Oceanside has a new secret gem, the Succulent Café. Peter Loyola serves up espressos, sandwiches, and freshly baked pastries from his coffee cart, surrounded by an enchanted garden and his stunning plant-based artwork. Succulents spill from wall art, painted planter boxes, window frames, and more. Find it next to the Apotheque Spa on Cleveland Avenue, just north of the train station.
Now Open
Tavern on the Green
Overlooking the polo fields, James Limjoco brings Sublime Tavern to Del Mar, filling the musical chairs space formerly occupied by Tommy V’s and Pasquale. The rustic eatery offers gourmet comfort food, savory seafood dishes, and 55 craft beers on tap. Stay, please?
Ryan Studebaker
Studebaker is Back
Chef Ryan Studebaker has landed back in North County, after some time with Brian Malarkey in La Mesa at Gingham and a stint downtown. Wisely, chef Matt Gordon has plucked the young talent to helm Solace & The Moonlight Lounge, while Gordon focuses on Del Mar’s Sea & Smoke.
SCENE
Please be Seated…
The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe’s $12 million renovation ushers in a superlative al fresco dining scene this summer with a seasonal menu by executive chef Todd Allison and his new sidekick, Brian Black. A major culinary score for North County, Black is a James Boyce alum from the Studio at Montage Laguna Beach, and a Michael Mina protégé.
MARKETS
From Peru, With Love
Tamale
Our favorite ceviche spot, Del Mar’s Café Secret, has launched Secret Pantry, a gourmet Peruvian market, just two blocks south of the café. Owner Daniella Basagoitia will share the flavors of her childhood, like homemade tamales and sauces, infused olive oils, Peruvian chiles, South American fruit pulps (guanabana, anyone?) Peruvian corns, homemade jams, dulce de leche, and marzipan confections.
Dedicated barbecuers should check out Sheraton Carlsbad’s “Sunset Grilling with the Masters.” Running from late June to mid-August, the series kicks off with Stone Brewing Co.’s chef Alex Carballo, followed by Amanda Baumgarten from Herringbone and Mario Moser from Flying Pig Pub + Kitchen.
“With an influx of infrastructure, vogue businesses, and new housing options, Encinitas continues to be one of the hottest markets in San Diego. Home buyers are flocking to the ever-evolving beach city, and median home prices have increased 41.8 percent in 92024 since 2015. The revitalization of the downtown area enhanced the array of boutiques, restaurants, breweries, and coffee shops. New businesses and office spaces dot the 101. A recent SANDAG project added bike paths and pedestrian walkways, increasing walkability. Stellar schools, picturesque beaches, and a relaxed vibe make Encinitas a popular destination in today’s market.”
—Steve Matsumoto, broker, Compass
Where We Will Live – Tommy Walker
“Paradise Hills”
“The neighborhood of Paradise Hills has seen a significant jump in sales. The average across San Diego County is a 21.6 percent increase, and Paradise Hills has seen a 37.5 percent increase. It’s an up-and-coming neighborhood, as it’s in a central location in South Bay. The community comes together three times a year to put together events for the neighborhood. New businesses like Project Reo Collective (a community arts collective and café), as well as seasoned local businesses like Babycakes, are calling Paradise Hills home. People also visit to see the murals, and there’s the House of Boxing gym, which Canelo Álvarez frequents prior to main events.”
—Tommy Walker, broker, Willis Allen
Where We Will Live – Jennifer Wu
“Oceanside”
“With new breweries and restaurants opening up along the coastal business areas, more people are enjoying the living space and culture. Both active service members and veterans are seeking their first home or step-up home here. The median home price in 2018 for a detached three-bedroom, two-bath home in Oceanside was $515,000. As of 2019, a similar property now costs $543,750. These price points, coupled with the growing food and retail culture, make Oceanside the most affordable coastal living in San Diego County.”
