It’s only when I’m wrapped in foil that I really start to feel like a baked potato. It’s not a leap—I’ve been buttered (slathered with lotion) and salted (exfoliating scrub) and am now roasting gently in a cocoon of crinkly, metallic paper and hot towels.
While I broil, a woman with very strong hands obliterates all the tension in my body by pushing her thumbs into a previously unremarkable section of my temples. In about 40 minutes, I’ll emerge into the world soft, almost melty, and glistening with a light coating of oil—not unlike a perfect steakhouse spud.
A spa day is a beautiful thing. The right treatment can shove away anxiety, unknot uptight muscles, soothe stressed-out skin—and even help you see yourself and the world from a new perspective. San Diego is chock-full of spots to indulge in a little self-care, whether you’re seeking a quick mid-day facial or an unplugged week-long escape.
We rounded up the county’s finest spots (and a few further afield) for mood-boosting treatments and post-massage lounging. Go find your baked-potato bliss.
It’d be easy to assume that the “rainfall” in The Fairmont Spa’s Rainfall Massage is like the “golden sand” in a Yankee candle name—metaphorical. But no. After a zen-inducing, full-body rubdown with coastal sage-infused oil, your service provider switches on a half-dozen shower heads for some hydrotherapy right there on the table. After drying off with warm towels, lounge in the whirlpool, relax in wet and dry saunas, nibble free snacks (the oat bars rule), and post up by the hotel’s spectacular, adults-only Relaxation Pool, open only to resort guests and spa-goers. Tip: If you want to order a lounge-chair lunch, tuck your credit card into your robe pocket—servers can’t add food to your spa tab.
Ocean Pearl Day Spa at The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa
Carlsbad, $$$–$$$$$
Serenity awaits at this newly renovated spa—a chic, coastal-inspired oasis. The San Diego spa’s got you covered with tailored massages and custom facials that incorporate marine-based botanicals. Consider the 80-minute Sunset Treatment after a day’s worth of play in the sun, featuring a full-body reef sugar scrub, a warm towel treatment, and either a foot exfoliant or hydrating seaweed scalp treatment. Scope out the eucalyptus steam room, showers, lounge, fitness center, heated pool, and hot tub before checking out.
The Spa at The Lodge at Torrey Pines
La Jolla, $$$$$
The Lodge at Torrey Pines is a local legend for good reason. After steam and sauna time, head outside to the pool and hot tub to stare at the Pacific as golfers wander one of the most sought-after courses on the planet, all under the careful watch of the incredible namesake’s native trees. After a couples massage, share tea by the fire in the co-ed relaxation room, and bask in your good fortune.
Spa Ritual at Sycuan Casino & Resort
El Cajon, $$–$$$
In the subterranean trenches of a casino resort, the sleek Spa Ritual offers a jetted hot tub in gendered changing rooms, plus a steam room and sauna, while the co-ed outdoor pool and lazy river bring the fun on warm, summery days. Splurge on the “Spoil Me” package, an 80-minute Royal Milk & Honey Wrap with a 75-minute Oxygen Facial. You’ll be painted with coconut milk and honey sugar, coated with warm coconut oil, and cocooned in warm blankets while receiving a scalp massage. The Oxygen Facial will plump up your skin while you get your hands and neck rubbed. Tack on the Reduce hot stone massage for a decadence upgrade.
Courtesy of Park Hyatt Aviara
Miraval Life in Balance Spa at Park Hyatt Aviara
Carlsbad, $$$$$
A Miraval-branded San Diego spa has taken up residence at Park Hyatt Aviara—the only one of its kind operating outside Miraval wellness resorts. Nature’s beauty is on display here: There’s an indoor solarium with hanging plants and a wall of crystal geodes. Guests are encouraged to turn off devices before settling in for treatments like the Warrior’s Recovery deep-tissue massage, which incorporates a warm herbal poultice of turmeric, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and prai. A sauna, steam room, whirlpool tub, and adults-only pool await.
The Hideaway at Marriot Marquis San Diego Marina
Downtown, $$$–$$$$
Catch us playing hooky from work and disappearing at The Hideaway, the Marriott Marquis’ cozy day spa. It’s quiet, which we love. You’ll find all the standard massage and facial services here, featuring Yon-Ka skin products and Doterra organic essential oils. The hidden oasis is sandwiched between the city and the bay, the ideal getaway for busy downtown folks.
The Spa at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa
Carlsbad, $$$–$$$$
An expansive resort complex featuring a golf course, ballrooms, and dining options, Omni’s pristine white-stucco property encompasses all your needs for an extended stay. The spa, though, offers enough services and features to make it worth a stop in its own right. Generous amenities include men’s and women’s hot tubs, a sauna, and a steam room, with an all-gender pool and café in the sunny courtyard.
Treat yourself to a Deluxe Hydrafacial that combines lymphatic drainage, deep moisture, peptide boosts, nourishing seaweed, and LED light therapy for radiant skin that glows from the inside out. Or, let your whole body experience the benefits of LED with a LightStim bed session. Omni is also set to undergo an extensive facelift starting in January and finishing in spring 2024, just in time for your summer refresh. Look forward to new amenities, with airy, coastal design sensibilities.
Sunny’s Spa & Beauty Lounge at The Seabird Resort
Oceanside, $$$$–$$$$$
Relaxing with a cup of tea on the ocean-view terrace at Seabird’s spa is worth the visit alone. Guests don’t have to choose between a massage and body treatment at this beachy paradise—the seasonal Green Smoothie Scrub has both. The full-body massage includes a hair and scalp treatment, while the CBD-infused body scrub helps with inflammation. Carve out time for the dry sauna, cool mint misting showers, and heated benches. Hair and nail salons are onsite for more pampering.
