While San Diego is commonly known for its stunning beaches, sunny weather, and jaw-dropping views, it is also home to a laundry list of must-visit museums. Sprinkled throughout the city are museums that allow guests to broaden their horizons by soaking up different cultures, admiring beautiful artwork, celebrating San Diego history, and exploring new learning opportunities.
Whether you’re planning a school field trip, weekend activities for out-of-town visitors, or a solo touristy day, chances are that San Diego has an institution that will spark passion, excitement, and curiosity. Dive into our rundown of the top museums in San Diego.
Step into the world of 19th-century American, European, and Russian art at the Timken Museum of Art. Located next to Balboa Park’s Botanical Building, the museum preserves and showcases artwork from all over the world, including iconic Old Master paintings. The cherry on top? Admission is free.
Address:1500 El Prado, Balboa Park Hours: Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Price: Free
It’s hard to decide what’s prettier: the Museum of Contemporary Art’s large collection of paintings, sculptures, and photography, or the views from this La Jolla museum. Celebrating contemporary artwork created after 1950, the museum includes a must-see sculpture garden and exhibits that highlight different artistic styles. Once you’re done soaking in the museum’s beauty, enjoy a bite at The Kitchen, an on-site full-service cafe and restaurant.
Address:700 Prospect St, La Jolla Hours: Thurs.-Sat. 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Closed Mon.-Wed. Price:$25 for adults ($20 for San Diego and Tijuana residents); $15 for students, teachers, and adults 55 and over; Free for military (with I.D.), visitors with disabilities, and children/adults under 25
Courtesy of Museum of Photographic Arts
Museum of Photographic Art
If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the Museum of Photographic Art at The San Diego Museum of Art (MOPA@SDMA) could fill a library with its photography, film, and video work. With permanent collections, online exhibitions, and virtual resources, the museum is a great place for artists and art enthusiasts. Additionally, the Balboa Park institute does not charge admission fees, but guests can make a voluntary monetary contribution.
Address:1649 El Prado, Balboa Park Hours: Thurs.-Sun. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Closed Mon.-Wed. Price: Free; $10 donation recommended
Courtesy of Mingei International Museum
Mingei International Museum
Opened in the late 1970’s, Balboa Park’s Mingei International Museum celebrates folk art and crafts from talented artists and builders from around the globe. Living up to its name (the Japanese word “mingei” means “art of the people”), the museum’s collection includes hand-sewn clothing, intricately engraved jewelry, and more.
Address:1439 El Prado, Balboa Park Hours: Tues.-Thurs., Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m.-8 p.m.; Closed Mondays Price: $15 for adults; $10 for seniors, educators, students (with I.D.), and military (with I.D.)
Courtesy of Balboa Park
San Diego Museum of Art
Founded in 1926, the San Diego Museum of Art is a fine art museum in Balboa Park that features nationally renowned collections with an emphasis in Spanish and Italian art. The fine art museum is also home to South Asian manuscript illustrations and 19th and 20th century sculptures and paintings. Plus, guests can enjoy a virtual visit and check out its tours, gallery experiences, and educational art tutorials from the comfort of their homes.
Address:1450 El Prado, Balboa Park Hours: Mon.-Tues. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Closed Wednesdays; Thurs.-Sat. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday 12 p.m.-5 p.m. Price: $20 for adults; $15 for Seniors (65+), and free for kids 17 and under
Courtesy of Wikipedia
San Diego History & Culture Museums
USS Midway Museum
In 1945, the USS Midway was commissioned as the largest ship in the world, and for the past couple of decades, it has been home to one of San Diego’s most popular museums. Officially opened in 2004, the USS Midway Museum features a flight deck full of military aircraft, flight simulators, an immersive theater, and highly-knowledgeable docents. The museum also hosted the Top Gun: Maverick premiere back in 2022.
Address:910 N Harbor Dr, Downtown Hours: Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (last entry at 4 p.m.) Price: $39 for adults; $26 for kids (4-12); $26 for veterans (with I.D.)
Courtesy of the California Surf Museum
California Surf Museum
There’s really no more perfect place for a surf collection than in San Diego. The California Surf Museum honors and explores the rich surfing history in Southern California. Immerse yourself in decades of surfing culture, then go shred some waves just a few blocks away.
Address:312 Pier View Wy, Oceanside Hours: Daily 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Price: $7 for adults; $5 for seniors (62+), military (with I.D.), and students; free for CSM members and kids 11 and under
Courtesy of the Whaley House Museum
Whaley House Museum
It doesn’t need to be Halloween to get into the spooky spirit. A museum and historical landmark, the Whaley House in Old Town is often dubbed the most-haunted house in the country. If you’re looking to lean into the ghostly vibes, consider an evening guided tour or paranormal investigation.
