San Diego in September

UPDATED JULY 2024By <a href="#author-bio">Stuart Bak</a>
Lifeguard station on a San Diego beach

September is a popular time to visit San Diego, when temperatures remain balmy enough for short sleeves and the madding August crowds begin to gently dissipate. All of which means more space for breathing that sweet SoCal air in the beautiful parks, beaches and valleys of America’s Finest City, and greater elbow room at attractions both famous and off the beaten path. Here’s our guide to visiting San Diego in September, and all the best things to do while you’re there…

Visiting San Diego in September

Temperature: 66-77°F • Average Rainfall: 1 day/month • Average Sunshine: 9 hours/day

Downtown San Diego skyline at sunset

Not so sizzling-hot that your shirt looks like it’s been water-bombed by the time you’ve walked a couple of blocks, nor so cool that you can’t still enjoy the golden sands of Ocean Beach and La Jolla shores, September is pretty much San Diego’s ‘Goldilocks’ month. There are still plenty of festivals going on in and around the city as summer winds down and, by the month’s mid-way point, shoulder-season prices are starting to kick in. Put simply, for you that means cheaper hotel rooms, cheaper flights, and plenty of restaurant and attraction promotions designed to keep the punters coming in. In short, visiting San Diego in September is a no-brainer.

Discover more in our guide to staying in San Diego.

Planning to check out some of San Diego’s world-class attractions while you’re in town? Of course you are! You’re thinking: European Old Masters and modern American sculpture at the San Diego Museum of Art, a tour of the Padres' Petco Park Stadium, a day at the zoo – am I right? The Go San Diego pass can save you up to 50% on access to all of these, plus many more San Diego tours, activities and attractions. 

Find out more about the Go San Diego pass, and get yours here.

Things to do in San Diego in September

Food, Glorious Food!

Man eating an enormous sandwich in a café

If you’re going to San Diego in September, go hungry. San Diego Restaurant Week sees dozens of the city’s top eateries offer fixed price menus at rock-bottom prices. Think of it as something of a supermarket sweep (but with food), as restaurants from Miramar to Mission Bay and Hillcrest to Harbor Island welcome guests for budget lunches and dinners across eight belt-loosening days. Bookings for this epic edible extravaganza is highly recommended. Find out more about participating restaurants here.

San Diego’s Local Gems

Get a little off the beaten path in San Diego at any time of year and you’re all but guaranteed authentic, crowd-free fun. It’s even better in September when you might find you have North Park’s indie art galleries, Point Loma’s tide pools, Hillcrest’s picturesque Arts and Crafts houses and Coronado’s Bayshore Bikeway pretty much entirely to yourself. Surfers should strike out for La Jolla’s lesser-spotted Windansea Beach and art-lovers could do worse than a walking tour of some of San Diego’s best urban street art. Try Chicano Park, Adams Avenue and the epic Sea Walls Project for the win.

Oktoberfest in… September

Woman in traditional Bavarian dress, carrying several steins of beer

Contrary to its name, Oktoberfest celebrations often take place in September in San Diego. That’s right: that’s ‘celebrations’ plural. This traditional Bavarian beer-fest has been adopted wholesale by thirsty San Diegans – no surprise, perhaps, given the huge number of microbreweries in this, the craft beer capital of the USA. Expect day- and sometimes week-long events in microbrewing hotspots like North Park, Hillcrest and Ocean Beach. The largest – La Mesa Oktoberfest in East County – has been running for over 50 years and features activities like bratwurst-eating competitions, yodeling contests, and dachshund races. Don’t forget your lederhosen!

Miramar Air Show

Only the biggest military air show in the United States, the Miramar Air Show comes to San Diego for three days in late September or early October. And it’s quite the eye-popping extravaganza. Spectators can expect extraordinary aerial acrobatics with displays that include ultra-modern fighter jets, vintage warbirds and more. You can even get a chance to fly one yourself. Well, sort of: simulators are all part of the fun here, alongside all manner of other entertainments, both on the ground and up in the air! Find out more about the Miramar Air Show here.

Belmont Park

The Giant Dipper at Belmont Park

Even San Diego’s most popular attractions become a lot less crowded in September than in August. Mission Beach’s Belmont Park is a case in point, promising shorter queues and old-school charm in spades. Ride the century-old wooden Giant Dipper roller coaster (if you dare), test your driving skills on the bumper cars, win a cuddly toy, and leave on a cotton candy sugar high.

Pro-tip: entry to Belmont Park is included with a Go San Diego pass!

La Jolla Shores

There’s a raft of activities available along the luscious shores of La Jolla, San Diego’s sun-kissed northern beach destination par excellence. Sure, you could just lounge on the golden sands of crescent-shaped La Jolla Shores, and we’d heartily recommend you spend some time doing precisely that! But if you fancy a little extra excitement, why not rent a kayak and snorkel to explore the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park, an absolutely pristine marine reserve where you can ogle stingrays, leopard sharks, sea turtles and more as they cruise through the gin-clear waters below. Explore the seven secret sea caves once used by Prohibition-era smugglers or get your thrill on with a leap of faith over the cliffs of nearby Torrey Pines. Find out more about tandem paragliding experiences here, and secure La Jolla kayak, snorkel and indeed surfboard rental with a Go San Diego pass.