—Jennifer Wu, broker, Harcourts Pinnacle
Where We Will Live – Jean Rivaldi.jpg
“Rolando Village”
“This neighborhood borders La Mesa and is bounded by 68th Street on the west, El Cajon Boulevard to the north and University Avenue to the south. The area is seeing a lot of new buyers due to turnover of older homes. Being on the outside of San Diego creates more affordable opportunities and slightly bigger homes for less. With La Mesa’s burgeoning restaurant scene nearby, this is an attractive option—especially for people who are looking to buy and may have been renting in the urban core area of San Diego.”
—Jean Rivaldi, owner, Community Realty
Where We Will Live – Ami Lewallen.jpg
“Mission Valley”
“Get excited, Mission Valley homeowners! The future of Mission Valley is looking up. The San Diego City Council is adopting the Mission Valley Community Plan. Not only can we expect a surge in housing inventory, and an increase in sales price for the location, we can also expect pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly pathways, more parks, and overall better amenities for the community. Considering this revitalization project and the residential population’s expected 248 percent increase, there’s no better time than now to be a homeowner in Mission Valley.”
"Fish taco" at Beaumont's, strawberry-rhubarb tart at Tidal, wild shrimp cockteles at Don Chido
By Troy Johnson
“Fish Taco”
“Fish Taco” @ Beaumont’s
There are two camps when it comes to deconstructed sci-fi food utilizing neat kitchen tricks. The first views such food as needless puffery getting in the way of “real” food. “Just braise me somefin,” says that set. The other camp truly loves this mind-bending exploratory food realm and still cries softly in the night over the closing of El Bulli. I’m somewhere in between. I like creativity in food as long as you don’t send me a “yuzu gelee” that looks and tastes like a jaundiced pencil eraser. And Beamont’s chef George Morris nails the balance with his “fish taco.” It’s seared albacore, grilled corn tortilla foam (which tastes more like a cream), dehydrated chorizo, and hatch chile puree with heirloom tomatoes, avo, cilantro and jalapeno. All together, it really does taste like a super-clean, top-notch fish taco. For inspired food in sleepy little Bird Rock, Morris and Beaumont’s are definitely the place. Note: Order from his specials menu. Beaumont’s Eatery, 5662 La Jolla Blvd., 858.459.0474.
Strawberry-rhubarb tart
Strawberry-Rhubarb Tart @ Tidal
I’m not a big dessert guy. I spend too much of my time and table space with the savory menu. By the time dessert comes around I’d often just rather order a soft couch to wink out on for a while. I also am not a fan of warm, macerated fruit fillings. Pies and tarts pale in my eyes to, say, a doughnut (or plain old unadulterated berries with cream). And yet somehow this tart—with its perfectly dense pastry, not overly cloying berry filling and confetti of mint with vanilla gelato—overcame all that. Eat this on the Tidal patio as the sun goes down and all that stressful life crap you worry about will turn to dust. Tidal @ Paradise Point, 1404 Vacation Rd., Mission Bay, 858.274.4630.
Don Chido wild shrimp cockteles
Wild Shrimp Cockteles @ Don Chido
Antonio Friscia is one of my favorite chefs in San Diego—a certified sommelier, student of global cuisine, super gracious, other-oriented host. But if I didn’t love his food, I’d go fishing with him instead of writing about his new Mexican restaurant. Here, the chef has a Santa Maria grill for meats (a griller’s dream, and a rarity to see at restaurants). His queso fundido is a plus-sized dream, and his piping hot churro bites with caramel sauce taste like school lunch dessert from the 1970s (a minor difference being his don’t taste like stale bread sticks). But my favorite bite may have been his simple cockteles with wild Mexican shrimp. He makes his similar to an aqua chile, marinated in lime, yuzu, top-notch olive oil and chiles., Don Chido C527 5thAve., Downtown, 619.232.8226.
