Features AUGUST 24, 2015

Secret San Diego

There’s a lot to show off about our city—water sports! craft beer! taquerias on every block!—but San Diego holds a few cards up her sleeves. We unearthed some of the city’s most hush-hush spots, from hidden ocean caves and urban beekeeping farms to tucked-away archery ranges and off-menu, must-try bites.

By Keri Bridgwater, Bruce Glassman, Erin Meanley Glenny, Erin Jackson, Troy Johnson, Kai Oliver-Kurtin, & Archana Ram | Photography by Robert Benson

Outdoors | Take it Inside | Art | Food & Drink | Secret Menu

Outdoors

Secret San Diego

Washington Street Skatepark

Skate Under a Freeway

A few blocks from Acoustic Ales Brewing in Middletown, under Pacific Highway, is a subterranean skate park filled with fast bowls, slick rails, and an old-school vibe. Hand-built in the late ’90s by a group of local skaters, the Washington Street Skatepark (purportedly one of the best in Southern California) is home to street art, tiled mosaics, and a BBQ, too. Run and maintained by skaters, the nonprofit park is free and open from sunrise to sunset; look for it where Pacific Highway crosses over Washington Street.

Hit a Bull’s-eye at Balboa

Under Cabrillo Bridge sits the little-known, 28-acre Rube Powell Archery Range inside Balboa Park, offering a spot to fire unlimited arrows for just $2. Only the second of its kind in Southern California, the range features a practice area, plus 40 targets scattered throughout a canyon. Outlaws and Robin Hood wannabes will find the entrance at the southwest side of the Alcazar Garden parking lot.

Secret San Diego

Sunset Cliffs Cave

Swim Into a Cave

Get ready to take your water sporting up a few thrilling notches. Tucked beneath sandstone cliffs is a clandestine sea cave—but you’ll have to swim for it. Head to the southern end of Luscomb’s Point, located parallel to Sunset Cliffs Boulevard between Hill and Monaco streets, and swim south until you see a narrow passage on your left (closer to Monaco Street). Then you’re between a rock and a beautiful place.

Spot Dolphins Trained by the Navy

Unless you have access to Naval Base Point Loma, chances are you haven’t seen the temporary enclosure of dolphins and sea lions being trained as part of the Navy’s Marine Mammal Program. The dolphins’ sonar abilities and the sea lions’ vision and hearing make them extremely effective at detecting sea mines and other potentially harmful underwater objects. Jump in a boat or SUP through the channel between Liberty Station and Tom Ham’s Lighthouse to get a peek. Or walk along the south side of the Harbor Drive Pedestrian Bridge between Spanish Landing Park and Liberty Station. And look down!

Secret San Diego

SS Encinitas and SS Moonlight

Marvel at Onshore Boathouses

Despite a location near the ocean, the 1920s boathouses moored along Third Street in Encinitas have never been to sea. Built by nautical engineer (and early recycling champion) Miles Kellogg, SS Encinitas and SS Moonlight were crafted using timber salvaged from the once-famous Moonlight Beach Dance Hall and Bathhouse. Pegged as North County landmarks, the boats come complete with mariner’s wheels, porthole windows, and deck-top cabins.

Witness a Triple Crown Winner Working Out

It’s a little-known fact that you can go to the Del Mar Racetrack any morning (6 a.m.–10 a.m.) and catch hundreds of top thoroughbred horses in the middle of their morning workouts. On one such recent workout, Triple Crown champion American Pharoah clocked 1:11 for six furlongs (three-quarters of a mile). Who needs coffee when you can get a morning rush like that? The workouts are free, but parking is $10. If you spend $25 on breakfast at the Clubhouse Terrace Restaurant, they’ll take the parking fee off your bill.

