Family Fun for the Holidays in San Diego
From ice skating on the beach to themed holiday eats to spectacular seasonal performances and light shows, San Diego is teeming with dreamy holiday options for the whole family. Check out these possibilities and put together your family’s ideal itinerary.
Eat
Eat
Delicious Gifts in Point Loma
A great place for a family holiday dining foray in San Diego is Point Loma's Liberty Public Market. This bustling food hall is like a culinary theme park for dining, with an adventurous array of food and drink. You'll find everything from bao buns to pizza to Peruvian specialties to Thai food, plus plenty of desserts and coffee beverages. And the surrounding Liberty Station is always a vibrant place at the holidays, with special events and festive decor.
Family Food Favorite
Another family favorite that makes for an ideal holiday stop is the Crack Shack, which offers a fun menu of (mostly) chicken specialties as well as lots of space to roam for the little ones, counter-style service, and locations in some of the region's coolest neighborhoods (including Pacific Beach, Little Italy and Encinitas).
Bayside Dining
And at the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa on the shores of Mission Bay, both the main restaurant and the more casual bar/lounge offer views and direct access to the bayside bike path, grassy lawns and beautiful Sail Bay. It's the perfect place for families to dine alfresco and enjoy the twinkling holiday lights after sunset.
Stay
Stay
Yuletide and Waterslides
And at the Town and Country Resort in Mission Valley's Hotel Circle, kids can enjoy the mega-waterslide and inviting pool; the resort also boasts expansive lawns with games, plus multiple great food and drink options for the whole family.
Mission Bay Holiday Magic
Over at Mission Bay, there are plenty of ideal family stays for the holidays, from the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina and its kid-favorite water slides to the San Diego Mission Bay Resort and its bayside fire pits to the The Dana on Mission Bay, a waterfront oasis with two heated pools and more. And there are also plentiful pools and appealing grounds at Paradise Point San Diego, whose bayside bungalows are popular with families. All these hotels are conveniently close to SeaWorld San Diego and its holiday offerings.
Festive Family Fun at the Hotel Del
There's magic for the whole family at the Hotel del Coronado, a centerpiece of holiday celebrations each year in San Diego. Among the top draws are the historic Victorian-era hotel's seaside ice-skating rink, spectacular light shows, beach igloos (complete with private bonfires), photos with the resident Santa Claus, and the soaring traditional Christmas tree in the Del's elegant lobby.
Play
Play
Attractions are Holiday Hits
Holiday wonderlands likewise abound at such top San Diego attractions as SeaWorld, the San Diego Zoo, the Zoo Safari Park, LEGOLAND California and Belmont Park. All sorts of festive delights and surprises await the whole family, from live performances to light displays and other festive happenings.
Dazzling Lights at the Botanic Garden
Few family-minded places are as spectacular for the holidays here as the San Diego Botanic Garden, whose Lightscape happening is a major draw each year. The mile-long, illuminated trail through the beautiful gardens in Encinitas is a symphony of dazzling, multihued light displays, and families can enjoy music, bites and (for the grown-ups) festive cocktails along the way.
The Spirit of the Season at Balboa Park
Balboa Park, San Diego's cultural heart, is a treasure for families at the holidays, with light displays all around the park, music of the season, and special events at many of this urban park's 18 museums.
Follow a Trail of Holiday Wonder
And families will love taking a trip along San Diego's Christmas Tree Trail, which takes in majestic, decorated trees from the beaches to the mountains.