Couple gazing at the sea from San Diego's cliffs

Things to do in San Diego for Pride Day

By Stuart BakBy Stuart Bak

While the rest of the planet celebrates Pride in June, San Diego (contrary as ever) holds its party in July. Why? Well, SoCal’s famous ‘June Gloom’ almost saw the parade rained off completely back in 1990. It was the last straw in a long and bitter weather-based war of attrition, which ultimately led to a permanent shift of date to July’s more reliably clement climes. The result: a far sunnier week-long celebration that pulls in some 300,000 spectators for its climax: the Pride Parade and two-day Balboa Park festival/love-in. Now we’ve cleared that up, read on for our guide to all the best things to do during Pride Week in San Diego.

Pride Week Events

Pride festival 'love is love' placard

July sees San Diego painted all the colors of the rainbow, with flags, bunting and balloons bedecking the streets from Hillcrest to La Jolla. Uptown Hillcrest is the beating heart of the city’s LGBTQ+ scene and therefore, perhaps unsurprisingly, the epicenter of all the best Pride Week events and activities. We’re talking beer-fueled bacchanalias at the world’s first gay brewery, drag pageants and karaoke nights, and club all-nighters with celeb DJs. Pride Week usually takes place mid-July, with the Parade landing on a Saturday and the festival running through the weekend. Check the official Pride website for info on specific Hillcrest and Pride Week events, and read our guide to fun things to do in Hillcrest here. Don’t miss:

She Fest

This celebratory event kicks off the Pride Week party in earnest, with a colorful Hillcrest shindig that includes live performers, workshops, community-building activities and more.

Spirit of Stonewall Rally

Getting the people parade-ready on the eve of the big march, the Spirit of Stonewall Rally recognizes and honors LGBTQ+ community leaders with a range of awards for achievements in activism, leadership and fundraising, before raising the Hillcrest Pride flag in front of a crowd of thousands.

Pride Parade

Happy revelers at a Pride festival

San Diego’s Pride Parade is one of the biggest in the States, with a 1.5-mile rainbow route that draws around 300,000 cheering spectators. Expect flamboyant floats, outlandish costumes and marching bands as the parade weaves its way from the Hillcrest Pride flag to Balboa Park. The fun starts at 10AM.

Pride Festival

There are four stages of live entertainment at this epic Balboa Park festival, which brings the Pride party to a close with a bang across Parade weekend. This event is ticketed, but relatively cheap, at under $40 for a weekend pass. More info and tickets here.

Pride 5k

And, if all that Pride partying has left you needing to offset the martinis and mimosas with a little light exercise, the Pride 5k may be for you. The annual race takes place at 8AM directly before the Pride Parade and welcomes runners (and walkers) of all abilities. Register to take part here.

LGBTQ+ Attractions in San Diego

The Botanical Building and lily pond in Balboa Park

Not only is San Diego’s epic Balboa Park central to many of the Pride Week celebrations, it’s also at the heart of the city’s cultural scene, with eye-catching Spanish-Colonial architectural gems galore, a Japanese garden, a pavilion, an old-school carousel, and more world-class museums than you can shake a very large stick at. Insta-perfect edifices along the broad El Prado boulevard, including the ornate Casa del Prado and lavish California Building bell tower, are adorned with LGBTQ+ flags and bathed in rainbow light in the evenings, and the park takes on a carnival atmosphere throughout Pride Week. Hit up the San Diego Museum of Art for Pride-affiliated performances (including music, dance, spoken word, visual art) and self-guided tours of celebrated works by LGBTQ+ artists including Berenice Abbott, Jasper Johns and Marsden Hartley. The nearby Museum of Us also usually hosts a Pride party with activities like crafting with drag queens, cookie-decorating contests, and more.

Group of friends drinking beer

Just north of Balboa Park, Hillcrest is of course where it's at for all things LGBTQ+. There’s an LGBTQ+ community center that’s been running a variety of social and cultural programs here since 1971. Then there are the many gay bars, cocktail joints and nightclubs, both here and in the similarly LGBTQ-friendly North Park neighborhood next door. Not to mention the endless cute brunch spots, cool boutiques, and the quite fabulous Hillcrest Brewing Company, self-styled ‘first gay brewery in the world’, with a colorful cast of craft ales that includes its signature Crotch Rocket and hangover-guaranteeing Banana Hammock (10% ABV!).

