For San Diego–based designer Alexia María Esquer, style runs through her DNA. Her grandmother’s atelier in Mexicali served as her childhood playground. At five, she started to sew, paint, and design, using whatever materials she could find. Old zippers. Broken jewelry. Scraps of cloth.
“Together, my grandmother and I could make something out of anything,” she says. When she did take a trip to the fabric store, it felt like a trip to Disneyland.
In adulthood, Esquer’s lifelong passion translated into a career. With her grandmother’s mentorship, she launched an eponymous clothing line in 2014, opening the first Alexia María store in La Jolla.
The Alexia María aesthetic is classically feminine with a modern twist: oversized bows and detachable capes, mini dresses, and column gowns.
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Her designs pay homage to Golden Age film icons like Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn. A voracious vintage shopper, Esquer notes that the craftsmanship of decades-old pieces is unparalleled, though she’s known to tweak her finds to modernize their silhouettes. “If I can’t find it, maybe I can try to make it,” she explains.
One signature Alexia María look: overskirts. En vogue in the ’50s, overskirts offer two options: Add it on for a formal dress, or leave it off for a jumpsuit. The Alexia María overskirt made its red carpet debut in early 2016 when actress Abigail Spencer turned heads in a red ensemble.
That classic look in a sea of trendy gowns soon garnered A-list interest. Ariana Grande, Paris Hilton, and Gwen Stefani have donned Alexia María gowns.
Yet while big names come calling, the designs are attainable enough to also fit black tie events and weddings, most often on bridesmaids, mothers of the bride, and guests.
In 2020, mid-pandemic, Esquer began to cater to an influx of brides who were scrambling to pull together backyard ceremonies and courthouse weddings. “They needed something fast,” she says. “And they needed something white.”
For smaller-scale weddings, brides were favoring alternative styles like midi dresses or jumpsuits. Galas and events were on pause, so the Alexia María atelier’s production time was faster than ever: seven to 10 business days. Orders rolled in, and in the months that followed, grateful brides sent photos, thanking the Alexia María team for being a bright spot in a hard time.
Alexia Maria, dresses
Courtesy of Alexia Maria
As large-scale weddings returned, Alexia María pieces became go-to’s for rehearsal dinners, engagement parties, and bridal showers. The pandemic shifted the Alexia María shopping experience; though the atelier no longer offers in-person appointments, customers can peruse new collections at trunk shows and select Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus stores.
Alexia María’s latest collection—fall/winter 2022/2023—might be the label’s most feminine yet. “I captured the dreamy feeling of Paris in this collection,” Esquer says. “Like a dramatic ruby gown with a long train and long bow. It makes you dream of dressing up, a big event, a romantic moment.”
“As an entrepreneur, business owner, and mother, I see modern femininity as embracing your essence and being confident in who you are,” she continues. “I always tell my customers, the most important thing you can wear is your confidence.”
As one of the foremost designers in the San Diego bridal and formalwear space, Esquer says she appreciates the petite size of the city’s design community. “There are great artists here in San Diego, but they each have their own niche,” she says. “And I get to have my family life and my personal life without feeling the rush of the fashion scene.”
Her family plays a big role. Esquer’s husband, Ricardo Rubio, is the brand’s CEO, while her sister-in-law Gabriela Rubio is the brand director. And, she adds, “Every time my grandmother visits me, she comes to my atelier and wants to cry because she can’t believe it.”
Georgina Treviño has adorned Bad Bunny and Doja Cat, but still calls San Diego home
By Seth Combs
One look and it’s easy to see that local jewelry designer Georgina Treviño is overcaffeinated. She has to be. She’s just returned from a whirlwind trip where she finished a workshop residency at Penland School of Craft in North Carolina—while also finding time to pop up and down to LA and Mexico City to, among other things, deliver some custom pieces for a “very important, very secretive” client who sought her out to accessorize his outfit for Chloë Sevigny and gallerist Siniša Mačković’s wedding in Connecticut. Now she’s finally back at her Little Italy studio. And while she found time to create two custom pieces for the bride and groom, anyone who knows Treviño would not be surprised to learn she’s already onto the next thing.
