Savvy travelers know there are basically two times to travel to San Diego during the year: high tourist season, when everyone is in town and the restaurants, streets, and beaches are crowded beyond recognition, and off-season, when the exact opposite is true. Technically, San Diego has two off-seasons, one that runs from March through May, and the other that runs from September through November, and if you are thinking you might want to see what all the fuss is about, Drift Vacation Homes will leave a light on for you! Spend your days easily exploring all the attractions, restaurants, and sights, and come home to our San Diego sanctuaries every night. This guide will show you the top reasons you should visit San Diego in the off-season.
Beaches Are More Open
The good news about San Diego is that we have so many beaches, they are rarely all that crowded, no matter what time of year you visit, but during the off-season, it may feel as if you have found your own private beach, empty of civilization and filled with serenity and quiet. This quiet time is the perfect time to visit our most popular beaches, including Coronado Beach, leaving you more room to stake your claim. Spread out your towels, your lawn chairs, your various beach gear, turn your phone to your favorite streaming station, and let the good times begin, even if your visit takes place in the fall months. Our fall temps rarely drop lower than the 70s (in the daylight hours), and the sun shines about 266 days out of the year, so your tan will be golden and your soul will be enchanted.
Shorter Wait Times at Restaurants
Your day at the beach is destined to be filled with fun and relaxation, but you may also find yourself taking a long walk at shore’s edge, parasailing over the sea, or renting jet skis and zipping across the waves, and by day’s end, you will be tired and hungry. Even if you did bring a cooler of snacks, by evening you will feel the need for a big meal at a wonderful restaurant, and if you visit during the high tourist season, you will be guaranteed a long wait, sometimes even if you have reservations! A drink at the bar sounds like a good day, but it is still a long wait and the hangry may set in.
Unless, of course, you choose to visit during the off-season, when wait times are much shorter and life is just better because you can eat almost as soon as you walk in the restaurant! Take more time to ponder the menu, ask your server all the questions that you might be hesitant to ask when faced with crowds, and yes, order that desert. The staff will be happy to serve you, perhaps spending extra time at your table while sharing secrets about San Diego that will make your visit that much more enjoyable!
The Festivals Are in Town
The best way to enjoy an authentic San Diego vacation is by attending the different events and festivals that make our town special. Below, we have listed a few of our favorite off-season festivals for your vacationing pleasure!
St. Patrick’s Day in March
Although our St. Patrick’s Day celebration may not match up to those in New York City, Boston, or Chicago, we like to think we do a pretty good job of pretending to be Irish on this most wonderful day of the year. There are bar hops complete with green carpets, decorations, and beer, a San Diego Leprechaun Run, and of course, our amazing St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival, featuring marching bands, clowns, colorful floats, Irish setters, and so much more! There will also be block parties, live music, and local pubs putting out all the stops. We have to disagree with Kermit that it is not easy being green, at least on this one day of the year.
La Jolla Concours d’Elegance: Luxury & Classic Car Show in April
Spring in San Diego is the most colorful time of the year with the Flower Fields in bloom, as well as the annual celebration of Belmont in Bloom, but perhaps our favorite event of all time is the La Jolla Concours d’Elegance: Luxury & Classic Car Show. Offering three days of “world-class cars” and “a world-class experience,” car buffs will have to be dragged kicking and screaming out the gates at the end of each day. This is where you go to see the million-dollar cars you’ve only seen on TV, enjoy fancy meals, soirees, and fine wines, and curse your bank account because you can’t purchase that turquoise 1937 Rolls-Royce Phantom III Disappearing Top Coupe that you fell madly in love with!
San Diego Zoo Food, Wine, and Brew Celebration in Early May
As the month progresses, off-season rolls into “oh my gosh that’s a lot of people” season, but the early days will still be quiet and relatively crowd free, making it the perfect time to go to the world-famous San Diego Zoo for their Food, Wine, and Brew Celebration! Billed as San Diego’s Wildest and Tastiest Night Out, you can eat and drink your way to helping save even more animals as many of the best restaurants, breweries, and wineries feed you their most delicious offerings. The ticket costs, of course, go to their very worthy mission of saving the animals.
Saving Money Is Always a Good Thing
We’re going to take a break from the festivals and events for a moment, but don’t worry, we will get back to it in a bit. For now, however, let’s talk about everyone’s favorite thing, saving money. As less people are traveling, airlines, lodging, restaurants, tourist attractions, and shops are feeling the pinch. They need you to frequent their businesses, whichever type it is, and the best way to attract more guests or passengers is by lowering prices, and we will talk more about that below.
