SD Bay Wine + Food Festival
First two weeks of November
Big Night, Grand Tasting, and dozens of smaller wine dinners.
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November 2027 · Updated weekly
Off-season proper. 70°F afternoons, empty beaches, Thanksgiving parades and turkey trots.
Last updated · November 2027 events are still being announced
Weather
Highs 71°F, lows 55°F. Ocean 65°F. Cool mornings, warm afternoons.
Why November
Father Joe's Thanksgiving 5K, Mother Goose Parade, El Cajon Christmas, Balboa Park lights up.
Signature events
Auto-updated from our events database — concerts, festivals, sports, family, culture, and nightlife.
Events for November 2027 are still being announced. This guide updates automatically as confirmed dates are added — most November concerts, festivals and sports schedules land three to four months out.
November in San Diego reliably brings Mother Goose Parade, Father Joe's Turkey Trot, Holiday Bowl kickoff week — annual fixtures we list as soon as organizers confirm the dates.
In the meantime, browse the live events calendar or read the November visitor guide for weather, crowds and planning.
These annual fixtures run in November nearly every year. Dates below are the usual window — we swap in confirmed dates and ticket links as organizers publish them.
First two weeks of November
Big Night, Grand Tasting, and dozens of smaller wine dinners.
Nov 26 weekend
Book by early October at Addison, Hotel Del, Grand Del Mar.
First weekend after Thanksgiving
Balboa Park's biggest annual event kicks off.
November is San Diego's quietest, cheapest month with genuinely good weather: low-70s afternoons, empty beaches, and hotel rates at their annual floor until the week of Thanksgiving. The calendar splits neatly — food and wine events for the first two weeks, Thanksgiving traditions in week four, and the holiday season switching on the day after with tree lightings, Balboa Park decorations and the first nights of ice skating.
First weekend
The county's biggest culinary event runs a week of dinners, tastings and classes, capping with the Grand Tasting on the Embarcadero. Individual events start around $75; the grand tasting runs higher and sells out.
Typical cost: $75–$200 per event
Second weekend
Veterans Day brings free or discounted admission at several museums and the USS Midway for service members, plus harbor ceremonies. Beaches are near-empty and parking is free everywhere outside downtown.
Typical cost: Mostly free; museum admission $15–$26
Third weekend
El Cajon's Mother Goose Parade is one of the largest in Southern California and free to watch. This is the last weekend before Thanksgiving pricing kicks in — the single best value weekend on the calendar.
Typical cost: Parade free; hotels at annual lows
Thanksgiving weekend
Father Joe's Thanksgiving 5K and a dozen neighborhood turkey trots run Thursday morning, many restaurants serve prix-fixe dinners, and by Friday the holiday season is fully on: tree lightings, Hotel del Coronado's ice rink, and Balboa Park lights.
Typical cost: 5K registration $35–$50; prix-fixe dinners $65–$120
| Event | When | Where | Price | Book ahead | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival | First full week of November | Embarcadero and venues countywide | $75–$200 per event | 3–4 weeks; the Grand Tasting sells out | Food-focused trips |
| Mother Goose Parade | Sunday before Thanksgiving | El Cajon | Free | Arrive 45 minutes early for curb space | Families and a genuinely local tradition |
| Father Joe's Thanksgiving 5K | Thanksgiving morning | Balboa Park | $35–$50 | Register 2 weeks out; day-of costs more | Earning your turkey with 10,000 other people |
| Skating by the Sea at Hotel del Coronado | Opens mid-to-late November | Coronado | $50–$60 per session including skates | Reserve a session time — weekends fill | Outdoor ice skating next to the Pacific |
| Thanksgiving dinner out | Thanksgiving Day | Countywide, Coronado and downtown strongest | $65–$120 prix fixe | 3–4 weeks — the good rooms close by mid-November | Visitors who don't want to cook |
The San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival opens the month, Veterans Day brings harbor ceremonies and museum deals, the Mother Goose Parade runs in El Cajon the Sunday before Thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving week brings turkey trots, prix-fixe dinners and the start of the holiday season with tree lightings and outdoor ice skating.
Yes, if value matters. Highs sit near 71°F, the beaches are empty, and hotel rates hit their annual low through the third week. Days are shorter — sunset lands around 4:45pm — so front-load outdoor plans.
Most switch on the day after Thanksgiving. Balboa Park decorations, Seaport Village and Coronado tree lightings, and Skating by the Sea at Hotel del Coronado all begin in the last week of November, with December Nights and the Parade of Lights following in December.
Afternoons average 71°F and nights drop to about 55°F. Rain falls on roughly three days for the month. A light jacket for evenings is enough — you won't need a winter coat.
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Published by the Sandi Spots Editorial team at Sleep Coast LLC. Guides combine local perspective and source research. Check the individual guide for firsthand observations and follow official links to confirm current details.