Mosey over to University Heights to catch queer cabaret shows and more at the Diversionary theater, or take it easy on Black’s Beach, a secluded LGBTQ+ beach beneath the Torrey Pines bluffs, with golden California sands, and epic weekend parties to boot.

Best of the Rest: San Diego’s Top Attractions

Flamingos at San Diego Zoo

Don’t miss the opportunity to check out some of San Diego’s best tours, activities and attractions when you’re in town. You could save up to 50% with a Go San Diego pass, which just happens to include a few of the attractions mentioned in this blog, such as the Museum of Us and the San Diego Museum of Art. It also includes entry to several other San Diego bucket-listers, such as:

  • Meeting the cute (and not so cute) critters at San Diego Zoo
  • Sampling some of that world-famous boysenberry pie (and the rides, of course) at Knott’s Berry Farm
  • Ogling majestic blue whales up close on a whale-watching bay cruise
  • Touring Petco Park, home of the legendary San Diego Padres
  • Topping up your California tan with La Jolla bike, snorkel and surfboard rental
  • Nabbing a selfie with Madonna and Marlene Dietrich at Madame Tussauds
  • Getting spooked at the Whaley House Museum, said to be America’s most haunted house
  • ….and many more!

Find out more about the different types of Go San Diego pass and choose yours here.

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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Skyline of the Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego
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Things to do in Gaslamp Quarter San Diego

