What's New In San Diego This Summer 2026

San Diego is gearing up for Summer 2026 with a season full of can’t miss moments, including major sporting events, concerts, cultural experiences and standout dining. San Diego is inviting visitors to soak up the sunshine and the feel-good-energy and come to the bright side.

Major Events

The first-ever NASCAR San Diego Weekend will be held during Father’s Day Weekend (June 19 – 21) at Naval Base Coronado, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy. NASCAR San Diego will be three days of races headlined by the stars of the NASCAR Cup Series on June 21, along with the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. In addition to being San Diego’s first NASCAR event, it will also be the first race to take place on a military base.

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Snapdragon Stadium will host “Countdown to ‘26” international soccer matches, in partnership with Sports San Diego, San Diego FC and Lions Sports & Media. The two matches will be Switzerland vs. Australia on June 6 and Colombia vs. Jordan on June 7. San Diego will also serve as basecamp for the national teams of Switzerland and New Zealand as they prepare for the World Cup this summer.

Hotel News

Le Méridien Pinnacle San Diego will open in San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood this summer. The sleek 39-story hotel will offer 231 rooms and suites, a rooftop pool and bar, outdoor fitness center and modern European-style decor. Situated in one of San Diego’s most walkable neighborhoods, hotel guests will have seamless access to the waterfront and Broadway Pier, Santa Fe Depot train station and Little Italy’s bustling restaurants and shops.

The Lodge at Torrey Pines announced the appointment of three distinguished chefs to its award-winning culinary team. Eric Sakai has been named Executive Chef and is joined by Owen Beatty as Chef de Cuisine of A.R. Valentien and Michael Moritz as Chef de Cuisine of The Grill at Torrey Pines. Chef Sakai brings more than a decade of leadership experience in luxury hospitality and fine dining, most recently serving as Executive Chef at the Hall Park Hotel in Frisco, Texas.

The Manchester Grand Hyatt has unveiled the refresh of their Top of the Hyatt cocktail bar and dining space with a limited-time pop-up, The Hidden Forty. Running through May 29, this speakeasy-inspired experience transforms the newly-renovated rooftop into a clandestine hideaway inspired by Art Deco glamour and a Prohibition-era cocktail culture.

Performing Arts

The San Diego Symphony has announced their 2026 Conrad Prebys Summer Season at the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park. The iconic waterfront venue is home to the Symphony’s summer season and will feature performances by the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, genre-spanning touring and guest artists, blockbuster films in concert and more. The summer season officially kicks off on June 26 with a performance led by SDSO Music and Artistic Director Rafael Payare.

La Jolla Music Society is celebrating the 40th annual SummerFest from July 31 – August 29, 2026. This annual chamber music festival brings the greatest classical musicians and more from around the world to The Conrad in La Jolla for four weeks of concerts planned by Music Director and acclaimed concert pianist Inon Barnatan. SummerFest 2026 takes on the theme “Making History.”

San Diego Opera presents the Southern California premiere of Fellow Travelers, set to debut at the Balboa Theatre in downtown San Diego and run from July 10-12. Based on Thomas Mallon’s novel, Fellow Travelers, the opera follows two men as they navigate a secret, heated romance amid political paranoia and fear in the McCarthy Era. The debut coincides with San Diego Pride Month.

Visual Art and Museums

On view at the Mingei International Museum, To Catch a Fish (May 2 – November 1, 2026) explores the global relationship between people and the sea through more than 60 works of craft and art—from handwoven fishing tools to ceremonial objects and contemporary works, including pieces by Indigenous artist Marianne Nicolson. Elevating the experience, the museum’s Michelin-recognized, award-winning restaurant ARTIFACT will host a special edition of its ARTIFACT at Night dinner series on May 21, inspired by coastal cuisines and seafood traditions from around the world.

A new exhibition at the USS Midway Museum tells the story of the Midway 11, USS Midway aviators who were captured during the Vietnam War, and endured captivity as prisoners of war in North Vietnam. Through personal accounts and historic artifacts, Captive Warriors: The Story of the Midway 11 honors their resilience and their return home with honor in 1973.

