What to do in San Diego for Memorial Day Weekend

There are a ton of adventures for the whole family in San Diego around Memorial Day weekend, from strawberry festivals to insightful museums and activities for kids of all ages!

By Katie Sagal
balboa park San Diego

Memorial Day Weekend traditionally marks the unofficial start of summer (yay) and what better place to spend it than sunny San Diego.

If you’re looking for San Diego Memorial Day Weekend ideas, check out some of these local activities and fun things do in San Diego in May.

Hop-On Hop-Off Trolley Tour

San Diego Trolley Tour

An amazing way to see tons of top spots in San Diego is with a Hop-On Hop-Off San Diego Trolley Tour. Some of the usual places to stop off at include:
 

  • Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
  • Seaport Village
  • Horton Plaza
  • Gaslamp Quarter
  • McP’s Irish Pub near Hotel del Coronado
  • Balboa Park, San Diego Zoo, & El Prado Museums
     

This is a great way to explore lots of the city, without walking the feet off anyone with a bit less stamina!

Visit the San Diego Zoo

koalas in a tree in San Diego zoo

The world-famous San Diego Zoo is home to more than 800 global species, from alligators and eagles to koalas and pandas. It’s also a leader in the conservation of wildlife, and is a must-see attraction for animal lovers.

Top tip: you'll want to plan to spend at least half a day here.

The warm climate of sunny San Diego provides the perfect opportunity to get out and see the beauty of the animal kingdom in realistic habitats, surrounded by staff who are dedicated to their conservation and well-being.

Big animal fans may also wish to visit the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, an exciting animal park that offers unique encounters and experiences with creatures that you might typically find on safari in Africa. If you want help choosing between them, check out our comparison guide to the two. 

Stroll through Balboa Park

Balboa Park is a beautiful place you’ll never tire of exploring. You can ride bikes, have a picnic, or stop in any of the 17 museums dotted around the park (just a few to pick from!). Even if you don't explore the museums inside, they're also well known for their spectacular and unique architecture and definitely worth a look.

There are also several performing arts spaces, so try to see if you can attend a special seasonal show.

Enjoy extended hours at nine of the Balboa Park museums during Balboa Park After Dark, which begins Memorial Day Weekend and runs through Labor Day. 

Step aboard the USS Midway Museum

uss-midway-san-diego

The USS Midway was an operational US Navy Aircraft Carrier for nearly 50 years and is now an important part of San Diego’s maritime history.

The ship has been turned into a floating museum, complete with sleeping quarters, a flight control deck, and more. Fans of military technology and American history alike will relish a visit here.

Memorial Day is an especially great time to visit the USS Midway and honor veterans. Curious visitors will love it - it's among the most-visited attractions in the entire city every year. 

Explore LEGOLAND® California

golden-gate-bridge-legoland-california

Explore LEGOLAND® California. A one-of-a-kind place, LEGOLAND® is a unique theme park dedicated to the creative potential of LEGO®.

Walk through a village made of DUPLO blocks, explore a LEGO® kingdom, and marvel at the African safari populated by LEGO® animals. Be sure to visit the girls at LEGO Heartlake City and make new friends. Or, the Dragon Coaster is an exciting but kid-friendly ride for the little ones to enjoy. You and the kids can spend an entire day – or more here.

Go to a Memorial Day ceremony

Head to the Richard Nixon Library & Museum for its annual Memorial Day Commemoration. Parts of the ceremony include a wreath-laying by the Medal of Honor recipient, the 21-gun salute, and more.

After the ceremony, other activities usually take place, so keep an eye out, there will be plenty to keep the whole family entertained. 

Visit a Theme Park

view-knotts-berry-farm-surroundings-sky

Southern California is home to several theme parks, and they’re a great way to spend the afternoon or an entire day.

It's finally time for the weather to start being really warm, too, so a day spent outside is the perfect way to take advantage of that fine San Diego climate. Two local favorites are Knott’s Berry Farm and Knott’s Soak City. Knott’s Berry Farm was the country’s first theme park, and Soak City is the newer water park.

Both are sure to thrill the kids (and the grown-ups too!)

Set Sail on San Diego Harbor

best of the bay cruise san diego

San Diego lies on the shore of some of the most beautiful waters in the world. Explore your aquatic side by embarking on a 90-minute Best of the Bay cruise of the San Diego harbor.

