Little ones can practice bug collecting, insect-themed arts and crafts, and even taste cooked mealworm larva (eww!) at the San Diego Botanic Garden’s two-day fest. July 12–13, free for members; free with admission for non-members, sdbgarden.org
San Diego Zoo Summer Camps
Everyone from kindergarteners to high school seniors can take a walk on the wild side in a variety of five-day camps that dig into animal behavior, behind-the-scenes zoo secrets, scavenger hunts, and more. June 23–August 22, $212+, sandiegozoo.org
Tiger Trail
Cats aren’t known for swimming, but at the new Safari Park exhibit, watch as the endangered Sumatran tigers show off their hydrophilic skills, and learn how the fierce animal lives in Indonesia’s diverse island conditions. $36+ (admission), sdzsafaripark.org
Flow Camp
It’s every kid’s dream to play at an amusement park for a whole week. In this camp, they’ll finesse their flowboarding skills with Belmont Park’s signature FlowRider, and have access to park rides, laser tag, rock climbing, mini golf, and more. June 16–August 15, $299, belmontpark.com
LEGOLAND Chima Water Park
The Carlsbad resort recently gave its water park a refresh with a new theme pegged to the Chima LEGO TV series. Cool down in the wave pool, water slides, build-a-boat stations, and a lush tropical forest. $82+ (admission), legoland.com
Sea Days at Birch Aquarium
This monthly exploratory event teaches kids about the wild, wacky, and wonderful world of oceanography, with hands-on activities and chats with Scripps scientists. May 17–August 16, $11+ (admission), aquarium.ucsd.edu
The Museum of Contemporary Art’s creative program invites six-to-12-year-olds to channel their inner Picassos at their weeklong workshops led by contemporary artists. This year’s themes include mixed media and sculpture. July 28–August 15, $90-$390, mcasd.org
Theatre Arts School of San Diego
Thespian kids will thrive as they learn proper theatrical techniques in a non-competitive environment. Prices range from $195–$397, theatreartssd.org
Lux Art Institute
This popular six-week Summer Art Camp for kids is back to help your mini artists hone their creative skills. Each week has a different discipline, like drawing, book arts, mixed media, and sculpture. Prices start at $170, luxartinstitute.org
iD Tech
Calling all future Steve Jobs! These summer programs at UC San Diego and CSU San Marcos are perfect for programmer-wannabes.Code.org’s Hour of Code includes one-on-one instruction and an emphasis on 21st-century skills like problem-solving and creativity, as students program games, animations, and more. Prices vary, idtech.com
Despite June gloom, it’s finally time to drag out your grills and start prepping your kitchen for a summer full of the finest grilled meats. There’s nothing quite like three uninterrupted months dedicated solely to hot charcoal, a full gas tank, and unhealthy amounts of barbecue sauce. Sure, there are tons of grilling guides out there (not that you, a grill master, would need one), but what about a guide on where to find the types of meats that deserve to be grilled?
San Diego’s butcher shops offer something for every meat lover, from premium Wagyu to sustainable, locally sourced meats. It’s your time to impress your friends and family with your knowledge of meat cuts and to argue about the best way to smoke these premium proteins. Plus, it’s never too early to start preparing for that unspoken Fourth of July BBQ competition that you must win this year.
So, whether you’re a meat connoisseur who never misses a cook out or just a casual carnivore like me, we’ve got you covered with eight of the best butcher shops in San Diego.
Courtesy of the Wise Ox
The Wise Ox
With two locations in North Park and La Costa, The Wise Ox offers a unique butcher experience. You can sign up for a class to practice your knife skills and learn breakdown techniques on a heritage breed pig, then treat yourself to a generous Philly cheesesteak sandwich. Chef Brad Wise (Rare Society, Fort Oak) and his team have also curated the Ox Box, a monthly meat subscription featuring around 10 pounds of premium proteins, all vacuum-sealed for easy storage. The box even includes recipes and tricks for dishes like Shawarma Whole Chicken and Mojo Pork Loin.
7750 El Camino Real Suite P, La Costa and 2855 El Cajon Blvd #1, North Park
Iowa Meat Farms Siesel’s Meat
Since 1968, Siesel’s Old Fashioned Meats and its sister shop, Iowa Meat Farms, have been San Diego’s best-kept secrets, catering to home-cooking enthusiasts and local foodies alike. Known for their friendly environment and butchers who know regulars by name, these shops offer an impressive array of more than 300 cuts of beef, Berkshire pork, free-range poultry, and even exotic meats like alligator and ostrich. Beyond meat, their vast retail spaces are stocked with top-notch produce, artisanal cheeses, gourmet condiments, and specialty items from near and far. Who knows, maybe alligator is the flare you didn’t know your grilling needed.