Courtesy of Georgina Trevino
“I feel like I love to go into the chaos knowing that I can come home,” she says, adding that she often gets asked why, after all she’s accomplished so far, she doesn’t simply move. “I love San Diego. I just love being here, because I’m in between both worlds.”
Following Treviño’s Instagram is something of a whirlwind experience itself; a crash course in what it means when an up-and-coming designer generates enough buzz to where they’re becoming the go-to accessory for photo shoots and step-and-repeats for the likes of Olivia Rodrigo, Lady Gaga, and Bad Bunny, the latter of whom insisted on keeping a pair of earrings she created after he wore them for a music video. “That almost made me cry,” she admits.
Courtesy of Georgina Trevino
Inspired by lowbrow pop culture as much as by ’80s punk rock aesthetics, Treviño’s custom rings, bracelets, and dangles have appeared in Teen Vogue, Purple magazine, and most recently, the Los Angeles Times, who commissioned her for a custom spread in their style magazine, Image. This is in addition to her even more notable accomplishments, such as appearances in a Nike Air Max campaign and a deal to bring her signature pierced designs to Chunks hair products. She’ll also be customizing purses and creating her own in- store intervention for Spanish fashion tastemaker Bimba y Lola inside their Mexico City storefront. Not bad for an Otay Ranch local who, only a few years ago, switched her SDSU major from painting to metalsmithing.
Courtesy of Georgina Trevino
Next up, she says she’s going to check out real estate while in Mexico City in hopes of opening her own brick-and- mortar space there. “There are so many more, other things I want to do to challenge myself,” Treviño says. “I’m just going to figure out how to do it, you know?”
It was June 2020, and Michael Lynch’s phone lit up with notifications: an Instagram tag in Thrasher, another in Gear Patrol, Cool Material. Then, SURFER calls. Can they speak with the brains behind the art of Imperfects, the account catching all the attention? It’s a modern-day technological love story.
Imperfects, founded by Lynch, is a lifestyle brand run out of an office-cum-storefront in Liberty Station. The brand sells top-of-the-line custom surfboards, skateboards, and stylish, monochromatic unisex apparel built to last. The two things that really broke the internet are his signature asymmetrical surfboards, shaped by hand, and Imperfects’ Shepherds Shirt, best described as a sexy, smart smock for grown-ups.
A handful of years back, he started a creative agency focused on sustainable and outdoors-oriented lifestyle and apparel brands. Lynch started shaping surfboards for fun, which naturally led to making skateboards. Ever the creative mind, he began designing clothes that spoke to the lifestyle of those sports, using second-use, high-quality fabric he sourced from his contacts in the garment industry.
Imperfects-Retail-Store
James Lynch
True to the Imperfects moniker, it was more an undefined creative outlet than a side hustle. He tinkered with it, quietly assembling a plan piece-by-piece while running the agency and building a home with his wife and two kids in Point Loma (Lynch grew up in North County).
But that day in 2020, he realized it was “time to give Imperfects the full go.” He was able to hit the ground running thanks to the back stock he’d built up over the years, a made-to-order collection at the ready.
What followed was selling out across product lines, a bi- coastal pop-up collab with Ilegal Mezcal, being carried in Nordstrom’s top five busiest stores in the U.S., and a cult-following sneaking up on the mainstream. Imperfects surfboards have been commissioned by crusty Moonlight Beach locals and home collectors alike, who both use the pieces in the water and as art.
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Titus Huag
More growth is coming, Lynch assures. He thinks back to a conversation he had with a friend some years back: “We were saying, ‘Will our art ever get out there? Are we just not ballsy enough to put it out there? Are we afraid of judgment?’ The answer was ‘yes’ to all that—we didn’t think we would ever be seen.”
Leave it to the internet to fix that in short order.