"Fish taco" at Beaumont's, strawberry-rhubarb tart at Tidal, wild shrimp cockteles at Don Chido
By Troy Johnson
“Fish Taco”
“Fish Taco” @ Beaumont’s
There are two camps when it comes to deconstructed sci-fi food utilizing neat kitchen tricks. The first views such food as needless puffery getting in the way of “real” food. “Just braise me somefin,” says that set. The other camp truly loves this mind-bending exploratory food realm and still cries softly in the night over the closing of El Bulli. I’m somewhere in between. I like creativity in food as long as you don’t send me a “yuzu gelee” that looks and tastes like a jaundiced pencil eraser. And Beamont’s chef George Morris nails the balance with his “fish taco.” It’s seared albacore, grilled corn tortilla foam (which tastes more like a cream), dehydrated chorizo, and hatch chile puree with heirloom tomatoes, avo, cilantro and jalapeno. All together, it really does taste like a super-clean, top-notch fish taco. For inspired food in sleepy little Bird Rock, Morris and Beaumont’s are definitely the place. Note: Order from his specials menu. Beaumont’s Eatery, 5662 La Jolla Blvd., 858.459.0474.
Strawberry-rhubarb tart
Strawberry-Rhubarb Tart @ Tidal
I’m not a big dessert guy. I spend too much of my time and table space with the savory menu. By the time dessert comes around I’d often just rather order a soft couch to wink out on for a while. I also am not a fan of warm, macerated fruit fillings. Pies and tarts pale in my eyes to, say, a doughnut (or plain old unadulterated berries with cream). And yet somehow this tart—with its perfectly dense pastry, not overly cloying berry filling and confetti of mint with vanilla gelato—overcame all that. Eat this on the Tidal patio as the sun goes down and all that stressful life crap you worry about will turn to dust. Tidal @ Paradise Point, 1404 Vacation Rd., Mission Bay, 858.274.4630.
Don Chido wild shrimp cockteles
Wild Shrimp Cockteles @ Don Chido
Antonio Friscia is one of my favorite chefs in San Diego—a certified sommelier, student of global cuisine, super gracious, other-oriented host. But if I didn’t love his food, I’d go fishing with him instead of writing about his new Mexican restaurant. Here, the chef has a Santa Maria grill for meats (a griller’s dream, and a rarity to see at restaurants). His queso fundido is a plus-sized dream, and his piping hot churro bites with caramel sauce taste like school lunch dessert from the 1970s (a minor difference being his don’t taste like stale bread sticks). But my favorite bite may have been his simple cockteles with wild Mexican shrimp. He makes his similar to an aqua chile, marinated in lime, yuzu, top-notch olive oil and chiles., Don Chido C527 5thAve., Downtown, 619.232.8226.
In this city, chef Brian Malarkey and restaurateur Chris Puffer are kind of like peanut butter & jelly, tacos and Tuesday, Padres and Petco—they just go together. This month, the duo celebrates 10 years of partnering on some of San Diego’s top restaurants including their first venture, Herb & Wood.
To celebrate this milestone, we stepped back and revisited their journey becoming some of this city’s most successful restaurateurs.
But first, let’s go back to the beginning. The duo met at Oceanaire in 2007 where they both worked. Malarkey was still riding the high from his stint on Top Chef Season 3 where he won runner-up. He was a great chef, Puffer recalls, if not a tad arrogant. Whatever he was doing, though, it worked. Sales doubled under his watch.
In 2009, Malarkey was approached by some patrons to start what would become Searsucker. He knew he wanted Puffer to be his partner. They had great chemistry and loved hospitality and food. “We both came to this with a bit of a chip on our shoulder,” says Malarkey. “We wanted to prove it to other people that we know what we’re doing.”
Courtesy of Puffer Malarkey Collective
Searsucker, Gabardine, and Herringbone (under the Fabric of Social Dining restaurant group) were born through the new partnership. But in 2012, they sold their concepts to Hakkasan and soon partnered on a new lease.
That building would eventually become Herb & Wood. “We were going to do it differently this time around,” says Malarkey as he reflects on Wood’s early days. “And we [wanted to] build it to last.”
The vision: Great food. Great music. Great service. It’d be a place where diners would let go, put their phones down, and be fully present to enjoy a meal together. When they walked into 2210 Kettner Blvd, they knew they had found their spot.
