Find the perfect gift to express gratitude and love for the role models in your life. | Graphic by 6AM City
This year, Father’s Day falls on Sunday, June 15 — meaning it’s a great time to browse our gift guide for parents, grandparents, neighbors, mentors, and life-long friends. Shop great gifts that say I appreciate you:
Local pick:San Diego Padres Tony Gwynn Batting Practice Jersey | $100 | Honoring “Mr. Padre” never goes out of style. Gift your fellow Friar Faithful this 1982 Cooperstown Collection mesh jersey emblazoned with Padres legend Tony Gwynn’s No. 19
Golf practice net | $99.99 | Golfers can perfect their swing before stepping out on the course with this golf net great for backyards, basements, or even the living room.
Local pick:Cutwater Canned Cocktails | ~$15 | Help stock their bar with canned cocktails from this beloved San Diego-based distillery offering 20+ flavors. Pro tip: Pair the cocktails with a gift card to Cutwater’s tasting room and restaurant in Miramar.
Mom’s story book and Dad’s story book | $24.95 | Prompt them to write down memories, advice, and stories in these guided journals.
Neck + shoulders heating pad | $39.99 | This electric heat wrap helps with back pain, muscle aches, and de-stressing.
Custom photo socks | $16.99 | Photos of pets, babies, or any person can be added to these socks that are sure to surprise and delight.
Carhartt lunch box | $29.50 | This camping cooler and worksite lunchbox is durable, waterproof, and extra roomy.
Golf cooler bag | $25.99 | This slim, insulated cooler sleeve can fit into the side pocket of most golf bags and fits up to six beer cans.
“Wobbleland” is one of many interactive art exhibits at The New Children’s Museum. | Photo via Philipp Schulz Rittermann
Fellow parents, this one’s for you. With long summer days on the horizon, we’ve created a guide to more than 30 kid-friendly activities around the San Diego area to keep your little ones busy. You can do this.
Waterfront Park | This 12-acre downtown park with views of the Embarcadero is a perfect place to cool off and picnic with the little ones on a hot day. Kids will remember the interactive splash fountains.
“San Diego STEM Women: Creativity and Curiosity” | 6-8 p.m. | San Diego History Center | $10 | Join the opening reception for this new exhibition honoring the bold, barrier-breaking women who shaped science, tech, engineering, and math in our region, including Kate Sessions + Sally Ride.
Ludacris | 7:30 p.m. | The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park | $58+ | Stand up, get back — just don’t act a fool — it’s Ludddaaa.
Friday, June 6
San Diego Vegan Night Market | 5-9 p.m. | AleSmith Brewing Company | Cost of purchase | Shop vegan eats and treats — think pizza, sushi, donuts, and burgers — while enjoying music and games at this family-friendly monthly market.
Mama’s Day 2025 | 5:30 p.m. | Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel | $190+ | Mingle at this fundraiser in support of Mama’s Kitchen and its ongoing mission to deliver free, nutritious meals to critically ill San Diegans.
Saturday, June 7
North Park Music Fest | 11 a.m.-10 p.m. | Locations vary | $25+ | Enjoy live performances across venues like The Office Bar and Seven Grand; head over to Ray Street + North Park Way to check out the Creator Fair featuring local pressers and artists.
Golden State Ballet Presents “Cinderella” | Saturday, June 7-Sunday, June 8 | Times vary | Balboa Theatre | $45+ | Set to Sergei Prokofiev’s score, the timeless fairy tale comes to life with beautiful choreography by Raúl Salamanca.
East Village Blues Fest | 4-9 p.m. | Quartyard | $30 | This music fest will feature Sue Palmer and her Motel Swing Orchestra, Len Rainey and The Midnight Players, The Stoney B. Blues Band, Zavala Sol, and The Tighten Ups.
Trombone Shorty | 6 p.m. | The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park | $84+ | The Grammy-winning horn player is beloved for putting his New Orleans spin on every jam and fusing funk, jazz, rock, pop, and R&B.
Sunday, June 8
Writers Workshop: Scene Writing | 4-6 p.m. | Thorn St. Brewery | $45 | Put pen to paper and learn the art of showing rather than telling through your writing.
Tuesday, June 10
“The Book of Mormon” | Tuesday, June 10-Sunday, June 15 | Times vary | Civic Theatre | $52+ | The nine-time Tony Award-winning musical comedy returns to downtown SD — answer the door.
