Things to do in San Diego over winter break
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Some of the things to do in Mission Trails. Photos: Claire Trageser/Axios
Most San Diego schools are out for the next two weeks and that means parents, caregivers and anyone with kids crawling up the walls are looking for things to do.
Here are tons of suggestions to help save your sanity.
Camps
🤸 YMCA's winter camps range from gymnastics to "Junior Ninja" to more specialized camps like rocket building and survival skills.
⚽ San Diego recreational soccer leagues offer winter camps, including Crusaders, San Diego Surf and others. At last check, there were still spots open.
🏊 Plunge San Diego also has a winter adventure swim camp, Junior Theatre has drama camp and Helen Woodward Animal Center has critter camp.
Museums
🖼️ Some art museums, including the San Diego Art Museum, Mingei Museum and the San Diego Museum of Contemporary Art are free for kids.
- 💭 Claire's thought bubble: Your kids think art museums are boring? Here's my trick. We bring a drawing pad and markers and then stop and make our own art while being inspired by the museum.
🪅 Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center is also free for anyone under age 18. On Saturday, they're hosting a Winter Family Posada from 12pm-4pm with art workshops, music and pozole by Reina De La Cocina and atole by Ama Cacao.
🥳 More kid-friendly options:
- The New Children's Museum
- San Diego Children's Discovery Museum
- Museum of Making Music
- SD Model Railroad Museum
- Fleet Science Center
- USS Midway Museum
Outdoors
🥾 Hit Mission Trails and do a short hike with your kids, like the 1.5-mile Visitor Center Loop. It has a tree to climb on along the way and your kids can throw rocks in the river.
- Also check out the free and fairly entertaining Visitor Center, which has activities for kids.
🛝 Civita Park is one of the best playgrounds in the city (in Claire's opinion anyway). It has multiple levels, plus giant chess and checkers, and you can hike up to the tunnel at the top and see the beautiful mural.
🚴 Ride bikes along the fairly newly-opened path in Mission Bay just west of De Anza Cove. It includes the public beach, and there are wide open and fairly empty paths for kids to ride along.
⛵️ Check out the Model Yacht Pond next to Paradise Point. You can bring a toy boat or maybe catch people racing their model sailboats.
Holiday lights
There are still chances to check out holiday lights through the end of winter break.
🐼 San Diego Zoo's Jungle Bells runs Dec. 19 through Jan. 4 until 8 p.m. with the exception of Christmas Eve.
🕯️ Lightscape at the San Diego Botanical Gardens runs through Jan. 4, and tickets are cheaper after Christmas.
🎄Also check out this list of houses, divided by region, that have over the top holiday light displays.
Free city offerings
🎅 The city of San Diego offers free programs and events for kids.
On Saturday:
- Municipal Gym Breakfast with Santa 10am-12:30pm
- Memorial Recreation Center Breakfast with Santa 10am-2pm
- Ocean Air Community Park Snow Day 8:30-11:30am
- Mountain View Community Center Winter Wonderland 10am-1pm
- Kumeyaay Lake Campground Native Plant Holiday Wreath Making 3-4:30pm
Plus, Tecolote Canyon Restoration with Rangers 9-11am on Jan. 3
📚 The library has its annual Winter Reading Challenge, with a list of activities and events for kids. If they complete five, they get a prize.
- You can also browse the library's events page for free activities at your local branch.
Hang in there everybody! Jan. 5 will come….someday.