The only problem was that, at the time, that area of Little Italy was still severely underdeveloped. In a 8,500-square-foot space, they were going to have 230 seats to fill. “It may as well have been on Mars,” says Troy Johnson, San Diego Magazine publisher, content chief, and the city’s longtime food critic.
Courtesy of Puffer Malarkey Collective
And, of course, there were the naysayers. The prevailing feeling in the dining world was, “Let’s see what these f**king idiots do,” recalls Malarkey. The duo let all the noise be noise. In fact, the noise fueled them. “We weren’t going to cater to the haters,” Puffer says.
Their next hurdle would be to tackle the restaurant’s design. “There was nothing. It was literally a box,” says Puffer of the former space. Design teams were too expensive or didn’t quite get their vision—no, they didn’t want exposed beams or wooden tables made from reclaimed barns. “Then, Puffer was like, ‘f**k it, dude, I’m going to design this restaurant.’”
Having never really designed something like this before, he decided not to work in the programs that most professionals use to create their layouts. 3D mockup? Didn’t need it. CAD? That’s what a paper and pencil are for.
Courtesy of Herb & Wood
“It was all in my head,” he recalls. “I had this moment where I was like, ‘If I died right now, no one would know where any of this shit goes.’”
“Yeah, it made no sense,” Malarkey says.
And it still doesn’t if you hear him explain it. A mishmash of vignettes from the inner workings of his memory bank, evoking everything from Mississippi riverboats to Eiffel tower ironwork, Kensington home façades, an old theater he frequented, and a canoe, because why not? Yet somehow, it all worked.
“It’s a sense of nostalgia,” says Puffer. “People might say, ‘Oh, my gosh, this feels good’ and they don’t realize it reminds them of the time they were in Paris.’”
“We don’t play trends,” Malarkey says. “We play timeless.”
Courtesy of Herb & Wood
Over the course of many years and plenty of trial and error, the partnership has continued to thrive. And, the Puffer Malarkey Collective has found its sweet spot within their restaurants: The service had to be kind and unpretentious and the food had to come out quick, delicious, and consistent. “Consistency is key!” says Puffer.
They also learned to balance out one another. “He’s a go-go-go-go [person],” says Puffer, “I’m a let’s-take-a-deep-breath-and-sleep-on-it [type of person].”
So, when they opened the doors to Herb & Wood in April of 2016, with those lessons in place, everything was just right. “We knew it had to fire on all cylinders,” says Puffer. “And it did.”
Courtesy of Puffer Malarkey Collective
There was no pretense and the dress code was exceedingly simple. “Money in your pocket,” says Malarkey. “That’s all you need.”
The phones rang, the seats filled, and the haters had to give it to them, those gnocchi hit. People began embracing every aspect of the place, even the edgier ones.
“We thought people were going to complain about all the paintings with boobs,” says Puffer of the many John Lanes on the wall. “But the amount of people who take pictures in front of the boobs is amazing.”
They even had a middle finger statue that Puffer had picked up from a yard sale. If a table was rude or antagonistic toward the staff, he’d walk over to them with the finger. “Congratulations,” he’d say, handing it over. “You’ve won asshole of the night.”
Courtesy of Puffer Malarkey Collective
The point is, they were ready to laugh (and not take shit from anyone). When someone wrote a review of Herb & Wood and called it Weed & Boners, they both had a laugh. It’s one of the keys to longevity.
Along with the fun and deliciousness, they’ve also served as a culinary talent incubator for San Diego. “It’s like a centrifuge,” says Johnson about Herb & Wood. “They train up all these young chefs and start spinning all this talent into different parts of the city.”
There’s Sebastian Becerra with Pepino, Samantha Bird of Relic Bakery, Aidan Owens at Herb & Sea, and Tara Monsod of Animae and Le Coq (San Diego’s first James Beard award finalist) to name a few. “They’ve expanded the footprint of the food revolution in San Diego,” says Johnson.