Restaurants, Breweries and Nightlife

This summer, international restaurant-lifestyle concept Zuma will open its first California location within downtown San Diego’s historic The Guild Hotel. Zuma is known for its high-energy izakaya-style experience and the menu is shaped by three distinct culinary experiences—the sushi counter, the robata grill, and the main kitchen. The space will span approximately 12,000 square feet with the capacity to seat around 270 guests.

The Padres’ newly named events and hospitality business, Finest Collective, has opened the Diamond Room, a late 1970s-inspired cocktail bar just outside Gallagher Square at Petco Park. The Diamond Room offers specialty cocktails and small bites amid velvet and leather décor, complete with mirrors, turntables, a disco ball, and dark tones. This new premium space is open for fans to enjoy before or after Padres games and events.

Major Attraction News

SeaWorld San Diego has announced a summer opening date for the much-anticipated Shark Encounter Exhibit. Opening May 22, park guests can get a more immersive, up-close view of the new shark species. At the surface level, guests can observe sharks from above while discovering fun and informative facts throughout the sandy setting. Educational signage and photo opportunities provide insights into shark behavior, habitats, and conservation. As visitors move deeper into the winding exhibit, the environment transforms into a breathtaking underwater perspective where sharks glide overhead.

Another new addition is coming to SeaWorld San Diego this summer, a nightly drone show debuting Friday, May 22 and lasting through the summer season. Ocean of Dreams, featuring 600 fully synchronized drones with a soaring soundtrack, celebrates the beauty of the ocean, inspired by marine life and ocean conservation. The 12-minute immersive drone show transforms the night sky into a living ocean, taking guests on a journey beneath the waves.

This summer, visitors to Balboa Park can see the Park’s newly-restored historic pergola in the Central Gardens. Originally constructed for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition alongside the Botanical Building, the pergola was one of 12 that once graced the grounds. Lost during World War II when Balboa Park served as a military training site, this cherished feature has now been thoughtfully revived, preserving the park’s history while creating a renewed space for visitors to gather and connect. The unveiling of this restoration marked the completion of the larger Botanical Building Restoration project that began in 2019.

What's New In San Diego For Fall 2025

All October long, kids are invited to stay, eat and play for free as a part of the annual “Kids Free San Diego.” Offers include free hotel stays or amenities, free entrance to theme parks and attractions and free meals for children with a paid adult throughout the month and region. With over 100 offers to choose from, there is something for every child and child-at-heart to do this fall.

The San Diego Food and Wine Festival returns to the Embarcadero November 7-9 to showcase cross-border cuisine, celebrated chefs, winemakers and more. The festival also spotlights sustainability, features award-winning chefs including James Beard–recognized talent, and supports culinary education programs through scholarships that benefit aspiring hospitality professionals across the region.

Twitchcon 2025 will return to the San Diego Convention Center October 17-19 to celebrate the culture of live streaming, esports, internet culture, and entertainment. This year’s event expands on fan favorites like Creator Camp, Glitch Theater, Twitch Rivals, Artist Alley, and the famous Block Party, plus exclusive merch and elevated lounge experiences.

New Hotels & Renovations

Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina is continuing the celebration of the arrival of giant pandas in San Diego with the Pandamonium Package, created in partnership with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. Available through the end of 2025, the package includes a stay in a panda-themed suite, complete with bamboo accents and plush décor, plus general zoo admission and an exclusive behind-the-scenes Wildlife Adventures ‘Inside Look’ tour.

As part of a property-wide transformation, Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego has debuted its fully redesigned deluxe guest rooms in the Seaport Tower. This milestone marks the first completed phase of the 1,628-room hotel’s top-to-bottom renovation, which will continue through 2026 with additional upgrades to guest accommodations, dining venues, meeting spaces, and rooftop recreation.