Jackie is a long-time freelance journalist covering cannabis, food/restaurants, travel, labor, wine, spirits, arts & culture, design, and other topics. Her work has been selected twice for Best American Travel Writing, and she has won a variety of national and local awards for her writing and reporting.
Architect Soheil Nakhshab is building community, preserving history and reframing how we co-exist around the county
By AnnaMaria Stephens
THE CUTTING EDGE — Located on the edge of Maple Canyon, the award-winning Truax project is a testament to the blend of vintage and modern architecture Bankers Hill is known for. From a catwalk at the lofts, residents can take in bay views and watch jet landings at nearby SAN airport, a favorite local pastime.
Darren Bradley
Under the flight path, perched on the edge of a canyon at the end of a cul-de-sac, the awkward plot might’ve given some architects pause. Not Soheil Nakhshab. He’s built a thriving practice transforming odd-shaped urban infill sites into head-turning multi-residential developments. And the historic Truax property in Bankers Hill is no exception.
“We preserved, restored, and designed a tranquil, whimsical environment,” says the award-winning architect-developer, whose Truax project was announced a winner in the esteemed Urban Land Institute Americas awards this July. The development now moves onto an international competition.
Anchoring the unique site, the Truax House showcases classic Craftsman style, with overhanging eaves, multi-paned windows, and a cherry-red exterior that pops against crisp blue skies. Originally built in 1912, the spacious home became a hospice for AIDS patients in the ‘80s under the care of gay physician and advocate Brad Truax, who passed away from AIDS-related complications in 1988.
Set in Mission Hills, Clea is where sustainable engineering meets modern style in this 3,820 square foot, LEED Gold certified residence. The indoor-outdoor interplay serves as the ultimate expression of San Diego’s lifestyle
Darren Bradley
Before he’d even won his bid on the city-owned property, Nakhshab acted to preserve its important past. “I went around to LGBTQ organizations and community groups and spoke to them about my plans,” Nakhshab explains. “I was not going to tear down the house. I had my own historic attorney prepare a report to get the city to acknowledge that history.”
The gutted and fully restored Truax House, with minor exterior additions that meld seamlessly with the original, now contains 10 apartments and a community room open to the public by appointment. The traditional architecture contrasts the neighboring bright white Truax Lofts, which Nakhshab designed as a sleek L-shaped structure with an open breezeway over the sloping hillside beneath it.
“A normal institutional developer would’ve filled that space in with more units or parking,” points out Nakhshab. “But I’m an architect. I wanted to draw in that cool factor. From the street, you can see all the way to the courtyard. I didn’t want a monolithic building. There are pockets and courtyards. There’s a catwalk where any tenant can walk out and watch the planes land.”
Mitra, a downtown corner building, is a study in modernity—nine luxurious open-concept studios with minimalistic interiors, mezzanine lofts, and solar power
Darren Bradley
In addition to the modern Truax Lofts building, which features 30 smartly laid-out mezzanine lofts with balconies and views of Maple Canyon and the bay, Nakhshab built a set of four black, four-story townhomes, each of which contains a private elevator. “I wanted to create an alternative to living in a highrise condo,” says Nakhshab. “There’s no sense of neighborhood in a 40-story building.”
Creating a sense of community is critical to Nakhshab’s design philosophy. “Culturally speaking, family is core for immigrants,” says the architect, whose parents moved stateside from Iran with their two children in 1984. Nakhshab’s younger brother, Nima, handles construction management for Nakhshab Development & Design, and the whole extended family has lived under the same roof in various NDD-designed multi-generational homes.
“We take this idea and bring it into our projects and create environments where we have multiple demographics of people living in our properties, from college students to retirees and working people in between,” says Nakhshab. “We want to give them a safe, comfortable environment where they can make friends.”
Nakhshab first fostered this concept with the Sofia Lofts, a 17-unit “micro-community” in Golden Hill named after his daughter. “I designed mixed unit types and the idea was to be intergenerational, multi-demographic, and even enable aging in place. Truax Lofts is Sofia Lofts on steroids.”