Their plans for the next 10 years?
“We’re just going to keep the magic going,” says Malarkey.
Short rib & scallop Farfalle with Angus tips Mini cheesecake trio
Got enough marble?” asks my dining companion.
If there is a shortage of expensive rock in the near future, blame Amaya La Jolla. Every inch of the restaurant is sturdy, costly, and perfectly attended to. There is no reclaimed wood, no wall hung with rusty farm tools or animal heads. This is no cheap curtsy to the modern, the trendy, nor the hip. Which explains why there are very few modern, trendy, or hip people here on a Friday night. Or many people of any kind, for that matter.
The lack of crowd is not for lack of investment. Designer Warren Sheets quite artfully decorated this restaurant with the best Italian Renaissance ornatery money could buy. The original Amaya is in the $400 million resort, Grand Del Mar. It’s a fine restaurant. Chef Camron Woods spent six years there. The problem? It shares a roof with Addison—the Relais & Chateaux’d, Zagat-ed, and starred apex of fine dining in San Diego. Chef William Bradley casts a mile-wide shadow.
So it’s nice to see Woods get a little sun, 10 miles to the southwest. He’s a native of Charleston, South Carolina, and his Southern food roots color the menu. You’ll find rutabaga and turnips, polenta, quail, butterbeans (limas), and corn muffins. It’s not a pot likker joint, but there’s a whiff of Mason-Dixon.
Amaya La Jolla farfalle pasta
Flavor Parade: Farfalle pasta with Angus beef tips, tomatoes, mushrooms, and basil
As a life pursuit, I’d like to eat nothing but quality bread and butter until some carb-based nutritional ebola knocks me dead. Nothing puts my astrological Jupiter in the doghouse quite like getting a cold, hard, yellow rock of butter. Woods makes a little art of it. His is a room-temp, soft triangle of three butters—garlic-herb, honey-pecan, plain salted sweet cream—served with pretzel rolls, cheddar-herb biscuits, and corn muffins. Eating just bread and butter at Amaya would be shortsighted, gauche, and highly enjoyable.
“The food is mostly excellent. The service is top-notch, as is the wine. Why, then, does it echo in Amaya?”
For dinner, we start with Woods’ short rib and scallop—a soft-textured surf-and-turf. Vanilla’s a renowned scallop helper, but many chefs get carried away and mistake their seafood for bread pudding. Woods does it right, leaving his vanilla-cauliflower puree unsweetened next to an excellent huckleberry sauce. It’s one of those dishes that inspires involuntary, libidinal noises. For another starter, he stuffs a boneless roasted quail with briôche and dried cherry, then rests it on a daring puree made of chicken livers with Sauternes. It’s unctuous, gamy, polarizing. I enjoy it because I prefer the taste of parts; my companion mostly gazes at it like someone might look at a worrisome new facial mole.
Amaya La Jolla dining room
Amaya La Jolla dining room
Being connected to the Grand Del Mar, a sommelier farm of sorts, Amaya’s 300-bottle wine list is excellent—all under $100, and 20 by the glass (a Terrassen Gruner Veltliner from Domaine Wachau, a Spanish Tempranillo from Beronia, etc.). Enjoy one in the back room (“Club M”)—a supper club of sorts, with neon signage and gray-haired jazz beatniks.
For dinner entrees, we stick to French hunting proteins—duck and rabbit. Both are suggested by our server, who’s the sort of fine-dining lifer you’re lucky to come across. A real food person you’d like to ask to pull up a chair. All of Amaya’s servers are pretty much the same.
The duck is perfect in just about every way, poached with the small cap of fat and crisped skin on each slice. A dried cherry gastrique supplies the necessary acid, while the butterbean puree is some fancification of a classic Southern side-food. The rabbit comes braised in two parts—legs and loin. The legs are a tad dry and bland. Rabbit’s a skinny, faint protein that requires some chefly flavor-building. Woods’ elemental stock reduction isn’t enough. The rutabagas and turnips, too, are served whole with inexpressive seasoning. The tenderloin, however, is treated like pork and wrapped in housemade bacon from Julian’s Cook Pigs Ranch (they raise great swine). The combo yields a beautiful, moist bite—especially since the bacon is only lightly smoked, not overwhelming.