Arts & Culture

San Diego Design Week is September 17–21, spotlighting the role of human-centered design in shaping solutions to today’s social, environmental, and civic challenges. This year’s theme, Design for Impact, calls on creatives and changemakers to drive meaningful, measurable progress through bold and purposeful design. Through exhibitions, workshops, talks, and cross-disciplinary collaborations, the festival transforms the city into a vibrant design lab where innovation meets community.

La Jolla Playhouse's fall lineup features three productions, all of which are world-premiers. The Heart (Aug. 19–Sept. 21) is a gripping, emotionally charged musical following a life-saving heart transplant journey. All the Men Who’ve Frightened Me (Sept. 16–Oct. 12) is a genre-blending new play about a trans man who decides to carry his own child while confronting figures from his past. And Working Girl (Oct. 28–Nov. 30), a fresh and funny musical adaptation of the iconic 1988 film, with music by Cyndi Lauper.

The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego will present “Alex Katz: Theater and Dance” from August 21, 2025-January 4, 2026. This exhibition is the first comprehensive exploration of Katz’s playful and inventive collaborations with choreographers, dancers, and members of avant-garde theater ensembles over six decades. The touring exhibition showcases nearly 90 rare archival materials, major sets and paintings, and previously unexhibited sketches from more than two dozen productions.

Dining & Libations

From the team behind North Park’s Cori Pastificio Trattoria comes Dora, opening this Fall in UCSD’s Theatre District. Named after Chef Accursio Lota’s grandmother, Dora will bring coastal Southern Italian cuisine to La Jolla with house made pastas, breads, gelato, and Mediterranean seafood rooted in Sicilian tradition. Just steps from the La Jolla Playhouse, Dora will also offer pre-theatre menus inspired by current productions, creating a seamless journey from table to stage.

Vulture, the newest concept from the team behind Kindred and Mothership, is now open in University Heights. Vulture reimagines mid-century Continental fine dining through a bold, plant-based lens—complete with tablecloth service, rich sauces, and theatrical tableside presentations. Helmed by Executive Chef Pancho Castellón and Head of Pastry Amy Noonan, the menu features standout dishes like Steak Diane made with lion’s mane mushrooms and a reworked Caesar with chickpea-based Parmiagiana and seaweed caviar.

Awards & Recognitions

The 2025 Michelin Guide recently named the newly opened Lilo as San Diego’s newest one-star Michelin restaurant. Lilo is an intimate, design-forward tasting restaurant from Eric Bost and John Resnick, the team behind Michelin-starred Jeune et Jolie and Campfire, serving 12-course dinners to just 22 guests per evening. With Lilo’s addition, San Diego County now boasts five Michelin-starred establishments: the three-star Addison by Chef William Bradley, and one-star restaurants Valle (Oceanside), Juene et Jolie (Carlsbad), and Soichi (University Heights). Beyond the starred restaurants, San Diego has earned recognition for nine Bib Gourmand eateries and several recommended restaurants, totaling well over a dozen Michelin-recognized establishments.

Transportation

San Diego International Airport’s Terminal 1 transformation will reach a major milestone in September with the completion of phase 1. The reimagined terminal will welcome travelers with 19 gates, a new elevated departures roadway, an outdoor check-in pavilion, and a variety of shopping and dining experiences.

Sustainability

As part of its sustainability efforts, Town and Country Resort has introduced an on-site beehive in partnership with Encinitas Honey to support local pollination and eco-friendly practices. The resort is incorporating the honey into dishes and drinks across its restaurants, including specialty cocktails at ARLO and sweet treats at Lapper Sports Bar + Kitchen. Additional bee-inspired offerings include a limited-edition honey blonde ale with Pure Project Brewery and BeeKind organic toiletries in all guestrooms, further highlighting the resort’s commitment to environmental stewardship.