Address:2476 San Diego Ave, Old Town Hours: Daily 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; 5 p.m.-9:30 p.m. Price: Tickets start at $14 for adults and $10 for kids (4-12); free for kids under 4
Courtesy of the San Diego Museum Council
Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center
The Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center is a true celebration of community, resilience, and unity. The space, opened in 2022, honors the history and accomplishments of local groups and organizations with historical exhibits, powerful collections, and a map of Chicano Park’s outstanding murals. Admission for visitors 18 years and under is free, with other discounts available for student teachers and those living in Barrio Logan and surrounding area.
Address:1960 National Ave, Barrio Logan Hours: Thurs.-Sun. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Price: $8 for adults; $4 for students and educators; $3 if you’re a Barrio Logan resident; Free for kids 18 and under
Courtesy of Comic-Con Museum
Comic-Con Museum
If you’re a comic book connoisseur, chances are you’re familiar with the Comic-Con Museum. Opened in 2021, the museum features memorabilia and exhibits from a variety of comics, stories, and popular art, allowing visitors to year round capture the magic of San Diego’s famous Comic-Con convention hosted in July.
Address:2131 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park Hours: Thurs.-Tues. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Closed Wednesdays Price: $30 for adults; $20 for seniors (age 65+), kids (13-17) military and students (with I.D.); $14 for kids (6-12); free for kids under 6
Courtesy of Balboa Park
Veterans Museum at Balboa Park
San Diego is known for its military history and presence, and the Veterans Museum at Balboa Park proudly honors those who have served in all different branches of the military. Located in the former chapel of a naval hospital, the museum respectfully presents patriotic memorabilia, artifacts, and rotating exhibits that recognize the contributions and sacrifices of those who have served.
Address:2115 Park Blvd, Balboa Park Hours: Tues. & Thurs.-Sat. 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Closed Mondays, Wednesdays, and Sundays Price: $5 for adults; $4 for veterans and seniors, $2 for students (with I.D.), and free for active duty military/dependents, museum members, and kids under 12
Courtesy of Expedia
Women’s Museum of California
Girl power is strong in San Diego. Through changing exhibits, events, and lecture series, the Women’s Museum of California celebrates the important accomplishments made throughout the state by notable activists, creatives, suffragettes, San Diegans, and more. Take your learning outside of the museum’s walls and embark on their new guided tour around Balboa Park to discover more about women who have contributed to the park’s past.
Address:1649 El Prado, Point Loma Hours: Wed.-Sun. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; Closed Mondays & Tuesdays Price: Free; Donations recommended
Courtesy of the San Diego Museum Council
La Mesa Depot Museum
Museums come in all shapes and sizes. The quaint La Mesa Depot Museum is the area’s oldest building still in its original form, and is the last San Diego and Cuyamaca Railway Station around. Train buffs (and those who are fans of free admission) may especially enjoy this landmark where they can explore a steam locomotive, freight cars, and a telegrapher’s station.
Address:4695 Nebo Dr, La Mesa Hours: Tues. & Thurs. 12 p.m.-3 p.m.; Saturdays 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Price: Free
Courtesy of the Maritime Museum of San Diego
Maritime Museum of San Diego
In a city rich with nautical history, the Maritime Museum of San Diego lets seafaring fans soak it all in. Guests can explore a range of sailing ships (including the waterfront standout, the Star of India), steam powered boats, and a submarine. You can even hit the high seas (well, the bay) on adventurous tours.
Address:1492 N Harbor Dr, Downtown Hours: Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (last entry at 4 p.m.) Price: $24 for adults; $18 for seniors (62+), military (with I.D.), and students (13-17); $12 for kids (3-12); free for kids (2 and under)
Courtesy of Expedia
San Diego Science Museums
San Diego Natural History Museum
It only seems fitting that we kick this list off in Balboa Park. The park is home to 18 museums, with a fan favorite being the San Diego Natural History Museum. Also known as The NAT, the expansive museum allows guests to explore the past and present of Southern California history, from prehistoric fossils and surrounding garden trails to live animals and a stadium-style movie theater.
Address:1788 El Prado, Balboa Park Hours: Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Price: $24 for adults; $20 for seniors (62+), students, and military (with I.D.) ; $14 for children (3-17)
Courtesy of Balboa Park
San Diego Air & Space Museum
If the idea of taking flight sounds exciting, then check out the San Diego Air & Space Museum. Originally opened in 1963 as the San Diego Aerospace Museum, the building includes vintage aircraft and spacecraft collections, film archives, and more. It’s a great spot to explore for all ages, from little aviators to lifelong aerophiles.