Get to Know the Secret Life of Bees

Urban beekeeping is alive and well in gardens and rooftops around San Diego, thanks to honey farmer on a mission Hilary Kearney. While her hives might be installed at undisclosed locations, she’s bringing bees back to the ‘burbs in a big way. Make a beeline for her homegrown apiary in north Clairemont, where you can take an introductory beekeeping class, pick up delicious Girl Next Door Honey, or learn about the Host a Hive program and give some bees a private home of their own.

Pay Your Respects to a Community Mascot

In a quiet section of Presidio Park lies a memorial to Lucy, a white fallow deer that escaped the San Diego Zoo in the mid-’60s and lived happily in the area for a decade. When the deer was reportedly hit by a car along I-8, the grief-stricken community erected a memorial at her burial site composed of three large stones, a concrete watering hole, a bench, and a plaque reading: “Bliss in solitude beneath this tree, formless, silent, spirit free.” To find it, park in the canyon area lot accessible from Taylor Street and walk down the trail heading southeast.

Take it Inside

Secret San Diego

Old Town Model Railroad Depot | Photo by Jim Schwartman

Pay to Spend a Night Without TV

Built as the home of one of San Diego’s earliest pioneers in the 1800s, the Cosmopolitan Hotel & Restaurant in Old Town features Victorian-style bedrooms and dining rooms, 19th-century furnishings, and 10 guest rooms, void of TVs and telephones. Here’s to a little peace and quiet. 2660 Calhoun Street, Old Town

Explore an Offbeat Museum

The Old Town Model Railroad Depot is an ode to the history and charm of train travel. Beyond interactive exhibits, model engines, and memorabilia, the Depot has a 1950s-era city display, with buildings, a zoo, and more. Entry is free but donations are welcome. 2415 San Diego Avenue, Old Town

Art

Secret San Diego

Enchanted Forest at UCSD

PARTNER CONTENT

Artistry, Aesthetics, and Inclusive Luxury

Elevating an Icon: Inside the La Jolla Beach & Tennis Clu...

Discover an Enchanted Forest

No longer confined to the realms of Middle-earth, talking trees can be found in San Diego, too. Well, at UC San Diego anyway, where they come alive with the sound of quacking ducks, Navajo chants, and a poem about scabs. Inconspicuously clad in lead plates, Terry Allen’s 1986 art installation Trees comprises three salvaged eucalyptus trees, two of which speak and sing while one remains respectfully silent. Look for the silent one by the Geisel Library (because shhhhhh!) and listen for the musical and literary trees within the adjacent eucalyptus grove, nicknamed the Enchanted Forest.

Leave Your Mark at Neptune’s Portal

The colorful antenna-sprouting object dubbed Neptune’s Portal is part art installation, part social experiment, and encourages inquisitive passersby to peer into a cleverly concealed camera that sits inside a glass mosaic flower. Hit the red record button and leave a video message for posterity. Anecdotes, greetings, songs—all are welcome by guardian and portal creator Jack Lampl, who uploads each to neptunesportal.tv. 678 Neptune Avenue, Leucadia

Food & Drink

Secret San Diego

Waypoint Public’s Bear Den

Eat a Three-Course Feast for $20

Palette, the student-run restaurant at the Art Institute of San Diego in Mission Valley, offers multicourse meals where everything is made from scratch, for a fraction of the usual price. Worried about quality? Don’t fret; the culinary students are graded on the finished product. 7650 Mission Valley Road, Mission Valley

Use a Password at S&M Sausage & Meat

What do the words “geek,” “duck,” “splurge,” and “millionaire” have in common? They’ve all been Sausage & Meat’s “Safe Word of the Week.” By keeping an eye on Twitter, bacon lovers in the know can score two free rashers of prime pork at this exotic meat emporium. Just mention the current safe word upon arrival at either S&M location. 4130 Park Boulevard, Hillcrest; 1102 Market Street, East Village