Named for the lanterns that used to light its picturesque Victorian Streets, the 16 blocks of San Diego’s historic Gaslamp Quarter are now the heart of the city’s buzzing nightlife scene. Despite its relatively diminutive size the Gaslamp (as the locals call it) packs a powerful punch, with some fine 19th-century architecture, a smattering of museums, great dive bars and some of the best entertainment in town. Check out our 10 favorite things to do in Gaslamp Quarter San Diego below. Take a Walk Down Historic 5th Avenue The Gaslamp Quarter has bags of architectural charm, with attractive historic buildings to be found around nearly every corner. Take a stroll along 5th Avenue to spot some of the best. Built in 1888, the Louis Bank of Commerce at number 835 is an impressive Baroque Revival confection, distinguishable by its elaborate facade and protruding turrets. Also look out for the Yuma Building at number 631. This Art Deco vision in red brick has brightly painted bay windows and twin spires on top. Don’t forget to snap a selfie at the famous Gaslamp Quarter sign – you’ll find it on the corner of 5th and L Street. Visit The Gaslamp Museum Step back in time inside downtown San Diego’s oldest surviving structure. Built in Portland in 1850, this unassuming traditional timber-framed ‘saltbox’ house was later deconstructed and shipped to San Diego via Cape Horn and has been standing in the same spot ever since. Wander through the hushed Victorian rooms with their thick carpets and period furniture to learn about former inhabitants including Alonzo Horton, the ‘father of San Diego’, who lived here in the late 1860s and early 70s. The museum also boasts a gift shop for unusual souvenirs and – believe it or not – a resident spook. Sample the Nightlife If this lively downtown neighborhood is known for anything, it’s the fab nightlife. Try some of San Diego’s famously excellent craft beers in an atmospheric dive bar, or head to one of the many rooftop venues for great cocktails and live music. As well as a whole bunch of nightclubs, there’s top-flight entertainment to be found at the likes of the American Comedy Company’s open mic nights and the non-stop party that is The Shout! House’s Dueling Pianos show, where high-energy entertainment, raucous sing-alongs and dancing all night long are par for the course. Take the Kids to The New Children’s Museum Let the kids get creative at this excellent interactive museum on W Island Avenue. Inside, the labyrinth of colorful little rooms filled with fun activities and exhibits will blow their tiny minds and keep them entertained for hours. Installations are ever-changing, but you can expect the likes of immersive mini theaters for imaginative role play, colorful murals, brain-bending puzzles, even a giant crocheted hammock that kids can climb inside and explore. There are also studios and workshops where they can unleash their messiest artistic streaks with paint, clay and more. See the San Diego Padres in Action Just a block from the Gaslamp over in the East Village, Petco Park is home to the San Diego Padres. Grab a hot dog, a beer and – of course – a giant foam finger, and soak up the thrilling atmosphere at a Major League Baseball game. And, if baseball isn’t your thing, keep an eye out for concert listings: this enormous stadium has hosted shows by some of the world’s biggest names, including Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, Madonna and the Red Hot Chili Peppers. See Some Fine Art Just north of the Gaslamp on Kettner Avenue, the Museum of Contemporary Art is a smaller outpost of the museum’s main galleries in La Jolla. But don’t let that put you off! Works created post-1950, including sculpture, painting, photography and installations are collected here in the huge, light-filled gallery of the historic former Santa Fe Depot baggage building. Expect Pop Art, conceptual art, art from up-and-coming and emerging artists and permanent commissions by established artists including Richard Serra and Jenny Holzer. Shop Til You Drop The Gaslamp is a shoppers’ paradise, with boutique after independent boutique selling the latest fashions, vintage accessories, fine jewelry, unique works of art and more. The Gaslamp Artisan Market brings dozens of stalls selling fresh produce, street food and handcrafted artisan bits and bobs to the neighborhood every weekend. Grab yourself some brunch at one of the many cute eateries then while away an hour or two browsing for one-of-a-kind souvenirs. Go See a Show Head for the historic Balboa, a former moviehouse and vaudeville theater with some 100 years of history. Inside, ornate decorative moldings and a tiled dome create a suitably evocative setting for touring Broadway productions such as Wicked, Cats and The Book of Mormon as well as concerts by rock royalty – previous performers to have graced the stage here include Patti Smith, Willie Nelson, John Legend, Tori Amos and Nick Cave. Step Aboard an Aircraft Carrier The USS Midway Museum at Navy Pier honors the United States' longest-serving 20th-century aircraft carrier, which saw service between 1945 and 1992 before finding its permanent home here in San Diego. Airplane enthusiasts will be in seventh heaven, with oodles of magnificent flying machines to admire, including a SDB Dauntless dive bomber from the Second World War and an F9F-P Cougar from the Korean War. Play captain up on the bridge, climb into a cockpit and hear great stories and anecdotes about the USS Midway from the fantastic volunteer crew. Chill Out in Horton Plaza Park Horton Plaza is hard to miss – that’s because it’s the only square in the tiny Gaslamp Quarter. Grab yourself an ice cream from the pavilion and watch the world go by from the amphitheater steps, or sprawled on one of the grassy lawns. The large, ornate fountain on the plaza dates back to 1910 and is surrounded by palm trees – it’s a relaxing spot to while away a few idle moments in the famous San Diego sunshine. Save on things to do in the Gaslamp Quarter San Diego Save on admission to San Diego attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
The Casa del Prado and lily pond in Balboa Park, San Diego
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Things to do in Balboa Park San Diego