Courtesy of Pendry San Diego
Spa Pendry at Pendry San Diego
Gaslamp Quarter, $$$$$
The third-floor San Diego spa at Pendry is a world away from the hubbub of J Street. Arrive early to enjoy tea service and the eucalyptus steam room before a signature service, like the immersive 120-minute Pendry Rose Ritual. (We recommend bringing your own bathing suit, but one can be provided if needed.) After full-body exfoliation, the steaming milk and rose petal bath, and a neck and scalp massage, will release tension from places you didn’t even know existed. Once you manage to emerge from the tub—at this point, you’ll feel gloriously languid—the treatment finishes with a floral and citrus body soufflé massage. Blissed out is an understatement.
The Spa at Harrah’s Resort Socal
Valley Center, $$–$$$
Need a break from blackjack? Grab your winnings and head over to the Spa at Harrah’s to celebrate with fabulous facials, relaxing massages, and maybe even a new look at the salon. No pool, but you can enjoy a dry sauna, steam room, and salt bath whirlpool before a fun night back on the casino floor, all for a relatively low cost.
The Spa at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
Rancho Santa Fe, $$$$
Rancho Valencia’s spa—at Southern California’s only Relais & Châteaux property—is considered one of the best in town by locals and travelers. The spa’s grounds sit in lush gardens around Spanish-style cottages connected by outdoor breezeways, generously dotted with a hydrotherapy circuit, salon, pool, plush seating, wood-burning fireplaces, and plenty of refreshments. Of special note is the Biologique Recherche Firming + Lifting facial, which combines exfoliation, hydration, and a face massage to have you resembling whatever Jane Fonda looked like at your respective age. It’s that good.
Spa & Salon at The Hotel Del Coronado
Coronado, $$$$–$$$$$
We dare you to have a better experience in San Diego than heading to the iconic Hotel Del on a perfect sunny and 70-degree day, getting a deep-tissue massage and marine peptide facial with all sorts of algaes, then washing it down with a glass of Champagne while sitting oceanside. Add in a fresh Neapolitan pizza from the grounds, for good measure. It’s a peak San Diego experience, and it’s owed in large part to the hotel’s beauty and its ideal Coronado beachfront location. But the Del’s spa is a destination in its own right, with top quality treatments and world-class bodywork pros and estheticians on staff.
Courtesy of Rancho Bernardo Inn
The Spa at Rancho Bernardo Inn
Rancho Bernardo, $$$
It makes sense that Rancho Bernardo Inn is tucked deep inside a suburban community in North County—it’s very much a resort for the fam. Dad can practice his swing on its championship golf course and pop pop can play cornhole with the kids, all while you enjoy a Holistic Wellness massage. Targeting muscle and tension relief, this gentle treatment may have you falling asleep (especially if you add CBD foot balm). Before heading back to your crew, jump in the steam room and hot tub located in both the men’s and women’s locker rooms.
Spa Brezza at the San Diego Mission Bay Resort
Mission Bay, $$$
Say hi to glistening skin with a subtle fragrance of lavender and rosemary. Gentle and aromatic, the VOYA Organic Lavender Seaweed Sugar Scrub exfoliates and refreshes the skin without the harshness of a heavier, salt-based scrub. After getting rubbed down from head to toe, you’ll have time to rinse off inside the dimly lit suite before your skin is moisturized and massaged to silky perfection. Pro tip: Arrive early at Spa Brezza to kick back in the sauna, gym, or lounge.
Willows Spa at Viejas Casino & Resort
Alpine, $$–$$$
Escape the heat at this desert oasis at Viejas Casino & Resort. The chic space is adorned with marble interiors and glass chandeliers. Treat yourself to massages, facials, waxing, or other signature treatments like the Fire & Ice body wrap, featuring a stonecrop exfoliating scrub, followed by a thermal wrap, foot and scalp massages, and a skin-rejuvenating gel massage. Afterward, immerse yourself in the salt sauna or their saltwater pool for an extra dose of fire-and-ice indulgence.
The Catamaran Spa at the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa
Mission Bay, $$$–$$$$
The Catamaran Resort may be storied—the Mission Bay institution opened in the ’50s—but its Polynesian-inspired spa is decidedly modern. The Catamaran Spa boasts both traditional treatments (aromatherapy, massage, body wraps) and buzzy, techy options. Try the Anti-Gravity Facial, an 80-minute indulgence that utilizes a microcurrent device designed to lift, tighten, and coax out your cheekbones. Make time afterwards to sink into the bayfront whirlpool and people-watch PBcians and tourists alike.
AquaVie Fitness + Wellness Club at The Westgate Hotel
Downtown, $$$$
Booking a treatment at The Westgate’s AquaVie Wellness Club gets you access to a gym, sauna, steam room, and cool plunge. (The rooftop pool and hot tub recently closed for maintenance, but they are scheduled to reopen early this year.) Inside, everything—from the chair to the tiles—is a soothing blue. The gym is industrial-chic and spacious, hosting downtown biz folks sweating out their stress and hotel guests getting in a quick Peloton sesh. The club’s lobby looks out over downtown and features do-it-yourself Stash teas. The signature massage presses all the right buttons to take your blues away.
Spa L’Auberge is an upscale sanctuary offering panoramic ocean views, wood accents, and citrus aromas with amenities like eucalyptus saunas, a serene courtyard, and a hot tub, perfect for sipping mimosas or herbal tea. The Ocean Quench treatment includes a head-to-toe scrub, lavender mask, cocoon wrap, scalp massage, and full-body massage—a must-try for lovers of lemongrass and oceanfront luxury.