Visit landmarks like Shelter Island, the Point Loma Lighthouse (where colonies of sea lions often gather), the Cabrillo National Monument, and Coronado Island.

Not to mention that sea breeze is heavenly in the summer sun!

Enjoy a visit to the Fleet Science Center

The kids will delight in a visit to this fascinating science center. Dozens of interactive exhibits await the whole family, like Power Play San Diego, Kid City, and Look! Touch! Listen!

If you're looking for an adult-friendly approach to enjoying the Fleet Science Center, the museum sometimes holds events where all profits support the educational mission of the Fleet. Be sure to check the website!

Check out the Birch Aquarium

Explore the oceans of the world at the Birch Aquarium. Perched right on the Pacific Ocean, the Birch Aquarium at Scripps displays a stunning collection of marine habitats and creatures from around the world. Learn all about coral reefs, pet some starfish, and visit the seahorse nursery. There’s even a giant shark reef!

A few featured exhibits at the Birch Aquarium include: There's Something About Seahorses, Whales: Voices in the Sea, and the all-important Feeling the Heat: The Climate Challenge.

Get active in La Jolla

group-kayaks-formation-ocean

Check out your outdoorsy options in La Jolla. Enjoy the sun and surf of San Diego’s waterfront, and snorkel at La Jolla Cove. Take a bike ride along the shore, or explore Mission Bay.

If it's a hot day, take a dip in the water. You can also rent kayaks and kayak the famous 7 caves of La Jolla! These activities are great for kids and adults and are a fun way to get some exercise and spend the day outdoors. Of course, a stroll along the beach is free for all! 

Celebrate at a local festival

girl at the strawberry festival

There's nothing quite like a good old street festival to get you in the mood for summer. Food trucks, beer, games, live entertainment – it's basically summer waiting to happen.

A few great local options usually held on Memorial Day Weekend include the Santee Street Fair & Craft Beer Festival and the Vista Strawberry Festival. The Strawberry Festival is especially popular with kids!

So there you have it, San Diego is officially the perfect place for a fun-filled Memorial Day weekend with the family.

Whether you're exploring world-class attractions, enjoying the great outdoors, or soaking up the sun by the sea, there’s something for everyone. So pack your picnic, grab your sunscreen, and get ready to make some unforgettable memories in America’s Finest City!


Enjoyed this read? Why not have a look at our guide to SeaWorld vs. San Diego Zoo? Or our top things to do in San Diego for adults!

Katie Sagal
Go City Travel Expert

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North Park street sign in San Diego
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Things to do in North Park San Diego