WILD COUNTRY — In Del Mar’s coveted micro-neighborhood of Pine Needles, Nakhshab created a LEED Gold certified property that feels like a glamorous, secluded treehouse. Set in the sandstone and tree-filled lot, the architecture is organic, modern, and completely custom in how it harmonizes with nature. The Crosby Residence serves as a forward-thinking beacon in a neighborhood established by mid-century codes.
Darren Bradley
The architect also builds single-family modern residences but says such commissions only account for a small part of his business and come with a caveat. “I have to design everything myself, right down to the interiors.”
Not that his clients mind in the slightest. One Nakhshab homeowner in Del Mar recently tapped him to build an ADU, and his solution was ingenious: the spacious guesthouse is literally built into the hillside. “I cut it out and fit it with a hobbit’s den that’s wrapped in greenery and vegetation,” he says.
He’s also currently putting the finishing touches on a new Nakhshab family compound in South Mission Hills, which features three separate custom dwellings: one for his parents, one for his brother’s young family, and the third for his own family, including kids Shayan (12) and Sofia (9), who have lived in various NDD projects since they were born.
But it’s the multi-residential projects on the challenging urban-infill lots that truly inspire Nakhshab as an architect, including a new micro-unit building in Mission Hills that will open up the well-heeled neighborhood to a whole new set of workforce residents.
“I see it as a humanitarian contribution to the city,” he explains. “A lot of people can’t afford to buy in San Diego. I feel that as developers we are obligated to give people a higher standard of living. These aren’t cheap matchbox buildings. These are nice homes.”
THE NEW OLD — In East Village, Ezabelle features 46 residential micro-units and a rooftop community space. “These units are so versatile. They’re set up like Swiss Army Knives. They have a bed, a couch, kitchen, and laundry already in the unit. So you bring your clothes and you’re all set to focus your energy on building your career.”
Darren Bradley
THOUGHT LEEDER — Architect-developer Soheil Nakhshab in front of Truax House, which serves as the historic centerpiece of the visionary LEED-certified residential compound. He divided the property into three parcels: the house, the L-shaped lofts, and four townhouses. “The community feared a developer would scrape away the history,” says Nakhshab of Truax House, once a hospice for AIDS patients. The architect made sure that didn’t happen, earning the property a major national award.
Tomoko Matsubayashi
The expansive courtyard features fire pits, seating areas, an outdoor movie theater, and citrus trees for cocktail hour. “The idea was to activate the outdoor space connected to this historic house,” he says. “You can hang out with neighbors and entertain family and friends.”
Darren Bradley
The 3,800-square-foot Athena house is located on a four-acre ranch in San Diego. “I had the idea of bringing in Greek style and California modern which I equate to Palm Springs,” says Nakhshab. “The home has this feeling.” Here, the inside serves as an extension of the architecture, since Nakhshab also designed, built, and furnished the interior.
For Executive Chef Emily Brubaker, Omni La Costa Resort & Spa feels like home. She grew up just a mile-and-a-half away from the 400-acre property and fondly recalls walking the golf course perimeter as a kid. Though her ambitions led her away from San Diego for nearly two decades in which she honed her craft in some of the highest of high-profile Las Vegas restaurants—including triple Michelin-starred Joël Robuchon at MGM Grand—they ultimately brought her back to North County.
Courtesy of Omni La Costa
Today, the classically French-trained chef, who’s fresh off a victory on NBC’s Yes, Chef!, judged by Martha Stewart and José Andrés, oversees Omni La Costa Resort & Spa’s seven distinct dining concepts. Her goal is to elevate the resort’s culinary program with her creative, hyperlocal ingredient-driven approach while maintaining the Spanish- inspired flavors and fresh California coastal cuisine that are the bedrock of its culinary identity.