SpaTerre at Kona Kai San Diego
Shelter Island, $$$–$$$$
Kona Kai San Diego sits on the tip of Shelter Island, and its spa is just steps away from docks full of swaying sailboats. Descend a staircase to reach SpaTerre, a secluded, candlelit retreat. (Should you want to stay beachside, though, you can book a treatment in a private cabana.) This full-service spa offers custom massages, facials, and body indulgences; try the signature Noble Massage to target tight or tired areas, from toes to temples. Bonus: Kona Kai San Diego is pet-friendly to an unparalleled degree, and while the spa’s cloud-like robes don’t come in dog sizes, the treatments do. To pamper your four-legged companion as much as you’ve pampered yourself, a Pawroma Therapy massage should do the trick.
Courtesy of Alila Marea Beach Resort
Spa Alila at Alila Marea Beach Resort
Encinitas, $$$–$$$$
Perched on the cliffside of north Leucadia overlooking the ocean, the Alila Marea hotel is quietly grand in earth tones inspired by the local terrain. Take the opportunity to recharge with Spa Alila’s signature Talisman Massage. This unique massage style employs warm, oil-drenched herbal poultices said to combat inflammation, relieve tension, and aid blood flow. They will customize their blend and level of pressure to fit your personal needs, leaving you deeply relaxed, as if dropped into a lower rhythm. The sauna offers Himalayan salt stones intended to further draw out impurities through your feet. Let any remaining muscle tension melt on a warmed amethyst-infused biomat in the spa lounge. With your body at ease, dive deeper with a personalized astrology reading. Or take lounging to a new level with a Daycation package to enjoy the pool before or after your treatments.
Boutiques
Courtesy of Oh Glory
Oh Glory
North Park, $$$
Oh Glory’s arresting, arched wooden door in the heart of North Park resembles the entrance to a house of worship—fitting, considering that the spa’s namesake facial is as soothing for the spirit as it is the skin. The estheticians here take a more holistic approach than most, massaging your shoulders, arms, hands, feet, and scalp while botanical-forward products work their magic on your face. Whether you’ve booked a skin treatment, a massage, or acupuncture, your attentive provider will offer thoughtful advice for continued self-care, long after you emerge from their softly lit, impeccably decorated space.
Saffron & Sage
Bankers Hill, $$$
Saffron and Sage is a holistic health club and wellness center featuring a mix of therapies including acupuncture, breathwork, energy therapy, cupping, and traditional spa services such as massages and facials. Using both Eastern and Western treatments, fans of the spa suggest booking a combination of services to encourage total body relaxation and rejuvenation. Plus, if you really want a complete ahhhh experience, the center hosts wellness retreats for men and women in places like Oaxaca, Mexico that include daily group classes, meditation, individual therapies, and curated nourishing meals.
Four Moons Spa
Encinitas, $$$$
This decompression hideout nails that quirky Leucadia desert surf vibe. With onsite naturopathic docs for acupuncture, IVs, empathic healing, and tarot; a Balinese hut in a thriving koi pond; a meditation and reading perch; a yoga room; a Hammam room; an outdoor soaking tub; and a sauna—all places to gracefully relax and just kind of exist—Four Moons Spa is becoming a sought-after events space for SoCal culture brands, weddings, art shows, and on socials.
Miss Lymph
Carmel Valley, $$$
Some say the key to beating bloating, fatigue, and stomach issues lies in lymphatic drainage treatments. At Miss Lymph, you’ll melt under the heat of a red-light infrared sauna before settling in for a depuffing massage. For a full-body detox, try The Ultimate, a two-hour experience that includes a sweat sesh in a body wrap, lymphatic facial drainage, and wood and vibration therapy. Pack your swimsuit, sweat-proof undies, or go commando. Small but mighty, the business is located inside ICE Recovery + Wellness.
Angelica B Beauty
South Park, $$
Angelica B Beauty is a staple of South Park—the natural beauty urban spa is in the building that once was the Burlingame Garage. We recommend trying the holistic massage facial with organic Laurel cosmetic products. Expect eye bags to disappear—seriously—right before your eyes. As if that weren’t enough, there are three add-on options to the facial that are worth trying: lymphatic drainage, gua sha (gentle combing with a rose quartz stone intended to get rid of unhealthy cells), and Buccal massage (Pilates for the face, said to increase collagen production). There are also services for lashes, brow lamination, makeup, sugaring, and waxing. The front-of-house boutique sells cosmetics, lash care, natural skin care, and sexual wellness products for take-away bliss.
SkinHabit
Pacific Beach, $$$
Boho, intimate, and minimalist, this crisp Pacific Beach outpost echoes the clean canvas your skin will become after a 50- or 80-minute customizable facial. Recover from winter dryness with the Hydrate + Calm facial, which quenches your skin’s thirst with activated hyaluronic acid, a gooey jelly mask, and other dewy substances. Book the 80-minute option for an added neck and shoulder massage and hand mask.
Shop Good
North Park & Del Mar, $$$
Shop Good knows that facials are not one-size-fits-all, so they offer a range of specialty treatments, diving into the history of your skin and nurturing your needs with various masks, gua sha approaches, and everything else under the sun (or at least everything under therapeutic LED lights). Their holistic estheticians offer a complementary “Clean Swap” consultation, assessing your current products to provide a more natural alternative.
Yu Spa
Convoy District, $$
There’s nothing quite like a Korean body scrub to leave you feeling fresh like a baby. This beloved Convoy District spa offers the revitalizing experience of lying on a table, getting intensively exfoliated from tip to tail by a woman in skivvies and hand mitts. Yu Spa guests can opt for a wet massage in the body scrub room or a dry massage in a private treatment room. The day spa pass option is popular, too, seeing as it gets you hours in the dry and steam saunas, whirlpool, cold plunge, and three Korean sauna rooms: the ice room, Himalayan salt sauna, and medicinal red clay room. It’s like a fun house for your body.
