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Parental Indiscretion
No Talent for Truth
Our son was a newborn when American Idol became a craze more than a decade ago. Greg and I watched the auditions and gawked at the hopefuls who waited hours in line for their chance to hit it big, only to learn from the merciless Simon Cowell that they have not one iota of vocal talent.
We were mesmerized by these poor souls who had no idea they couldn’t even carry a tune. “Don’t these people have friends?” we wondered. I found it especially curious when parents were there. Did these parents knowingly set up the kids for
humiliation, or did their love for their children blind them to what’s so obvious to the rest of us?
Greg and I vowed to be clear-eyed and objective with our kids. We’d never give phony praise or engage in the hyperprotective parenting that creates tender egos, raising kids who can’t function in the workplace without Mommy there to cheer them on.
But eight years later, Ben started baseball and became an aspiring Major League player. Georgia, meanwhile, decided she wants to be a pop star.
Neither displayed a natural gift for their chosen profession, but both were eager for reassurance that they had the right stuff. How do you tell kids with big dreams that, well… they kinda suck?
It seemed crucial to check Ben’s fantasies when he explained he didn’t need to concern himself with schoolwork, since he wanted to be a MLB player. We suggested he get a backup plan.
Then Georgia signed up to perform an Adele song (ADELE!) for the school “Talent” Show. (Yes, I put quotes around talent. Don’t judge. YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT I’VE SEEN!)
Me: “Um, honey, shouldn’t you choose a song that’s a little less… well… challenging?”
The diversionary tactic did not work. So we told them that all they needed to achieve their dreams was to work really, really hard! Nothing makes our kids drop the subject quicker than the suggestion there’s work involved.
“You think great singers just walk up onto the stage and belt it out?” I asked Georgia. “No! They practice for hours a day. They train.”
And for the first time ever, our kids decided to listen to us. The World’s Laziest Children got to work.
Ben got picked for a Little League team with a tough, serious coach and practiced like a champ. Georgia spent hours in front of the mirror, practicing and taking my constructive feedback to heart.
And then: They got better. A lot better.
The kid with poor eye-hand coordination has made some great plays at second. Georgia’s performance in the “Talent” Show made me envision a day when, with enough training, she could be Auto-Tuned into pop semi-stardom.
My kids finally learned that the only defense against the world’s dream-crushing forces is hard work. Because sometimes, hard work looks a lot like talent.
From elephant encounters to escape rooms, these are the adventures that kept San Diego families busy all year long
If you can’t quite swing the cost of a trip to the African outback, the Safari Park’s new Elephant Valley is a pretty convincing Plan B. The 13-acre immersive habitat—the largest project in the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s 109-year history—is home to eight African elephants, but it’s the thoughtful details that steal the show. Keep your eyes open for intricate Kenyan-inspired artwork, native landscaping, and stop by the Mkutano House, where you can grab lunch with a front-row view of the herd.
Pepper Park became the emotional anchor of the bayfront overhaul when the National City park reopened this March with a 2.5-acre expansion. Hopefully that’s just the start. The California Coastal Commission also approved the city’s ambitious waterfront plan, clearing the way for a long-envisioned 77-acre bayfront makeover with more green space, better bike paths, and improved waterfront access. Money still has to be raised, but head to Pepper Park, sit on a brand-new bench, and gaze out at the future of the South Bay.
Not every family destination comes with roller coasters—sometimes, they have paint rollers. The Willie Henderson Sports Complex in southeast San Diego recently received a new paint job and major facelift (courtesy of San Diego FC, the Prebys Foundation, and community advocates), giving thousands of kids a safer, smoother, and more colorful place to play basketball or soccer. If your weekends revolve around sports gear, folding chairs, and orange slices, you’ll definitely appreciate the upgrade.