Address:2001 Pan American Plaza, Balboa Park Hours: Daily 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Price: $30 for adults; $26 for seniors, students, and retired military (with I.D.); $20 for kids (3-11), free for SDASM Members, Active Duty Military, and kids 2 and under
Courtesy of Fleet Science Center
Fleet Science Center
A hotspot for school field trips and educational opportunities, the Fleet Science Center features over 100 exhibits that bring science directly to museum visitors. Like many Balboa Park museums, the Fleet Science Center offers free admission for residents on specific days of the month.
Address:1875 El Prado, Balboa Park Hours: Daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Price: $25 for adults; $23 for seniors (65 and up); $20 for children (3-12); free for kids 2 and under
Courtesy of the Museum of Making Music
Museum of Making Music
It’s been said that music brings people together and the Museum of Making Music puts that to the test. The music-centric museum in Carlsbad helps visitors embrace the sounds, musicians, and instruments that have contributed to the soundtracks of our lives. You can even pick up a guitar and have your own jam session.
Address:5790 Armada Dr, Carlsbad Hours: Tues.-Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Closed Mondays Price: $15 for adults; $10 for seniors (60 and up), students, and active military; free for kids (3 and under)
Courtesy of the San Diego Model Railroad Museum
San Diego Model Railroad Museum
In the Venn diagram of train buffs and model figurine fans is the San Diego Model Railroad Museum. The institute highlights Southern California’s railroading history through the collection of model trains. Make it a family day, as kids 12 and under can visit for free.
Address:1649 El Prado, Balboa Park Hours: Tues.-Sun. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Price: $20 for adults; $12 for seniors and military (with I.D.), $10 for students (with I.D.), and free for kids 12 and under
Museums don’t always have to be artifacts behind glass cases. The New Children’s Museum makes outings more fun for the whole family, with immersive art installations and colorful rooms. The space prides itself on being inclusive, with a highlight being the sensory-friendly Breathing Room that can help kids who may feel overwhelmed by the stimulating environment.
Address:200 W Island Ave, Gaslamp Quarter Hours: Wed.-Mon 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Closed Tuesdays Price: $24 for adults (18+); $20 for children (1 and over), seniors (65+), educators, and military (with I.D.)
Jordyn Berg is a freelance writer whose favorite topics include food and travel. A Pacific Northwest native, she delights in exploring the best of San Diego, by searching for hidden gems, experiencing must-try restaurants, and soaking in the city’s amazing views.
Maybe it was when Breaking Bad stars Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul drank mezcal with chefs from San Diego and Food Network on the cliffs over Blacks Beach. Or the dinner outside under lights with Alex Morgan, celebrating some of the country’s most badass women chefs. Or the celebrity pickleball tournament hosted by NFL Hall of Famer Drew Brees, where the star of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia made thwacking sounds with locals. Or when Iron Chef winner Beau MacMillan commandeered (some say “stole”) a golf cart and delivered drinks and ice to chefs.
Whatever it is, Del Mar Wine & Food seems to have become the food and wine festival for people who don’t usually like food and wine festivals. The most San Diego thing.
Courtesy of Del Mar Wine & Food Festival
Two years ago, Thrillist named it one of the best food festivals in the country. Last year, 10,000 people came out to experience it, including Guy Fieri. Afterward, the founders spent a couple days trying to put their finger on why it felt so special. They had to name it, lean into whatever that was.
“It all came back to play,” says one of those founders, SDM co-owner Troy Johnson, a longtime San Diego food writer and Food Network judge. “Making world-class bread is serious, but breaking bread shouldn’t be. We gather all these incredibly talented people who take their craft very, very seriously—work their butts off all year to make some of the best food and drink in the country—and then we all just kinda play in the grass. We believe it’s possible to create something of incredible value and make the experience of that thing a laidback, easygoing, unpretentious experience. That’s what this is, and who we are in San Diego. The whole reason we did this was to shine a national spotlight on the people who make our food and drink culture hum.”
Courtesy of Del Mar Wine & Food Festival
The festival dropped its 2026 lineup today.
Headlining the fest are Food Network chefs Jet Tila, Maneet Chauhan, and Aarti Sequeira; Top Chef winner and Michelin-starred Buddha Lo; Iron Chef alum Beau MacMillan; MasterChef winner Kelsey Murphy; MasterChef Latinos winner Michelle Mathelin, chef and Guy’s Grocery Games judge Catherine McCord, chef and former Masterchef Mexico judge Benito Molina, Top Chef alum Jackson Kalb, Michelin-starred chef Drew Deckman, Michelin-starred chef Javier Plascencia, James Beard award-winning chef Brady Ishiwata Williams, and James Beard-nominated chef Mawa McQueen.
The party kicks off on Wednesday, September 30 at Monarch Ocean Pub with Signature San Diego, a walk-around tasting of the city’s greatest bites, from Baja seafood to bold Mexican flavors. From there, the energy carries into a celebrity pickleball tournament hosted by Drew Brees at Barnes Tennis Center on October 2, pairing friendly competition with an all-inclusive tasting experience in support of Feeding San Diego.