Retreats
Courtesy of Cal-A-Vie Health Spa
Cal-a-Vie Health Spa
Vista, $$$$$
Wake up in sateen linens, listen to the perfect water pressure bounce off your shower’s travertine tiles, and frolic across the 200 acres of vineyards and hiking trails at the renowned Cal-a-Vie. This French countryside–esque establishment doesn’t offer day passes—it’s impossible to immerse yourself in the opulence in 24 hours—so you’ll need to book a three-, four- or seven-night stay in a serene Vista Villa. Choose whether to spend your days caked in the greens of a Sea Wrap or on the greens of their golf course. This retreat is your oyster.
Golden Door
San Marcos, $$$$$
It’s said that lucrative deals have been made behind these doors—likely due to the resort’s nearly $12,000-a-week price tag. Founded in 1958, the Golden Door is one of SD’s most exclusive wellness retreats. Limited to three-, four- or seven-day stays, guests experience daily spa perks like massages, facials, calorie-specific meal plans, and fitness activities. You can also book à la carte services like the womb-cradling Watsu massage, which takes place in a warm pool followed by tugs and stretches to your limbs, focusing on gentle mobilization of the joints. Come for the mental break; stay for pickleball with the president of Sony.
Waldorf Astoria Spa at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club
Dana Point, $$$$$
This is true rejuvenation. Services at this Waldorf Astoria resort will set you back more than most other places in this guide, but they allow you access to a spa pool, lap pool, sauna, indoor and outdoor hot tubs, and relaxation lounges. After your session, get cozy in their newly renovated suites with private firepits and spa-inspired bathrooms complete with complimentary workout gear. No need to worry about your dietary restrictions, either, since this getaway offers seven culinary concepts to meet your needs. With killer ocean views while you golf or exercise, and various boutiques to shop from, you’ll be set.
Courtesy of Rancho La Puerta
Rancho La Puerta
Baja California, $$$$$
Escape the mundane and explore this nature-filled retreat where your only dilemma will be deciding between heading out on a scenic hike or basking poolside in the sun. Set at the base of Mt. Kuchumaa in Tecate, Mexico, this 1940s-era wellness hacienda offers a program called Saturdays at the Ranch, which includes a day trip to the property, fitness classes, breakfast and lunch, a cooking demonstration, and more. Seeking complete relaxation? Add a 50-minute Ranch Classic massage.
Glen Ivy Hot Springs
Temescal Valley, $$$–$$$$
Glen Ivy is an oasis. A welcoming mimosa and luxurious robe greet you upon your arrival to this curated retreat featuring 19 mineral pools and therapeutic baths amid luscious, tropical gardens. Pack a swimsuit you don’t mind getting stained and coat yourself at “Club Mud”—the infamous outdoor mud therapy pool—then relax in the Wafa cave, where the sauna heat is intended to draw impurities from your skin. A massage won’t hurt, either (unless you want it to).
Courtesy of Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa
Spa Rosa at the Tommy Bahama Miramonte Resort & Spa
Indian Wells, $$$–$$$$
Perched on a quiet, sprawling property, the hotel’s Spa Rosa features the works (steam room, dedicated pool, lounge-chair snack deliveries), including a magical hot tub made of tiny waterfalls. The branded resort offers a wealth of treatments inspired by the Tommy Bahama lifestyle and the hotel’s desert locale, like a body mask made with mud from the Santa Rosa Mountains and a Marlin Man massage and facial aimed at golfers.
The Ritz-Carlton Spa at The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel
Dana Point, $$$$$
This beachfront sanctuary relies on the ocean’s natural bounty to restore your skin. Tranquil water features and aqua-and-beige treatment rooms lull you to surrender before you’re slathered in hydrating ingredients like marine collagen, sea salt, and seaweed. Book the 90-minute Laguna Wellness Experience to be cocooned in seaweed and kneaded like dough. If you’re staying the night, catch daily, complimentary morning yoga and Pilates classes overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
Spa VEA at VEA Newport Beach
Newport Beach, $$$$
The two-story, 14,000-square-foot Spa VEA is Orange County’s new favorite spa retreat. Locals love getting day passes for the adults-only playground, complete with outdoor saltwater pool, steam and dry saunas, and cold-water foot revival. Some even post up in private cabanas with laptops to work while wearing bathrobes. OSEA Malibu’s ocean-inspired skincare line is used throughout the facial and body treatments, including the 100-minute luminous Luxury Oxygen facial, which leaves you with a red carpet–ready angelic radiance.
We Care Spa
Desert Hot Springs, $$$$$
This detox spa retreat in Desert Hot Springs is famous for its liquid fasting program, with celebrity fans including Ben Affleck, Reese Witherspoon, and Gwen Stefani. There are just 28 accommodations (all with oversized soaking tubs), and the daily regimen includes yoga, breathwork, sound healing, and meditation along with colon hydrotherapy (said to flush toxins) and more than 40 spa treatments. The date sugar body polish uses locally grown Coachella Valley dates for a head-to-toe glow.
Before, during, and after the Fourth of July, San Diegans can commemorate America’s 250th anniversary with an abundance of stars, stripes and local celebrations. America The Beautiful: 250 at The Rady Shell and Lamb’s Players Theatre’s revival of American Rhythm will look back at the many songs which define our country. Liberty Station’s Anchored in Freedom celebration and the Independence Day Carnival offer community-centered fun and loads of family-friendly activities. And who can possibly forget the Big Bay Boom, which will resume its reign over San Diego Bay as the state’s biggest fireworks show. Outside of the holiday festivities, this week brings the yearly return of Little Italy’s Summer Sera and the Athenaeum Summer Festival, as well as a slate of championship matches for All Elite Wrestling.