Book a Private Room at Waypoint Public

Besides the popular designated kids’ area, the North Park brewpub also comes with the cozy “Bear Den” event space used for beer-themed dinners and “Brewvie Nights,” but can also be booked for private parties. The Den may be tucked away, but the décor is anything but muted. Think bright red Hans Wegner–style chairs, grass walls, and funky tchotchkes. Head toward the kids’ area, continue on the right, and follow the hall to den delights. 3794 30th Street, North Park

Secret San Diego

Aero Club

Taste 950-plus Whiskeys

It was featured in Maxim, but the Aero Club is still a dive bar unknown to many outside its Mission Hills locale. Parallel to the I-5 freeway, Aero Club serves more than 950 (and counting!) brands of whiskey—more than any other bar in San Diego. Since 1947, the bar has been a regular drinking hole for pilots, police officers, and Greyhound bus drivers. Look for the neon, airplane-shaped sign, and ask general manager Chad Berkey about his new book, The North American Whiskey Guide From Behind The Bar, in which he reviews more than 250 whiskeys. BYOF (there’s no kitchen). 3365 India Street, Mission Hills

Find a Root Beer and Jerky Paradise

Tucked away in Old Town State Historic Park is Old Town House of Jerky and Root Beer, a shop selling more than 40 kinds of jerky, root beer, and other old-timey snacks. If you want to venture from the norm, try the alligator, buffalo, elk, kangaroo, venison, or wild boar jerky. Bring your sweet tooth and a partner in crime for the daily BOGO root beer float special. 2754 Calhoun Street, Old Town

Drink Beer Near a Primate

All those miles walked through the San Diego Zoo with energetic kids in tow surely deserves an adult beverage. Zoo-goers may know about the craft beer selection at Albert’s, the treehouse-style eatery located in Lost Forest, but tucked away near the orangutans is Zoo Brew, a modest stand devoted to two grown-up vices—coffee and locally brewed craft beer on tap. 2920 Zoo Drive, Balboa Park

Picnic at a Secluded Winery

Perched high on a hill above San Pasqual Valley in Escondido—which just so happens to mean “hidden” en Español—Hungry Hawk Vineyards & Winery is a 5.5-acre family-run winery with a peaceful and pretty setting to enjoy 15 varietals, including Albariño (a white from Spain) and Tempranillo (Rioja’s main red). Relaxation is the mantra, so bring a picnic and spend an afternoon sipping wine as you take in its lovely view of the vineyard and San Pasqual’s rolling hills. 3255 Summit Drive, Escondido

Join a Bohemian Dining Club

Tired of aimless chitchat about selfies and the state of Kardashiastan? Join an underground meeting of epicureans, artists, poets, philosophers, and conversationalists (and drinkers) for the next “Euro Bohemian Club.” Modeled after ye olden drink-and-thinks known as Salon du Paris, the rules are simple. Everyone must have at least one drink to talk. You must present three discussion topics. Winner of debate pays nothing. If you lose your temper, you pay the whole tab. Put that wine-loosened mind to use. 873 Turquoise Street, Pacific Beach

Secret Service

Menu items available by request only

Secret San Diego

Cheese Store of San Diego

The Cheese Store of San Diego’s standard grilled cheese sandwich is mighty fine, but the off-menu cacio e pepe, made with four different cheeses and pepper-infused butter, is even more enticing. 1980 Kettner Boulevard, Little Italy

At Bankers Hill Bar + Restaurant you can score a duo of flaky tempura-battered Baja red snapper tacos for dinner anytime. 2202 Fourth Avenue, Bankers Hill

Regent Pizzeria’s buffalo chicken fries are gluttony at its finest—house-cut fries, battered and fried chicken, and buffalo sauce topped with blue cheese. 4150 Regents Park Row, La Jolla

Top-secret taco! Puesto’s Baja Supreme Taco trio comes piled high with beer-battered shrimp, melted cheese, mango habañero pico, and chipotle crema. 789 West Harbor Drive, downtown; 1026 Wall Street, La Jolla