“The San Diego food scene is really growing, and in North County alone, it’s really exploded in the last five years,” Brubaker says. “There are Michelin stars, beautiful tasting menus, craft bakers, and all this food—when I was growing up in La Costa, it was fish tacos. Now there are really cool things popping up, and I’m so happy to be here to see where it’s going to go.”
Brubaker gives chefs de cuisine at each individual restaurant autonomy, however, her influence is evident across the resort.
For example, lobby restaurant Bar Traza serves as Omni La Costa’s culinary centerpiece and features bold Spanish flavors in a lively, social atmosphere. Brubaker overhauled the menu to be more consistent and centered on casual bites with that signature vibe. Think smoky paprika, vibrant citrus, and Spanish meats and cheeses.
At VUE, the focus is on seasonal offerings, California coastal cuisine, and Baja-inspired dishes. She and Chef de Cuisine Cameron Dixon change the menu biannually, which heading into summer, will highlight farm-fresh produce and hyperlocal ingredients—the resort even has its own herb garden and honeybee hives.
Courtesy of Omni La Costa
Poolside dining options are leaning into the country’s 250th this summer with a selection of classic American dishes with an Omni La Costa twist. And Bob’s Steak & Chop House (Brubaker is a trained butcher) offers a classic steakhouse experience with elevated service.
The chef and company also plan menus for special events at the resort where her creativity can really shine. For an upcoming National Ski Association dinner, the banquet hall will be transformed into an Alpine-themed winter wonderland complete with a snow machine, savory sausages, and melty, decadent raclette. A recent dinner was built around the Carlsbad Flower Fields and each course was matched to a color of ranunculus (Did you know pink dragonfruit are grown in North County? You do now.).
“It’s my zen to be in the kitchen playing with food,” Brubaker says.
Omni La Costa’s culinary program is a key part of the resort experience. And with Brubaker’s leadership, it’s becoming a draw for visitors and locals alike.
“These aren’t just hotel restaurants, these are restaurants that you should go to. They’re destinations, and I’m really hoping for the future that’s where we’re going,” Brubaker says.
Courtesy of Omni La Costa
Brubaker is also channeling her experience on Yes, Chef! into the culture at Omni La Costa—more emphasis on teamwork and collaboration, empowering her staff to share constructive critiques, and embracing different perspectives. Alongside her leadership role, Brubaker has become an advocate for mental health in the hospitality industry, serving as chief ambassador for the Burnt Chef Project and serves on the Board of Advisors for the Apex Culinary Program, where she mentors and develops future talent.
Architect Brett Farrow transforms a Carlsbad lot into strikingly fresh, livable design
By AnnaMaria Stephens
Carlsbad Brett Farrow Design
Auda & Auda
Carlsbad’s latest modern eye candy takes its cues from Sea Ranch, an iconic collection of mid-century dwellings designed to complement the rugged Northern California coastline. With wedge-shaped forms, pitched roofs, and cedar cladding, the 13 standalone homes at Laguna Row give off a cool ’70s vibe.
“It’s set right on Buena Vista Lagoon,” says architect-developer-builder Brett Farrow, who trained under Jonathan Segal (the project’s name pays homage to Segal’s Kettner Row in Little Italy). “In the fall, the golden reeds reminded me of Mendocino or Sonoma.”
The oddly-shaped urban infill project, replacing a medical building and parking lot, had some challenging zoning requirements. Narrow but 45-feet tall, averaging 1,600-square-feet, the natural-modern row homes tread lightly and feature five different layouts and window configurations.
“They all have their own character,” says Farrow. “I put angles on it that capture light, air, and views better. They also have tall ceilings and large-format glass that you can open up to the outside.”
Farrow opted not to max out the lot, restoring the lagoon habitat and creating more natural space. A courtyard and European-style lanes encourage community, as does the proximity to Carlsbad Village; Laguna Row is just a short walk from the train station and restaurants Campfire and Jeune et Jolie, both of which Farrow designed.