Sip on refreshing beverages and savor a panoramic rooftop view this Friday from 6-8 p.m. during the 21-plus Sunset & Spritz at Margaritaville Hotel San Diego Gaslamp Quarter’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar. There will be a live DJ (until 9 p.m.), appetizers, pool and cabana access, a photo booth, and a cash bar (until 11 p.m.). To accentuate the summer theme, guests are invited to dress in white, pink, and orange attire. Tickets are $29 and come with a welcome aperol spritz.
616 J Street, Gaslamp
The 250 Grand Tasting Menu at Amaya
July 3 & 4
Bring a patriotic palette to the Fairmont Grand Del Mar for The 250 Grand Tasting Menu at Amaya this Friday and Saturday from 5-8:30 p.m. Patrons will be treated to a five-course tasting menu, curated to exhibit a selection of standout regional flavors and culinary concepts that have shaped our country’s distinct food heritage. The meal will also include beverage pairings with each course, such as wine, cocktails, and artisanal drinks. Reservations are $330 per person (with tax and 20% gratuity) on OpenTable.
Don Toliver thrives at being the life of the party (and the “After Party”). His fifth album Octane, released in February, is indicative of his thrill-seeking nature. As with his earlier releases, Octane sees Toliver operating in the space between hip-hop and R&B, with warbling vocals and blaring beats that are best heard at a high volume. This Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., Toliver will play at Pechanga Arena, with rappers SoFaygo, Chase B and SahBabii—who had a guest verse on Octane standout “K9”—as special guests. Tickets start at $156 for this concert.
What makes musicals like Wicked, Cats, Chicago, and Jersey Boys so timeless is the legion of excellent songs that makes fans out of those who’ve never even watched the show. This Friday at 7:30 p.m. during Blockbuster Broadway! at The Rady Shell, conductor Evan Roider, the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, and veteran vocalists Alex Getlin, Jessica Hendy, Scott Coulter, and John Boswell (also on piano) will perform an all-star theater soundtrack. In addition to the shows named above, audiences can expect songs from A Chorus Line, The Phantom of the Opera, Annie,and more. Tickets range from $57 to $129 for this concert.
222 Marina Park Way, Embarcadero
America The Beautiful: 250 at The Rady Shell
July 4
One night after recognizing the brilliance of Broadway, The Rady Shell will ring in the United States’ landmark anniversary with America The Beautiful: 250 this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Conductor Byron Stripling, joined by a five-performer ensemble and the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, will lead a night of ballads that best resemble the red, white, and blue, including songs sourced from the Great American Songbook. After the show, concertgoers are invited to watch the nearby Big Bay Boom from their seats. Tickets range from $71 to $139 for this concert.
222 Marina Park Way, Embarcadero
Athenaeum Summer Festival at Athenaeum Music & Arts Library
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.
“This is insane!” the guy filming it seems to proclaim. “It’s the best fireworks show ever!” a companion confirms, inspiring a debate lasting over a decade.
All told, 7,000 fireworks exploded in the span of 25 seconds over San Diego Bay on July 4, 2012. A Michael Bay amount of unison. $125,000 worth of shells, cakes, Roman candles, and skyrockets had been placed on a barge—enough for 17 minutes of decorative sky flares—and…
Boom.
The sky looked like someone had set a giant Rorschach test on fire. Or as if whatever we all see in our Rorschachs—butterflies, clowns, tongue kissing, dads—was being electrocuted and lifted heavenward, amen. It was shocking how bright it was, how much it sizzled the local cosmos. Could’ve been one of those sci-fi films where a hole is ripped open between warring universes. But angstier, more metal—the work of some methy creator in a sleeveless concert tee.
The sound?
Lou Reed once released an entire album that contained 64 minutes of mindflaying guitar screeches and machine noises. No regular songs, just a fascinating amount of ear distress. His record label reps no doubt heard the melodic outro of their careers, but everyone else was in pain and stumped. That album still sounded better than the bay did that night. The bay sounded like a god who struggled with emotional regulation had blown his speakers and was working through the anger stage of AV grief.
In the left frame of the video, a middle-aged woman is attempting to drag her husband off by the hand. In no way does he want to go, possibly because he had missed the time Roseanne Barr sung the national anthem at a Padres game, simultaneously disemboweling and amusing America through the power of song. He would not willingly abandon an equally worthy San Diego trainwreck.
Another woman in the video appears to have just filled her beer, rushing to sit down for the show. She pauses mid-sit and returns to the full and upright position to properly bear witness. What was supposed to be prolonged entertainment has been so radically shortened that she will have to find another reason to drink. Lucky for her, drinking will be the only way to adequately process.
Locals remember the conspiracy theories. People wondered if the fuses had been tripped by a saboteur who was sympathetic to dogs, fish, or the growing suspicion that late-stage capitalism is a gorgeously branded but impossible dream sustained by remarkably efficient top-tier wealth retention and the soft compliance of fireworks-watchers who can no longer afford a house, a beer, or the personal impacts of human reproduction.
Speaking of being terrified of babies, babies were terrified. The children who witnessed it probably still can’t go near a candle store. But those kids will be tougher, perfectly scarred kids. They’ll write better songs.
That night helped us absolutely dominate the national news cycle. For a hot minute, we became America’s water-skiing squirrel. Now, years later, when you Google “fireworks gone wrong,” San Diego is always a top contender, along with that poor Nebraska family who nearly wiped out a couple generations in their front yard, their minivan somehow turning into a howitzer of recreational TNT.
There is still debate as to whether Big Bay Boom 2012 is the worst or greatest fireworks show of all time. But the advanced parts of civilization arrived at the truth as quickly as the women in the video did. It was undeniably amazing.
First of all, the point of Fourth of July fireworks isn’t “the intricate choreography of sky fire over a guaranteed amount of show time.” It’s about creating a vivid memory shared with some people you like, love, or would like to love.