6041 Mission Gorge Rd, Grantville and 4131 Ashton Street, Bay Park
Sepulveda Meats & Provisions
Sepulveda Meats & Provisions is a beloved neighborhood butcher shop in Golden Hill, known for its warm customer service and tasty meats. With interesting offerings like fresh quail and a mass selection of sausages, it’s a must-visit for meat lovers. It’s no surprise that locals eagerly anticipate their daily chalkboard updates showcasing the latest sausage selections. I think it’s time to break up with the grocery store (and move to Golden Hill).
1220 28th St, Golden Hill
Courtesy of The Butchery Quality Meats
The Butchery
The Butchery, with its latest location in Del Mar, is a great spot for high-quality meats, artisan cheeses, craft beer, and wine. This isn’t just a typical butcher shop; it’s an all-in-one gourmet grocery store and meat-dedicated restaurant with a hand-cut meat selection ready for you to take home. Dubbed “Best Butcher Shop in San Diego” in 2019, it offers a selection ranging from dry-aged and wet-aged steaks to an extensive list of pre-marinated meats and even more obscure options.
3720 Caminito Ct #200, Del Mar
Ranch 45
Who doesn’t love their meals with a side of community spirit and a dash of dry-aged goodness? Just across from the Del Mar race track, Ranch 45 is Solana Beach’s hidden gem for those who appreciate quality eats and meats. Whether you’re stopping by for beef tallow fries, steak tasting or picking up some dry aged cuts from their small butcher shop, it’s clear they take their farm-to-table mission seriously. With all-natural meats and a commitment to no-hormone, no-antibiotics products, it’s the kind of place that feels as welcoming as it does delicious.
512 Via De La Valle #102, Solana Beach
Courtesy of The Meatery
The Meatery
If you are not a world traveler, don’t worry, your meats still can be. Founded during the pandemic, The Meatery provides restaurant-quality proteins to consumers, with special Meatery box deals and specials. They specialize in Japanese A5 Wagyu, Australian Wagyu, and American Wagyu, along with other first-rate meats. For the ultimate Wagyu experience, head to Mission Gorge, where their entire Wagyu inventory awaits, alongside prime beef, veal, fish, premium pork and lamb from New Zealand.
6160 Fairmount Avenue, Grantville
Tip Top Meats
At Tip Top Meats, it really is “all about the meats.” This butcher shop has been a carnivore’s dream since 1967, with owner John Haedrich emphasizing, “there is no substitute for quality.” Not only do they offer delectable dishes at their Eatery and a European market full of specialty items, but they’re also one of Southern California’s last hanging meat buyers, guaranteeing freshness and flavor. From their hand-cut Angus Beef steaks and praised service to custom orders and whole-roasted specialties, they’re ready to turn any office party into a delicious soiree.
Temporarily closed; new location coming soon. Follow their Instagram for updates.
Cowboy Star Restaurant and Butcher
Craving a woodfired elk rack chop? Thought so. Cowboy Star serves up this dish in their rustic, cowboy-themed restaurant (complete with exposed beam ceilings). Open Monday to Thursday 3 p.m.-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 4 p.m.-10:30 p.m., Sunday 4 p.m.-9 p.m., they feature prime cuts like New York Strip, 21-day aged Prime Ribeye, and Hokkaido A5 Wagyu NY Strip flown in from Japan. Best of all, you can embark on a complete culinary adventure and indulge in to-go favorites like macaroni and cheese and chocolate chip bread pudding.
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.