Though the architect is about to move his young family into a newly completed project of his own in Cardiff, he nabbed one of the striking Laguna Row homes before they sold out. “It’s an amazing, beautiful place,” he says of the surroundings. “I can definitely see us living there someday.”
Sail into spring with bold pops of color and feminine takes on classic sportswear
photography by taryn kent
Styling: Kristi Brooks Hair & Makeup: Vivian Kania Model: Beth O., Industry Model Group
Model posing for the photo shoot
Taryn Kent
Theory blouse, $215, Bloomingdale’s Fashion Valley; Maje mesh shorts, $275, Bloomingdale’s Fashion Valley; Lanvin grosgrain peep-toe pump, $850, Lanvin South Coast Plaza; Lanvin Luxor necklace, $2,330, Lanvin South Coast Plaza; Tommy Hilfilger sunglasses, $65, Tommy Hilfiger Fashion Valley
Model posing for the photo shoot
Taryn Kent
L Space bikini top, $73, and bottoms, $73, Everything But Water Fashion Valley; Sandro lace blouse, $315, Bloomingdale’s Fashion Valley; House of Harlow cocktail ring, $45, Bloomingdale’s Fashion Valley
Model posing for the photo shoot
Taryn Kent
Roland Mouret cutout blouse, $675, Neiman Marcus Fashion Valley; Alexis Bittar drop earrings, $195, Neiman Marcus Fashion Valley; Alice + Olivia cuffed shorts, $154, Bloomingdale’s Fashion Valley; Valentino studded heels, $1,145, Nordstrom
Barbara Bui white perforated dress, $1,750; black perforated booties, $855; embroidered leather and crystal bracelet, $540; all available at Barbara Bui South Coast Plaza
Model posing for the photo shoot
Taryn Kent
Alexander McQueen floral knit dress, $1,435; Vince Camuto silver bracelet, $48; Kendra Scott drop earrings, $65; all available at Nordstrom
Photographed at San Diego Yacht Club. Located in Point Loma, San Diego Yacht Club is consistently ranked one of the top five yacht clubs in the country, and is recognized by the Club Leadership Forum as one of the finest facilities of its kind in the world. sdyc.com
The iconic 1,200-acre preserve’s history dates back more than 150 years, evolving from a scrub-filled plot atop a mesa overlooking what’s now Downtown to an urban oasis—the largest of its kind in the country—filled with an array of museums, attractions, gardens, trails, restaurants, and more. Balboa Park is an epic playground where San Diegans and visitors alike can experience the great outdoors just as easily as they can enjoy a world-class performance or explore groundbreaking discoveries.
Tucked away in the Spanish Colonial Revival-style architecture are 18 diverse museums that allow visitors to spend the day learning about, well, anything. A great place to start is the San Diego History Center. Located in the Casa del Balboa building, the museum tells the story of the city’s past, present, and future through photographs and art, clothing and textiles, and interviews with people who witnessed history-making events firsthand. The San Diego Natural History Museum takes visitors even farther back with interactive exhibitions that show what the region was like up to 75 million years ago.
Blast off on a simulated trip to space at the San Diego Air & Space Museum, then check out artifacts from aviation legends, including the Wright brothers, Amelia Earhart, and Buzz Aldrin. Discover new perspectives revolutionizing the science world, learn about an often overlooked but overutilized utility, and exercise your creativity at the Fleet Science Center.
Calling all theater-lovers, Balboa Park has something for you, too. The San Diego Junior Theatre will present their musical take on beloved children’s book A Bad Case of the Stripes from June 26 through July 12. And laugh, cry, and marvel in awe as the pros of The Old Globe perform Kim’s Convenience, the award-winning comedy that inspired the popular series, from May 15 to June 14.
There’s nowhere else in Balboa Park quite like WorldBeat Cultural Center. The institution celebrates African diaspora and indigenous cultures around the world using art, music, dance, and education. The building, a renovated water tower covered in colorful murals, houses a performing arts center, museum, gift shop, cafe, and outdoor classroom.