Airline Deals
Have you ever noticed that the cheap flights always seem to hit when you aren’t prepared to travel? The reason is probably more obvious now, after reading this, but we will go ahead and say it: The airlines don’t just offer lower prices during the off-season, they actively charge more during the peak season or peak weekends. You can count on the end of the year holidays prices to be the highest, with Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day running closely behind. But because you are considering traveling during the off-season, you can save vacation dollars, perhaps extending your stay in our Drift Vacation Homes rental.
Lodging Discounts
Yes, we already offer extremely reasonable prices for our peak season rentals, but during the off-season, you will find that there are even more discounts available. Additionally, if you are traveling at the last minute, you may find that it will cost you even less as there may be some last-minute specials that will give you a vacation experience you won’t want to end.
Big Sales at Local Shops
Shopping is our favorite vacation pastime (after seeing all the sights, of course), and when the onslaught of tourists slow down, that’s when the sale signs come up and when you explore the shops at Las Americas Premium Outlet, 4211 Camino de la Plaza, you can also buy the ABCs of big name merchandise (Armani, Brooks Brothers, Coach) at even steeper discounts. Both off-seasons also offer the perfect time to shop closeouts, as stores get ready to stock the new season’s merchandise, and their out with the old, in with the new attitude will make you a very happy shopper.
Lower Prices at Restaurants
Saving your money on what you eat is another advantage to traveling during the off-season, with local restaurants bringing out the lower priced menus, as well as offering more specials at a discount. Additionally, and we will discuss this further below, September is when San Diego celebrates restaurant week, something we think all visitors should experience at least once in their lives!
Back to the Festivals and Events
Now that we’ve opened your eyes to the discounts you can enjoy when traveling to San Diego in the off-season, it is time to continue our discussion about the events and festivals in town, these ones taking place in the fall.
Restaurant Week in September
Restaurant Week is self-explanatory, but we will explain it a little more anyway. Restaurant Week has been described as an edible extravaganza, and how happy are we that it lasts eight days instead of the standard seven? Over 100 restaurants join in the merriment, offering prix fixe menus with special dishes that really show the talents of the chefs at each spot, and because you are traveling during this wonderful time of year, you can get in on all the fun! If you don’t want to try the prix fixe menu at restaurants such as the Godfather (Italian), Piper (North Country Coastal), or The Smoking Goat (California and French cuisine), they will also offer their regular menu, and we can promise the meals on those will be equally wonderful.
Del Mar Wine + Food Festival in October
In addition to all the fall and Halloween events and festivals that take place October, this month is when fall race season starts at Del Mar Racetrack and the world-famous Del Mar Wine + Food Festival occurs. Offering five days of silky California wines, gourmet foods, and live music, this is one festival you should not miss. This also may be the ideal opportunity to rub shoulders with your favorite athletes, surfers, and influencers, and because proceeds go to Feed San Diego, you will be doing a good deed as you enjoy a truly excellent time.
Holiday Events at SeaWorld San Diego in November
The Christmas season begins in mid-November at SeaWorld San Diego, and as we enter the tail end of the San Diego off-season (Thanksgiving is when peak travel season begins in our coastal city), you and your family can enjoy a sneak peak at what truly makes the park special as you jump start your festive spirit. In early November (right around Veterans Day), the park also features their Red, White, and Blue Salute, honoring those who sacrifice so much for our freedom.
Extending Your Stay in our Drift Vacation Homes Retreats
Perhaps your favorite part of your off-season travels to California will be your stay in our comfortable and luxurious vacation escapes. Lower prices may even afford you the opportunity to extend your stay, exploring more of what we have to offer and discovering all the reasons that Drift Vacation Homes is one of the top vacation rental companies in the state. The Drift difference will be immediately apparent, and as you step through our doorways for the very first time, you will feel at home, even as you are many miles away from your own home.
Luxury amenities may include fireplaces, private pools, hot tubs, and outdoor showers that will be most appreciated after a day on the beaches of San Diego, and because so many of our properties are located on or within walking distance from shore’s edge, you will enjoy many beach days during your vacation! No wonder you are considering extending your vacation beyond your original plans. We get it, our homes are special, and there is no place else in the world as beautiful and welcoming as the city of San Diego.
Reserve Your Favorite San Diego Sanctuary Today
There is a world of wonderful awaiting you just beyond the entryway of our beautiful California accommodations, so book your San Diego off-season vacation with us today.