Amaya La Jolla mini cheesecake trio
Three Times Good: Mini cheesecake trio of vanilla, hazelnut, and passion fruit
For dessert, we try pastry chef Michael Luna’s trio of cheesecake—a vanilla (with white balsamic gastrique and tangerine), hazelnut (with chocolate sauce and praline bark), and passion fruit (with coconut-lime sorbet). All are very good, while the sorbet-topped passion fruit is excellent—a Hawaiian à la mode.
I come back on a Thursday for lunch. The restaurant is all but empty again. I eat more than humans ought to, and there is not a single bad bite. The crab-and-lobster bisque is deep and rich; it smells like tarragon and your good fortune. The daily flatbread with Creminelli salami is thin, crisp, and well-browned, arugula giving it a little food-garden required of SoCal lunches. The panzanella (Italian bread salad) is comically generous, served with lightly smoked and well-seared salmon in a Sherry vinaigrette that’s drinkable. Woods also makes a salad-less tuna Niçoise (a fancy way of saying seared ahi with cured olives and chimichurri) and a simple, excellent farfalle with Angus tips, wet with veal jus and topped with fresh basil and Parmigiano-Reggiano.
So the food is mostly excellent. The service is top-notch, as is the wine. Why, then, does it echo in Amaya? If I have to place blame, it’s with the room itself. It takes real fortitude to identify an ancient design fetish and really, truly go for it. But in doing so, there’s zero white space, zero restraint. Even my companion—an accomplished professional in his late 50s—says it feels too old, baroquely so. It’s the equivalent of a woman wearing a mink coat, diamond brooch, pearl earrings, and an emerald gemstone on a headdress—all while carrying a bedazzled Persian cat.
That said, if you find yourself with houseguests from 17th-century Florence, Amaya feels just right.
The iconic 1,200-acre preserve’s history dates back more than 150 years, evolving from a scrub-filled plot atop a mesa overlooking what’s now Downtown to an urban oasis—the largest of its kind in the country—filled with an array of museums, attractions, gardens, trails, restaurants, and more. Balboa Park is an epic playground where San Diegans and visitors alike can experience the great outdoors just as easily as they can enjoy a world-class performance or explore groundbreaking discoveries.
Tucked away in the Spanish Colonial Revival-style architecture are 18 diverse museums that allow visitors to spend the day learning about, well, anything. A great place to start is the San Diego History Center. Located in the Casa del Balboa building, the museum tells the story of the city’s past, present, and future through photographs and art, clothing and textiles, and interviews with people who witnessed history-making events firsthand. The San Diego Natural History Museum takes visitors even farther back with interactive exhibitions that show what the region was like up to 75 million years ago.
Blast off on a simulated trip to space at the San Diego Air & Space Museum, then check out artifacts from aviation legends, including the Wright brothers, Amelia Earhart, and Buzz Aldrin. Discover new perspectives revolutionizing the science world, learn about an often overlooked but overutilized utility, and exercise your creativity at the Fleet Science Center.
Calling all theater-lovers, Balboa Park has something for you, too. The San Diego Junior Theatre will present their musical take on beloved children’s book A Bad Case of the Stripes from June 26 through July 12. And laugh, cry, and marvel in awe as the pros of The Old Globe perform Kim’s Convenience, the award-winning comedy that inspired the popular series, from May 15 to June 14.
There’s nowhere else in Balboa Park quite like WorldBeat Cultural Center. The institution celebrates African diaspora and indigenous cultures around the world using art, music, dance, and education. The building, a renovated water tower covered in colorful murals, houses a performing arts center, museum, gift shop, cafe, and outdoor classroom.
