Apple picking, epic roadtrips, and where to see fall foliage—your San Diego fall bucket list is full of family-friendly activities
Fall in San Diego is here (and predictably awesome) and there’s no better time to craft a fall activities in San Diego bucket list your whole family will love. To keep your fall FOMO at bay, keep reading for all of the fun stuff to do in San Diego this fall (and for more ideas, check out our date night ideas for San Diego parents and our favorite San Diego restaurants where kids can run around).
1. Take the guesswork out of where to go leaf-peeping with our insider's guide to finding fall foliage and fall colors in San Diego.
2. Nothing says fall in San Diego like celebrating Brick or Treat at LEGOLAND. Enjoy rides open late, trick-or-treating, live entertainment, Halloween decor, and more!
3. Enjoy the cool crisp air and take a hike you haven't tried before. Get started with our favorite, off-the-beaten-path hikes near San Diego for kids.
4. Catch a live performance under the stars. The Moonlight Youth Theater is performing 'Mary Poppins' in Oct.
5. Ride the Pumpkin Express. Climb aboard this beloved seasonal excursion where you can enjoy a train ride, Halloween-themed displays, and an outdoor pumpkin patch.
6. Spend the remaining days of Oct. wisely with by hitting up family favorites like SeaWorld, San Diego Air & Space Museum, Japanese Friendship Garden and the USS Midway Museum all for free! Our guide to free things to do in San Diego this month breaks it all down.
7. Dive deep into the Birch Aquarium Haunted Aquarium. Kids will have the opportunity to learn about and touch spooky creeps of the deep on Tide Pool Plaza, including slimy seaweed, small sharks, rays and other local animals, as well as enjoy a haunted kelp maze, find hidden pumpkins, and explore fun decor throughout the aquarium. Kids are encouraged to dress up.
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8. Hit up one of the best doughnut shops in San Diego—Sidecar Doughnuts—for their seasonal favorites like pumpkin cheesecake and bourbon pecan pie doughnuts.
9. Camping and fall weather go hand-in-hand—probably because of that crackling campfire, a serving of s'mores with a lighthearted Halloween story before snuggling into your sleeping bag. These are our favorite camp sites for families near San Diego. Of course, if you need to fulfill that dessert craving, these San Diego spots deliver s'mores treats without the campfire.
10. Have bushels of fun apple picking (and land some glorious photos to boot) at one of these nearby u-pick apple orchards.
11. As the outdoor temperatures slightly dip, it's suddenly hot cocoa weather! Here's where to find the best hot chocolate in San Diego.
12. A hayride might be one of the most fall things to do in San Diego and thankfully, there are a bunch of nearby farms where you can get pulled around the farm by a tractor.
13. Try your hand (and your homing skills) at San Diego corn mazes that are fun for the whole family.
More Fall Things to Do in San Diego
14. It must be fall in San Diego because I love Azucar's Gingerbread Chocolate Chunk cookies have returned (also one of our favorite dessert shops in San Diego).
15. Nov. is the beginning of the best time to go to tide pools in San Diego thanks to low tides during the day—don't miss these top spots.
16. Of course no San Diego fall bucket list would be complete without a visit to a family-favorite pumpkin patch (or two).
17. Family-friendly fall festivals are an epic way to spend the day and these San Diego fall fests are the best—catch them before they're gone!
18. Of course, even though it's fall, the beach is best when the crowds subside and you have that glistening sand all to yourself. Discover which San Diego beach is best for babes, which one shimmers in the sun, and where the surfers hang.
19. Bookmark our guide to Palm Springs—the ultimate fall-friendly roadtrip—the temperatures are still warm, the pools are still cool and it's under 2.5 hours away.
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