BBB2012 used large-scale chemical fire to create the ultimate memory.
Sure, some people who iron their jeans subjected their family to a sermon about how San Diego managed to botch America’s birthday like a Disney princess-for-hire who smelled of quite a few Sauvignons.
The rest of us saw how perfectly it nailed the actual feeling of being an American. Because only a miniscule percentage of us bake postcard apple pies where every inch of crust is perfectly laminated like the wood in an Irish bar. Very few of us can paint on par with Picasso. The rest of us—despite truly believing in our America-activated abilities to achieve greatness in almost any field of our choosing—burn pies. We try to paint only to realize it looks like our fine motor skills have entered active death.
That’s why BBB2012 was the most perfectly American fireworks show ever: A wildly ambitious idea galvanized thousands upon thousands of people to both work on it and come to hold a beer and gawk at it, only to have it fail in the most glorious TMZ-level spectacle.
America isn’t about immaculate, storyless wins. It’s about how the framework of a country is solid enough that we can accidentally detonate our entire lives—a few times—and still probably be OK.
No one has America’d quite like San Diego did on that day. It was performance art. Lou Reed’s heart slow-clapped. Any brief municipal embarrassment quickly became a pride of our people. I can only hope the same for the Nebraskan yard family whose Dodge Aerostar became a hyperactive Death Star.
P.S. Local writer Maya Kroth compiled a quite great oral history of that night for Thrillist. The bottom lines for me were—it took nine months to prepare, no one was hurt, and even though the pyrotechnics company tried to zero out the bill, Big Bay Boom founder H. P. “Sandy” Purdon refused and paid them in full. This year will mark the 25th Anniversary of the yearly Big Bay Boom.
Troy Johnson is the magazine’s award-winning food writer and humorist, and a long-standing expert on Food Network. His work has been featured on NatGeo, Travel Channel, NPR, and in Food Matters, a textbook of the best American food writing.
If absence makes hearts (and stomachs) grow fonder, then shuttered restaurants quickly become the hottest tickets in town—something a number of iconic institutions found out after taking very public hiatuses after historically long runs. For instance, following a lengthy (and extremely flip-floppy) closing process after 92 years in business, Las Cuatro Milpas reopened two blocks away in Mercado del Barrio. Similarly, Carlsbad butcher shop Tip Top Meats reopened in the same location (albeit a smaller space) after the death of founder Joachim “Big John” Haedrich in 2023. Finally, after a whopping decade out of business, Sami Ladeki and chef Alfie Szeprethy brought back Roppongi to its original Prospect Street space, where it was the talk of the town in the late ’90s. All came back under the same proprietors, so they weren’t third-party nostalgia-licensing deals. The algorithm may have ravaged our attention spans away from all but the newest and shiniest, but this proves there’s still hope for our collective prefrontal cortex.
Other local eateries honored their pasts by bringing in new perspectives. The Lion’s Share in Embarcadero, Milton’s Deli in Del Mar, Dudley’s Bakery in Santa Ysabel, and J-K’s Greek Cafe in La Mesa handed over the keys to new owners willing to take on a big task: maintain the soul of icons through particularly rough economic circumstances for restaurants, navigate big feelings from longtime regulars (who often don’t take kindly to change), and make some necessary changes to keep going for another few decades. Taking over a project in process can be a lot harder than starting from scratch. But building that feel-good nostalgia doesn’t happen overnight, so it sure helps to have a well-established playbook of success passed down from those who came before.
Courtesy of Sugarfish
The Expansion Class Arrives
It wasn’t just restaurant groups from Los Angeles that decided to put down roots en masse, although San Diego saw plenty of LA transplants recently (Sugarfish, Mr. Charlie’s, For the Win, Katsuya Ko, Bacari). Global brands like Chef Fei, Zuma, and Pepper Lunch have locations of their own on the way, and upscale Canadian eatery Joey joined to the inescapable gravitational pull of Westfield UTC’s culinary cosmos for its first spot in America’s Finest City. Good to see the rest of the world is catching up with what we’ve been seeing the last few years—San Diego is a dining destination already on the rise.
Choosing To Not Choose
Between the never-ending news cycle of doom and perimenopause brain fog, I’m at the stage in life where I’m more than happy to let someone else make a decision for me, especially when it comes to what’s for dinner. And based on the way a lot of menus look right now, I’m not alone. It seems like half the places I visit offer some version of a prix fixe, omakase, or tasting menu. Restaurants are embracing the curated experience to solve the problem of affordability (a fixed menu reduces food and labor costs, guarantees an acceptable check average, etc.) and critical thinking in one fell swoop. Omakase (meaning “I leave it up to you”) is far from a new concept in high-end Japanese sushi culture, but now that it’s popping up everywhere from coffee experiences to grab-and-go sushi and sandwiches, it’s gone from somewhat niche to nearly omnipresent.
Courtesy of Rikka Fika
Local Coffee Hit the World Stage
The world got an up-close look at San Diego’s coffee industry when we hosted the premier specialty coffee expo World of Coffee for the first time this April. San Diego’s long and rich coffee history stretches back to the late 19th century. Things percolated fairly quietly for around a century before really picking up steam. Today, there are nearly 200 specialty roasters and cafes across the county, with many earning national accolades like the Good Food Award (Steady State Roasting, 2020; Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, 2023, 2021, 2019, 2017, 2016), Roaster of the Year by Roast Magazine (Mostra Coffee, 2020; Bird Rock Coffee Roasters, 2012), and the Specialty Coffee Association Coffee Design Award for packaging (Rikka Fika, 2026). Now that we’ve moved past the comically insufferable coffee snob era of the early 2000s, even java newbies can feel comfortable walking into pretty much any coffee shop in San Diego, asking questions, trying a few things, and feeling confident they’re going to get great service and a great beverage.