North Park’s eclectic mix of art galleries, microbreweries, boutique shops and 1920s Craftsman houses prompted Forbes to include the area in its list of America’s best hipster neighborhoods in 2012, calling it ‘culturally diverse’ and praising the North Park Observatory and Ray Street Arts District as twin ‘bastions of creativity’. There’s certainly plenty to do here in this compact urban neighborhood that hugs the northeast corner of sprawling Balboa Park, from brewery bar crawls to street art tours. Here, then, are our pick of the best things to do in North Park San Diego. Beer, Glorious Beer! North Park is a beer drinkers’ dream-come-true, with around a dozen local craft breweries clustered within easy stumbling distance of each other, mostly in and around the main drag of 30th Avenue. Sample a hoppy West Coast IPA here and you’ll soon understand why San Diego is considered the craft beer capital of the USA. The Belching Beaver Brewery’s North Park tasting room is easily identified by the huge painted logo on the side of the building featuring – yup, you guessed it – a great big belching beaver. Don’t miss the Greetings from San Diego mural right next door, an absolute must for your Instagram feed. Modern Times’ nearby tasting room is known as – wait for it – ‘the North Park Flavordome’. And, with a bold claim like that, it would be remiss not to take up the challenge. Grab a table beneath the forest of inverted lampshades inside and browse a menu of over 20 brews that includes the hazy Technomancer and rich Black House coffee stout. Can’t decide what to order? Flights of four different beers of your choice are also available for the terminally indecisive. Then there’s the Fall Brewing Company with their slightly creepy Humpty Dumpty mascot that gets dressed up for special occasions like Thanksgiving and Halloween, and the sociable North Park Beer Company where weekend brunches are almost – almost – as legendary as the beers. Still thirsty? The North Park Festival of Beers rolls into town every spring, bringing street food, live music, party vibes and an ocean of beer to the streets of San Diego. Tickets include unlimited tastings. Cider, Cocktails and Art But North Park isn’t just about the beer. No! Those who like their drinks a little more... appley should make a beeline for Bivouac Ciderworks, where flights of three glasses let you sample dry, sweet and flavored brews. Meanwhile over at Polite Provisions, smartly dressed bartenders mix lively cocktails for adventurous hipsters. Try the Zombie if you dare: this rum-and-absinthe concoction packs such a dizzying punch that customers are limited to just two per visit. For visions of swirling colors and forms that are not absinthe-induced, mosey on down to Ray Street. Here in the hub of the North Park arts scene, you’ll find a plethora of shops and galleries displaying works by local and international artists. There’s plenty more to see for free on a wander through the nearby streets, with what might just be the highest concentration of great street art anywhere in San Diego. Look out for colorful works by local favorites Madsteez and Kreashun, as well as a samurai cat and skateboarding donut. Fans of American rock royalty should head north to Adams Avenue to check out artist Travis Crosby’s wall-sized tributes to Prince and Jimi Hendrix. Formerly a 1920s cinema, University Avenue’s North Park Observatory was restored to its former glory and has played host to a veritable who’s who of indie legends since reopening as a 21st-century music venue. The roll call of past performers reads like a hipster's dream festival line-up and includes St. Vincent, Dinosaur Jr., Death Cab for Cutie, Mogwai, Cat Power and James Blake, to name just a few. Out and About Thanks to its unique topography, you’re never far from a canyon in San Diego, and North Park is no exception. Making the boundary between the North and South Park districts, Switzer Canyon is a green oasis of lush vegetation that's home to rabbits, coyotes and other cute critters. There’s a short walking trail that’s worth a wander before heading into the vast expanse of Balboa Park, where an absolute embarrassment of riches awaits the intrepid explorer. Inside you’ll find some of the best museums and galleries on the West Coast, from the stunning collection of 19th and 20th-century American and European art at the San Diego Museum of Art to prehistoric monsters at the Natural History Museum. This is also the place to come face to face with all manner of weird and wonderful creatures at the San Diego Zoo and to chill out and find your inner zen among the cherry blossoms, bonsai trees and koi ponds in the Japanese Friendship Garden. North Park is also well-positioned for trips to downtown San Diego and the historic Gaslamp Quarter, as well as easy day trips to Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach and even Coronado and La Jolla, both of which are within a 20-25-minute drive. The route to La Jolla is particularly scenic and the rewards when you hit the bluffs are quite something. All swaying palms, golden sands, sweeping pacific views and harbor seals basking in the sun, it’s SoCal beach life in microcosm, and well worth a few hours of your time. Save on things to do in North 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
Hot-air balloons flying over a California vineyard
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Things to do in San Diego For Birthday