San Diego International Airport (SAN) has activated a cutting-edge hydrant fueling system as part of its ongoing commitment to sustainability and operational excellence. Hydrant fueling systems streamline the refueling process by delivering fuel directly from storage facilities to aircraft via underground pipelines. The new system reduces aircraft turnaround times, minimizes fuel truck traffic, and lowers carbon emissions.

For more information on San Diego’s offerings, including exciting vacation packages and valuable coupons for attractions, restaurants and more, visit the San Diego Tourism Authority’s website at www.sandiego.org.

What's New In San Diego This Fall & Winter 2024-25

Arts & Culture

Artist(s): Memo Akten, Katie Ppeyton Hofstader + SOARS

The Getty Foundation’s major arts event, PST ART, returns in September 2024, with several San Diego County museums and institutions participating. The latest edition, PST ART: Art & Science Collide, will explore the connections between art and science through exhibitions on topics like ancient cosmologies, Indigenous sci-fi, environmental justice, and artificial intelligence. These exhibitions are part of a series of interconnected exhibitions across Southern California that aims to spark civic dialogue on urgent issues like climate change, AI, and alternative medicine, offering new research, unforgettable experiences, and fresh insight. Events will include exhibition openings, artist talks, panel discussions, and interactive workshops.

Museums participating include:
The San Diego Museum of Art will present Wonders of Creation: Art, Science, and Innovation in the Islamic World from September 7, 2024, to January 5, 2025. This exhibition explores the intersections of art and science in Islamic culture from the 7th century to the present, featuring over 100 works, including manuscripts, maps, and scientific instruments, alongside contemporary commissions that reflect the enduring spirit of wonder and curiosity.

Oceanside Museum of Art, in collaboration with Orange County Museum of Art and Crystal Cove Conservancy, will present Transformative Currents: Art and Action in the Pacific Ocean from September 7, 2024, to January 5, 2025. This exhibition features works by 20 contemporary artists that explore the environmental and cultural challenges facing the Pacific Ocean, emphasizing the interconnectedness of its ecosystems and the power of art to inspire positive ecological change.

Mingei International Museum will present Blue Gold: The Art and Science of Indigo from September 14, 2024, to March 16, 2025. The exhibition will delve into the complex history and global significance of indigo, exploring its roles in botany, chemistry, and economics, as well as its cultural impact and problematic legacies, while featuring contemporary works by artists like Porfirio Gutiérrez and Laura Kina.

The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) will present For Dear Life: Art, Medicine, and Disability from September 19, 2024, to February 2, 2025. This is the first historical survey of artistic responses to sickness, health, and medicine in the United States. It features works by 80 artists, including Lynn Hershman Leeson, David Hockney, and Simone Leigh, exploring how health issues shape artistic processes and subject matter.

La Jolla Historical Society with additional venues at California Center for the Arts Escondido, San Diego Central Library, and the Mandeville Art Gallery at UC San Diego will present Helen and Newton Harrison: California Work from September 19, 2024, to January 19, 2025. The first to focus exclusively on the Harrisons' California projects, showcases nearly 20 groundbreaking ecological artworks created between the late 1960s and 2000s, including re-staged performance pieces, archival materials, and The Lagoon Cycle, displayed for the first time since its acquisition by the Centre Georges Pompidou in 1997.

UC San Diego Visual Arts, in partnership with Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, will present Embodied Pacific from September 21, 2024, to February 5, 2025. This exhibition features 18 artworks created by artists in collaboration with UC San Diego scientists, spanning three locations, including Birch Aquarium and the Indigenous-run Kosay Kumeyaay Market, and explores the intersection of oceanography and Indigenous knowledge, offering a collective vision for sustaining our oceans during a time of critical change.

Vanguard Culture’s ENVZN24: Urban Art Takeover festival returns for its second year on September 14. ENVZN24 is a one-of-a-kind visual and performing arts festival that will transform urban areas of the Commercial Street corridor in Logan Heights with multi-sensory art interventions by creatives from both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.

