101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in San Diego - 2023 | What’s happening in San Diego <

101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in San Diego - 2023

 

KidsOutAndAbout is San Diego's online guide to everything for kids, teens, and families! The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, so click through to make arrangements. Enjoy the holidays!

If we're missing an activity that should be on our list, please email Mindy Mangan at mindy@kidsoutandabout.com. Please make sure to include a link to the event when you email. Thank you!

Below are items that have been posted to our calendar. If you are affiliated with a business hosting a holiday event that should be on our calendar, we'd love to see it there... it's free to postClick here for instructions about how to add your organization to our list and easily post your events to our calendar!

If you don't already receive our free weekly e-newsletter for San Diego, sign up today to make sure you're in the know about free stuff, festivals, classes, camps, vacation ideas, and all the best events near you! In the meantime, enjoy the ideas below for holiday family fun!

Santa Sightings

Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023 North Pole Limited – Pacific Southwest Railway Museum
Multiple dates starting Nov 16, 2023 Santa's Village | SkyPark at Santa's Village
Nov 25, 2023 Surfin Santa Parade & Photos — Seaport Village
Multiple dates starting Dec 1, 2023 Where Is Santa - Chula Vista Center
Dec 2, 2023 Holiday Dog Party | Warwick’s
Dec 2 & 3, 2023 Selfies with Buddy the Elf at Seaport Village
Dec 2, 3 & 9, 2023 Selfies with Santa at Santa's Workshop — Seaport Village
Dec 3, 2023 8th Annual Unleash the Holiday Cheer!
Dec 3, 2023 North Pole By The Sea — Visit Del Mar Village
Dec 9, 2023 Polar Express — San Diego Model Railroad Museum

 

Old-Time Christmas

Nov 25, 2023 Country Christmas in Julian
Nov 25, 2023 Holiday Hayride Julian CA Fort Cross Old Timey Adventures
Dec 8, 2023 Las Posadas – Old Town San Diego
Dec 8 & 9, 2023 Poway's Christmas in the Park
Dec 9, 2023 Polar Express — San Diego Model Railroad Museum (sdmrm.org)

 

Light Displays

 

Multiple days starting Nov 17, 2023 Christmas Tree Trail in San Diego, California
Multiple dates starting Nov 17, 2023 Lightscape - San Diego Botanic Garden
Multiple dates starting Nov 17, 2023 Holiday Light Show | Celebrate the Holidays at Hotel del Coronado
Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023 Jingle Jets 2023 - USS Midway Museum
Nov 24, 2023 Liberty Station Tree Lighting
Multiple dates starting Dec 1, 2023 Lights at the Lakes Holiday Light Show
Nov 24, 2023 Liberty Station’s Tree Lighting & Festivities
Multiple dates starting Dec 1, 2023 San Diego Christmas Lights Tour 2023 | San Diego Holiday Tours
Dec 2, 2023   Little Italy Tree Lighting and Christmas Village
Dec 3, 2023  North Pole By The Sea — Visit Del Mar Village
Dec 5, 2023   Rancho Bernardo Christmas Tree and Menorah Lighting Ceremony
Multiple dates starting Dec 8, 2023  Jingle Terrace Live 
Dec 9, 2023 Mission Bay Boat Parade 2023 in San Diego
Dec 10, 2023 Oceanside Harbor Parade of Lights - Visit Oceanside
Dec 10 & 17, 2023 53rd Annual San Diego Bay Parade of Lights

 

 

 

 

Holiday Festivals and Parades

Multiple dates starting Nov 11, 2023 Winter Wonder Beachside at Belmont Park
Nov 19, 2023 Encinitas Holiday Street Fair - Kennedy Faires
Dec 1 & 2, 2023 Balboa Park December Nights
Dec 1,2023 Holiday Parade & Tree Lighting | Coronado Chamber of Commerce
Dec 2, 2023 Encinitas Holiday Parade
Dec 2, 2023 Winter Wonderland - Center for the Arts, Escondido
Dec 2, 2023 Holiday in the Village, A La Mesa Tradition
Dec 2, 2023 Holiday Parade - Ocean Beach
Dec 3, 2023 Vista Christmas Parade
Dec 3, 2023  SoNo Fest & Chili Cook-Off 
Dec 3, 2023 La Jolla Christmas Parade 
Dec 27, 2023 Port of San Diego Holiday Bowl Parade

 

Holiday Theater

Multiple dates starting Nov 8, 2023 Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! 2023 | The Old Globe
Multiple dates starting Nov 17, 2023 Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show | The Old Globe
Multiple dates starting Nov 25, 2023 Lamb's Players Theatre | Respectfully Christmas
Multiple dates starting Dec 1, 2023 A Christmas Carol - Cygnet Theatre
Dec 2 & 3, 2023 Evolution Dance Center presents The Nutcracker - California Center for the Arts, Escondido
Dec 2 & 3, 2023 Pryntsev Ballet Academy — The Nutcracker
Multiple dates starting Dec 8, 2023 The Nutcracker - San Diego Civic Youth Ballet 2023
Dec 9 & 10, 2023 Cirque Dreams Holidaze
Dec 15 & 16, 2023 The Nutcracker (Ballet)