UnderBelly’s spicy chicken buns with kimchi, pickles, and spicy mayo, are worth the ask. Limited quantities are prepared daily. 750 West Fir Street, Little Italy; 3000 Upas Street, North Park

Everything SD JUNE 25, 2026

The Former Comedian Who Became the Internet’s Bee Guy

Jeff Russell traded dreams of SNL for bee rescues, building a social media following of more than 4 million people along the way

By Emma Veidt

The Groundlings improv theater has churned out world-famous comedic talents like Will Ferrell and Maya Rudolph. And in San Diego, a former Groundling has used that training to campaign for a higher power. The power to protect bees.

“The goal was to try and get on SNL,” says Jeff Russell of his time in the improv troupe. “[But now], I have an audience, and I get to crack jokes and be silly and entertain and educate.”

That audience? The over 4 million people who follow Mr. and Mrs. Bee Rescue in the socialmediaverse. Jeff and his wife, Julie, operate the business, which means they remove unwelcome bees without harming them and rehome them to apiaries throughout the county. Their social media is a hub of videos of Jeff peeling open car trunks, flooring, barbecues—any cozy spot for a bee to set up shop—and using smoke to coax them out of the hive (sometimes working sans gloves or protective gear).

May 20, 2026

The Best Concierge in the Country Is in San Diego RELATED ARTICLE

Bees in a hive will follow their queen, so finding and moving her helps speed along the relocation process. It’s “a really hard game of Where’s Waldo,” Julie says. But there’s a secret to it: “If the bees start running completely in some random opposite direction in a hurry, then we know that the queen is probably that direction,” says Jeff. Their social videos document this process in a way that turns a reasonable nightmare (being swarmed by bees) into a form of entertainment and advocacy. The Russells spread the apian gospel, sharing why relocating bees is the only option to consider.

Since the 1960s, bee populations across the US have shrunk drastically for a slew of reasons—habitat loss (postwar industrialization led to fewer farms and crops), climate change (petulant temps affect blooming schedules), and pesticides (when used improperly, they can be toxic for bees).

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 𝐉 𝐄 𝐅 𝐅 + 𝐉 𝐔 𝐋 𝐈 𝐄 🐝 𝐑 𝐔 𝐒 𝐒 𝐄 𝐋 𝐋 (@mr.mrs.beerescue)

Bees are also responsible for up to 75 percent of all flowering plants; 35 percent of food crops rely on animal pollinators to reproduce. So, basically, we’d be living in a flowerless world fueled by a diet of wind-pollinated oats and Red Dye 40 without them.

Jeff and Julie met on Tinder in 2016. “It would have been more appropriate if we met on Bumble,” Julie says. A photographer and graphic designer, she had no experience in a swarm of stingers before 2018. When Jeff broke his back surfing, she had no choice but to step in. Later, when she was laid off from her job in 2020, she focused on growing Mr. and Mrs. Bee Removal’s social media accounts. That’s when their business took off. These videos work. People are learning.

“Quite a lot of my customers were [initially] like, ‘Why don’t we just kill?’” Jeff says. “Now, the vast majority are like, ‘You take them alive, don’t you?’”

About Emma Veidt

Emma Veidt is an editor at San Diego Magazine. She earned her bachelor's and master's degrees from the Missouri School of Journalism. She loves running, hiking, and rock climbing, but really, she mostly loves encounters with the street cats around North Park.

See profile

Everything SD JUNE 25, 2026

The Ancient Idea Behind One of San Diego’s Biggest Tech Success Stories

Jordan Glazier's Wildfire Systems is reinventing loyalty rewards for some of the world's biggest brands

By Matt Eisenberg

You visit your favorite ancient Egyptian merchant, and as you’re buying some papyrus to hieroglyph your way to the 3000 B.C. version of a Pulitzer, he slips you a special token as a thank you for being so loyal. It’s the least he can do for keeping him in business, and you can use that reward to barter for anything you want—like beer.