Scenic San Diego Strolls

Torrey Pines National Park

No head for heights? Fear not: San Diego’s pleasant September climes mean it’s also a great time for experiencing this stunning landscape on foot. There are 2,000 acres of rugged bluffs, windswept plateaus and colorful wildflowers to explore in Torrey Pines Nature Reserve, named for the endangered tree (pictured above) that’s unique to this stretch of coast. Over in Mission Valley, the Mission Trails National Park is, at 7,000 acres, one of the largest urban parks in the US. Hike up Cowles Mountain for 360-degree panoramas of the city and beyond. As the name suggests, Sunset Cliffs Natural Park just south of Ocean Beach promises some of the finest clifftop sunset views in town, while Balboa Park is where it’s at for flatter, shorter and altogether less strenuous (but no less beautiful) hiking opportunities.

Save on San Diego Attractions, Tours and Activities

Save on admission to San Diego attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.

Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Freelance travel writer

Stu caught the travel bug at an early age, thanks to childhood road trips to the south of France squeezed into the back of a Ford Cortina with two brothers and a Sony Walkman. Now a freelance writer living on the Norfolk coast, Stu has produced content for travel giants including Frommer’s, British Airways, Expedia, Mr & Mrs Smith, and now Go City. His most memorable travel experiences include drinking kava with the locals in Fiji and pranging a taxi driver’s car in the Honduran capital.

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Things to Do in San Diego in Summer 2019 - Attractions, Activities & More

Due to the stellar weather, summer is probably the best time of the year to visit one of America’s prettiest cities, San Diego. The weather is always great in Southern California. But summer in San Diego certainly takes things up a level (or two). Planning a visit and looking for things to do in San Diego in the summer 2019? Check out our list of the top attractions and activities going on this year, including... San Diego Zoo San Diego Harbor Tour or Whale Watch Museums at Balboa Park PETCO Park Tour and more... Heading to the area to celebrate Independence Day? Then check out our post on things to do in San Diego 4th of July Weekend. Vacation during the tail end of summer? Here are a few fun things to do in San Diego Labor Day Weekend. Save on Summertime Activities Regular admission to a number of these attractions are available on the Go San Diego pass. Choose as you go from popular attractions and save up to 55% on combined admission vs paying at the gate. Check out all San Diego tourist passes, attractions and prices. Please note, some of these special Summer events may be separately ticketed and not available on the Go San Diego pass. Living Coast Discovery Center Explore San Diego’s wildlife at the Living Coast Discovery Center. There are only so many sea specimens you’re likely to see on your snorkeling adventures. So pay a visit to the Living Coast Discovery Center to learn about creatures big and small that populate the coastal region around San Diego. The Center is also deeply invested in its conservation work, so it’s a great attraction for anyone interested in working with animals or the environment. Getting In: Living Coast Discovery Center tickets are included with the Go San Diego pass. San Diego County Fair Del Mar Fairgrounds May 31 - July 4, 2018 (closed Mondays and Tuesdays in June but open July 2&3) Beginning May 31, North America’s fourth-largest fair will get underway at the Del Mar Fairgrounds. With over 1 million visitors anticipated each year, this festival only gets bigger and better as times goes on. This year's theme is "Oz-some." Visitors will experience kid-in-a-candy store excitement from chocolate sampling to some of San Diego area's hottest headlining bands. Plus thrilling carnival rides! Meet farm animals, enjoy dozens of live entertainment acts, let the kids explore educational exhibits. Enjoy a number of other amazing mini festivals throughout the duration of the fair. Getting In: The San Diego County Fair is separately ticketed and is not included with the Go San Diego Card. San Diego Comic-Con San Diego Convention Center July 18 - 21, 2019 For fans of Superman, Spiderman, Spawn, and the Simpsons, there’s no better San Diego Attraction than the Comic-Con. Comic-Con International: San Diego has quickly become the largest comics and pop culture event in the United States. During Comic-Con San Diego, more than 130,000 artists, celebrities and comic book fans will pack the San Diego Convention Center. That's a huge transformation from when about 100 people attended the first “minicon” in 1970. Tickets are pricey and sell out quickly, but for the big geeks out there, this is basically the event of the year. Getting In: San Diego Comic Con is separately ticketed and is not included with the Go San Diego Card. Let's Recap So there you have it. Our picks for some of the top things to do in San Diego in the summer. Please note, the summer events taking place at some of these attractions may be separately ticketed and not included with the Go San Diego Card. Plan to visit some of these top attractions during your trip. Whether you are traveling with your family or a couple of friends, we're sure you will have a great time.
Katie Sagal

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