The La Jolla Playhouse has announced its fall lineup, featuring the world premiere of “Velour: A Drag Spectacular,” starring RuPaul’s Drag Race winner Sasha Velour, and directed by Moisés Kaufmanis running now through September 8; The west coast premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winner and New York Times Critic’s Pick “Primary Trust,” created by Eboni Booth, directed by Knud Adams, runs September 24 through October 20; A production of “Your Local Theater Presents: A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, Again,” created by Anna Ouyang Monech and directed by Les Waters, runs November 19 through December 15.

New Hotels & Renovations

Hotel La Jolla has completed a multi-million-dollar property renovation with the introduction of the penthouse level restaurant concept, Sea & Sky, helmed by executive chef Anthony Wells, James Beard Awards 2022 semifinalist for Best Chef. Previously enclosed, the 100-seat dining room and bar area on the property’s 11th floor now feature retractable windowpanes allowing the wafting in of refreshing salt-tinged sea breezes, and a newly enclosed show kitchen allows guests a front row seat to the culinary action.

Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina has completed the next installment of its over $100 million property-wide renovation with a newly transformed lobby and the opening of three onsite dining concepts. Rumorosa presents Cali-Baja cuisine with sweeping views of the marina. Brewery X Harbor Island is the first San Diego location of the Orange County-based brewery and features a menu of wild and whacky named dishes. Along with the refresh of the property’s three pools, Sunglow Cabana Bar offers frozen drinks for all ages.

Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa has unveiled two new on-site eateries following the completion of its $26 million renovation and redevelopment this summer. On its pool deck, guests can visit The Palma Bar & Grill, offering cocktails and light bites. The Trading Post Café & Bar offers a slightly more elevated dining experience on an outdoor patio with menu items made with locally sourced ingredients.

Just in time for its 20th anniversary, the Omni San Diego Hotel in the Gaslamp Quarter has announced the completion of its top-down renovation. This includes a redesigned poolside experience, two new food and beverage concepts, refreshed meeting and event spaces, and reimagined lobby and guest rooms.

Awards & Recognitions

The Outsiders, a hit show during the 2022-2023 season of The La Jolla Playhouse, was named Best Musical at The Tony Awards. The musical, a classical literature adaptation, debuted on the La Jolla Playhouse stage before it was brought into the national spotlight on Broadway. The Outsiders also took home wins for Best Direction of a Musical, Best Lighting Design of a Musical and Best Sound Design of a Musical.

Recently, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) recognized local architect Jennifer Luce with the prestigious Honor Award for Interior Architecture. The Honor Award was given for Luce’s work in transforming the Mingei International Museum.

Several hotels throughout the San Diego region have been selected by readers of Smart Meetings Magazine to be named 2024 Smart Stars. Smart Meetings is a trade publication for event professionals, and each year, they honor some of their readers’ best experiences and favorite meeting partners with a Smart Star award.

Best Incentive Hotel – Rancho Bernardo Inn

Best Ballroom – Marriott Marquis San Diego Marina

Best Coastal Hotel – Hyatt Regency Mission Bay Spa and Marina

Best Coastal Hotel – Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina

Best Conference/Convention Center Hotel – Omni San Diego Hotel

Best Historic Hotel – The US Grant, a Luxury Collection Hotel, San Diego

Best Island Hotel – Kona Kai San Diego Resort

Best Outdoor Event Space – Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa

Best Golf Resort – Fairmont Grand Del Mar

For more information on San Diego’s offerings, including exciting vacation packages and valuable coupons for attractions, restaurants and more, visit the San Diego Tourism Authority’s website at www.sandiego.org.

Pandas Are Back At The San Diego Zoo For The First Time Since 2019

Excitement is in the air at the San Diego Zoo as Americans will soon meet the first pandas the zoo has had since 2019. The arrival of the pandas is not just a treat for visitors, but also a symbol of decades-long U.S.-China relations.

"It's a very exciting time for the zoo. No other species embodies that conservation mission as much as giant pandas," said Megan Owen, the zoo's head of conservation science.

