Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend: December 12-13, 2026

This weekend at a glance

These events have dates confirmed on their organizers’ 2026 pages. Recheck each official site before heading out.

• Sunday, December 13: San Diego Bay Parade of Lights, starting at 5:30 p.m., free to watch.
• Both days: Santa photos at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (with park admission).
• Both days: Skating by the Sea at Hotel del Coronado, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Both days: Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! and Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show at The Old Globe (ticketed).
• Both days: the Yuletide Medieval Festival’s second weekend in Lakeside, Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (ticketed).

Sunday night: the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights

The 56th annual San Diego Bay Parade of Lights takes to the water on Sunday, December 13, 2026, with a second sailing the following Sunday, December 20. The procession of decorated boats starts at 5:30 p.m. and follows a set route along the bayfront to the pier at Chicano Park, then turns toward Coronado, so spectators on the Coronado side get a view too. This year’s theme is “Liberty Lights the Bay – Cheers to 250 Years.”

Viewing is free. The parade organizers note that the most popular spots get crowded, so arrive early, bring something warm to sit on, and plan dinner before or after rather than during. Pick one location and stay put; the boats come to you.

If you would rather skip the crowds, the December 20 sailing gives you a second chance, and many people make the boat parade a family tradition on whichever Sunday suits them.

Saturday and Sunday daytime ideas

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park lists Santa photos on December 12 and 13 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The park’s evening Wild Holidays light event begins the following Friday, December 18, so this weekend is a daytime visit. Over at the San Diego Zoo, the evening Jungle Bells celebration usually starts in mid-December; check the zoo’s official page to see whether it has begun by this weekend.

Hotel del Coronado’s Skating by the Sea is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends through December 17, then daily from December 18. A late-afternoon skate followed by the boat parade from the Coronado side makes an easy Sunday plan.

In Balboa Park, The Old Globe’s 29th annual Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas! runs through December 31, and Ebenezer Scrooge’s BIG San Diego Christmas Show runs through December 27. Both are ticketed and popular on December weekends, so book ahead.

A medieval Saturday in Lakeside

In East County, the second and final weekend of the Yuletide Medieval Festival runs at El Monte County Park in Lakeside. It recreates a holiday in England in 1420, near the end of Henry V’s reign, with knights in tournament, a daily battle pageant, the King’s Procession, guild encampments, St. Nicholas, Father Christmas and Krampus. On Saturday the festival stays open until 8 p.m., after sunset, and its seated St. Nicholas Feast begins at 6 p.m. on Saturdays and at noon on Sundays, with limited seats.

There is no cell coverage at the park, so print or screenshot tickets, and bring cash. Either day pairs well with the boat parade if you leave Lakeside on Sunday afternoon.

Outdoors: lakes, trails and an early look for whales

Mid-December is a pleasant time for a walk. Lake Jennings in Lakeside has a relatively flat 5.15-mile trail around the lake, and its trout season, which starts around November, is in full swing. Lindo Lake County Park, one of San Diego’s few natural lakes, is a good place to watch herons, egrets, pelicans and ducks on 1.5 miles of ADA-friendly trails.

Closer to the coast, Mission Trails Regional Park offers about 8,000 acres of hills and valleys inside the City of San Diego.

Whale watchers should know that the National Park Service puts the gray whale watching season at Cabrillo National Monument from late December to mid-March. Mid-December is a little early for reliable sightings from shore.

A mountain day trip: Julian and Cuyamaca

If the weekend calls for pine trees and cold air, Julian sits in the Cuyamaca Mountains about an hour east of San Diego. The town traces its beginnings to an 1870s gold rush, and its historic buildings now hold shops, restaurants and bakeries known for apple pie. Visit Julian notes that during the holidays you can expect a nip in the air, the smell of wood fires and, with luck, snow on the surrounding peaks, plus quieter small-town gift shopping.

Cuyamaca Rancho State Park lies about 15 miles south of Julian on Highway 79, with more than 100 miles of trails through oak woodland, pines and meadows. Mountain weather changes fast in December, so check road and park conditions before you drive up.

Weekend weather: what mid-December is usually like

A detailed forecast will not be available until the week before, so plan around the averages. NOAA’s 1991-2020 normals give San Diego’s Lindbergh Field a December high near 66°F and a low near 50°F, with about 1.7 inches of rain over the whole month. Inland El Cajon averages about 68°F by day and about 42°F at night.

For a Sunday evening on the bay, that means a jacket, and possibly a hat and gloves for small children. Inland after dark it is colder still. Check the National Weather Service forecast before you go.

Tips for the weekend

• Arrive early for the boat parade and pick a single viewing spot.
• Combine Coronado skating with parade viewing from the Coronado side on Sunday.
• Book Old Globe tickets in advance; weekend performances fill up.
• Layer up for any evening plan; December nights cool off fast.
• Confirm hours on official sites, since holiday schedules can change.

Questions