Beth Demmon is an award-winning writer and podcaster whose work regularly appears in national outlets and San Diego Magazine. Her first book, The Beer Lover's Guide to Cider, is now available. Find out more on bethdemmon.com.
San Diego summers can be brutal. But since the hottest period is typically late summer into early fall, San Diegans still have time to prepare. The pros at Mauzy Cooling, Heating, Plumbing, and Electrical are standing by to help homeowners fortify their homes against the elements and ensure their air conditioning is as frosty as the penguins that serve as the company’s mascots.
Many homeowners underestimate the load their AC system faces, especially in the inland valleys where temperatures regularly top 100 degrees. San Diego regularly sees multi-day heatwaves each summer, and a system that struggles on the first day will likely fail by the third.Longer run times, unusual sounds or smells, and uneven cooling from room to room are all signs that your system may not survive the next hot spell.
Systems typically last 12 to 17 years, but there are exceptions. If a system is approaching that, or is already there, a professional evaluation is recommended before summer really heats up. A good rule of thumb: If you can’t remember when your system was last serviced, it’s due.
“As technology changes, systems become smarter and smarter,” says Sean O’Connor, an install manager at Mauzy with 42 years of experience. “There are a lot of people out there who will say a system’s only good for 10 years. I don’t buy that—these systems are built to last as long as they’re taken care of.”
There are also a few steps homeowners can take between services to extend the life of their system. Regularly changing a dirty filter—especially if you have kids or pets—and keeping an outdoor unit clean can help head off problems in the future, says O’Connor.
Also, be realistic about whether it’s time to replace a unit. O’Connor likens pouring money into salvaging a faulty unit with patchwork repairs and replacement parts to “tripping over a dollar to pick up a dime.” When one part fails, others are sure to follow, and newer parts may not be compatible with older units. Mauzy recommends homeowners use the 50% rule: If a repair costs more than 50% of the system’s replacement value, and the equipment is over 10 years old, replacement is usually the better long-term value. And don’t forget the ducting. An older house that was built with heat and later had air conditioning added may not have sufficient airflow, regardless of how good the system is.
Last but not least, homeowners should know who to trust when it comes to their homes. Built on three generations of professional integrity, Mauzy has grown into not just a leader for cooling, heating, plumbing, and electrical services, but a leader in the community known for supporting local nonprofits across an array of causes. To ensure complete peace of mind, Mauzy stands behind a comprehensive 12-point guarantee that outlines its commitment to outstanding service, quality equipment, expert technicians who understand how the local microclimates affect HVAC performance, and no upsells or surprises on the bill.
“We go the extra mile. That’s what sets us apart,” O’Connor says. To get a free quote today, visit mauzy.com.
Summer has officially kicked off, and San Diego is celebrating the sunny season with a myriad of fun events. From San Diego Pride week and a fairytale performance at Civic Theatre to a Santigold concert and Comic-Con, there are dozens of opportunities to make memories worth adding to your scrapbook. Here are all the best things to do in San Diego this July:
Divine inspirations, operatic ballads, and symphonic pop production elevate Rosalía’s Lux to heavenly levels. Hear angelic vocals ascend—in up to 13 languages—during her performance at Pechanga Arena.
Enjoy a night of feel-good indie rock and sing-along anthems at the Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre courtesy of Young the Giant and special guest Cold War Kids.
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Santigold collects genres like gold stars: musical accouterments that brighten her uniquely alternative sound. See her live in concert with dancehall producer Troy Baker Sound at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay.
Two male government workers pursue a secret romance amid the Lavender Scare in the San Diego Opera’s production of “Fellow Travelers” at the Balboa Theatre.
Audrey Hepburn. Marlon Brando. Salvador Dalí. What do these icons have in common? Each was the enigmatic focus of a Cecil Beaton portrait. Step inside Cecil Beaton’s Fashionable World, an alluring showcase of 20th-century style at San Diego Museum of Art.
Courtesy of San Diego Pride
More Fun Things to Do in San Diego This Month
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The Little Italy Mercato will trade morning rays for golden-hour glow through its free Summer Sera, an expansion of the neighborhood’s farmers market with live music, artisanal finds, and a fetching amount of pet activities.
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San Diego Pride week starts with a Dyke March and ends with the two-day “Pride Shines On” festival. The days in between? Run a 5K, march in the parade, visit the rainbow-lit St. Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral, and more.
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Dress up for a Mediterranean-themed tea time at the Estancia La Jolla, a laid-back yet refined afternoon planned for the resort’s monthly Tea in the Garden series.
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Nerd culture’s biggest gathering returns to the Convention Center. San Diego Comic-Con welcomes fans of everything from comic book cinema to ultra-rare collectibles for panels, exhibits, sneak peeks, and much more.
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.
Rub some dirt on it. Walk it off. Be a man. The tropes and reasons for men ignoring their health and doing preventive care are many, reinforced by action heroes and generational norms. As a result, compared to American women, American men live an average of five years less, seek healthcare treatment half as often, and die by suicide nearly four times more often.
Many national campaigns have tried to change this. This year’s “Relax Your Tight End” ad from Novartis during the Super Bowl—in which NFL legends advocated for early prostate cancer screenings—was a high-profile example. Meanwhile, in San Diego, Evan Miller seems to have figured it out.
Miller founded Gameday Men’s Health in 2018 as a small clinic in Carlsbad. The idea was to create a space men would actually want to spend time in. So he built Gameday to feel more like a sports bar or a man cave—snacks, sports on oversized, high-def flat screens in the waiting room. He personalized the care for each client, made the experience more casual, and, above all, efficient. If the wait for payoff is too long, Miller says, men won’t show up for their health.