If you’d like a side of nature with your culture, Balboa Park has you covered there, too. Stroll through the gardens of the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum, a monument to the relationship between San Diego and its sister city, Yokohama, Japan. Inspired by traditional Japanese design dating back centuries, the 10-acre respite features a living exhibition that showcases plants native to both cities.
If there seems like a lot going on in Balboa Park, it’s because there is. Let theBalboa Park Cultural Partnership be your guide. The organization is the umbrella for 24 of the park’s institutions and offers an Explorer Pass that allows visitors to access multiple museums for one affordable price. The hardest part is picking where to start.
16 Museums, One Pass
Save on admission to San Diego’s top museums with the Balboa Park Explorer Pass. Explore 16 museums of art, science, history and culture across Balboa Park — all with one affordable pass. Choose the option that fits your pace: the Limited Pass (one day for up to four museums), the Parkwide Pass (seven consecutive days of access to all 16 museums) or the Annual Pass (365 days of unlimited exploring).
Looking for an experience-driven gift? Let the museum lover in your life enjoy their favorite museums all year with a Balboa Park Explorer Annual Pass gift voucher.
Bigger experiments, brighter ideas, and boundless curiosity await at the newly reimagined Fleet Science Center. This summer, the Fleet debuts Element 8 Cafe, an expanded theater queuing and concessions space, two new gallery spaces, and, for the first time, a free entrance gallery exploring science in and around San Diego. The transformation marks a new chapter for the Fleet, keeping it a vital, innovative, and accessible science hub for the region. Visitors are invited to explore the experience this summer and connect with the power of science like never before.
Address: 1875 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 Website:FleetScience.org Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Phone: 619-238-1233
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum
An accredited cultural gem, the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum brings traditional Japanese garden design to life with koi ponds, curving walkways and layers of greenery. Guests explore bonsai trees, streams and peaceful nooks while taking part in exhibits, educational programs and festivals that illuminate Japanese culture. Situated in the heart of Balboa Park, the garden doubles as a meditative retreat and a dynamic gathering place, welcoming visitors to slow their pace and connect more deeply.
Address: 2215 Pan American Road E, San Diego, CA 92101 Website:Niwa.org Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily; last admission at 6 p.m. Phone: 619-232-2721
The Old Globe
A San Diego summer favorite, The Old Globe invites audiences to experience a beloved local tradition in its outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre.
This summer, the 2026 Shakespeare Festival presents two thrilling tales of power, passion and romance. Measure for Measure, running June 14 through July 12, 2026, is a riveting story of justice and hypocrisy that asks who holds power, who is punished and what it truly means to be virtuous. Much Ado About Nothing, playing Aug. 2–30, 2026, is a classic rom-com packed with schemes, sparks and laughter as opposites attract. Audiences can enjoy both shows for $44.
Address: 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego, CA 92101 Website:TheOldGlobe.org Hours: Box office open Tuesday–Sunday, 1 p.m. to final curtain Phone: Box office, 619-234-5623
San Diego Air & Space Museum
Aviation and space exploration come to life at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. See an airworthy replica of the Spirit of St. Louis, a Gee Bee racer and historic aircraft from World War I, World War II and the Korean and Vietnam eras. Get up close to the Apollo 9 command module — one of only 11 of its kind in the world — along with Mercury and Gemini capsules, Mission Control and space shuttle simulators, and a selfie spot beside a lunar lander on the moon. Running through 2026, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! brings oddities from around the world to Balboa Park.
Address: 2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101 Website:SanDiegoAirAndSpace.org Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 619-234-8291
San Diego History Center
History belongs to everyone. At the San Diego History Center, two experiences bring that history to life this summer: America at 250 and the Center for Women’s History. America at 250 traces San Diego’s place in 250 years of U.S. history, while summer programs invite children to learn and explore. The Center for Women’s History amplifies the voices of women whose leadership and creativity have shaped our region.
