A Guide to Spooky San Diego
Looking for some fun fall activities around San Diego? Us to! Take a peek at some of the exciting events happening over the next few months and let us know if you visit by tagging us on Instagram! We love to see what everyone’s up to this fall 😊 Stay safe and happy Spooky Season!
Fun For The Whole Family
Bates Nut Farm - Valley Center
Location: 15954 Woods Valley Road
Valley Center, CA 92082
When: September 18th - October 31st, 2021
Hours: September 18th-30th : 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM - Free Parking, Free Admission
October 1st -31st : 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM - Free Admission Weekdays • $8 Entrance Fee Per Car October Weekends
Bates Nut Farm is a great spot to enjoy pumpkin picking, tractor hayrides, a straw maze, and their adorable country store. They also have a petting corral and Snows Pony Rides!
Obsessed with fall just as much as we are? They have a variety of pumpkins and décor to choose from: Big Macs, Ghost, Cinderella, Jack O’ Lantern, minis, squash, gourds and other fall décor. Check our calendar for details and schedule.
Oceanside Dia de los Muertos Festival - Oceanside
Location: 870 Rivertree Drive,
Oceanside, CA 92058
When: Sunday, October 24th, 2021
Hours: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
The annual Oceanside Dia de los Muertos Festival is back for it’s 20th year! This festival is multi-cultural event celebrating the traditional Day of the Dead. They will have tons of food, live entertainment, community and family alters, a car show, and lots of children’s activities. It will be fun for the whole family! Don’t forget to try the Pan de Muertos, it’s so delicious!
Food & Drink Festivals!
Carlsbad Strawberry Company - Carlsbad
Location: 1050 Cannon Rd
Carlsbad, CA 92008
When: September 18th - November 8th
Hours: Open 7 days a week 9:00 AM-7:00 PM; In October Fridays & Saturdays are open until 10:00 PM
Did you know the Carlsbad Strawberry Company also does pumpkin picking? We are so excited to visit our favorite Summer spot for fun fall activities. They have a Haunted Corn Maze every Friday and Saturday from 7-10pm starting October 1st, Tractor Rides, and an Apple Cannon… how cool is that!
El Cajon Oktoberfest - El Cajon
Location: 1017 South Mollison Avenue
El Cajon, CA 92020
When: September 24th Opening Day Parade & Keg Tab; Festival Sep 25th-26th & October 1st -3rd
Hours: Fridays 4:00 – 10:00 PM; Saturdays 12:00 – 10 PM; Sundays 12:00- 9:00 PM
Venture to El Cajon and enjoy the German-American Oktoberfest, a family-friendly festival promoting traditional German food, culture, and language. Enjoy folk dances, games and contests, various vendor booths, and on Saturdays you can get your groove on at the clubhouse (after 8 PM) with live music by the Gordon Kohl Band!
Encinitas Oktoberfest - Encinitas
Location: Corner of El Camino Real and flows down Mountain Vista Drive to Wandering Road
When: Sunday, October 3rd
Hours: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Sunday, May 9, 2021 from 10:30 am to 3:00 pm
Head on over to Encinitas for the 25th Annual Encinitas Chamber of Commerce Oktoberfest. This event is completely FREE and fun for the entire family (unless you decide to get yourself a drink 😊)! There will be food and beer, of course, including authentic German food & beer from local San Diego Breweries. The event kicks off at 10:00 AM and features a ceremonial parade at 12:00 PM. Come enjoy German music, the Gemütlichkeit Alpine Dancers, carnival rides, a street craft faire featuring 200 vendors and more!
Taste of North Park - North Park
When: October 9, 2021
Hours: 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
We love the foody scene over in North Park, so when we saw this event, we were so excited! This event is a Self-guided restaurant tasting tour in the heart of the North Park, along 30th Street and University Avenue. There will be street musicians, live art, retail specials, 30+ restraunts serving up some yummy eats, and 12 returning and new craft breweries! We recommend buying tickets before and the cost is $60 food and beverage, $45 food taste only, or $25 beverage only.
Spooky Endeavors
The Haunted Trail - Balboa Park
Location: Balboa Dr &, Juniper Rd, San Diego, CA 92101
When: September 24th – October 31st | See Calendar
If you’re into haunting and spooky fun, our favorite Halloween activity is The Haunted Trails over at Balboa Park! This event is not suited for the faint of heart, but if you enjoy screems and horror, this is your kind of place. Take a peak at the calendar for dates and times!
Seaworld Howl-O-Scream - Mission Bay
Location: 500 SeaWorld Dr, San Diego, CA 92109
When: September 17 - October 31, 2021
Cost: Starting at $39.99
There’s a new terror in town, and it’s got a killer smile. For the first time ever, Howl-O-Scream has arrived to transform the peaceful SeaWorld San Diego park you once knew into something sinister. When night falls and a carnival of horrifying creatures surrounds you, just try to put on a happy face. Evade angry haunts as they rampage through scare zones. Seek shelter indoors, only to find you’ve entered a house of horrors. Quench your thirst for fear with fiendishly delicious cocktails, beer, and spirits. Feel the monstrous electricity of a live show. And deepen the thrills with a nighttime coaster ride.
Autumn Restaurants
Mister A’s - Bankers Hill
There is something about cozying up in a fine dining restaurant with a loved one and enjoying a rich and comforting dish with. fall spices, think Braised Prime Beef Shortribs with a Cabernet Sauvignon Reduction. We also love trying new dishes that are inspired by the season like the Maple Leaf Duck Breast
with Montmorency Cherries, Pinot Noir. These dishes are fantastically prepared and are best enjoyed with a cocktail like the Barrel Aged Mesquite Manahattan with Warbringer Mesquite Smoked Bourbon, Rye, Carpano Antica, Amaro Montenegro.
Photo by Traveling Stomach
Cori Pastifico Trattoria - North Park
The dishes you’ll enjoy at Cori are gifts from Chef Accursio’s heart, melding the flavors of his Sicilian homeland with the best of local Southern California ingredients.
The expanded menu balances classic and contemporary Italian food in a setting reminiscent of the time-honored trattorias found throughout Italy. Enjoy full service table seating, grab a place at the marble-topped bar, from which you can watch all the action of your meal being prepared in the open kitchen or just order your meal to enjoy at home with your family.
We love the housemade Ravioli Di Magro and Hazelnut Crusted Lamb Chops.
Bivouac Cider - North Park
Bivouac’s ciders take inspiration from cider culture around the world. There unique ciders are hand-crafted in house, and blended with the adventure and spirit of the West Coast. From Autumn Spiced Squash Tacos and Pumpkin Spice Creme Brûlée its a must visit!