City Council approved proposed changes to parking fees that could allow the city to charge for parking at Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo — locations that have always had free parking. The changes could also introduce fees for metered parking citywide on Sundays. (CBS 8)
Ranking
Three businesses headquartered in San Diego made this year’s Fortune 500 list. Qualcomm came in at No. 117, Sempra made No. 322, and LPL Financials landed No. 340 on this ranking of the biggest US companies by revenue. Ka-ching.
Community
District 1 voters can now drop off their ballot for the Special General Election at 29 official drop boxes across the county. Seven in-person vote centers will open on Saturday, June 21. Voters have until Tuesday, July 1 to decide who will fill the District 1 supervisor seat through January 2029.
Development
SDSU will soon begin construction on Evolve Student Housing, the university’s strategy to accommodate more students with safe, high-quality places to live. The phased project will feature up to seven new residential buildings and 5,200 beds and is the largest student housing expansion in SDSU’s history. (SDSU NewsCenter)
Traffic
Caltrans will spend $623 million in state + federal funding on repairs to some of SD’s busiest freeways starting this fall, including Interstate 5, Interstate 805, and State Route 78. The infrastructure projects could take two to four years to complete — be on the lookout for orange construction signs. (CBS 8)
Opening
Jan’s Health Bar, an Orange County-based fast-casual eatery, has expanded to San Diego. The brand will debut its first SD location this Saturday, June 7 at One Paseo in Del Mar. The menu features health-forward salads, sandwiches, wraps, and signature drinks like the Peanut Butter Banana Date Smoothie.
Shop
Get in, we’re going shopping. Several new stores recently opened at Carlsbad Premium Outlet in San Diego’s North County. Head to Hurley for fresh surf + swimwear, Journeys for trendy kicks, and Rag & Bone for stylish threads — that’s the first Rag & Bone location in SD.
Health
After more than a year of construction, San Diego County debuted its new Public Health Lab in Kearny Mesa. The 52,000-sqft facility will house up to 90 employees who will test for infectious diseases, food + water safety, and more. The sustainable, LEED certified lab will also conduct whole genome sequencing.
Read
San Diego Public Library (SDPL) launched its Summer Reading Program across all 37 SDPL locations. Readers of all ages can log their reading + activities for a chance to win prizes through Sunday, Aug. 31. Register to join the fun and find your next read.
Kids
Speaking of kid-friendly activities, the Balboa Park Carousel is now open daily, 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m., while school is out for the summer. While you’re there, don’t forget to say hello to Bill Brown, the proud San Diegan who’s been working at the landmark since 1972 — he’s the best.
Biz
After many years on India Street in Little Italy, BLICK Art Materials is moving to Point Loma this Sunday, June 8. The popular store will set up shop at 3633 Midway Dr. with “ample parking” and its same selection of art supplies, craft items, and quirky gifts.
Environment
World Ocean Day is this Sunday, June 8 and there are plenty of ways to celebrate locally. Join the San Diego Coastkeeper’s South Mission Beach cleanup on Saturday, June 7, or try a kayaking or snorkeling tour with Everyday California, where a portion of proceeds supports marine conservation.
Sports
Stephen Kolek and the Padres bullpen pitched 10 scoreless innings as the Pads squeaked by the Giants for their first win in a very important series earlier this week. Go beyond the scoreboard and behind the scenes of the San Diego Padreswith Locked On’s daily, team-focused podcasts.
Shop
Mood’s THC gummies take effect in as little as five minutes — no lighter, lingering smells, or coughing required. Get 20% off your first order with code FIRST20.†*
San Diego Pride events kick off this month, including screenings of “To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar” and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” at Rooftop Cinema Club. It’s also a great time to learn about volunteering at SD’s big pride events happening in July.
This year’s San Diego Pride Parade is on Saturday, July 19 in Hillcrest. The Pride Festival is on Saturday, July 19 + Sunday, July 20 at Marston Point in Balboa Park — snag your tickets.
This best-selling bath mat. When was the last time you replaced the mats in your bathroom? If you’re anything like us, it’s been too long. Consider this your sign to upgrade. We love this one that features a soft, ultra-absorbent design and comes in multiple colors and sizes for easily mixing + matching.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
Have you been enjoying the jacarandas around San Diego this spring? This time of year is synonymous with those pretty purple blooms; see them for yourself in prime spots like Barrio Logan, Golden Hill, and Safari Park.
Did you know? Horticulturalist Kate Sessions is credited with bringing the trees to SD in the late 1890s, so next time you spot one, give thanks to the Mother of Balboa Park. The jacaranda was named SD’s official urban tree — talk about purple reign.
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