The main event is the two-day Grand Tasting at Surf Sports Park on Oct. 3 and 4. The city’s top chefs, food people from TV lands, and local tastemakers gather on the weirdly perfect grass to serve up everything from juicy Wagyu burgers and beef tallow fries to yellowtail tuna tostadas and veggies dressed up in their Sunday best. Wine and cocktail pairings are designed to round out the whole experience, including activations from Aperol Spritz, Hendrick’s Gin, Tequila Ocho, Mezcal Vago, Rioja wines, and Temecula producers.
Courtesy of Del Mar Wine & Food Festival
A VIP lounge offers exclusive access to curated small plates from Michelin-level chefs and pour from some of SoCal and Napa’s finest wineries and drink makers. The Official After Party at Guesthouse La Valle on October 3, a spirited walk-around tasting just steps from the Grand Tasting, where cocktails take center stage through imaginative bites inspired by the smoky, citrus-forward, and bittersweet flavors of classic drinks.
Zones return with activations including the Big Queer Food Fest celebrating queer chefs and queer-owned businesses; the Wellness Zone led by Novo Dia offering a built-in reset with non-alcoholic mocktails, movement-driven activations, and wellness-forward moments. Coastal lifestyle and locally made brands are also integrated throughout the festival.
“We are excited for the fourth edition of the Del Mar Wine & Food Festival this fall, which has quickly become one of the largest food and wine experiences on the West Coast,” says co-founder Chris Finn. “As the festival continues to grow, we are constantly looking to add events, experiences, and partners that will resonate with our San Diego community, and embody the Southern California way of life.”
Returning as the festival’s partner is local nonprofit Feeding San Diego. To date, Del Mar Wine & Food has raised $100,000 to support their ongoing fight against hunger across the region.
Stay tuned for additional events hosted by festival partners including Rob Machado, San Diego Wave, San Diego FC, Town & Country, and San Diego Mojo.
Courtesy of Del Mar Wine & Food Festival
Del Mar Wine & Food Fest: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When is the 2026 Del Mar Wine & Food Festival?
The 2026 Del Mar Wine & Food Festival will take place September 30–October 4 throughout San Diego County.
Where is the Del Mar Wine & Food Festival?
The week culminates with the Grand Tasting at Surf Sports Park (formerly the Del Mar Polo Fields) at 14989 Via De La Valle, Del Mar.
A wide variety of exclusive dinners, drink tastings, and other lifestyle events will be announced soon and available for purchase individually on Del Mar Wine & Food Festival’s website. These festivities include chef-curated dining experiences across San Diego’s hottest restaurants, a celebrity pickleball tournament, wine tastings, and more.
When is the 2026 Grand Tasting?
The Grand Tasting takes place this year on Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4.
How much are tickets?
General admission for the single-day Grand Tasting starts at $185. An Early Access option is also available at $235, which includes an extra four hours before general admission to meet, mingle, and feast. For a two-day pass, General Admission starts at $275, while Early Access is $375.
VIP tickets begin at $425 for a single day, offering access to pre-festival experiences, exclusive food vendors, a dedicated VIP area, and more. For the full weekend in VIP, passes are priced at $765.
Where can I buy tickets for the 2026 Del Mar Wine & Food Festival?
Isabella Dallas is a freelance writer for San Diego Magazine and the Arts and Culture Editor at The Daily Aztec in her final year at San Diego State University. She previously worked as an editorial intern for SDM, but when she’s not writing, you can find her trying the best coffee spots in SD, devouring the latest rom-coms, and indulging in anything and everything pop culture.
Is there any food more quintessentially San Diegan than the California burrito? That was a rhetorical question since the French fry-stuffed, flour tortilla-wrapped torpedo of carne asada bliss came into being in the 80s (either invented by Lolita’s or Santana’s, depending on who you ask). But now, Vietnamese-Mexican pop-up Một Bánh Mì may be giving the longtime champ a run for its money.
Một Bánh Mì’s original California banh mi takes cues from both cultures, using traditional Vietnamese baguettes from Paris Bakery filled with carne asada and garnished with cilantro-jalapeno crema, Vietnamese mayonnaise, pickled vegetables, cilantro, cucumber, jalapenos, and of course, French fries.
“It’s so San Diego—it’s so us,” says Desmond Bui, pop-up founder and owner with partner Marisol Santiago. “It really encapsulates the Vietnamese-American and Mexican-American journey and identity here.”
Both grew up in San Diego. Bui is Vietnamese. Santiago is Mexican-American. The sandwich makes utter personal sense.