By understanding our past, we build a more vibrant and inclusive community together. These vital educational experiences are only possible through generous community support. Discover your roots, spark meaningful dialogue, and help keep San Diego’s stories alive for future generations.
Address: 1649 El Prado, Suite 3, San Diego, CA 92101 Website: SanDiegoHistory.org Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday–Sunday Phone: 619-232-6203
San Diego Junior Theatre
Junior Theatre is San Diego’s longest-running youth theatre program, empowering students ages 4 to 18 to explore storytelling, performance, and collaboration in a supportive environment. Through classes, camps, and productions, young artists build confidence, creativity, and lifelong skills onstage and off. Each season features a wide range of opportunities, from introductory experiences to advanced training in acting and musical theatre.
Looking for a summer adventure? Junior Theatre’s Summer Camps deliver dynamic programs for grades K–12, including musical theater intensives, acting academies and immersive JT Studio experiences. It’s a place where imagination truly takes center stage.
Address: 1650 El Prado, Suite 208, San Diego, CA 92101 Website:JuniorTheatre.com Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 619-239-1311
San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat)
This summer, The Nat is talking trash—literally. Their newest exhibition, Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea, features larger‑than‑life marine sculptures made of ocean debris collected from beaches. It invites visitors to explore the impact of plastic pollution and discover ways to take action.
But the experience doesn’t stop at the gallery doors. Friday nights, the exhibition transforms into an ocean-themed “dive bar” during Nat at Night. Select Sundays bring something brand new: a rooftop brunch with sweeping Balboa Park views. Add two new giant-screen films and five floors of nature to explore, and The Nat is shaping up to be one of the season’s must-visit destinations.
Address: 1788 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 Website: SDNat.org Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays in summer Phone: 619-232-3821
WorldBeat Cultural Center
The WorldBeat Cultural Center is a nonprofit multidisciplinary cultural organization dedicated to promoting, presenting and preserving Indigenous cultures worldwide through music, art, dance, education, sustainability and community programs. WorldBeat elevates multicultural artists, expands opportunities for cultural enrichment and fosters deeper understanding across traditions. WorldBeat offers a holistic cultural experience that inspires pride, unity, connection and belonging for all ages.
Address: 2100 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101 Website:WorldBeatCenter.org Hours: Classes: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 6–9 p.m. Exhibits and café: Friday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Phone: 619-230-1190
Event Calendar
Throughout 2026: Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!
Step into a world of the weird and wonderful at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park. Explore hundreds of bizarre artifacts, interactive displays and unbelievable stories that celebrate the curious and the extraordinary.
Presented in partnership with the San Diego Museum of African American Fine Arts, San Diego’s Lost Neighborhoods uses augmented reality, oral histories, and archival materials to explore communities and residents displaced by redlining, freeway construction, and other discriminatory policies.
Spend a summer night at The Old Globe. The Lowell Davies Festival Theatre stages Measure for Measure (June 14–July 12) and Much Ado About Nothing (Aug. 2–30), offering two unforgettable Shakespeare productions for just $44.
The Old Globe | 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego, CA 92101
June 8–Aug. 7: Theatre Summer Camps
Summer camps at Junior Theatre spark creativity for grades K–12 with hands-on training, musical theatre intensives, acting academies, and JT Studio experiences.
A museum visit turns into a Sunday Funday with the addition of rooftop brunch, featuring mimosas, bloody Marys, and brunch bites from Wolfish by Wolf in the Woods (June 14, August 9) and Hash House a Go Go (July 12).
Nagashi at the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum by floating a lantern to honor loved ones who have passed. Stroll merchant booths, enjoy cultural performances in the Inamori Pavilion, and sample food vendors plus a beer and sake garden in the lower garden.
Explore arts, science, history, and culture in the Balboa Park Cultural District with one convenient, affordable Pass. The Balboa Park Explorer Pass is your ticket to up to 16 museums and endless fun! Purchase your pass at BuyMyExplorer.com.
