San Diego in December: Holiday Lights, Ocean Air, and Winter Sun

Balboa Park December Nights is San Diego’s largest holiday festival, drawing hundreds of thousands over two evenings. Museums open with free nighttime admission, international cottages serve seasonal foods, and stages host performances across the park. Expect packed trams and long lines, and consider transit or rideshare since nearby parking is extremely limited.

The San Diego International Auto Show fills the downtown convention center with new model cars, trucks, and EVs right after Christmas, running December 27 to January 1. It is one of the first major auto shows of the year, so manufacturers highlight upcoming releases. Families come for hands on displays and test drives; buy tickets online and use transit to avoid harbor traffic.

The Holiday Bowl brings college football to Petco Park on December 30 and is paired with a daytime balloon parade along Harbor Drive. The parade, free to watch, features large character balloons and marching bands, while the evening game is ticketed and draws around 40,000 fans. Expect road closures, busy Gaslamp streets, and higher hotel rates near the ballpark.