Things to Do in San Diego with Kids — Family Events & Weekend Planner
73 family events from official San Diego library, park, and museum calendars, plus 1495 kid-friendly spots and ready-made weekend plans.
FamHop tracks 1495 kid-friendly spots and 73 upcoming family events across 22 San Diego cities and towns. Most events come straight from official library, parks, and museum calendars like Balboa Park Events Calendar, The New Children's Museum, Oceanside Public Library Events — real dates, times, and official links, refreshed every week. Biggest coverage: San Diego (917 spots · 329 events), Chula Vista (102 spots · 0 events), La Mesa (76 spots · 0 events). Pick a few stops, build a 3-stop weekend plan, and share a link so co-parents and friends can vote.
Volcan Valley Apple Farm Apple Picking — August, Volcan Valley Apple Farm. Julian's u-pick apple farm spreads 7,000-plus trellis-grown trees and seven apple varieties across 10 scenic acres, picking from late August through mid-October as weather and crop permit. The trellis system keeps fruit low and reachable for pickers of every age and height, from toddlers just learning to walk to grandparents who prefer to keep their feet on the ground. Wide rows between the trees make it stroller and family friendly.
Hillcrest CityFest — August, 5th Avenue, Hillcrest. San Diego's largest free street festival closes seven blocks of 5th Avenue in Hillcrest for live bands, DJs, street performers, and hundreds of art and food vendors. A dedicated Kids Zone at the south end runs crafts and storytime through the afternoon.
Bates Nut Farm Pumpkin Patch — September, Bates Nut Farm. Families have been coming to Bates Nut Farm's pumpkin patch in Valley Center since 1963. From mid-September through Halloween the century-old farm runs tractor hayrides, a straw maze, pony rides, a petting corral, a corn pit, and an inflatable bounce house, with face painting, a rock climbing wall, kids' crafts, caricatures, a mechanical bull, an inflatable slide, and live local bands added on weekends. The farm's zoo is free and open year-round.
Jungle Bells at the San Diego Zoo — December, San Diego Zoo. The San Diego Zoo's holiday celebration brings nightly music, reindeer games, holiday light displays, and Santa visits through December.
December Nights at Balboa Park — December, Balboa Park. San Diego's free two-day holiday festival at Balboa Park features a tree lighting, dozens of performances, free museum access, and a family zone.
Recurring & returning programs in San Diego
USS Midway Legacy Week — USS Midway Museum, last held May 2026. The USS Midway Museum's Memorial Day-week program honoring service members, with special ceremonies and commemorative activities aboard the carrier on San Diego's waterfront.
Fort Rosecrans Memorial Day Ceremony — Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, last held May 2026. The annual Memorial Day ceremony at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery on Point Loma, one of San Diego's most moving remembrance traditions overlooking the bay.
Craft Unraveled — Mingei International Museum, last held July 2026. A free program series at the Mingei International Museum in Balboa Park where visitors watch working artists demonstrate craft materials and processes.
House of Colombia Lawn Program — House of Colombia, last held July 2026. Family programs on the lawn at the House of Colombia, one of Balboa Park's international cottages.
Nat at Night — San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat), last held July 2026. The Nat's after-hours evening program — access to the San Diego Natural History Museum's exhibits in Balboa Park after closing time.
Parks After Dark at City Heights Recreation Center — City Heights Recreation Center, last held July 2026. Parks After Dark is San Diego's free summer-evening series at neighborhood recreation centers: family games, music, and community activities at City Heights Recreation Center after dark.
Nat at Night — San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat), last held July 2026. Nat at Night — a recurring family program at San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat) in San Diego.
Nat at Night — San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat), last held July 2026. Nat at Night — a recurring family program at San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat) in San Diego.
San Diego County Fair 2026 Final Weekend — Del Mar Fairgrounds, last held July 2026. San Diego County Fair 2026 Final Weekend — a annual family program at Del Mar Fairgrounds in Del Mar.