The Goff Family Pumpkin Patch at Liberty Station will be there through Halloween. | Photo via Monica Garske + SDtoday
It’s cooling down a tad, so now is prime time to carve a pumpkin in San Diego. We’ve harvested a list of 10 local pumpkin patches offering family-friendly fall fun.
Open Tuesdays-Saturdays through Saturday, Nov. 2 — you’ll need to reserve your spot ahead of time for your seasonal visit to the East County attraction featuring pumpkins, play zones, and wagon ride tours of the farm.
These patches span five locations — Mission Valley, National City (Plaza Bonita), Bonita, Rancho Bernardo, and Del Mar — and offer pumpkins, games, inflatable play centers, and giant slides through Halloween.
Kids Free San Diego | Through Thursday, Oct. 31 | 8 a.m. | Locations vary | Free | Catch the final days of this annual deal — kids ages 12 and under can enjoy free admission to 50+ local museums, the zoo + select theme parks with a paying adult.
Spooky Shakespeare | Saturday, Oct. 26 | 1-3 p.m. | The San Diego Museum of Art | $15+ | Get thee to Balboa Park: San Diego Shakespeare Society actors share Halloween-inspired performances combining art and spooky selections from William Shakespeare’s works.
Once Upon a Hallowe’en | Saturday, Oct. 26 | 4:30-8:30 p.m. | Old Poway Park | Free | Test your bravery in the haunted house, play carnival games, and ride aboard the Poway Midland Railroad.
SDSU Aztec Football vs. Washington State Cougars | Saturday, Oct. 26 | 7:30 p.m. | Snapdragon Stadium | $63+ | Sport your red and black and root for the Aztecs on their home turf — it’s the SD way.
Bayside Boo | Sunday, Oct. 27 | 12-4 p.m. | Seaport Village | Free | No tricks here, just treats — bring the family to the bayfront landmark to enjoy fun activities, photo ops, a DJ dance party, a costume contest, and candy.
Trick-or-Treat on India Street | Sunday, Oct. 27 | 3:30-7:30 p.m. | Piazza della Famiglia | Free | Bring the costumed kiddos to gather goodies from participating businesses while enjoying music, fun decorations, photo ops, and local vendors.
Plan Ahead
Croce Plays Croce | Tuesday, Oct. 29 | 7:30 p.m. | Humphreys Concerts by the Bay | $82+ | AJ Croce plays his late father Jim Croce’s classic tunes — and then some.
Opening Day: Bing Crosby Season | Thursday, Oct. 31 | 11 a.m. | Del Mar Racing, Del Mar | $12.75+ | Cue the trumpets — the fall horse racing season kicks off “where the turf meets the surf.”
Halloween in La Mesa Village | Thursday, Oct. 31 | 4-6 p.m. | Downtown La Mesa | Free | Wear your Halloween costumes and bring the family to trick-or-treat at select businesses while enjoying live entertainment and fun activities.
Select San Diego County Vote Centers begin opening today, and all of them will be open by Saturday, Nov. 2, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., for the Presidential General Election. If you’d rather vote on Election Day — Tuesday, Nov. 5 — all Vote Centers open 7 a.m.-8 p.m. that day.
Trending
Whew. Despite rumors of its closure, Las Cuatro Milpas is not closing anytime soon. The beloved Barrio Logan eatery — known for attracting lines that wrap around the block — released a statement confirming the family-owned, 91-year-old business is staying put. The statement said they hope to make it to 100 years. (CBS 8)
Real Estate
La Jolla’s 13,000-sqft “Sandcastle Estate” is on the market for $108 million — a record-breaking luxury listing for San Diego. The 10-bedroom mansion features sweeping ocean views, private beach access + a cave, and is modeled after France’s Petit Trianon at Château de Versailles — c’est très magnifique, indeed.(CBS 8)
Open
Pizza by Aromi is now open in La Mesa — 7200 Parkway Dr. — next-door to its sister concept, Aromi Italian Restaurant. The eatery specializes in hand-kneaded, wood-fired pies featuring imported Italian cheeses. Keep up with food news + openings in SD on our website.
Seasonal
Save the date. Chula Vista will host the 60th edition of its beloved Starlight Parade & Festival on Saturday, Dec. 14. Expect a holiday market, free photos with Santa, live music, and arts and crafts for all ages. The tree lighting ceremony is set for 5:45 p.m.
Active
Approximately 2,000 cyclists are expected to take part in Bike the Coast, the annual North County bike ride along Highway 101 on Saturday, Nov. 2. Wanna join?Register to ride 25, 50, or 100 miles, or join the 7- or 15-mile family ride on San Luis River Trail.
Arts
San Diego Opera’s 60th season will open on Friday, Nov. 1-Sunday, Nov. 3 at San Diego Civic Theatre with “La Bohème”. The season will also feature “Salome” on March 21-March 23, 2025, and “La Traviata” on April 25-27, 2025. Get tickets.
Ranked
San Diego ranks No. 12 in WalletHub’s Best Cities for Halloween — a study that factored metrics like costume stores per capita and the share of potential trick-or-treat stops. We get it — our pumpkin patches alone make our city a gourd place to enjoy the season.
Sports
There’s a lot to know about the San Diego Padres offseason — including chatter about Joe Musgrove + Jackson Merrill. Go beyond the scoreboard and behind the sceneswith Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Eat
Are you brave enough to dine with a group of strangers? Trust us, it’s not scary — it’s actually fun and rewarding, thanks to Timeleft. Simply, download the app, book your seat, and enjoy lively conversations + make some new connections. You never know who you might meet over dinner. Reserve your spot.*
Travel
For a limited time, save up to 50% on a AAA Membership — and add an additional driver for free or at a discounted rate. Members access AAA Roadside Assistance 24/7/365, plus savings on flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, and more with AAA Travel. Join AAA before this deal ends.*
Fun Fact
You can advertise in this newsletter with no long-term commitment or contract. Your message could be right here in as little as two days. Secure your spot.
City Guide
City Guide
🍻 Don’t worry, be happy
A Japanese Mule at Cloak & Petal.|Photo via Cloak & Petal
It’s about time we talked about downtown San Diego happy hours, folks. Whether you’re grabbing a quick beer after work or searching for discounted bites, we’ve got this round.
Keeping spirits up
Cloak & Petal | Weekdays, 4-6 p.m. | Designed after the streets of Shibuya and Harajuku in Tokyo, this hip Little Italy restaurant offers discounted specialty cocktails, sake, wine, and draft beer, plus snacks between $3-$13, and classic and specialty rolls.
Off the vine
Rustic Root | Monday-Friday, 5-6:30 p.m. | Enjoy 50% off your choice of 20 craft cocktails, plus snacks like parmesan fries for $5 and firecracker shrimp for $9.
Hungry for meal deals
Rockin’ Baja Lobster | Weekdays, 3-6 p.m. | Chow down on a plethora of items for under $10, including the salsa + queso flight, chicken taquitos, and carne asada fries.
Weekday wildness
Union Kitchen & Tap | Weekdays, 4-6 p.m. | Try a $6 Lagunitas IPA or $10 signature cocktails like the Union Old Fashioned, plus bites like the $13 flatbreads.
Tru Rescue electrolyte drinks — each can features sparkling water, blackberry juice, electrolytes, lemon balm, and prickly pear extract to help keep you hydrated.
Here’s a little story for you: Whenever I visit Verbatim Books in North Park, I get lost for hours in the shelves of good reads. Today is a great day to visit Verbatim for the North Park Book Fair in front of the bookstore, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The end.