A few thousand years later, those tokens would evolve to copper coins that American retailers handed out so you could spend. The Sperry & Hutchinson company introduced its groundbreaking “Green Stamps” program in the late 1800s. Today, your sandwich shop’s loyalty card is one hole punch away from giving you a free sub. And you’ve surely justified some extravagant purchases in the name of airline miles.

Point is: Free stuff has always been a compelling way to earn human loyalty. And with his Solana Beach–based company Wildfire Systems, Jordan Glazier has built one of the city’s biggest tech companies by modernizing that simple, ancient idea.

June 24, 2026

Before She Died, Edna Harper Asked for One Thing RELATED ARTICLE

“Being able to save money when you shop is nice to have when times are good,” Glazier says. “When you have periods of inflation or financial stress, that nice-to-have becomes a must-have.”

He launched Wildfire in 2017. It’s essentially a white-label platform that builds and operates programs for enterprise brands across most industries—from banking (Visa, Citi) to travel (TravelArrow) to fintech (Sezzle, Acorns), to rewards (Shop Your Way, KashKick), you name it. Customers of, say, RBC (also a client), can install a browser extension or enable a feature on a mobile app that activates savings and cashback offers. Wildfire has now spent three straight years on Inc. 5000’s list of the fastest-growing private companies.

Glazier’s no stranger to scaling new ideas. As one of the early executives at eBay, he built and ran the consumer electronics, computer, and industrial equipment verticals. Later he turned San Diego tech company Eventful into the world’s largest online calendar and events discovery platform (CBS acquired it in 2014).

“Part of being an entrepreneur is building things and solving for things that haven’t been solved before,” he says.

It’s a lesson he learned early on. His grandparents started a women’s clothing manufacturing company in Chicago in the 1910s, and it remained a family business for over seven decades. Preteen Glazier would punch in as a stock boy and sit with the sales team making phone calls.

“That was my very first paycheck,” he says with a smile.

Now he and his own team of 70 have grown Wildfire’s revenue 721 percent over the past three years.

“I want to make sure we are building a business that’s built to last,” he says. “We are eight years in, and I feel like we’re just getting started.”

June 18, 2026

How to Find & Build Community in San Diego RELATED ARTICLE

Glazier named the company because of how people recommend products and services to each other. Great shirt, where’d you get it? Anyone know of a good sushi spot? “Word of mouth,” he says, “spreads like wildfire.”

San Diego’s tech industry seems to come and go. There were predictions that the post-pandemic, remote work world would see all luminous brains migrating south to our famous clime, but that has been only partially the case. As tides turn, big names like Glazier’s hold anchor.

“San Diego is such a great place to live and to build a business,” he says. “I always feel sorry for people who don’t live here.”

About Matt Eisenberg

Matt Eisenberg is an award-winning writer and photographer based in San Diego. A former ESPN editor, his work has also been published by CNN, Bleacher Report and the New York Daily News.

See profile

Everything SD JUNE 23, 2026

San Diego Pride 2026: Everything You Need to Know

A complete guide to the festival, the parade, the lineup, and all the good stuff in between

By Isabella Dallas

There are two types of San Diegans in July: those who have their Pride Festival tickets, and those who wish they’d bought them sooner. Summer in San Diego already feels like a fever dream of sunshine and saltwater, and with Balboa Park turning it up to a level best described as joyfully unhinged, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

That’s right: San Diego Pride 2026 is bigger, louder, and more necessary than ever. From July 18–19, expect a full, unapologetic, flags-everywhere kind of weekend where the city opens its arms and means it. Here’s everything you need to know about San Diego Pride 2026.

When and where is the 2026 San Diego Pride Festival?

The San Diego Pride Festival takes over Marston Point in Balboa Park (6th Ave. & Laurel St.) on Saturday, July 18 (12 p.m. to 10 p.m.) and Sunday, July 19 (12 p.m. to 9 p.m.).