New residents include Yun Chuan, a 5-year-old male panda who enjoys relaxing with a bushel of bamboo.

"He's a foodie," Owen said. "All the pandas love their food, but he definitely loves his bamboo."

Yun Chuan's roots run deep at the San Diego Zoo. His mother was born there in 2007, and his grandmother is a local legend who was the one of the zoo's first two pandas and lived there for over 20 years.

Joining Yun Chuan is 4-year-old female named Xin Bao, known for her intelligence and adventurous spirit. These are the first pandas to come to a U.S. zoo in 21 years.

The hope is that Yun Chuan and Xin Bao will parent the next generation, ushering in a renewed era of peaceful panda relations.

The first pandas who made their home in the U.S. arrived at Washington, D.C.'s National Zoo in 1972. They were a gift to first lady Pat Nixon after a historic visit to China with President Richard Nixon that helped establish diplomatic relations between the countries.

From then on, 50 years of "panda diplomacy" helped boost the panda population and their popularity, with millions of adoring fans watching every tumble, snow day and birth.

China owns the pandas and typically leases them out for 10-year terms at 1 million dollars per year per pair. But with increased tensions between Beijing and the West, China appeared to be pulling back the bears as their leases expired.

However, a recent signal from Chinese President Xi Jinping indicated a thawing of icy panda relations.

In November, Chinese President Xi Jinping raised hopes his country would start sending pandas to the U.S. again after he and President Joe Biden convened in Northern California for their first face-to-face meeting in a year and pledged to try to reduce tensions.

"We are ready to continue our cooperation with the United States on panda conservation," Xi said in late 2023.

This means more pandas are expected back at American zoos. Considering the San Diego Zoo's long history with these bears, it's a natural first stop for the pandas' encore tour.

https://www.cbsnews.com/team/elise-preston/

San Diego Set To Dazzle Visitors In 2024 With World Class Events And Activities

As 2024 unfolds, San Diego is primed to offer a year filled with new and enthralling experiences for visitors.

The city, lauded as one of AFAR Magazine's "Where To Go in 2024”, and as the first U.S. city to be designated a World Design Capital, stands ready to solidify its standing as a top-tier global destination. Boasting gorgeous natural landscapes, deep cultural diversity, and award-winning cuisine, San Diego serves up 24 compelling reasons for a visit in the new year.

“Whether you're a family looking for new attractions to experience, a culinary enthusiast pursuing mouth-watering cuisine, an arts lover immersed in music festivals, museums and global design, or an outdoor adventurer seeking to ride the surf and explore the trails, San Diego has you covered in 2024,” said Julie Coker, president and CEO, San Diego Tourism Authority.

Attractions

LEGOLAND Debuts Dinosaurs

LEGOLAND California is ready to roar in ’24: Not only is the park in coastal Carlsbad celebrating its 25th birthday (aka “brickday”), but it will open a new themed area called Dino Valley as well as hosting North America’s very first LEGO World Parade. Dino Valley will include two brand-new rides as well as plenty of interactive features for young visitors.

SeaWorld’s Jellyfish Showcase

SeaWorld San Diego, which has been remaking its patron experience over the past few years with numerous new rides and attractions, is adding another twist in 2024: An aquarium called Jewels of the Sea: The Jellyfish Experience. With its walk-through arch and giant viewing wall, the aquarium promises to be as immersive as things can get without actually swimming alongside the jellies.

Botanical Building Reborn

One of the most distinctive structures in San Diego’s beautiful Balboa Park, the Botanical Building was built in 1915 and is recognized as one of the largest wood lath structures in the world. This home to hundreds of rare, tropical and indigenous plants has undergone a major reconstruction intended to restore the building to its original design, and will reopen in 2024.

A Big Birthday for The Nat

Birthdays don’t get much more monumental than The Nat’s: The venerable Natural History Museum in Balboa Park marks its 150th in 2024. Now the oldest scientific institution in Southern California, The Nat will celebrate with free birthday admission, a new Nature Garden and giant-screen movie, and a whole lot more.