Parents come for the pizza. Kids come for the games. Sci-fi nerds come for it all. Killer Pizza From Mars is an Oceanside mainstay for families who love arcades, vintage Star Wars memorabilia, and piled-high pizzas with outrageously silly names like the “Mars”gherita pizza. Order a basket of Killer Fries, sink your teeth into a Martian Melt sandwich, and don’t be surprised if your kids clamor for a return mission.
After what must have felt like an eternity for Pacific Beach families, Fanuel Street Park’s playground is finally back. The old play structure got the heave-ho nearly two years ago, but this spring, the community raised enough donations to replace it with modern climbing structures, new swings, and better accessibility. It’s finally back to being a low-key locals spot perfect for picnicking, splashing around, and letting the kids burn off some energy.
If screen time has obliterated your attention span, try giving your brain a workout at an escape room. Lara’s Labyrinth provides a few options ranging from kid-friendly to “try not to pee your pants in fright,” where participants can attempt to escape an enchanted forest or decipher clues left by Leonardo da Vinci. (Some rooms have G, PG-13, and R-rated versions for your family’s comfort level, but maybe save the “Cannibal” room for an adults-only excursion.)
Birch Aquarium has always made a splash, but the $18.7 million Living Seas exhibit is a tidal wave of awesome. The immersive exhibit features different marine ecosystems throughout the Pacific Ocean, from the warm aqua waters of tropical zones to the frigid (but nourishing) Pacific Northwest. Bigger is better here: There are areas designated for the gigantic sunflower sea star and giant Pacific octopus, so prepare for oceanic marvels to wow you.
Forget “don’t touch the art.” At Artopia, touching, building, climbing, experimenting, and making a colorful mess are all exactly the point. Created by the museum’s in-house Creative Studios team, the interactive space invites kids to become artists through hands-on projects like weekend ceramics workshops and after-school programs. When creativity gets a little chaotic is when it’s at its most fun.
The Fairmont Grand Del Mar used to feel like someplace you admired from afar. Grand Social changed that. Three levels of outdoor space are now home to a bar and grill, bocce courts, and other lawn games, as well as a summertime concert series and other family-friendly events that welcome locals just as much as overnight guests. It’s proof that one of San Diego’s fanciest addresses also knows how to have a little fun.
You don’t need a cage to come face-to-face with sharks anymore. SeaWorld’s revamped Shark Encounter lets you get startlingly close to species like reef sharks, massive sand tigers, and endangered Australian leopard sharks, all inside newly redesigned habitats. It’s equal parts adrenaline and education, and a good reminder that these misunderstood predators are closer to Bruce in Finding Nemo than Jaws in… well, Jaws.
Houston, we have a new reason to visit LEGOLAND California. LEGO Galaxy is the plastic-brick haven’s biggest in-park investment ever, including the first new roller coaster in 20 years. Between the customizable Galacticoaster experience, build-your-own spacecraft stations, and interactive space adventures, aspiring astronauts can easily spend hours exploring this brick-built universe.
Try these family and kid-friendly activities to occupy the little ones this year
A seventh birthday party at the playground is all fun and games until the slide gets backed up, there’s a line for the swings, and everybody’s crying. Move the festivities to FUNbelievable, an action-packed play zone in Lakeside providing massive slides and multiple rooms to explore (including one where kids load balls into suction tubes, an apparently mesmerizing activity that seems to occupy them for hours—or at least 15 minutes). The business’s party package comes with a private room, plus pizza, salad, snacks, and drinks. The other parents will thank you when they take their wiped-out kiddos home.
Legoland California celebrates its 25th anniversary with the new Dino Valley, a pint-sized, fright-free version of Jurassic Park. Get prehistoric with three new rides: Coastersaurus, Little Dino Trail, and Explorer River Quest (the latter two lack height requirements, so the smallest of tykes can still join the fun). There’s also a build-and-play area with Duplo dinosaur bricks and fossils to uncover.