How much are San Diego Pride Festival tickets?

Buy tickets early because prices go up closer to the weekend. Regular GA is priced at $45 for a single day or $75 for the full weekend. Once Pride Weekend pricing kicks in, that bumps to $48 for one day and $85 for two days. VIP Weekend starts at $269, and if you want a Meet & Greet with Hailie Sahar on July 18 at 2 p.m., tickets are $106.

June 18, 2026

How to Find & Build Community in San Diego RELATED ARTICLE

Seniors 65 years and older can grab a ticket at the box office for $15, and high schoolers and younger get in free, though they still need to stop by the box office for a ticket before entering. Regular pricing is available through July 17, so don’t wait until the last minute.

What to expect at the festival?

The San Diego Pride Festival isn’t just a typical party. Expect Balboa Park at maximum capacity and maximum heart with five stages, hundreds of vendors, and more joy per square foot than anywhere else in the city that weekend.

At the heart of it all is the Stonewall Stage, the main event where legends and newcomers alike make their San Diego Pride debut. The Mundo Latino Stage brings Rock en Español, DJs, drag shows, and multicultural performers to the mix. The Movement Stage offers a full celebration of Black LGBTQIA+ arts, music, and culture through hip hop, urban contemporary, and local DJs, plus a Queer Locals Marketplace full of LGBTQ-owned small businesses selling handmade art, wellness goods, literature, community resources, and more.

For the people who came to actually dance, the Euphoria Stage delivers electronic music and groundbreaking talent. Prism For All is where art, libraries, and history collide, with workshops, performances, and a makerspace hosted by Art of Pride, the San Diego Public Library, and Lambda Archives. And the Youth Zone gives LGBTQIA+ young people their own dedicated area to meet, get creative, play, and find support.

Who is featured on the 2026 San Diego Pride Festival lineup?

The lineup includes:

Saturday, July 18

Krewella

Sunday, July 19

MARINA

Both Days

HAYLA
Altégo
Wreckno
Haute & Freddy
Mad Tsai
Sam Blacky
DJ Holographic
Cortisa Star
Disco Shrine
David Harness
Juliet Mendoza

How can I get involved?

The San Diego Pride Festival 2026 runs on the energy of over 2,000 volunteers every year. With more than 30 departments to choose from, whether you’re a people person, a behind-the-scenes organizer, or just someone who wants to do something good in a great outfit, there’s a spot with your name on it. Head to the San Diego Pride website to sign up.

When and where is the San Diego Pride Parade?

San Diego’s Pride Parade calls the parade “the region’s largest single-day civic event,” drawing more than 250,000 attendees annually. This year it takes place on Saturday, July 18 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and starts at University Avenue and Normal Street. Then it travels west on University Avenue, south on Sixth Avenue, and ends near Balboa Park/Quince Drive.

When and where is the San Diego Pride 5K and Walk?

The Pride 5K Run & Walk is one of the highlights of Pride Week, drawing as many as 1,700 runners and walkers from around the world and raising approximately $40,000 for charity partners San Diego Pride and The LGBT Center’s Youth Housing Project. This year it also takes place on July 18, just a bit earlier at 8 a.m., at the corner of Centre and University Ave in Hillcrest.

May 4, 2026

San Diego's Sleep-Friendly Nightlife Is Here RELATED ARTICLE

What are pride donations used for?

Of course, buying a ticket is a guaranteed good time, but it’s also funding something real. San Diego Pride is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and proceeds go toward supporting organizations that host community events, programs, and fundraisers advancing pride, equality, and respect for LGBTQ+ communities locally, nationally, and globally.

That includes virtual youth programming like Pride’s Youth Leadership Academy, which reaches more than 4,000 LGBTQ children and young adults, as well as coalitions like the QAPIMEDA Coalition, Black LGBTQ Coalition, and Latinx Coalition, and more than 30 LGBTQ programs and events throughout the year.