San Diego’s Balboa Park is a huge tract of parkland located just north of Downtown. Sprawling across some 1,200 acres, it’s criss-crossed by several freeways and boasts dozens of attractive gardens, museums, galleries, theaters and other attractions as well as wild walking trails, stunning architecture and an assortment of cafés, bars and restaurants. This massive urban playground could easily fill several days of sightseeing. Here are our top 10 picks for things to do in Balboa Park San Diego. Go to the Zoo Covering around a twelfth of the entire Park, San Diego Zoo contains hundreds of species and thousands of animals and is one of the most visited zoos in the United States. Wander through the Lost Forest to spot the resident hippos, plus tigers, gorillas and more, and visit the Komodo Kingdom for your giant lizard fix. There are huge tropical aviaries, Arctic landscapes and – as the zoo is also a botanical garden – over 700,000 exotic plants to explore. Take the guided bus tour to get your bearings or hop on the Skyfari cable car for an amazing aerial view of the critters and vegetation below. Admire the Architecture Many of Balboa Park’s buildings were designed for major Expos in the early 20th Century, which makes for a pretty diverse range of architectural styles. Stroll the broad El Prado boulevard to spot the Casa del Prado, a stunning Spanish-Colonial masterpiece with garlanded columns, shaded cloisters and tiled domes. And listen for the bell chiming every quarter hour from the lavish three-story tower of the California Building, with its colorful tiled dome and heady mix of Baroque, Churrigueresque, Rococo and Gothic styles. See Some Fine Art The ornate Spanish Renaissance-style facade of San Diego Museum of Art is a masterpiece in itself and features within it three life-sized sculptures of Spanish Old Master painters Velázquez, Murillo and Zurbarán. Step inside to discover some of their finest pieces exhibited alongside other Spanish, European and American greats including Goya, El Greco, Klimt, Canaletto, Monet, Matisse and many more. The smaller Timken Museum nearby offers more of the same, while the Museum of Photographic Arts boasts a collection of thousands of fascinating images spanning the history of photography. Explore the Japanese Friendship Garden Created to mark the harmonious relationship between San Diego and its sister city Yokohama, the Japanese Friendship Garden is 12 acres of pure zen, featuring tranquil koi ponds and waterfalls, a huge collection of bonsai trees and an extensive azalea and camellia garden filled with stunning white and pink blooms. Stroll the pathways to discover burbling water features and impressive statues cast in bronze, and visit in early March to see the cherry-blossom grove in all its spring finery. Visit the San Diego Air & Space Museum Take a spin through the history of flight and space travel in this fantastic museum. Kids and aircraft enthusiasts will love to explore the many exhibits here, including Gumdrop, one of only 13 Apollo command modules on display anywhere in the world, and a faithful replica of the Spirit of St. Louis, the tiny plane flown solo from Long Island to Paris by Charles Lindbergh back in 1927. Other highlights include an amazing 4D cinema for fun, immersive flying experiences, and a model of the Montgolfier Brothers’s 18th-century hot-air balloon, the first ever to complete a successful manned flight. Have a Picnic One of the best things you can do in Balboa Park is also one of the simplest: have a picnic! There are so many great spots to choose from in a green space this size but the east and west lawns of the Botanical Building are particularly picturesque, with views of the tranquil lily pond and lashings of sunshine. Note that, while alcohol is permitted here (and in a few other designated areas), glass is not, so remember to bring your Californian cabernet in a box and your San Diego craft beer in a can! Take in a Show The Spreckels Organ Pavilion is a an elaborate confection in the Italian Renaissance style, with fine detailing that includes intricate leaves and seashells. It also happens to be home to the largest outdoor organ on the planet, so you just know you’re going to have to go along for a listen. Free organ recitals blast out from the pavilion every Sunday at 2PM, and there are evening concerts in the summer months. The nearby Old Globe is modelled on Shakespear’s London theater and puts on a busy program of plays and musicals throughout its summer and winter seasons. Hike the Trails Balboa Park has a number of excellent trails designed for hiking, biking and even skating. These vary in length from a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it half mile to a strenuous seven, with designated routes signposted at five main gateway points. Hit the three-mile Park Boulevard trail for a laidback stroll around some of the park’s top attractions, or tackle a more challenging ramble on the 4.4-mile Golden Hill trail. This route takes intrepid explorers over slightly more rugged terrain and deep into the native habitat of the Florida and Switzer canyons, as well as including a pleasant stretch of oak and eucalyptus-shaded pathway along the park’s eastern edge. Meet Prehistoric Monsters The San Diego Natural History Museum is a fab family attraction with four floors of exhibits including a giant replica mastodon, dinosaur fossils and an exhibition of over 200 skulls that run the gamut from tiny reptiles and amphibians up to giant pachyderms. There’s a big-screen theater showing natural history films and plenty of interactive fun for inquisitive kids, who can examine fossils using archaeological tools and visit scientists at work in the Demonstration Lab. The Backyard provides a fun zone for toddlers to explore the natural world through play. Ride the Balboa Park Carousel A firm favorite among visitors to Balboa Park for over a century now, this charming merry-go-round provides good old-fashioned entertainment in spades. Still running like a well-oiled machine on its original engine, it features a menagerie of beautifully crafted beasts including horses, giraffes, cats, pigs, a lion and... a dragon. Saddle up and enjoy this delightful throwback to a more innocent era. Save on things to do in Balboa Park San Diego Save on admission to San Diego attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak

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