Arts and Entertainment in the Spotlight

World Design Capital a Binational Coup

Two years after San Diego and Tijuana jointly received designation as World Design Capital 2024 — a major global honor — the yearlong WDC24 celebration is about to kick off. San Diego is the first U.S. city to be named or co-named World Design Capital, and the city teamed with its cross-border neighbor of Tijuana, Mexico, to beat out Moscow (the other finalist) for that distinction. Now the two cities will mark WDC24 with an extended series of events and happenings centered on the theme of “Home.” The WDC designation helped inspire AFAR Magazine to include San Diego and Tijuana in its “Where to Go in 2024” roundup of “the 25 most exciting places around the world to visit next.”

Wonderfront Festival Tunes Up Again

After taking a hiatus in 2023, the sprawling Wonderfront Music & Arts Festival will again unfold along San Diego’s sparkling Embarcadero, with three days of music, food and fun. The fest, last held in 2022 with headliners including Gwen Stefani and Kings of Leon, is moving from its previous November slot to a new time frame (dates and artists have yet to be announced).

Concours d’Elegance a Vehicle for Dreams

The art of exquisite automotive design will get a world-class showcase here in 2024 —with a breathtaking setting to match — as the La Jolla Concours d’Elegance unfolds at La Jolla Cove in April. From a “Porsches on Prospect” sports-car extravaganza to chic VIP happenings to the vintage spritz of the event’s “Roaring ‘20s and Glamorous ‘30s” theme, the Concours d’Elegance promises to be a car-lover's nirvana. And with more than 170 classic vehicles on display, there will be plenty to love.

Music Returns to Copley Symphony Hall

Historic Copley Symphony Hall — the longtime indoor home of the San Diego Symphony — will stage its much-awaited reopening in 2024 after a $125 million renovation. Improvements to the nearly 100-year-old Downtown performance space (formerly the Fox Theatre) include a reconfigured stage, a reshaped main seating level, improved acoustics and more.

KAABOO Gets an Encore

Some five years after its last edition in Del Mar, the popular KAABOO music festival is making its return in 2024. While the lineup of artists has yet to be announced, the fest has a rep for big-name performers and will again unfold at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

The Dining Scene Heats Up

Lafayette Hotel’s Dining Delights

Since San Diego’s CH Projects took over ownership of the venerable Lafayette Hotel in North Park, it has gone on a wildly creative binge with its dining and drinking options. The eight Lafayette eateries now open or coming online in 2024 include everything from the retro Beginners Diner to the Oaxacan restaurant Quixote to The Gutter, a bar with its own two-lane bowling alley.

Michelin Magic in San Diego

As San Diego continues to gain worldwide renown for its restaurant prowess, the region will enter 2024 with a full five restaurants that have been honored with coveted Michelin stars. They include the elegant Addison at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, one of only a handful of restaurants in all of California to earn the maximum three Michelin stars.

Sustainability is the Word at Watershed

One of the most celebrated chefs to come out of Baja California’s fertile Valle de Guadalupe will mark 2024 by opening a new restaurant in San Diego’s North Park. Drew Deckman, who hails from Georgia but has been a fixture in Baja culinary circles for more than a decade (and earned a Michelin star in Europe before that), is launching Watershed on University Avenue, with sustainability as a guiding principle.

Karl Strauss Embraces Its History

San Diego is known these days as the Capital of Craft, but you could argue that the region’s critical mass of craft-beer-itude began in 1989, when Karl Strauss Brewing Co. opened its first tasting room on Columbia Street. Now, as Strauss gets ready to celebrate its 35th anniversary, the grandaddy of San Diego craft brewers has reacquired that original location, which it plans to “reimagine as an homage to the San Diego brewing scene.”

See-Worthy at Seaport Village

The just-opened Malibu Farm restaurant — owned and operated by chef Helene Henderson and her husband, actor John Stockwell — is the latest addition to the waterfront Seaport Village, whose rising profile and surge of new eateries should make it a place to put near the top of your itinerary for 2024.