Neither of them cooked professionally before launching Một Bánh Mì earlier this year, when they popped up for the first time at Convoy Rising for Lunar New Year. But after seeing the rise of the local Vietnamese coffee scene with shops like Saigon Coffee, Chance’s Coffee, and Em Coffee House, Bui knew there was an opportunity for a new generation to put a fresh spin on Vietnamese food in San Diego.
While there are plenty of places to grab a banh mi around town (K Sandwiches, Ba Le French Sandwich Shop, Lee’s Sandwiches, and so on), we’ve yet to hear of a California banh mi. Firsts are being firsted.
“Banh mi is regarded by top chefs as the best sandwich in the world,” says Bui. (Side note: I concur.) And after discovering overlap between Mexican and Vietnamese cuisines through common ingredients like cilantro, lime, jalapeno, white onion, and pickled vegetables, they began planning a menu.
Courtesy of Một Bánh Mì
Một Bánh Mì also serves Bánh Mì Đặc Biệt (Vietnamese cold cuts), Bánh Mì Thịt Nướng (grilled lemongrass pork banh mi), and Bánh Mì carnitas de hongos (mushroom pâté banh mi), along with some specials like Thịt Nướng tacos (grilled lemongrass pork) and hopefully soon, al pastor trompo banh mi (marinated pork shaved off a spit) and charcoal-grilled adobada.
Other banh mi shops Americanize names for English-speaking audiences—for example, listing “grilled chicken sandwich” instead of Bánh Mì Gà Nướng. Not Một Bánh Mì. If you’re not sure how to pronounce something, Bui says they’re happy to help. It’s an educational opportunity, he explains, as well as a chance for them to be “unapologetically Vietnamese and Mexican.”
Part of the immersive experience is playing Vietnamese tunes from the ‘60s and ‘70s.
“When you think of universal languages, what are ways when you travel or meet a different group of people that you can still find common ground and connect and feel like we’re a lot more alike than we are different?” Bui asks. “Food and music.”
The musical element is part of Một Bánh Mì’s greater vision. They’d like to evolve into a lifestyle brand and media company, with merch, jars of pickled vegetables, you name it. Eventually, they’d like to open a brick-and-mortar somewhere in Mid-City. In the meantime, they’ll continue to pop up at places like Mixed Grounds and Chance’s Coffee, or wherever they can. (Bui called Provecho Coffee their “dream collab,” hint hint.)
San Diego bartenders have been making serious waves over the past few years, and it looks like 2026 is carrying on that momentum. Dominique Muñoz, bar lead at Polite Provisions, just nabbed a top spot on Punch’s Best New Bartenders 2026 list. She’s hardly new to the game, having been behind the stick for nearly a decade and founding the Sirens and Spirits collective to elevate women and nonbinary bartenders in the industry, but it’s fabulous to see some (well-deserved) San Diego representation on the short list. Congrats to Muñoz—we can’t wait to see what you do next.
Speaking of awards, Tribute Pizza just earned a prize of its own. The North Park pizza palace hit #38 on the 50 Top Pizza list this year (for the fourth year) right before its 10th anniversary on June 2. Here’s to another decade of delightful pies, ridiculously good Caesar salads, and the weird-to-have, but delicious-to-eat Sichuan spicy noodles.
But the recognition doesn’t stop there. San Diego’s only three-Michelin-starred restaurant Addison by William Bradley (which is freshly re-open after a thorough renovation) just made San Diego history by being the first restaurant in the city to make it on North America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 list at #31. Considering there are something around 70,000 restaurants in North America (if not more)—I’d say landing in the top 50 is pretty monumental.
San Diego has one of the highest concentrations of people in the African diaspora, including one of the nation’s largest East African populations behind Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. To celebrate the huge diversity of cuisines from countries like Somalia, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and beyond, head to the annual San Diego Soul Food Fest on August 1 at the North Park Mini Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Soul food’s roots come from the American South, where generations of enslaved people made do with what resources they had; today, it’s a celebration of culture, cooking, and community. I, for one, am salivating at the thought of getting some legit collard greens and fried catfish.
In lieu of catfish, I just might pop over to Bica in Normal Heights on June 20 for the Tuna Takedown, where chefs from Kingfisher, Mabel’s Gone Fishing, Ironside, À L’ouest, Fish Guts (plus a few more) will go full nose-to-tail on a 150-pound bluefin tuna. That’s about as fresh as it gets, and with beer, wine, and a DJ on top of that, I’m hard-pressed to make any other plans that night.
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Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
There’s a creative inertia that resides in San Diego, producing a near-constant stream of cool events. Fortunately, this weekend is no different. Those with an artistic inkling can search for inspiration at MCASD’s EXPO Design Market or admire the mixture of live performance and neighborhood charm during the North Park Music Fest. Foodies can dine (with wine) at Stake Chophouse & Bar during its ZD Wines Dinner or explore Barrio Logan’s standout eats at the Sabor Del Barrio. Plus, Pride Month is already in full swing in SD with the return of DISCO RIOT’s Queer Mvmnt Fest and the two-day Out & Abt Music Festival.