If you’d like a side of nature with your culture, Balboa Park has you covered there, too. Stroll through the gardens of the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum, a monument to the relationship between San Diego and its sister city, Yokohama, Japan. Inspired by traditional Japanese design dating back centuries, the 10-acre respite features a living exhibition that showcases plants native to both cities.
If there seems like a lot going on in Balboa Park, it’s because there is. Let theBalboa Park Cultural Partnership be your guide. The organization is the umbrella for 24 of the park’s institutions and offers an Explorer Pass that allows visitors to access multiple museums for one affordable price. The hardest part is picking where to start.
16 Museums, One Pass
Save on admission to San Diego’s top museums with the Balboa Park Explorer Pass. Explore 16 museums of art, science, history and culture across Balboa Park — all with one affordable pass. Choose the option that fits your pace: the Limited Pass (one day for up to four museums), the Parkwide Pass (seven consecutive days of access to all 16 museums) or the Annual Pass (365 days of unlimited exploring).
Looking for an experience-driven gift? Let the museum lover in your life enjoy their favorite museums all year with a Balboa Park Explorer Annual Pass gift voucher.
Bigger experiments, brighter ideas, and boundless curiosity await at the newly reimagined Fleet Science Center. This summer, the Fleet debuts Element 8 Cafe, an expanded theater queuing and concessions space, two new gallery spaces, and, for the first time, a free entrance gallery exploring science in and around San Diego. The transformation marks a new chapter for the Fleet, keeping it a vital, innovative, and accessible science hub for the region. Visitors are invited to explore the experience this summer and connect with the power of science like never before.
Address: 1875 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 Website:FleetScience.org Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily Phone: 619-238-1233
Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum
An accredited cultural gem, the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum brings traditional Japanese garden design to life with koi ponds, curving walkways and layers of greenery. Guests explore bonsai trees, streams and peaceful nooks while taking part in exhibits, educational programs and festivals that illuminate Japanese culture. Situated in the heart of Balboa Park, the garden doubles as a meditative retreat and a dynamic gathering place, welcoming visitors to slow their pace and connect more deeply.
Address: 2215 Pan American Road E, San Diego, CA 92101 Website:Niwa.org Hours: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily; last admission at 6 p.m. Phone: 619-232-2721
The Old Globe
A San Diego summer favorite, The Old Globe invites audiences to experience a beloved local tradition in its outdoor Lowell Davies Festival Theatre.
This summer, the 2026 Shakespeare Festival presents two thrilling tales of power, passion and romance. Measure for Measure, running June 14 through July 12, 2026, is a riveting story of justice and hypocrisy that asks who holds power, who is punished and what it truly means to be virtuous. Much Ado About Nothing, playing Aug. 2–30, 2026, is a classic rom-com packed with schemes, sparks and laughter as opposites attract. Audiences can enjoy both shows for $44.
Address: 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego, CA 92101 Website:TheOldGlobe.org Hours: Box office open Tuesday–Sunday, 1 p.m. to final curtain Phone: Box office, 619-234-5623
San Diego Air & Space Museum
Aviation and space exploration come to life at the San Diego Air & Space Museum. See an airworthy replica of the Spirit of St. Louis, a Gee Bee racer and historic aircraft from World War I, World War II and the Korean and Vietnam eras. Get up close to the Apollo 9 command module — one of only 11 of its kind in the world — along with Mercury and Gemini capsules, Mission Control and space shuttle simulators, and a selfie spot beside a lunar lander on the moon. Running through 2026, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! brings oddities from around the world to Balboa Park.
Address: 2001 Pan American Plaza, San Diego, CA 92101 Website:SanDiegoAirAndSpace.org Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 619-234-8291
San Diego History Center
History belongs to everyone. At the San Diego History Center, two experiences bring that history to life this summer: America at 250 and the Center for Women’s History. America at 250 traces San Diego’s place in 250 years of U.S. history, while summer programs invite children to learn and explore. The Center for Women’s History amplifies the voices of women whose leadership and creativity have shaped our region.