Affordable veterinary options in San Diego feel more limited by the day, so MexiVet Express drives your canine, feline, or rodent across the border to get them the care they need in Tijuana, potentially saving you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. This courier service also helps you find the right provider, book an appointment, translate, organize important documents, and, most importantly, give your pet all the love and adoration they deserve.
For one Saturday every August, Old Town becomes a 19th-century-literature-themed playground, complete with free books. Take tea with the Mad Hatter and Alice, paint a fence with Tom Sawyer, test your nimble tongue at the liar’s contest, play arcade-style games, or visit the author’s salon. The park bustles with hoop skirts, bowler hats, unicycles, and wandering giant puppets like a charmingly creepy Edgar Allan Poe. Let the kids sprint around with the Merry Men of Sherwood Forest while you grab tacos and watch from a bench.
Everyone needs to get their hands dirty sometimes. Thursday, Friday, and Sunday mornings, parents cart their little ones to Coastal Roots nonprofit Jewish community farm in Encinitas for Nature Play. Designed for kids ages zero to 10 and their families, the program is run by farm staff, who oversee interactive storytime, animal encounters like feeding chickens, and other sensory activities, including play in the outdoor “kitchens.” Afterward, stop by their pay-what-you-can farm stand (those in need can get up to $30 of produce free) to take home organic veggies and herbs.
The delicate period after a baby arrives can be isolating, exacerbated by the fact that postpartum care is often an afterthought in the US. But SD’s first postpartum retreat is looking to shift that narrative during the so-called fourth trimester with postnatal assistance in a luxury setting. Trained doulas help parents and little ones adjust to their new lives with round-the-clock feeding support, meals, and education. Happier parents mean happier babies. Next step? Convincing American insurance to cover postpartum care for everyone.
Most kids know those claw machines in arcades are usually a dark lesson in deep disappointment. Blow enough quarters trying to capture a stuffed Pikachu, and your sheer rage is almost enough to send you crawling into the machine to grab it yourself. Escondido’s North County Mall understands that impulse—which is why they offer a human claw machine that lowers kids into a pile of plushies so they can scoop stuff up. The experience starts at $10.
Toddlers are like greyhounds— they’re born to run. Toddlers are also like monkeys: born to climb, jump, and wreak havoc. For parents looking for an all-purpose place their kids can wear themselves out, the newly opened, 34-acre River Park offers room to run. With miles of (tricycle) trails, a children’s play area, and seemingly endless grass, this is where to go to exhaust your little animals. Enjoy that early bedtime.
Every January, the finest fur babies (some with no hair at all) gather in Del Mar for the largest cat show in the Western US. Cat people can ogle regal Persians and skinny Sphinxes, buy gear for their own pets, and adopt a new four-legged overlord… we mean, companion. Depending on whether you actually care if an animal goes through the weave poles instead of licking its paw, unbothered, in front of them, it’s also home to either the best or the worst agility contest on the planet.
Are aliens real? How far can the Webb Space Telescope see into the universe? What do space volcanoes look like? Get answers at The Sky Tonight, a recurring astronomy presentation and lecture series on the first Wednesday of every month in the Fleet Science Center’s IMAX theater. Afterwards, members of the San Diego Astronomy Association set up telescopes outside for close-up looks at the moon, Saturn, and other celestial bodies.
The best things to see, do, and eat in SD as voted on by you, our readers
Ocean Beach Pier San Diego
AAA San Diego Insurance and Member Services
Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers
Jason E. Gordon – (Gordon Mortgage Group)
Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers
Four Moons Spa San Diego
Photo Credit: Shawn Kallio
Be Well Acupuncture Collective
Sirius K. Yoo, Md (Sky Facial Plastic Surgery)
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
Proactive Physical Therapy And Sports Medicine
Moniker Commons San Diego Coworking Space
Courtesy of Moniker Commons
Elanit Abrams
Autozone Auto Parts + O’Reilly Auto Parts
Dreamstyle Remodeling + Kaminskiy Design & Remodeling
Warren-Walker School Early Learning Center + World Of Wonders Preschool
American Vision Windows + Dreamstyle Remodeling
Alspaugh & Alspaugh Law + Henderson, Caverly & Pum Llp
Anderson Plumbing, Heating & Air
Kaminskiy Design & Remodeling + National Black Contractor Association
Elanit Abrams
Anderson Plumbing, Heating & Air
Greg Cummings Group | San Diego Real Estate | Compass
Desiree Steve Wedding Venue San Diego
Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography
At Vi at La Jolla Village, residents don't have to choose between security and adventure, connection and independence. They get all of it.