What items are prohibited at the San Diego Pride Festival?

The prohibited items list is lengthy (no balloons, no selfie sticks, no bubble-making devices, trust us they’ll make up for it elsewhere), but the big ones to keep in mind: clear bags only (max 12″x6″x12″), no outside food, no alcoholic beverages, no glass, no large umbrellas, and no knives or weapons of any kind. Leave the drone at home too. For the full list, head to sdpride.org/entry-policies.

Check out San Diego Pride’s frequently asked questions page for more details.

About Isabella Dallas

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.

See profile

Studio S JUNE 15, 2026

A Modern Take on Steak

Stake Chophouse & Bar brings contemporary classics and old-school service to the heart of Coronado

By Partner Content

Stake Chophouse & Bar isn’t your average steakhouse. Blue Bridge Hospitality’s Coronado outpost is a modern interpretation of a big-city steakhouse nestled in the heart of the small coastal community. The team at Stake has reimagined the whole steakhouse experience. By prioritizing a seasonal farm-to-table sourcing philosophy, a personalized guest experience, and unique service touches, like a formal steak presentation and a bespoke knife selection process, Stake distinguishes itself in a sea of steakhouses.

Exceptional steaks, including Wagyu from Japan, Australia, and the U.S., and fresh seafood flown in daily form the core of Stake’s culinary identity. The menu features a five-course omakase-style steak experience highlighting house favorites, plus an array of cuts, and classic steakhouse staples—think a wedge salad, baked potato, or pasta carbonara—refined for a contemporary palate without losing their traditional appeal. Stake focuses on seasonal sourcing from the region’s best family farms and specialty purveyors, and incorporates intentionally unexpected touches to create something truly unique.

“I challenge our chefs and myself to take it a step further in sourcing,” says Chef Ronnie Schwandt. “It’s important to us to highlight different farms, unique one-off farms—whether it’s cattle, strawberries, a local fisherman or from anywhere in the United States, we’re always trying to find that niche.”

Beyond the menu, Stake emphasizes outstanding service, says Vinny Spatafore, Director of Hospitality Operations. Staff maintains detailed notes, allowing them to remember guests by name, recall previous orders such as a favorite martini (also memorable for the customer since it’s served in an extra tall, distinctly-shaped glass), and celebrate special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries.

“When you have those points of topic that you remember about a guest, they appreciate that,” he says. “Our servers are really good with that—we have a couple servers who have been here since the beginning and they’ll remember somebody from years ago, their name, their kids’ names, where they live. I’m really thankful to have a great front of house staff.”

Award-winning wines, rare whiskeys, special events, and a complementary black car service that provides transportation for guests throughout Coronado add to Stake’s appeal.

Schwandt stresses that Stake offers more than a meal; they aim to give patrons something unforgettable.

“It starts when you walk up the stairs and are greeted by the hostess—that sets the tone for the night. Then you’re greeted by a server, who may know you by name, and can guide you through the menu and curate as they get to know you,” says Schwandt. “Most people leave kind of blown away; they leave feeling like they just had an experience. That’s the goal, right? Whether you’re serving smash burgers or high-end steak, you want somebody to leave thinking, Wow, that was awesome.”

Arts & Culture JUNE 23, 2026

17 Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend: June 23–28

Kick off summer at The Rady Shell, enjoy the Omakase Open at JULEP, and see a Padres vs. Dodgers showdown at Petco Park

By Ryan Hardison

Summertime in San Diego may bring about blue skies and sun-drenched days, but it doesn’t stop there. There’s also the top-notch concerts, tasting events and wallet-friendly fixtures that make this season feel extra special. Fans of contemporary and classical music can check out performances by the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, the Beach Boys and Kool & The Gang at The Rady Shell or the annual Mainly Mozart All-Star Orchestra Festival in La Jolla. Local gourmands can sign up for a spot at our Omakase Open, indulge in cold desserts at Scoop San Diego or journey across a two-mile stretch of good eats during the Taste of Adams Avenue. As for free events, there’s a new edition of San Diego Made: LIVE at San Diego Made Factory, the Pride Party at Museum of Us and the return of the Ocean Beach Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off.