Planning to spend your birthday in San Diego? This party town has everything you need to make your special day go off with a bang. From paragliding off the cliffs at La Jolla to cocktails on Mission Beach and sailing into the sunset in San Diego Bay, we run down our 10 favorite things to do in San Diego for a birthday. Reach for the Sky Take flight over the Temecula Valley on a thrilling sunrise balloon ride. There are a number of companies such as Magical Adventures Balloon Rides operating up here, around 20 miles from downtown San Diego, with flights generally including 45-60 minutes in the air and a champagne toast to steady your nerves when you land. You’ll soar high over the Temecula wineries and, on clear days, enjoy far-reaching views across mountainous desert landscapes to the east, shimmering ocean vistas to the west and San Diego’s distant skyline in the south. As birthday experiences go, this one is pretty special. Meet the Locals Spend your special day with some of San Diego’s most special wildlife by renting a kayak at La Jolla Shores and paddling gently out into the San Diego-La Jolla Underwater Park. This astonishing marine reserve is home to a dazzling array of sea critters. On a good day you might spot curious leopard sharks, sea turtles, stingrays and harbor seals swimming through the clear waters under your boat. Look out too for bright orange Garibaldi, the California state fish, no less. Afterwards, make for the nearby secret sea caves, many of which are only accessible by kayak. Have a Picnic in Balboa Park Is the sun shining? Well, of course it is: you’re in Southern California! Hit one of the local street markets for freshly baked breads, aromatic cheeses and – as it’s your birthday – as much homemade cake as you can possibly eat, then head over to Balboa Park for a lazy lunch with friends. Choose a wild spot along one of the many walking trails or pick a manicured lawn off the main El Prado drag. Alcohol is permitted in designated areas, but not in glass bottles, so make sure to think outside the (wine) box if you’re planning on celebrating with a drink. Catch a Game at Petco Park Head downtown to the East Village for all the thrills and spills of a Major League Baseball game on the San Diego Padres’ home turf. All you need to get into the spirit is a beer, a hot dog and, of course, a giant foam finger. The atmosphere at these games can be electric so it’s perfect for birthday fun, as well as being conveniently close to the Gaslamp Quarter’s fab nightlife. If baseball isn’t your bag, check listings for concerts at the stadium instead: Petco Park has hosted some of the biggest stars on the planet, including Madonna, Taylor Swift, Green Day and The Rolling Stones. Hit the Road Whether it’s your 21st, 40th or 99th, you can’t fail to be charmed by GoCar’s cute two-seater electric vehicles. Rent one of these brightly colored little beauties and hit the streets of San Diego for a self-guided narrated tour (yes, the car actually talks!) of the city’s best attractions. Cruise through the Gaslamp Quarter, take a spin round Balboa Park, park up for lunch in Little Italy and discover the city’s rich heritage in the Old Town. You can follow the car’s GPS route at your own pace, or go freestyle and check out hip neighborhoods like North Park and Hillcrest. Take a Leap of Faith There won't be many things to do on your birthday in San Diego that come close to the adrenaline rush of launching yourself from the cliffs at La Jolla. Brave souls can take tandem flights with expert paragliders at the Torrey Pines Gliderport, where colorful parachutes bob and weave through the air, gliding out elegantly over the ocean and along the sand-colored bluffs before riding the warm air currents back to terra firma. Keep your eyes peeled and you might even be lucky enough to spot seals and dolphins frolicking in the surf below. Get a Taste of the Good Stuff About an hour out of Downtown, Cali’s Temecula Valley is home to somewhere in the region of 40 (count ‘em) wineries, producing award-winning Chardonnay, Cab Sauv, Malbec, Riesling and more. Almost all of them offer tours and tastings and, as this is effectively an educational experience (right?), you can get tipsy in the California sunshine absolutely guilt-free, with the lush green vineyards stretching out before you as far as the eye can see. Head to Wilson Creek, Callaway and Vindemia for some of the finest vino-fueled views in the valley. Sip Birthday Cocktails by the Beach Take a spin on the century-old Giant Dipper rollercoaster at Belmont Park before moseying on over to Cannonball for some of the best cocktails on Mission Beach. Grab a table on the huge rooftop terrace and settle in for some top-drawer people-watching and expansive views of the beach and sea. There’s sushi and Pacific Rim dishes to snack on, but it's the drinks you came for, right? Get the party started with a rum-infused Mission Beach Mai Tai and keep it rolling with a punchy Cactus Cooler. Delicious. Sail into the Sunset SoCal sunsets are famously beautiful, with the sky putting on a cosmic show of fiery orange, bruised purple and flamingo pink as the sun disappears over the horizon. Grab your camera and set sail on an evening cruise of San Diego Bay, where you can expect impressive sunset views of the city skyline as well as attractions including the USS Midway Museum and curvaceous Coronado Bridge. Tours include dinner and drinks and a chance to wander the deck and spot seals and dolphins gliding silently alongside the boat. Have a Laugh! Head up to the La Jolla Comedy Store for big names and even bigger laughs at this San Diego outpost of the legendary LA club. Or spend an evening in the Gaslamp Quarter where atmospheric dive bars, hip microbreweries and rooftop cocktail joints go some way to demonstrating why this historic ‘hood is also the nightlife hub of the whole city. There’s great comedy to be found here, too. Try the open mic night at the American Comedy Company or lose all inhibition for the raucous sing-alongs and all-night danceathons that have made The Shout! House’s Dueling Pianos show one of San Diego’s best birthday nights out. Save on things to do on your birthday in 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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