Your Complete Guide to Christmas in San Diego

European-style Christmas market takes over Petco Park with artisan vendors, festive food, craft cocktails, and a massive Christmas tree.

San Diego’s beloved holiday theater tradition brings Dr. Seuss’s classic to life at Balboa Park. See the Grinch and Whoville in this family-friendly musical production.

Keep a little jingle in your boot and celebrate on any budget — a roundup of free holiday concerts, markets, and light displays around San Diego.

San Diego’s largest free holiday celebration with international food, free museums, live performances, and over 300,000 visitors across the evenings of December 5 & 6, 2025 at Balboa Park.

This one puts you on a 4-acre steel flight deck in the middle of the bay, surrounded by lit-up fighter jets and the downtown skyline reflecting off the water.

These are the San Diego spots that look great on a card, and what to know before you drag the family out in coordinated outfits.

The tree was great. Now it’s dropping needles into the heater vent. In San Diego, getting rid of a real tree is free, easy and done by mid-January. Here’s how, whether you live in the city or elsewhere in the county.

SeaWorld’s 100-acre park transforms with holiday shows, the 320-foot SkyTower Tree of Lights, Santa visits, and festive marine life encounters through early January.

California’s only beachfront ice skating rink plus the iconic Lighting of the Del ceremony. A Victorian Christmas celebration at San Diego’s historic oceanfront resort.

Cozy dinners, light walks, and holiday date ideas for couples in San Diego.