Whaling Bar Resurfaces

It’s been a decade since the much-loved Whaling Bar at La Jolla’s La Valencia Hotel — the renowned “Pink Lady” of San Diego — served its last cocktail. Now, after a refitting of the historic watering hole, the Whaling Bar is set to return in 2024 under the auspices of the SDCM Restaurant Group, which runs eight other San Diego bars and restaurants.

Sports Sensations

Gallagher Square Gets a Glow-Up Gallagher Square is already a much-loved focal point of Petco Park — home of the San Diego Padres and the No. 1 MLB ballpark in America, as deemed by USA Today. Now a $20 million glow-up, set for completion in 2024, will bring even more great features to the family-friendly square, including a new Tony Gwynn Terrace viewing deck and picnic space, a dog park, temporary pickleball courts, public art displays spotlighting San Diego-area artists, and much more.

Petco Park Marks a Milestone

Speaking of Petco Park: The Downtown ballpark, which hosts not only MLB baseball but pop concerts, college football’s annual Holiday Bowl and many other special events, marks its 20th anniversary in 2024. Look for the Padres to host plenty of happenings and commemorations as the big anniversary season unfolds at this beautiful venue.

Saddles in the Outfield

And there will be yet another exciting new development at Petco Park in 2024: The Padres, in partnership with C5 Rodeo Company Inc and Outriders Present, are presenting the ballpark’s first-ever rodeo in January. The three-day event will transform the park into a Downtown rodeo zone, with the world's top cowboys competing for more than a half-million dollars in prize money.

Rady Invitational Returns

With the stunning success of the San Diego State men’s basketball team, which made a thrilling run to the national title game in 2023, San Diego has cemented its rep as a basketball hotbed. The new Rady Children’s Invitational builds on that track record, bringing top college hoops teams from around the nation to the UC San Diego campus for the second edition of this exciting Thanksgiving Weekend tournament.

Breeders’ Cup Rides Again in Del Mar

The Del Mar Racetrack is fast becoming a go-to home for the Breeders’ Cup, one of the most prestigious annual events in Thoroughbred racing. The two-day event, with awards and prizes in excess of $30 million, will unfold in Del Mar in both 2024 and 2025, building on an inaugural run “where the turf meets the surf” in 2021.

Pro Volleyball Gets Its Mojo On

Excitement over women’s professional volleyball is spiking big-time, and now our town is getting in on the action with the 2024 debut of the San Diego Mojo, a Pro Volleyball Federation club owned by Olympian and beach-volleyball luminary Kerri Walsh Jennings. The Mojo begins play in February at Viejas Arena on the San Diego State University campus.

State Games Make San Diego Home

San Diego’s strong and ever-growing rep as a sports town is exemplified by the return in 2024 of the State Games of America, an Olympic-style national event held every two years and showcasing matchups among State Games medal winners from more than 30 U.S. states. Some 12,000 amateur athletes are expected to compete in more than two dozen sports here, from archery to figure skating to surfing.

Outdoor Bliss and Beaches

Pickleball and More on the Embarcadero

Waterfront Park along San Diego’s scenic Embarcadero is adding to its already expansive offerings with a $3 million project to bring pickleball courts, an off-leash dog park, shaded seating and more to the 12-acre oasis, which boasts beautiful views of San Diego Bay and beyond.

San Diego’s Beaches Still Shinebr /> br />And of course, San Diego just wouldn’t be San Diego without its amazing beaches and their world-famous plenitude of surf, sun and fun. While there are always lots of new things to do and see in this ever-dynamic city, you can always count on our 70 miles of coastline — from its beaches to its boardwalks to its bays — to make a visit here way more than worthwhile.br /> br />For more information on San Diego’s offerings, including exciting vacation packages and valuable coupons for attractions, restaurants and more, visit the San Diego Tourism Authority’s website at www.sandiego.org