“We need to feel better quick,” he says. “So that’s where the real hook with Gameday is: It’s fast; it works quick.”
The idea has worked. Big time.
Gameday now has 430 locations spread across 46 US states and parts of Canada, with hundreds more set to open over the next three years.
Prior to Gameday, Miller—who has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology—ran Akua Mind Body, an addiction treatment center in Newport Beach. After selling the center, Miller says he searched for a new way to help his community.
He drew from his behavioral health training and dispiriting past experiences with “sketchy” men’s clinics, albeit with a slightly different concept at first.
Courtesy of Gameday Men’s Health
“My original idea for Gameday, funny enough, was men’s group therapy,” Miller says. “I wanted to put it in this ‘man cave’ environment because I knew guys wouldn’t show up otherwise.”
Initially envisioned as safe spaces to encourage men to open up emotionally, Miller pivoted to a more clinical approach with an athletic design that personally appealed to him. Soon, it evolved into a one-stop shop of compounded medication treatments for weight loss plans, hair loss treatments, anti-aging injections, sexual wellness strategies, and testosterone replacement therapy. The hotly debated trend of peptides—mini amino acid proteins that the FDA has yet to approve—has become a popular feature.
New patients undergo in-clinic assessments for testosterone and prostate levels with the goal of producing test results in just a quarter of an hour. “Our philosophy with our treatments is we only do what the research supports,” Miller says.
An Orange County native, Miller found Carlsbad to be a natural headquarters. He found a much bigger market in coastal North County of men seeking a boost—both in their marriages and their overall livelihoods. The pandemic proved to be a watershed moment, with front-yard gyms and outdoor, highly visible exercise sparking a wave of self-care. According to Cleveland Clinic, after the pandemic, about 20 percent of men started to exercise more and eat healthier, with a quarter of men reporting they scheduled more sleep and spent more time with family.
“When Covid happened, [suddenly] everyone looked in the mirror and was like, ‘I need to take care of my health; I have to do everything possible to get in shape,’” Miller says.
Two years after Gameday first began, Miller opened a second clinic in Temecula, followed by locations in Laguna Beach and Newport. Demand kept coming, so they started franchising in 2023. They sold 1,000 licenses in the first year. By 2025, they had over 400 clinics across the country.
When asked about the rapid growth, Miller cites the feedback he received along the way: “People were so excited about men’s health, cash-pay medicine, and not having to wait for insurance. They understood the model. It was for guys; it felt like ESPN meets healthcare.”
Now Miller says Gameday is starting to map out a global expansion—to Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. Since the company first cultivated a following, Miller says there have been persistent questions about whether Gameday would ever expand its focus to include women. Their answer: Her Way.
“We only offer a very narrow menu, almost like In-N-Out Burger, because we stay in our lane, we do it really, really well, and we gain trust that way,” Miller says. “So we created the Her Way model to do the same thing for women [that] we’ve done with men.”
Her Way Health & Hormones launched in 2024 in clinics with more neutral and calming décor. With locations in Carlsbad and Mission Valley, it will officially start franchising this summer. Miller seems incapable of thinking small and expects around 1,000 Her Way locations to open nationwide within a few years.
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.
SeaWorld dazzles with a drone show, big-name entertainers, new animal adventures and more
By Partner Content
Nights are heating up at SeaWorld San Diego. The quintessential summertime staple on Mission Bay is transforming into a destination for unforgettable day-to-night adventures, bringing back some of its most popular Summer Nights programming and introducing exciting new experiences sure to delight both kids and adults alike.
The 2026 Summer Day to Night at SeaWorld San Diego is the park’s most ambitious season yet. SeaWorld has planned a highly anticipated entertainment lineup that features nine weeks of throwback concerts featuring R&B and hip‑hop favorites from the ‘90s and early 2000s, including Jordin Sparks, Too $hort and Warren G, Ashanti, and an array of boy band heartthrobs performing together as part of the Pop 2000 Tour.
New this season is perhaps the park’s most visible update: a nightly drone show, Ocean of Dreams, which illuminates the sky with hundreds of synchronized sparklers. Drones form sea otters, sharks, dolphins, and a majestic orca that tell a breathtaking 12-minute story of marine life and underwater ecosystems. The show culminates with a spectacular electric neon finale celebrating hope, wonder, and ocean stewardship.
Nighttime visitors are also in store for animal adventures that fuse education with high-energy fun and the dreamy ambiance of nighttime. The park has launched two all-new animal presentations: Shamu’s Celebration:Light Up the Night and Dolphins: Touch the Sky. Shamu’s Celebration:Light Up the Night features vibrant lighting, music, and dynamic choreography that celebrates the power and beauty of killer whales. Dolphins: Touch the Sky showcases playful bottlenose dolphins and the special connection between humans and the natural world. And back by popular demand is fan-favorite Sea Lions Tonite. See the charming pinnipeds splash, play, and parody pop culture in this refreshed crowd-pleaser.
More must-sees: a newly reimagined Shark Encounter, one of the country’s more immersive exhibits highlighting 11 different species up close, SeaWorld’s beloved BMX Blast! stunt show, and high-seas escapade, Pirates Ahoy! The Battle for Mermaid Cove. And don’t miss the park’s all-new Deep Sea Disco, which encourages guests to dance the night away under the glow of the SkyTower, and vibrant closing time laser light display Laser Reef Summer Spectacular.
Amp up the nighttime vibe with local craft beers, curated cocktails, and nostalgic theme park treats with $1 beer all summer long. SeaWorld is the place for day to night summer fun. When the sun goes down, SeaWorld lights up, and inspires guests of all ages to embrace their inner whimsy and see why generations of San Diegans head to SeaWorld to make memories they’ll never forget.