Today’s seniors are more connected than ever, with a renewed focus on retirement as a time of discovery and enriching experiences. The ultimate reward for a retirement well-earned is the wisdom to appreciate it all, and what better place to enjoy that unique perspective than Vi at La Jolla Village, in the heart of San Diego.
All-access pass to good living.
As a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC), Vi provides access to a connected and fulfilling community while making it easy to plan for future care, should the need ever arise. With a care plan in place, residents enjoy greater financial predictability and long-term value, freeing them to focus on making the most out of retirement.
Resort-style amenities at the epicenter of a cultural hub like San Diego offer a retirement experience unlike any other. Paired with exceptional dining, spacious accommodations and dedicated staff, the best of maintenance-free living is all around. And with the introduction of Vista 360 Well-Being, Vi’s panoramic approach to wellness, there are more ways than ever for residents to access it all.
The harmony of mind, body and community.
The key to longevity is striking the right balance in maintaining an active lifestyle with an active mind in a fulfilling community. With newly renovated community spaces and restaurants, Vista brings a variety of opportunities for residents to elevate their well-being through Vi-exclusive “Signature Experiences.”
Vista Enrich takes an evidence-based approach to brain vitality, keeping residents at the forefront of cognitive health through exergaming (exercising + gaming), nutritional plans and informative workshops. It is also home to The Brain Vitality Studio, an innovative facility dedicated to cognitive fitness that has garnered national recognition.
Vista Discover invites residents into stimulating educational experiences, from chef-led cooking demos and guided wine tastings to lectures at local universities and intimate lectures following cultural outings.
While Vista Enrich focuses on brain health and Vista Discover engages residents intellectually, Vista Explore cultivates a sense of adventure through curated travel and local excursions. But broadening one’s horizons doesn’t always require a plane ticket. One recent event brought a taste of the world right to the community: an onsite “jazz cruise” featuring live music and global cuisine served at a series of themed “ports” all within the community’s own ballroom.
“Location, location, location”
One of the biggest perks of life at Vi at La Jolla Village is its proximity to just about everything. With easy access to transportation and local attractions just steps away, residents can explore and engage with their community at their own pace.
“There are trolley and bus stops within a 5-minute walk that will get you to the beach, UCSD Campus, medical appointments, downtown La Jolla or San Diego, et cetera. We rarely use our car,” said resident Tom Yager.
With the best of San Diego just steps away, residents don’t just live in the city, they live within reach of everything that makes it special.
The best of all worlds.
At Vi at La Jolla Village, retirement isn’t a chapter to slow down; it’s an invitation to discover more. Tailored community experiences created by Vista, paired with the vibrant pulse of San Diego just outside the door, mean that residents don’t have to choose between security and adventure, connection and independence. They get all of it.
This is what an all-access pass to good living looks like: the comforts of an elevated lifestyle, a community built for growth and a city made for discovery – all in one place.
To learn more about Vi at La Jolla Village or for details on available floor plans, visit ViatLaJollaVillage.com/SDM.
From a Michelin-starred chef’s game of “Guess Who” to zero-gravity camping and one legendary goose, here are 70 of our current local favorites
Best of San Diego Magazine 2023 Ocean Beach
Think we’ve run out of stuff to wax poetic about after seven-and-a-half decades of celebrating San Diego? Think again. Ever-evolving and always awesome, the city’s got a nonstop supply of cool places to eat, shop, and play. From a Michelin-starred chef’s game of “Guess Who” to zero-gravity camping, bioluminescent boozing, and one legendary goose, here are 70 of our current local favorites. (Plus more than 100 of your picks, too!)
