Holiday Date Ideas in San Diego for December

Quick picks: holiday date ideas in San Diego

Short on time? Choose one of these and build the evening around it. Each has confirmed 2026 information from the organizer:

• Ice skating beside the beach at the Hotel del Coronado (November 20, 2026 to January 3, 2027).
• An evening light walk at Lightscape, San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas (November 20 to January 3).
• A holiday comedy at the Old Globe: Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show (November 20 to December 27).
• A dinner cruise during the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights (Sundays, December 13 and 20, 2026).
• A free night out at December Nights in Balboa Park (December 4 and 5, 2026).
• Whale watching from the cliffs at Cabrillo National Monument (late December onward).

Skate by the ocean at the Hotel del Coronado

Skating by the Sea puts an ice rink on the beachfront at the Hotel del Coronado from November 20, 2026 through January 3, 2027. Tickets cover 90 minutes of skating from the time you check in, rentals are included, and general admission runs $40 to $45 depending on the date. Value sessions at $35 are offered before noon on select dates and all day on December 1 and 8.

For a date, aim for a session that ends near sunset, then walk the beach. On weekdays from December 1 to 17 the rink opens at 4 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 2 p.m. on Friday; from December 18 it is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Buy online, sign the waiver before you arrive, and note that tickets cannot be moved to another day.

Walk through Lightscape in Encinitas

Lightscape returns to San Diego Botanic Garden for its fifth season from November 20 to January 3. It is an illuminated evening trail through the garden, a good fit for couples who would rather talk than shout over a crowd. Adult tickets start at $28 and prices vary by date; members get 20% off standard tickets.

Parking is $15 if you buy in advance or $20 on site, subject to availability, so add a parking pass when you buy tickets. All sales are final; exchanges are possible up to 48 hours before your visit with ticketing fees. Pets are not allowed in the garden, though trained service animals are welcome.

Catch a holiday show at the Old Globe

The Old Globe in Balboa Park has two holiday productions in 2026. Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! runs November 4 to December 31 on the Shiley Stage, and Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show, a comedic reimagining of A Christmas Carol set in San Diego, runs November 20 to December 27 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre.

The Scrooge show is the more grown-up pick for a date night, while the Grinch is a sweet choice if you are bringing kids along. Either pairs well with a walk through Balboa Park afterward, and if you choose the first weekend of December you can combine the show with December Nights, the city’s free holiday festival in the park on Friday, December 4 (4 to 10 p.m.) and Saturday, December 5 (noon to 10 p.m.).

Cruise the Parade of Lights

The San Diego Bay Parade of Lights fills the bay with decorated boats on Sunday, December 13, and Sunday, December 20, 2026. Watching from shore is free, but a cruise puts you in the middle of it. Flagship Cruises offers two formats on both nights: a narrated Holiday Lights Spectator Cruise from 5 to 7 p.m. that follows the parade route, and a Holiday Parade of Lights Dinner Cruise from 5:30 to 8 p.m. with a three-course plated dinner. Boarding starts 30 minutes before departure.

These sail on Sunday evenings, so they suit couples who can take a slow Monday morning. Book early and dress warmly; it is cooler on the water after dark.

Watch for whales at Cabrillo

For a daytime date, drive out to Cabrillo National Monument on Point Loma. The National Park Service says whale watching season there runs from late December to mid-March, when gray whales can be seen passing the coast. A late-December visit is early in the season, so treat any whale as a bonus and enjoy the views over the bay and ocean either way.

Bring binoculars, a light jacket for the wind on the point, and lunch for afterward. Check the park’s site for hours and entrance fees before you go.

A medieval night out in Lakeside

For something less expected, the Yuletide Medieval Festival in Lakeside runs until 8 p.m. on Saturdays, December 5 and 12, 2026, so the second half of the day happens after dark. Its St. Nicholas Feast is a five-course dinner on Saturdays at 6 p.m. (Sundays at noon), with ale, wine or a festive drink and entertainment between courses; seats are limited.

Simple, low-cost date ideas

Not every holiday date needs a ticket. Some of the nicest December evenings in San Diego cost little more than gas and a thermos of cocoa:

• Watch the sunset from a bluff or beach, then drive through a neighborhood known for its light displays.
• Pack a picnic dinner for a park bench before an evening event, instead of fighting for a restaurant table.
• Cook a holiday recipe together that neither of you has tried, and eat by candlelight.
• Pick out ornaments or small gifts for each other at a local market, with a set budget.
• Write cards to family and friends together over coffee on a slow weekend morning.

Tips for a smooth December date

A few small choices make a December date feel relaxed instead of rushed:

• Book timed tickets and parking ahead; popular holiday sessions and cruises can sell out.
• Plan for cool evenings. December lows average about 50°F near the coast and drop lower inland, so bring a real jacket.
• Pair one ticketed activity with something unhurried: a beach walk, a drive with holiday music, or dessert somewhere quiet.
• Leave room for traffic around Balboa Park and the bayfront on event nights.
• Read refund rules before you buy; several holiday events do not refund for weather.

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