Last updated on February 28th, 2026
Wondering if there is anything good to do during winter in San Diego?
With its mild climate and gorgeous coastal setting, San Diego is one of the few places in the world where seasonality doesn’t matter much. You can pretty much enjoy all the region’s many outdoor activities, attractions, and beautiful natural settings year-round.
Still, the weather can get cold. We live in the area and know how the climate ebbs and flows. Although there’s an average of over 250 sunny days a year, winter in San Diego has its share of rain and chilly days. Not to worry – there’s still plenty to do here!
If you are looking for fun things to do during winter in San Diego, I’ve got the full scoop right here.
San Diego Winter Activities
1. Take a Whale Watching Cruise
Wintertime is the best time to spot whales off the coast of San Diego, and there are many great whale watching tours you can hop aboard to see them.
From December through March, gray whales migrate from Alaska to the warmer waters in Mexico.
Whale watching tours typically last around three hours and include live commentary from tour guides or marine naturalists. In addition to whales, you’ll likely see dolphins, sea lions, and lots of sea birds. (To be honest dolphins are a lot more fun to watch than the whales, but the whales are bigger and more majestic.)
Most cruises offer both indoor and outdoor seating so you can stay warm if the winter winds are blowing in the open sea. However, based on experience I recommend bringing a coat and possibly even gloves – even if it is warm on shore – as San Diego winter weather gets very blustery out on the open sea.
► Click here to book San Diego’s most highly-rated Whale Watching Tour
2. Ride the San Diego Hop On Hop Off Trolley
Taking a ride on the San Diego Hop On Hop Off Trolley is the perfect way to maximize your time in San Diego, see all the great sights, and hear some cool facts about America’s Finest City. The fully narrated bus tour lets you get on and off at any of 11 stops, including Balboa Park, the Gaslamp Quarter, USS Midway, Old Town, Little Italy, and many more.
This is a great tour to take if you are visiting San Diego in winter, because – although it is considered an open-air trolley (great for when the weather is warm!) – during the colder months the windows can be rolled down. So, you’ll be riding around in a climate-controlled vehicle and still able to enjoy all the sights in comfort.
► Grab your discount tickets for the Hop On Hop Off San Diego Old Town Trolley Tour
3. Visit the Museums in Balboa Park
When it’s cold outside, visiting a museum is one of the best things you can do with your time! And Balboa Park has 17 of them – all located very close to each other so you can wander from one to another without having to be outside for long.
At 1,200 acres in size, Balboa Park is one of the biggest urban parks in the United States.
Balboa Park is home to beautiful gardens, historic buildings, and of course, those great museums.
Some of our favorite family-friendly Balboa Park museums include the Fleet Science Center, Museum of Us, San Diego Air and Space Museum, San Diego Natural History Museum, San Diego Model Railroad Museum, and the Timken Museum of Art. (That last one is small but totally free to enter, which is probably what makes it so popular!)
If you are interested in checking out more than one or two museums, definitely look into the Balboa Park Explorer Pass for the best deal on admission.
One of our other favorite spots in Balboa Park is the House of the Pacific Relations International Cottages, a totally free attraction where you can you can experience all the culture and tastes of nearly three dozen countries from around the world. The cottages are all adjacent to each other and very cozy, so they are a nice attraction to check out in the wintertime.
4. Catch a Spectacular Winter Sunset
I’ll take a gorgeous sunset any time of year, but for some reason San Diego winter sunsets are even more breathtaking.
Actually, I do know the reason, and it is pretty basic science. Not only does the denser cold air make a difference, but the angle of the sun is lower during the winter months, changing the way the light hits the sky and producing those fiery colors we love so much.
The best spot to catch the sunset is always at the beach, and some of our favorites are La Jolla, Torrey Pines, Oceanside, Pacific Beach, and Coronado. Here’s a fun fact, the sand on Coronado Island has mica in it, a mineral that reflects light, so you may get a magical sparkle with your beach sunset.
For an even more magical experience, consider taking a sunset sailboat cruise along the San Diego skyline.
5. Stroll Through Old Town San Diego
Old Town San Diego is a great place to visit any time of year. Wander through historic buildings, check out the museums, and savor authentic Mexican cuisine. It’s a nice thing to do in the wintertime because many attractions are indoors.
Known as the birthplace of California, Old Town State Historic Park is the site of the first Spanish settlement in California, founded in in 1769. Today, it is a lively attraction with 50 shops and restaurants and numerous museums, historic sites, and educational experiences – many of which are free to explore. In fact, Old Town San Diego is high on our list of best free things to do in San Diego with kids.
We love visiting Old Town San Diego! There is always something fun to see, and it is a great place to enjoy some of the best Mexican food in San Diego. Although many restaurants have outdoor seating, heat lamps allow you to dine outdoors even in the wintertime.
Casa de Reyes is our favorite restaurant in Old Town San Diego. Sometimes we’ll just order margaritas and sit outside on the patio, munching chips and salsa and enjoying the lively atmosphere.
- 4002 Wallace Street, San Diego
- oldtownsandiego.org
6. Visit SeaWorld San Diego
When I first moved to San Diego from the east coast more than 25 years ago (!), one of the things that fascinated me most was that theme parks stayed open year-round. I grew up in New York, and although there was a Six Flags nearby and lots of other amusement parks, they all closed down for the winter.
