Park. If you’ve planned an Independence Day trip, be sure to check out the spectacular Big Bay Boom event that includes the largest fireworks display in the state. Comic-Con International comes to town in July while the Bazaar Del Mundo Latin American Festival is a summer highlight each year in August.
Fall events to look forward to in 2025 include the San Diego Bayfair in September over at Mission Bay as well as a two-day celebration of all things electronic music in September known as the CRSSD Festival. The second part of San Diego Restaurant Week is scheduled for September as well with the MCAS Miramar Air Show on the calendar for the same month. The San Diego International Film Festival is always a fall highlight in the city while the Del Mar Wine + Food Festival in October is one you won’t want to miss. For wintertime travelers, expanding on the local fun is a breeze with events like the San Diego Food + Wine Festival coming to town in November and the Del Mar Racing Bing Crosby Season kicking off at the Del Mar Racetrack in November and running through December.
Highly Anticipated Restaurant Openings on the Calendar
There’s a good chance that if you’ve made travel plans to enjoy San Diego in the upcoming year, you’re looking forward to spending some quality time checking out the amazing restaurant scene while you’re here. To that end, visitors in 2025 will be delighted to find there are a number of new eateries being added to the city that are scheduled to open right as they arrive! The owners of M-Theory Music are expanding their culinary offerings in San Diego in 2025 by opening a new pizza place called Sonny’s in University Heights. There are plans to have a second Madi location open in Pacific Beach afterward as well. Sonny’s will be a New York-style pizzeria with aesthetic leanings that bring the charm of the 80’s to life for its guests! The restaurant will sit in a restored former auto shop with history dating back 100 years in the city. Renovations will extend to the pizzeria’s outdoor patio complete with vintage televisions and a dining area that feels like the backyard from your childhood. The new Madi restaurant in Pacific Beach will host the same menu as the home location in Normal Heights and will be a one-stop shop for everything from brunch and lunch to handcrafted cocktails. Another eatery to look forward to enjoying in San Diego in 2025 is The Henry which is currently slated to open in the summertime. It’s being designed by Fox Restaurant Concepts as an all-day restaurant and bar ideal for families and date nights out as well.
Make Sure You Have a Stylish Rental in Place Upon Arrival
2025 is shaping up to be an amazing year to travel to San Diego and when you’re here, the team at Skye Management can help you find a luxurious and ideally located vacation rental to match. Reach out today to learn more about our incredible lineup of options and how we can help you plan a fully customized getaway to fit your unique travel style. We look forward to seeing you in scenic and sunny San Diego soon!