By understanding our past, we build a more vibrant and inclusive community together. These vital educational experiences are only possible through generous community support. Discover your roots, spark meaningful dialogue, and help keep San Diego’s stories alive for future generations.
Address: 1649 El Prado, Suite 3, San Diego, CA 92101 Website: SanDiegoHistory.org Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday–Sunday Phone: 619-232-6203
San Diego Junior Theatre
Junior Theatre is San Diego’s longest-running youth theatre program, empowering students ages 4 to 18 to explore storytelling, performance, and collaboration in a supportive environment. Through classes, camps, and productions, young artists build confidence, creativity, and lifelong skills onstage and off. Each season features a wide range of opportunities, from introductory experiences to advanced training in acting and musical theatre.
Looking for a summer adventure? Junior Theatre’s Summer Camps deliver dynamic programs for grades K–12, including musical theater intensives, acting academies and immersive JT Studio experiences. It’s a place where imagination truly takes center stage.
Address: 1650 El Prado, Suite 208, San Diego, CA 92101 Website:JuniorTheatre.com Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 619-239-1311
San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat)
This summer, The Nat is talking trash—literally. Their newest exhibition, Washed Ashore: Art to Save the Sea, features larger‑than‑life marine sculptures made of ocean debris collected from beaches. It invites visitors to explore the impact of plastic pollution and discover ways to take action.
But the experience doesn’t stop at the gallery doors. Friday nights, the exhibition transforms into an ocean-themed “dive bar” during Nat at Night. Select Sundays bring something brand new: a rooftop brunch with sweeping Balboa Park views. Add two new giant-screen films and five floors of nature to explore, and The Nat is shaping up to be one of the season’s must-visit destinations.
Address: 1788 El Prado, San Diego, CA 92101 Website: SDNat.org Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays in summer Phone: 619-232-3821
WorldBeat Cultural Center
The WorldBeat Cultural Center is a nonprofit multidisciplinary cultural organization dedicated to promoting, presenting and preserving Indigenous cultures worldwide through music, art, dance, education, sustainability and community programs. WorldBeat elevates multicultural artists, expands opportunities for cultural enrichment and fosters deeper understanding across traditions. WorldBeat offers a holistic cultural experience that inspires pride, unity, connection and belonging for all ages.
Address: 2100 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101 Website:WorldBeatCenter.org Hours: Classes: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 6–9 p.m. Exhibits and café: Friday–Sunday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m. Phone: 619-230-1190
Event Calendar
Throughout 2026: Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!
Step into a world of the weird and wonderful at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! at the San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park. Explore hundreds of bizarre artifacts, interactive displays and unbelievable stories that celebrate the curious and the extraordinary.
Presented in partnership with the San Diego Museum of African American Fine Arts, San Diego’s Lost Neighborhoods uses augmented reality, oral histories, and archival materials to explore communities and residents displaced by redlining, freeway construction, and other discriminatory policies.
Spend a summer night at The Old Globe. The Lowell Davies Festival Theatre stages Measure for Measure (June 14–July 12) and Much Ado About Nothing (Aug. 2–30), offering two unforgettable Shakespeare productions for just $44.
The Old Globe | 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego, CA 92101
June 8–Aug. 7: Theatre Summer Camps
Summer camps at Junior Theatre spark creativity for grades K–12 with hands-on training, musical theatre intensives, acting academies, and JT Studio experiences.
A museum visit turns into a Sunday Funday with the addition of rooftop brunch, featuring mimosas, bloody Marys, and brunch bites from Wolfish by Wolf in the Woods (June 14, August 9) and Hash House a Go Go (July 12).
Nagashi at the Japanese Friendship Garden & Museum by floating a lantern to honor loved ones who have passed. Stroll merchant booths, enjoy cultural performances in the Inamori Pavilion, and sample food vendors plus a beer and sake garden in the lower garden.
Explore arts, science, history, and culture in the Balboa Park Cultural District with one convenient, affordable Pass. The Balboa Park Explorer Pass is your ticket to up to 16 museums and endless fun! Purchase your pass at BuyMyExplorer.com.