SeaWorld San Diego is not only open year-round, but in addition to their many fun rides, shows, and marine life habitats, they have really cool events all season long. Starting with SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration in December and heading straight into spring, there is always something fun happening at SeaWorld San Diego in the winter.
This time of year is a fun time to visit SeaWorld. Not only can you enjoy all the fun rides and attractions, but the crowds are usually thinner. And even if the weather is chilly, you can bundle up and have a blast.
Some of SeaWorld’s more popular rides include Manta, Emperor, Electric Eel, Journey to Atlantis, and their newest ride, Arctic Rescue. But what we love even more than the rides are the shows and attractions. You can find all the best things to do at SeaWorld San Diego right here.
- 500 Sea World Drive, San Diego
- seaworld.com/san-diego
► Click here to explore ticket options for SeaWorld San Diego
7. Visit the San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo is another one of those attractions where you can visit any time of year and have a great day!
There’s a reason this is widely considered one of the best zoos on the planet. With more than 100 acres to explore and home to 12,000 animals, the San Diego Zoo is huge. Even if the weather is on the cold side, you’ll have fun walking around and checking out the exhibits. There is a 4D theater and lots of other indoor venues if you need to pop inside to warm up or escape the rain.
To help you get around and see everything the zoo has to offer, the San Diego Zoo offers the Kangaroo Bus – a complimentary, non-narrated transportation service that lets you hop on and off at four different stops around the zoo.
The nice thing about visiting the San Diego Zoo in winter is that the crowds will be thinner, the weather cooler, and you won’t get all sweaty walking up and down the zoo’s big hills. (This remains true for spring in San Diego, too!)
- 2920 Zoo Drive, San Diego
- sandiegozoo.org
8. Take a Hike
Cooler weather and lighter crowds combine to make winter in San Diego the perfect time to explore nature.
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is our go-to hike and one of the most family-friendly hikes in San Diego. The park features breathtaking ocean views and unique coastal landscapes. Trails cater to varying skill levels, making it suitable for young explorers. And in the winter, finding a parking spot close to the trailhead is a heck of a lot easier than in the summertime!
As beautiful as hike along the coast can be, there is something to be said for heading inland if you’re visiting San Diego in winter. Temperatures are typically a pinch warmer inland and you won’t have to deal with heavy offshore winds.
Some of the best hikes in inland San Diego County include Cowles Mountain, Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, and Annie’s Canyon Trail for an amazing walk through slot canyons that will make you feel like you’re far away from Southern California.
► Be sure to check out these top kid-friendly hikes in San Diego County.
9. Birch Aquarium
Though not as big as more well-known aquariums in Monterey and Long Beach, Birch Aquarium in La Jolla is a great spot to visit with kids. You’ll see colorful fish, interactive tide pools, mesmerizing jellyfish, and playful sea otters. The aquarium is part of Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego.
The aquarium is a good size, but not overwhelmingly huge, so you won’t need more than an hour or two to get through the whole facility. Don’t miss the tide pools where kids can touch sea stars and hermit crabs.
- 2300 Expedition Way, La Jolla
- aquarium.ucsd.edu
10. New Children’s Museum
If you are visiting San Diego with young kids, definitely plan on spending a few days at the New Children’s Museum. We took our son to this attraction (and yes, it is more of an attraction than a museum) when he was a little guy and he absolutely loved it! It is one of the best interactive museums in San Diego.
There are interactive installations, art-making workshops, sensory experiences for toddlers, and even some outdoor spaces if the weather is not too cold.
The New Children’s Museum is located in the heart of downtown San Diego, within easy walking distance of Seaport Village San Diego.
- 200 West Island Avenue, San Diego
- thinkplaycreate.org
Holiday Activities & Special Events
Winter in San Diego lasts way longer than just the holiday season, so I didn’t feature things on this list that end right after the New Year begins.
But if you’re visiting San Diego in December, there are some really special things going on that you won’t want to miss!
Some of the holiday attractions and events you can experience include Ice Skating by the Sea at the Hotel del Coronado, the Holiday Market at Petco Park, holiday train rides, the annual San Diego Bay Parade of Lights, and so much more!
► For the most detailed list of all the fun things to do in San Diego during the holiday season, be sure to check this complete guide to Christmas in San Diego.
How to Save on Your San Diego Vacation
There are a variety of ways to save money on hotels and tickets to San Diego’s many theme parks and attractions – including AAA discounts, military or student discounts, and CityPASS San Diego.
I highly recommend CityPASS when visiting San Diego, as you can bundle and save up to 45% on admission to the top theme parks and attractions in San Diego. Choose either SeaWorld San Diego or LEGOLAND and then add three other attractions of your choice, with options including the San Diego Zoo, USS Midway Museum, Old Town Trolley Tours, and more! It’s a great way to save money and makes planning your itinerary easy.
Final Thoughts: San Diego in Winter
Is San Diego worth visiting in winter?
Yes, San Diego is definitely worth visiting in winter! Even if you can’t experience San Diego as a warm-weather, beach destination, the breathtaking views, fun theme parks, lighter crowds, and numerous activities you can enjoy all year long make it a must-visit destination.
► Be sure to also check out these best seasonal events in San Diego all year long!
Save These Ideas for Things to Do During Winter in San Diego for Later!
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