Click on the links above to see our full list in each category.
Juniper & Ivy was one of the restaurants that put Little Italy on the serious-food map. It opened with Richard Blais holding the reins. Now, for nearly 10 years, it’s been Anthony Wells (protégé of Thomas Keller and Jonathan Benno) who keeps it flying high. While they’re usually a nice-shirt kinda place, they’ve introduced a Sunday Supper, a more casual, family-style, three-course meal using the best of hyper-local farms, fish, and ferments. It’s set to return in September. Wipe great food on your jeans. –TJ
Nearly 50 years after local institution Belly Up Tavern opened in Solana Beach, it finally got a sibling—one three times as large. The Sound, a new 1,900-person-capacity concert hall operated by the Belly Up and housed on the San Diego County Fairgrounds, brings a much-needed mid-size venue to North County. With a state-of-the-art sound system and the space to accommodate headliners such as M83 and The Flaming Lips, it’s a thrilling addition to the live music landscape. –JT
Husband-wife hosts Rami Abdel and Shantel Seoane created Alter Experiences as a haven away from city hustle. They thought of everything to make tent camping accessible and hassle-free (including luxurious linens and outdoor kitchens), but what makes this place extra special are the tree hammocks. Equipped with super cozy, warm sleeping bags and lights that make them glow like fireflies or aliens (depending on your imagination), they offer a unique, weightless outdoor sleeping experience.
Sure, there are plenty of so-called “Mommy & Me” yoga classes, where you’re trying to manage your kindergartener and somehow downward dog at the same time. Then there’s If I Was A Bird Yoga studio, which has locations throughout the county (Liberty Station, Mission Hills, Del Mar) and offers drop-off kids’ yoga classes. You can send in your little to learn cat-cow with a very patient instructor, and then head to your own workout class. They even offer an art and yoga class for children as young as two, where you have the option of bidding your baby adieu or staying for the class.
Not a single Dan Brown thriller in sight. Queer-owned North Park bookshop Meet Cute exclusively stocks romance novels, with particular focus on LGBTQ and BIPOC authors (and an allowance for the occasional queer memoir or nonfiction writing guide). And if you happen to reach for a book at the same time as a fellow hopeless romantic… Well, we know how this story goes.
You voted! And here’s what you had to say. All the city’s best things to do, places to eat, and hidden gems to explore as voted on by our readers.
Check out our list of local camps offering all-day and aftercare options plus dates, hours, prices, and locations
Soccer Shot camps
Sure, the weather right now is freezing, but that means little to the many parents across the San Diego region who are planning their summers. Camp registrations are opening soon, if they haven’t opened already, and spots fill up fast.
Many parents (myself included) map out the summer of no school with complex spreadsheets of different camp options, prices, locations, and times. Here to make your search a little easier is a list of 10 summer camps in San Diego for you to choose from.
San Diego Unified offers free summer school for all enrolled students at a selection of local schools. You can see the list of schools here. Most programs go until 1 p.m., but you can also apply for free PrimeTime aftercare. Summer school goes from June 20 to July 21, and then you can apply for free full-day care at PrimeTime from July 24 to August 2. PrimeTime spaces are limited, so if you need a full day of care, you may need to look into other options.
Price: Free
Time: 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Dates: June 20-July 21
Location: Schools across the city
Campers at Camp CaHito ages 5 to 13 can go to day camp with a range of activities including games, hikes, STEM activities, archery, hiking, art and crafts, and scavenger hunts. Older kids can also attend specialty camps with themes like junior ranger, archery, wizardry of chemistry, art, and jewelry making.