Food & Drink | Concerts & Festivals | Theater & Art Exhibits | More Fun Things to Do

Food & Drink Events in San Diego This Weekend

Omakase Open at JULEP

June 25

Japanese omakase dining is an artform built on trust, in patrons allowing their chef to entirely curate their meal. That’s why, this Thursday from 6-9 p.m., San Diego Magazine is gathering the city’s finest sushi and omakase chefs to showcase their skills during the 21-plus Omakase Open at JULEP. Guests can enjoy live music, all you can eat food and drink, plus the chance to converse with local culinary masterminds and decide on the night’s best bites, all while supporting the Convoy Pan Asian Cultural and Businesses Innovation District. General admission ($85) is full up, but join the waitlist in case more tickets become available.

1735 Hancock Street, Mission Hills

Taste of Adams Avenue

June 28

From University Heights to Kensington and the unique neighborhoods in between, Adams Avenue is home to a host of must-try flavors. During the 25th annual Taste of Adams Avenue, happening this Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 45 spots along Adams Avenue will offer samples, with brunch-inspired bites, refreshing ales, world-class gelato on the menu. Attendees can make the most of their self-guided tasting tours by walking, biking or riding from end-to-end on a complimentary trolley. Tickets are $55 online and $65 the day of.

Adams Avenue

Scoop San Diego Ice Cream Festival

June 28

It’s a scientific fact (source: trust me) that a little sweet treat, like say ice cream, paletas or shaved ice, has the power to make any day instantly better. Meaning, it’s only right to treat yourself to a dessert-filled afternoon during the 8th annual Scoop San Diego Ice Cream Festival, where three dozen local vendors will serve up their finest specialties this Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. in North Park. General admission ($49) comes with 10 shareable two-ounce samples; all net proceeds will go towards Feeding San Diego.

30th Street & North Park Way, North Park

Concerts & Festivals in San Diego This Weekend

Mainly Mozart All-Star Orchestra Festival

Through June 27

Week two of the 38th Annual Mainly Mozart All-Star Orchestra Festival begins Tuesday (7 p.m.) with a performance of Mozart’s “Jenamy” and pieces by Lully and Strauss, followed by Mozart’s “Jupiter,” and works by with Schumann and Pärt on Thursday (7 p.m.), both at The Conrad; tickets range from $71 to $163 for each concert. The festival will then conclude Saturday (7 p.m.) with Mozart, Brahms and a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 at Epstein Family Amphitheater; tickets range from $26 to $263. And if that’s not enough Mozart for you, pianist Anton Nel will lead a prelude concert in the JAI prior to Tuesday and Thursday’s shows.

The Conrad: 7600 Fay Avenue, La Jolla | Epstein Family Amphitheater: 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla

Opening Weekend at The Rady Shell

June 26–28

A star-studded opening weekend is in store to kick off The Rady Shell’s summer season. On Friday (7:30 p.m.), Rafael Payare will conduct the San Diego Symphony Orchestra in an effusive Opening Night program featuring violin soloist Stefan Jackiw; tickets range from $57 to $124. The following night at 7:30 p.m., the orchestra will pair up with The Beach Boys, plus special guest John Stamos, for a rousing tribute to Pet Sounds; tickets range from $78 to $268. Then, on Sunday (7:30 p.m.), audiences can boogie their way to Monday with Kool & the Gang and hip-hop pioneers the Sugarhill Gang; tickets range from $68 to $152.

222 Marina Park Way, Embarcadero

Ocean Beach Street Fair & Chili Cook-Off

June 27

About Ryan Hardison

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.

See profile

Features JUNE 18, 2026