The new multimillion-dollar, 12-acre park promises soak-happy fun with towering splash fountains in the middle of downtown. Free, co.san-diego.ca.us
Insect Festival
Little ones can practice bug collecting, insect-themed arts and crafts, and even taste cooked mealworm larva (eww!) at the San Diego Botanic Garden’s two-day fest. July 12–13, free for members; free with admission for non-members, sdbgarden.org
San Diego Zoo Summer Camps
Everyone from kindergarteners to high school seniors can take a walk on the wild side in a variety of five-day camps that dig into animal behavior, behind-the-scenes zoo secrets, scavenger hunts, and more. June 23–August 22, $212+, sandiegozoo.org
Tiger Trail
Cats aren’t known for swimming, but at the new Safari Park exhibit, watch as the endangered Sumatran tigers show off their hydrophilic skills, and learn how the fierce animal lives in Indonesia’s diverse island conditions. $36+ (admission), sdzsafaripark.org
Flow Camp
It’s every kid’s dream to play at an amusement park for a whole week. In this camp, they’ll finesse their flowboarding skills with Belmont Park’s signature FlowRider, and have access to park rides, laser tag, rock climbing, mini golf, and more. June 16–August 15, $299, belmontpark.com
LEGOLAND Chima Water Park
The Carlsbad resort recently gave its water park a refresh with a new theme pegged to the Chima LEGO TV series. Cool down in the wave pool, water slides, build-a-boat stations, and a lush tropical forest. $82+ (admission), legoland.com
Sea Days at Birch Aquarium
This monthly exploratory event teaches kids about the wild, wacky, and wonderful world of oceanography, with hands-on activities and chats with Scripps scientists. May 17–August 16, $11+ (admission), aquarium.ucsd.edu
Summer C.A.M.P
The Museum of Contemporary Art’s creative program invites six-to-12-year-olds to channel their inner Picassos at their weeklong workshops led by contemporary artists. This year’s themes include mixed media and sculpture. July 28–August 15, $90-$390, mcasd.org
Theatre Arts School of San Diego
Thespian kids will thrive as they learn proper theatrical techniques in a non-competitive environment. Prices range from $195–$397, theatreartssd.org
Lux Art Institute
This popular six-week Summer Art Camp for kids is back to help your mini artists hone their creative skills. Each week has a different discipline, like drawing, book arts, mixed media, and sculpture. Prices start at $170, luxartinstitute.org
iD Tech
Calling all future Steve Jobs! These summer programs at UC San Diego and CSU San Marcos are perfect for programmer-wannabes.Code.org’s Hour of Code includes one-on-one instruction and an emphasis on 21st-century skills like problem-solving and creativity, as students program games, animations, and more. Prices vary, idtech.com
Summer camp isn’t just for kids. At least not in Carmel, where the 500-acre Carmel Valley Ranch offers a lot more than just rest and relaxation. How about a workshop on pickling and canning, or a class taught by a regional artist? Also beginning this month, book a Honey & Lavender Harvest Weekend. Learn to make lavender soap using one of the property’s 7,500 lavender plants or harvest sweet stuff at the Ranch’s Italian honeybee farm. The resort chef uses both in his homemade lavender and honey ice creams. Come next year, they’ll be harvesting their own Pinot Noir grapes, to be released in 2016. And parents, take note: The Ranch offers kids’ camps with programming created by elementary school teachers. carmelvalleyranch.com
The Best Gym in San Diego Isn’t Really a Gym Anymore
Earlier this year, Fit quietly dropped "athletic" from its brand, from Fit Athletic Clubs to simply Fit, and started calling itself something new: a social wellness club.
There’s a version of San Diego that lives in two extremes. On one side, the 5 a.m. crowd: biohackers, marathoners, people who’ve already logged a cold plunge before your alarm goes off. On the other, the after-dark crowd, the ones chasing sunset happy hours and late dinners with friends. Everyone seems to be either optimizing or unwinding, and most of us feel like we’re failing at both.
Fit, San Diego’s reigning Best Gym for the third year running, has built its entire identity around erasing that divide.
Walk into one of Fit’s three San Diego locations on a Tuesday afternoon and the lines blur fast. Someone’s mid-set on the squat rack. Someone else has a laptop open at a café table a few feet away, half-working, half-people-watching. A group is trading plans for the weekend’s event by the recovery lounge. Nobody’s in a rush to leave.
“We’re not competing for the same people,” says Emily Waybright, Public Relations Manager at Fit, addressing the arrival of a national luxury gym chain in San Diego this year. “We don’t really feel like we’re in the gym category. It’s this unique thing.”
That unique thing has a name now. Earlier this year, Fit quietly dropped “athletic” from its brand, from Fit Athletic Clubs to simply Fit, and started calling itself something new: a social wellness club.
It’s a small wording change with a bigger idea behind it. Fit was never built around escaping the workday. It was built around the people who genuinely like what they do, and who want workouts, work, and friendships to happen in the same place instead of three separate ones. Because sometimes red light therapy with a stranger turns into weekend plans.