Price: $360 a week
Time: 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. or 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Dates: Weekly all summer
Location: Balboa Park
The popular Soccer Shots program offers full-day camps over where children practice their soccer skills alongside traditional camp activities. Themes include nature, space, and the arctic, which means kids make crafts and play games that go along with the theme.
Price: $300 a week
Time: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Dates: Weekly all summer
Location: Lake Murray
Say Summer Camp
Kids enrolled in SAY San Diego aftercare can also sign-up for full day summer camp at Birney and Marvin elementary schools. Kids will do games, art projects and have outside play time.
Price: $320 a week
Time: 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Dates: Weekly all summer
Location: Birney and Marvin elementary schools
Kids can go to summer camp at the San Diego Zoo, where they learn about the variety of wildlife and do animal-themed crafts and activities. Older kids can also sign up for art camp, where they create projects inspired by wildlife in a variety of media, and will have special opportunities for wildlife experiences.
Price: $363 a week and up
Time: 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Dates: Weekly all summer
Location: San Diego Zoo
The YMCA has a wide variety of camps from the basic arts and crafts projects to sports, swim, gymnastics and the specialized Star Wars/Harry Potter/Bugs and Slugs camps. Camps are hosted at YMCA branches across the region, plus there are surf camps at the beach and overnights at Camp Marston.
Price: $334 a week and up for members
Time: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Dates: Weekly, all summer
Location: YMCA branches across the county
The New Children’s Museum offers camps for four-year-olds and up, and summer studios for older children that are taught by professional artists. Kids work on art projects and do other fun games and activities.
Price: $360 a week for members
Time: 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Dates: Weekly all summer
Location: New Children’s Museum
The discovery museum in Escondido offers summer camp programs for elementary school aged kids at the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum. There are a variety of themes all summer, with chances to explore the museum and do Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) activities.
Price: $300 a week for members
Time: 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
Dates: Weekly all summer
Location: San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
SeaWorld camp
Children can spend all day at SeaWorld Camp paying visits to animal attractions, seeing shows and doing typical camp activities like games, crafts, songs and participating in hands-on learning activities. Different weeks specialize in various sea animals, from orcas to sharks and sea lions.
Price: $379 a week
Time: 8:15 a.m.-3 p.m.
Dates: Select weeks in July and August
Location: SeaWorld
The Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park offers science camps for kids all summer. Each week centers on a different theme, from fairy tale engineering, survivalist adventure to robot coder. Kids can join in fun games and activities that also teach them about science.
Price: $285 a week for members
Time: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. with extended day to 5 pm available at an extra cost
Dates: Weekly all summer
Location: Fleet Science Center
Claire Trageser has been writing for San Diego Magazine for 10 years. She also is a reporter at KPBS and writes for The New York Times, National Geographic, Marie Claire, Elle and Runner's World.
San Diego Magazine's Private School Guide 2026
NewBridge School is San Diego’s only school dedicated to the education of students with dyslexia and related learning profiles. For 30 years we have successfully served students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, receptive/expressive language disorders, ADHD, executive functioning and memory deficits. Students transition successfully into academically rigorous high schools and colleges across the country. Why NewBridge? Training, training, training (plus intensive individualization, and comprehensive program design). All teachers are trained and retrained biennially in Orton-Gillingham, the only approach proven to remediate dyslexia based on Science of Reading research, and complete a year-long training program. Every aspect of our program is designed around our students’ learning styles and needs. Every class is taught by a highly-trained expert, and our Speech/Language and Occupational Therapy teams embed throughout the day. Our multisensory, multi-tiered math program has been developed in conjunction with sister schools and experts across the country. Don’t wait—early intervention is magic!
Enrollment: 100
Grades: K – 8
Tuition: $30,000
Deadline: Rolling
Gender: All-inclusive
Details Nonsectarian
Open House Tours by appointment
12285 Oak Knoll Road • Poway, California 92064
858-679-5744 • [email protected] • thenewbridgeschool.com
