By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com San Diego Editor
Some say it’s hard to get in the holiday mood in San Diego. There’s no falling snow making for a sparkling winter wonderland, no people bundled up with heavy coats and festive scarves while shopping, no neighborhoods with house after house presenting ight displays along the lines of the Griswolds in Christmas Vacation. How can one mentally adjust to Christmas when we have sunny days and beaches?
Well there’s one sure-fire way to get into the holiday spirit. And that is go to to December Nights in Balboa Park, San Diego’s best and most spectacular must-do holday event. It’s held on the first Friday and Saturday of December (Dec. 5 & 6 in 2025) and if you are not festive while there, then you ae the second coming of Ebenezer Scrooge.
December Night, which is free, turns the main area of Balboa Park into a magical place with lights, carolers, performances, bands, a worldwide experience at the International Houses, a choir that sings out of a Christmas tree that opens at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, holiday dancers, and even a New England snow setting that is projected on the San Diego Museum of Art building.
Nearly every room in the stylish buildings has something: singers, a display of various Christmas trees, even a dance “club” with a DJ (inside House of Hospitality building). There are lights and music everywhere; it’s one thing after another that will have your head spinning and your mouth smiling. One of my favorite places is the incredible lifesize Nativity scene at the organ pavillion.
There’s food and drinks. Alcohol is served in fenced-off areas where bands perform. Pro’s Tip: Pass on the standard food vendors that are every street fair in San Diego and hit the spots at the International Houses. The food is better and it’s cheaper than the other choices.
To take in everything without being in a hurry, spend three to four hours there. It’s open in the daytime but it really shines at night. The hours are 3-11 p.m., on Friday and 11 a.m.-11 p.m., on Saturday. There is no Sunday, which is too bad. In fact, so much goes into it that I can’t understand why it’s not two weekends instead of just the two days.
Getting To December Nights – Top Tips
This is a hugely popular event, so much so that driving is not recommended. The roads are like the 405 freeway in Los Angeles during rush hour, which is to stay bumper-to-bumper traffic. Plus, where the heck are you going to park when you finally get there? Here are other (and better) ways to get there:
• Take a Lyft/Urber, which drops off at 6th & Prado (you have to walk across the Cabrillo Bridge from there).
• A free shuttle from City College that goes up Park Ave., Little Italy near the Green Line trolley stop and County Administration parking garages and downtown at 3rd & A Street.
• MTS bus service on the 3 and 120 buses (along 5th Ave., from the Gaslamp Quarter; 4th from Hillcrest; get off a Laurel Street). The cost is $2.50 each way; have exact change, a Pronto card or I’ve noticed a Venmo card works, too, so I assume credit cards do, too.
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