Fit’s philosophy traces back to its founder, who started the brand nearly two decades ago after failing to find a gym he actually wanted to belong to. He looked instead to the old-school country club, where people came for a shared interest and stayed for the community. His version was made for a younger generation, minus the golf, plus the loud music.
Which makes it a little ironic that the very award putting Fit back in the spotlight this year is Best Gym.
What does the best traditional gym look like when the definition of a gym is becoming less traditional? It’s a fair question, and Fit’s answer is that the fitness industry itself is shifting. The 45-minutes-in, 45-minutes-out model is giving way to something closer to a genuine third space, the kind of role the office and the bar used to play before remote work and changing nightlife habits rearranged how people spend their time
For Fit, community isn’t a marketing add-on to fitness. It’s the through-line. Members aren’t just paying for a treadmill; they’re paying for an entire day of social wellness that’s built on performance, recovery, connection, and a plan for the next event on the calendar. That’s a much harder membership to walk away from.
Ambition and ease aren’t opposites here, they exist side by side, where passion and play share the same morning. On September 12, Fit is hosting Sol, a full day wellness festival at Fit Social. The morning focuses on wellness classes and vendors and then the evening is a full party with multiple DJ sets and an open bar. Think of it as a kick-off to locals’ summer in San Diego.
Ready to see what a social wellness club actually looks like? Visit fitclubs.com, or follow along at @thefitclubs on Instagram.
And just like that … we’ve entered the final third of 2026, where concerts, musicals—both new and old—and several special events await. This week’s live music lineup includes a Guns N’ Roses concert at Snapdragon Stadium and the two-day Pacific Soul Jazz Festival, headlined by Robert Glasper and Kenny Lattimore. For fans of musical theater, the nationwide touring production of The Phantom of the Opera will begin its two-week stay at the Civic Theatre and the world premiere production of Begin Again will debut at The Old Globe. As for other opportunities to go out, there’s the first-ever Anime San Diego convention, Amor y Magia’s bar takeover at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, and the annual Julian Grape Stomp Festa.
Work for your wine in the centuries-old winemaking tradition—in the vein of “I Love Lucy”—during the 29th annual Julian Grape Stomp Festa at Menghini Winery. This Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., guests can squish grapes, hang out in the shade and sample tastings or buy bottles and full glass pours from 11 local beverage purveyors. The festivities also include a jumper and games for kids and a Lucy Ricardo look-alike contest with a $100 grand prize. Ticket options include regular admission ($25), which comes with a wine glass and one tasting, and child admission for ages 6-20 ($8); additional tastings are $2 each.
1150 Julian Orchards Drive, Julian
Amor y Magia Bar Takeover at Fairmont Grand Del Mar
September 5
Ahead of Amor y Magia’s upcoming opening in Carlsbad, from the makers of Same Same and Good Enough Cocktail Bar, enjoy a night of curated cocktails in the Lobby Lounge of the Fairmont Grand Del Mar during the Amor y Magia Bar Takeover. This Saturday at 7 p.m., guests can get a sip (or several sips) of what’s to come as bartenders Mike Mayaudon and Shawn Seaman lead a night of love and magic. No reservations are necessary for this event.
As their debut album Appetite for Destruction approaches its 40th birthday, Guns N’ Roses remain trailblazers, both for their immense popularity and enduring influence on the hard rock genre. Though the mayhem-filled excitement of a Guns N’ Roses record may be difficult to match in theory, the band’s live performances reach for the stratosphere. This Wednesday (6:25 p.m.) at Snapdragon Stadium, fans can head down to “Paradise City” with Axl Rose and company and special guests the Black Crowes. Tickets start at $49 for this concert.
2101 Stadium Way, Mission Valley
Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, & Dizzy Gillespie: A Night in Tunisia and more at The Rady Shell
September 5
Take a trip through the genre-defying collaborations of jazz titans Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins during A Night in Tunisia this Saturday (7:30 p.m.) at The Rady Shell. Named for Gillespie’s famed famed jazz standard, this concert will feature a soundtrack chock full of jazz with Afro-Cuban rhythms played by the 17-piece KSDS Orchestra, helmed by local trumpet aficionado Gilbert Castellanos. Before the main event, there will be a performance by the Young Lions Jazz Conservatory All-Stars at 6:30 p.m. Tickets range from $47-$103 for this concert.