Stake Chophouse & Bar is collaborating with Napa Valley’s ZD Wines—a family-run winemaking institution that’s been around since 1969—on an intimate four-course dinner this Thursday at 6:30 p.m. Throughout the meal, each dish will be paired with a curated pour from ZD Wines, with patrons set to receive a chardonnay, pinot noir, and pair of cabernet sauvignons. Dinner guests will also be treated to insight on the night’s wine pairings from ZD Wines’ senior winemaker Chris Pisani. Reservations are $210 pre-paid through OpenTable.
Take advantage of all the dynamic attractions that the Barrio Logan Cultural District has to offer—and eat very well while you’re at it—during the third annual Sabor Del Barrio. This Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. attendees can devour their way through 35 neighborhood staples and traverse the tasting stops on foot, by bike, via a free trolley shuttle, or a combination of the three. Tickets are $40 online ($55 day of) and come with complimentary admission to Quint Gallery, the Athenaeum Art Center, and the Chicano Park Museum & Cultural Center, plus a free tour of Tao of Clay.
Sam Hinton Folk Heritage Festival at Old Poway Park
June 6
Survey the depth of oral storytelling during the free annual Sam Hinton Folk Heritage Festival this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Old Poway Park. Named for harmonica virtuoso, marine biologist, and longtime San Diegan Sam Hinton, this event highlights folk artists who specialize in time-honored traditions. Throughout the day, attendees can see performances by musicians with roots in Americana, Cajun, and Appalachian rhythms on the main stage, dance in the Templars Hall, and hear historical tales from the Storytellers of San Diego in the Porter House.
14134 Midland Road, Poway
North Park Music Fest
June 6
Psychedelic rockers Frankie and the Witch Fingers will headline an eclectic lineup at the North Park Music Fest. This Saturday, enjoy sets from noon to 1:45 a.m. from over thirty performers—including DJs, bands, and local acts—across a dozen North Park venues. Ticket options include general admission ($25 online, $35 day of) and VIP passes ($65) which come with lounge access at Granada House, line-skipping privileges and more; festival proceeds will go towards the North Park Business & Neighborhood Foundation. Plus, performances at Pure Pawsh, Visual Art + Supply, Overland, and Playground Art + Coffee will be open to the public.
North Park
Out & Abt Music Festival
June 6 & 7
The calendar has just flipped to Pride Month, and Out & Abt is celebrating in style. The two-day Out & Abt Music Festival begins Saturday from 3-10 p.m. at The Soap Factory with drag shows, circus acts, a manic pixie dream market, two stages of live music, and last but not least, a mechanical bull. The festivities will continue with an after party from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. at Gossip Grill and conclude with an afternoon pool party at Hard Rock Hotel San Diego on Sunday from 1-7 p.m. Ticket options include weekend general admission passes ($70), and entry to the music festival ($30), after party ($17) and pool party ($27).
Citywide
Photo Credit: Kevin Berne
Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Weekend
The Monsters at La Jolla Playhouse
June 2-28
Fresh off its Drama Desk Award-winning run in the Big Apple this past winter, The Monsters will have its first West Coast production beginning Tuesday in the Mandall Weiss Forum at La Jolla Playhouse. Written by and co-starring Ngozi Anyanwu, The Monsters finds its reconciliatory narrative in a young woman yearning to repair her relationship with her estranged older brother in the brutal and unforgiving world of mixed martial arts. The Monsters will have preview performances this Tuesday through Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 & 8 p.m. and Sunday at 1 & 7 p.m., with tickets ranging from $30-$74.
Ryan Hardison is a freelance arts and entertainment writer and recent graduate of San Diego State. When he's not staring at his laptop, he's likely eating an adobada burrito or getting sunburnt at the beach.
Kelly H. Harfouche, founder of KQ Aesthetic Society, knows firsthand that cosmetic treatments like fillers, neurotoxins, and microneedling, can not only enhance a person’s appearance and restore confidence, they have the power to truly change a person’s life. An expert injector has the ability to tailor treatments to each individual patient’s anatomy and goals for personalized results. Harfouche, a board-certified nurse practitioner, has spent nearly a decade perfecting her craft as an aesthetic injector and integrating her multifaceted artistic skills with precision patient care. Her commitment to continual education and training, plus a passion for helping people look—and feel—their best, set KQ Aesthetic Society apart in a sea of local medspas.