 

 

Holiday Concerts

Dec 1 & 2, 2023 Christmas Concert & Sing-A-long
Dec 3, 2023 Randi's Jingle Ball 2023
Multiple dates starting Dec 15, 16, 17 2023 Noel Noel | Jacobs Music Center
Multiple dates starting Dec 8, 2023 Jingle Terrace Live | Moonlight Stage Productions
Dec 9 & 10, 2023 Jingle – San Diego Gay Men's Chorus
Dec 11, 2022 Home for the Holidays - Jacobs Music Center 
Dec 11 & 12, 2023 Million Dollar Quartet Christmas | San Diego Theatres
Dec 15 & 16, 2023 Charlie Brown Jingles and Jazz at The Conrad Prebys Performing Arts Center - La Jolla by the Sea
Dec 16, 2023 An Irish Christmas | San Diego Theatres
Dec 16, 2023 A Festival of Christmas
Dec 17, 2023 Mariachi Sol De Mexico: A Merry-achi Christmas | San Diego Theatres
Dec 23, 2023 DISNEY Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas In Concert | Jacobs Music Center
Dec 28, 2023 Mannheim Steamroller Christmas | San Diego Theatres

 

Christmas Tree Experience

Multiple dates starting Nov 18, 2023 PB Christmas Tree Country
Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023 East County San Diego Christmas Tree Farm - Oma's Family Farms
Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023 Grinch’s Christmas Trees
Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023 Christmas Trees – Mountain Valley Ranch

 

Ice Skating

Multiple dates starting Nov 3, 2023 Viejas Outlet Center Ice Rink
Multiple dates starting Nov 10, 2023 Ice Skating | Julian Farm and Orchard
Multiple dates starting Nov 16, 2023 Rady Children's Ice Rink at ARTS DISTRICT
Multiple dates starting Nov 17, 2023 Skating by the Sea® - Celebrate the Holidays at Hotel del Coronado

 

Hanukkah

Dec 5, 2023 Rancho Bernardo Christmas Tree and Menorah Lighting Ceremony
Dec 7, 2023 Hanukkah Menorah Lighting | Liberty Station | San Diego
Dec 12, 2023 Hanukkah Under The Stars

 

Kwanzaa

Dec 26, 27, 28, 29, 2023 43nd Annual Kwanzaa Celebration

 

Shopping & Craft Fairs

Dec 2, 2023 BAZAR NAVIDEÑO HISPANAS EN SAN DIEGO
Dec 2 & 3, 2023 Holiday Fair 2023 - Makers Arcade Makers Market in San Diego
Dec 9, 2023 Nightmare Before Christmas Holiday Night Market

 

New Year's Eve

Dec 30, 2023 New Years in Southern California with Rose Parade Tour and San Diego
Dec 31, 2023 Kids' New Year's Eve Event | LEGOLAND® California Resort
Dec 31, 2023 Alternative New Year’s Eve Ascension 2024
Dec 31, 2022 - Jan 3, 2023 New Years in Southern California with Rose Parade Tour 
Jan 1, 2023 SDBC New Year's Day Ride — SDBC
Feb 4 & 5, 2023 San Diego Chinese New Year - San Diego CA

 

Miscellaneous

Multiple dates starting Nov 10, 2023 Holidays at the Farm Julian Farm and Orchard
Multiple dates starting Nov 10, 2023 A Very Furry Christmas Celebration - Sesame Place
Nov 11, 2023 Seaport Fudge's Veterans Day Holiday Pop-Up & Celebration
Multiple dates starting Nov 17, 2023 SeaWorld's Christmas Celebration - SeaWorld San Diego
Multiple dates starting Nov 18, 2023 Holidays Event - LEGOLAND® California
Multiple dates starting Nov 24, 2023 Wild Holidays - San Diego Zoo Safari Park
Multiple dates starting Dec 3, 2023 Holiday By The Bay
Dec 2, 2023 San Diego SantaCon 2023
Dec 3, 2023 Del Mar Village Winter Taste & Sip
Multiple dates starting Dec 9, 2023 Jungle Bells | San Diego Zoo
Dec 9, 2023 The Red Nose Run
Dec 9, 2023 EFMP Jolly Jamboree
Dec 9, 2023 Polar Express — San Diego Model Railroad Museum (sdmrm.org)
Dec 9, 2023 HuiOHawaii San Diego Christmas Party
Dec 9, 2023 San Diego Santa Run
Dec 9, 2023 Christmas With The Animals
Dec 9, 2023 Holiday Toy Ride — SDBC
Dec 16, 2023 San Diego Holiday Half Marathon
Dec 17, 2023 NUTCRACKER TEA PARTY WITH SAN DIEGO BALLET
Dec 27, 2023 San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl at Petco Park - Holiday Bowl 5K Walk/Run

 


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