222 Marina Park Way, Embarcadero
Ukrainian Festival + 5K
September 5 & 6
The House of Ukraine will kick off a weekend of free activities with Saturday’s Ukrainian Festival. The festival showcases traditional music and dance performances (2-4:30 p.m.), plus an international food court (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.), featuring Ukrainian dishes like varenyky and kovbasa, as well as classic sweets like cookies, ice cream, and cotton candy. The following morning at 9:30 a.m., there will be a free 5K run and walk, beginning and ending at the Green Flash installation by the Mission Beach boardwalk; participants are encouraged to dress in the colors of the Ukrainian flag.
Festival: 667 Pan American Road West, Balboa Park | 5K: 3450 Ocean Front Walk, Mission Beach
Pacific Soul Jazz Festival
September 5 & 6
Spend your Labor Day weekend swaying to jazz, soul, gospel, and R&B during the Pacific Soul Jazz Festival at Epstein Family Amphitheater. This two-day event, put on annually by Mandate Project Impact and the Urban League of San Diego County, starts at noon daily, and will include a vendor village with local businesses. Audiences can expect sets from artists like violinist Karen Briggs, bassist Darryl Williams and saxophonist Mini Abair in addition to headliners Robert Glasper (Saturday) and Kenny Lattimore (Sunday). Single-day tickets range from $40-$250.
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.
People remember the first time they see Joe Dreamz.
Mine was a mile into the 2023 Carlsbad Half Marathon. He was standing on a speaker in the middle of the course, singing: “Hey you with the shoes, are you living Joe Dreamz?” Clearly not. I’m running uphill at 7 in the morning, I thought.
Months later, walking out of The Rady Shell, there he was again—parting the crowd of concertleavers Moses and the Red Sea style, singing the same song: “Hey you with the purse, are you living Joe Dreamz?”
Who’s this man at every public spectacle, singing metaphysical questions in a hand-altered, color-coordinating suit that would make James Brown proud and standing on a Soundboks speaker with a microphone and tip bucket?
A few years ago, San Carlos–born, El Cajon–based Joe Dreamz wasn’t exactly living Joe Dreamz—making $5 footlongs at Subway, dealing with croissant coworkers at Costco’s bakery, and selling life insurance. After he got let go from the life insurance gig and his car broke down in the middle of a 2020 road trip in Seattle, he used his emergency savings to buy a microphone and a speaker; a self-taught musician, he pulled from the only skillset he knew to monetize. He’d set up at Seattle’s Pier 55 and ask people what their dreams were. Then, for $5, create a freestyle rap to commemorate (and hopefully activate) those dreams.
“The goal is that someone listens to a Joe Dreamz song, and they don’t have to wait until metaphorically their car breaks down before they chase their dreams,” he says.
Photo Credit: Matt Furman
A chance encounter with an airport worker led to a free flight back to San Diego, and Joe Dreamz came home “transformed,” he says. He started busking at the Mission Beach boardwalk, Kate Sessions Park, outside Gaslamp bars; then Padres games, farmers markets, marathons. He also hit the mic outside of Coachella this year (“Joe-chella,” he says).
It’s not a get-viral-quick gimmick; people’s lives are changing. One fan finished writing her book after a dose of Joe Dreamzpiration. Another named his own daughter Joy Dreams.
Now, he’s working on the upstart “Tell Me Your Dream” podcast and DREAM Week in local schools, where each day represents a step toward achievement (D is destination day, R is reason day…). He doesn’t want inspiration to reach you only after hearing a song or watching a video: He believes in this message so much that he literally got DREAM tattooed onto his forehead.
“It’s on my face, so people have no choice [but to see it],” he says. “I’m a local celebrity here, so everywhere I go, people ask me for pictures. In every selfie, the message goes along for the ride too.”
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.
Growing up, Laika Nur, MD, Scripps Clinic sports medicine specialist, loved watching beach volleyball when the Association of Volleyball Professionals tour came to her hometown of Chicago. A talented volleyball player herself, she remembers sitting in the stands all day, and once, even got a couple autographs. Years later, Dr. Nur was attending a professional event focused on women’s sports, and the discussion turned to a new professional women’s volleyball league. The general manager and coaching staff for San Diego’s team, the Mojo, happened to be in attendance, and Dr. Nur took the opportunity to ask them if they needed a team doctor. Flash forward to the Mojo’s inaugural 2024 season, when Dr. Nur officially became the team physician. Click here to read more about Dr. Nur and how she incorporates lessons she learned on the court into her practice.
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