For many people considering nonsurgical treatments, the intent is to look refreshed and refined. KQ Aesthetic Society’s philosophy eschews a cookie cutter approach that bases treatments around units, instead working to understand each person’s unique goals, then curating a treatment plan to fit that vision. Harfouche focuses on “inclusive luxury,” the belief that everyone deserves access to aesthetic treatments, respective of budget restrictions. She develops long-standing trusted relationships with her patients, and works with each one to achieve their aesthetic objectives and address the underlying causes of their concerns.
“For me, forming an honest and open relationship with every patient who walks through the door is essential. This means understanding them on a deeper level and meeting them where they are to define and achieve their individual goals,” she says.
Drawing on her artistic background, which inspired her transition into medical aesthetics, Harfouche sees each client as a “unique canvas.” Rather than relying on standardized procedures, the practitioner’s distinctive approach combines her profound understanding of the physiological and anatomical changes associated with aging with an unwavering commitment to ongoing education about the newest products and their mechanisms of action. Her goal is to make each patient feel beautiful in their own skin and to embrace their individuality.
She has also pioneered a way to combine her talent for aesthetic artistry with her philanthropic nature. Harfouche is one of only a handful of providers using dermal fillers to treat patients with lip asymmetry and scarring resulting from cleft lip surgery. Patients travel from around the country for this transformative treatment, noting increased confidence and a restored identity. She hopes to eventually launch a training program to help fill the void in this space.
“My passion has always been connecting with people and giving back in any capacity that I can,” she says. In the rapidly advancing landscape of aesthetic medicine, you can place your confidence in Harfouche and KQ Aesthetic Society to deliver exceptional care. To learn more or book a consultation, please visit kqaestheticsociety.com.
June Gloom isn’t stopping San Diegans from making the most out of the month. There’s something for every music lover, from swaying to smooth jazz at The Rady Shell to rocking out at Slightly Stoopid’s Field of Dreamz Festival. Art enthusiasts can visit the Mingei for an exhibit showcasing Native American and Pacific Rim heritage, […]
June Gloom isn’t stopping San Diegans from making the most out of the month. There’s something for every music lover, from swaying to smooth jazz at The Rady Shell to rocking out at Slightly Stoopid’s Field of Dreamz Festival. Art enthusiasts can visit the Mingei for an exhibit showcasing Native American and Pacific Rim heritage, while foodies can try the latest fried fad at the San Diego County Fair. Whatever your interests, it’s time to text the group chat and make some plans. Here are all the best things to do in San Diego this month:
Khalid is headlining his first tour since 2019—this time for the R&B and pop showstopper After the Sun Goes Down—and he’s ready to dance through Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre.
Photo Credit: Angela Babby / Courtesy of Angela Babby
Theater & Art Exhibits in San Diego This Month
6/5–7/19
With a beat that can’t be stopped, New Village Arts will revive the joyful musical Hairspray, a fusion of teen pop stardom and racial integration in Civil Rights–era Baltimore.
6/13–9/13
Cat Gunn poignantly examines the impact of forced separation from ancestral lineage through If Only by the Light of a New Moon, their solo museum debut at ICA Central.
Proceed to Pride Month with the Out & Abt Festival, featuring a carnival-themed playground at The Soap Factory, an afterparty hosted by Gossip Grill, and the next day, a sapphic poolside bash at the Hard Rock Hotel.
6/10–7/5
Imagine and experience your favorite fairytale ending during the San Diego County Fair, which returns this summer with a new theme: Once Upon a Fair.
11 & 13
The return of the Switchfoot Bro-Am means two things: an elegant seaside fundraiser in North County and a free bash at Moonlight Beach full of sun, surf competitions, and live music.
For the first time, NASCAR will start its engines in San Diego. Naval Base Coronado will host this one-of-a-kind racing spectacle to commemorate the U.S. Navy’s semiquincentennial.
25
Itadakimasu! In other words: Let’s eat! Sample, then rank, the best Pan-Asian dishes from local eateries at Julep Venue during SD Mag’s 21+ Omakase Open, done to support the Convoy District.
28
If you ever needed a reason to eat ice cream and gelato, here’s a charitable one. Raise money—one waffle cone at a time—for Feeding San Diego during this year’s Scoop San Diego festival.
Ryan Hardison is a freelance arts and entertainment writer and recent graduate of San Diego State. When he's not staring at his laptop, he's likely eating an adobada burrito or getting sunburnt at the beach.
San Diego is just out here minding its own business. It’s long been cast as Los Angeles’s less ambitious sibling—the chill one, the one who shows up late for dinner reservations in flip-flops with a few provocative opinions. Architecturally it’s often cast the same: secondary, derivative, a footnote to California modernism that seems to begin and end with the Stahl House (Case Study House #22). LA has Pierre Koenig, Craig Ellwood, John Lautner. San Diego has the original fish taco.
