7 Best Things to Do This Winter in San Diego

Skating by the sea is a winter tradition in San Diego with an outdoor rink and beautiful views of the coast. Hosted by the historic Hotel Del, outdoor ice skating is available from November to January. One of the best parts of ice skating by the sea is being right on the edge of the beach, so you can take in the views of the coast while you glide around. The rink provides rental skates and afternoon tea in the evenings. If you have a group, you can rent a rink-side lounge with holiday drinks and food.

Balboa Park December Nights is an exciting holiday-themed event that takes place over 3 days in December each year. The event brings food trucks and vendors offering holiday fare and drinks from some of the top names in the industry. Located in Balboa Park, the event has been a community mainstay for over 40 years. Another highlight of Balboa Park December Nights is the Santa visit, which is sure to delight the kids. As a souvenir of your experience, you can receive a commemorative tote bag from the event.

The San Diego Bay Parade of Lights is a parade with over 80 boats adorned with festive holiday lights in the San Diego Bay. The parade is a local holiday tradition that’s free to attend and perfect for a unique winter celebration. You can see the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights on 2 separate nights in December, starting at Shelter Island and heading to Coronado. The event brings a big crowd, so be sure to arrive early. Some of the best places to see it include the Maritime Museum of San Diego and Ferry Landing on Coronado.

Knott's Berry Farm is a family-friendly theme park with roller coasters, family rides, water rides, and other attractions. Located in Buena Park, the park is a popular spot for families and winter is a great time to experience all the attractions. One of the original attractions is the Ghost Town, a recreated town with a blacksmith shop, glass blowing, wood carving, and demonstrations of railroading and farming. The Ghost Town also hosts vendors with cottage crafts. You could also try all the thrill rides, including the Calico River Rapids, the Calico Mine Ride, and Pony Express.

The UTC Ice Sports Centre is the only indoor ice-skating rink in San Diego’s UTC Shopping Centre. The rink is open to the public for ice skating each day and hosts group lessons from experienced coaches throughout the week. You could also rent skates for children and adults. If you want to relax while the kids enjoy the rink, you can eat or have a drink at one of the restaurants in the shopping centre. The centre has an upper-level, glass-enclosed dining terrace where you can see the view of the ice from above.

The Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is a vast desert parkland with wilderness areas, hiking trails, and an abundance of wildlife. Located within the Colorado Desert, the park has a dry, hot climate that’s more comfortable for outdoor activities in winter. There’s a lot to see and do in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, such as walking through the Hellhole Palms grove of California fan palms and hiking to Maidenhair Falls. You’re likely to see a lot of wildlife in the park, including bighorn sheep, kit foxes, coyotes, roadrunners, eagles, rattlesnakes, and desert iguanas.

Holidays at LEGOLAND is the popular theme park’s annual holiday event with Santa, the Toy Soldier, the Gingerbread Man, and more. Hosted by LEGOLAND in Carlsbad, the entire theme park is decorated with holiday themes, including a 30-foot LEGO Christmas tree with LEGO ornaments. Other highlights include a life-size model of LEGO Santa on a sleigh and a themed Miniland U.S>A. where kids can build ornaments and toys from LEGOs. Throughout the event, you can have seasonal treats and shop for Christmas gifts.