But this version of the story is redacted, metaphorically speaking.
While the jazz hands of Hollywood and its hills cast a spell on historians and architecture buffs, San Diego had, and has, its own quiet evolution: It invented and reinvented itself through homegrown modernism, beginning with The Allen House (1907) in Bonita by Irving J. Gill.
“The biggest misconception is that San Diego was following Los Angeles,” says Keith York of Modern San Diego, one of the city’s top guides to modernist architecture. “Those who consider Rudolph Schindler and Richard Neutra as the fathers of Southern California Modernism often fail to recognize the outsize influence Gill and his buildings had on their work.”
Courtesy of Keith York
A new book, The Distinct Modernism of San Diego—written by Mark Hargreaves and Hallie Swenson, published by York—focuses on eight architects who were born, raised, or built their careers in San Diego. It illustrates how the city wasn’t hosting weekend warrior architects on side quests. It was a staging ground for a less look-at-me modernism from luminaries like Gill, Lilian J. Rice, Richard Requa, Lloyd Ruocco, Frederick Liebhardt, Kendrick Bangs Kellogg, Sim Bruce Richards, and Cliff May.
“Absent the backstabbing competition for projects, a collegial group of architectural peers collaborated and maintained lasting friendships with one another as they designed in response to the temperate climate and slower economy,” York says.
Largely unknown until the mid-1960s, Gill is a marquee name today. He arrived here from the East Coast at a moment when San Diego was still defining itself, which gave him the freedom to invent something new, experiment, rebel.
Instead of imposing the flourishes and frills of the time, he considered San Diego’s climate, light, landscape, history—the joie de vivre—and designed for this place. “[Architects of the west] must have the courage to fling aside every device that distracts the eye from structural beauty, must break through convention and get down to fundamental truths,” he once said, a sentiment that nails the un-ornate, total lack of pretension that’s defined San Diego people and culture.
And, lo, did Gill fling: His flat roofs, clean lines, and almost no ornamentation—though not necessarily modernism in the Eames or Eichler sense—foreshadowed what would later be called minimalism. Gill eventually became synonymous with the Los Angeles narrative, but broader architectural histories overlook the fact that his most progressive designs happened here.
Courtesy of Keith York
Another key to San Diego’s architectural movement was Lilian J. Rice, who often worked behind the scenes with little credit. She was one of only about 10 women in America licensed as architects at the time. Even though she died from cancer at 43, she somehow managed to complete an estimated 170 projects in the region, many in Rancho Santa Fe.
Born and raised in National City, Rice also wasn’t importing ideas. She shaped her own based on her understanding of this region and her commitment to protect the natural environment. Her work has been categorized as Spanish Colonial Revival, but she wasn’t reviving as much as she was refining a style suited to our border region—serene, mirroring nature, beautiful.
Like Sim Bruce Richards, who was his own way of life. While Gill stripped away ornamentation and Rice focused on the peace of open spaces, Richards came along several decades later and went full emo. By then, modernism had grown deep roots; its steel-and-glass structures took themselves very seriously. Richards came to party.
Photo Credit: Ollie Patterson
An eccentric, unpredictable man with half a face (part of his jaw was removed following a bone infection when he was a child), his life was a jalopy of adventures. He was opinionated and passionate about design, music, texture—and he created what he called a “sensuous environment.” He wanted his clients and their guests to feel the spaces as much as to be in them, appealing to the visual, tactile, nasal (“a cedar house smells good”), auditory (“acoustically superior”), even taste. “Though, I‘ve never had a client lick my houses,” he once wrote.
Organic, woodsy, textured, aromatic—if you ever find yourself in a Sim Bruce Richards house, a licking impulse might not seem so outrageous.
Gill, Rice, Richards and the other architects in Distinct Modernism built a legacy in San Diego that resonates nationally. And the work of these heavy hitters isn’t stuck in an inaccessible collectors realm: This October, homes by Kellogg and Liebhardt will open to the public as part of the La Jolla Modernism Home Tour—an opportunity to experience it not as a museum relic or magazine image (ahem), but as something alive.
Modernism in San Diego was never about glamour or an intention to be iconic. What transpired here is more nuanced, more ingrained with a less shouty aesthetic. A very San Diego aesthetic.
AVRP Studios’ tradition for Design Excellence and Innovation began in 1976 with Doug Austin, FAIA, in Solana Beach, California. The firm has since grown to complete major projects throughout the United States and Canada. We think of ourselves as a family and we care deeply about people. We want to inspire, help make their lives richer and more complete through our efforts. We believe that architecture is one of the most important art forms because of the impact it can have on the lives of those it touches. We’re delighted to have been recognized with over 150 awards for design excellence.
703 16th Street, Suite 200, San Diego, California 92101 | 619-704-2700 | avrpstudios.com
