Locals' summer has arrived. 30+ things to do
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The beach will be less crowded! Photo: Claire Trageser/Axios
Once again, it has arrived. The tourists are (mostly) gone, the gloom has cleared, the ocean is warm and it's officially locals' summer.
The big picture: A trip to the beach this week tells you everything you need to know: Tourism numbers drop at least 20% from July to November, according to the Tourism Authority.
Zoom in: Time to celebrate the space. Here are a bunch of ways to enjoy locals' summer.
🌴 First, some classic summer things to do.
🏊 Spend the day at a resort pool: You don't need to book a room to get the resort experience. Prices are down at local hotels and Paradise Point opens up its five pools to day-pass visitors during locals' summer.
🐋 Go whale watching: Play tourist for a day searching for whales and dolphins.
🌊 Go tide pooling: Check the tide charts and explore Tourmaline, Swami's, Dike Rock, Point Loma, La Jolla and other spots for sea stars, anemones and other creatures.
🎸 See a late-summer concert: Buddy Guy, Pierce the Veil, Journey and A.J. Croce are playing this week.
🚀 Ride Legoland's new Galacticoaster: Legoland's first new roller coaster in 20 years is a little scary, with Space Mountain-like twists and turns. But there will be shorter lines and fewer crowds when you try it.
⛴️ Cruise Mission Bay on the Bahia Belle: The Sunday Funday trips have a live DJ and games.
🦈 Snorkel (or just swim) with leopard sharks: Birch Aquarium is bringing back shark snorkels for a two-hour guided experience, which hasn't been offered since 2019.
🔥 Have a beach bonfire: Gather friends, food and s'mores around one of the legal fire pits along the coast.
🐶 Watch dogs shred the waves at Surf Dog Surf-a-Thon: Helen Woodward Animal Center's annual surf dog competition returns to Del Mar Dog Beach Sept. 13 from 8am-2pm. Yes, dozens of pups actually ride waves.
🏕️ Camp on Mission Bay: Campland on the Bay and Mission Bay RV Resort have campsites open for a final summer getaway. You don't need to own an RV either, since rental companies can deliver and set one up at your campsite.
🌴 Or just go to the beach. It won't be crowded! All of the beaches are great, but a few of our favorites are Mission Beach, Kellogg Beach, Bermuda Beach and the hidden (sort of) beaches at De Anza Cove and Paradise Point. Yes, they're open to the public.
✨ You can also use this precious time to try something new.
🐶 Take your dog to Yappy Hour: Margaritaville's rooftop bar goes to the dogs on the last Thursday of each month, with dog treats, a pup menu and pet vendors.
♟️ Make friends over a game of chess: Chess & Social gathers at bars three nights a week, hosts weekend events and offers Sunday beginner classes.
🏃 Join the PB Run Club stampede: Up to 600 or 700 runners take over the boardwalk. The 3-mile runs stay together as one giant pack and stop every mile to regroup.
🏊 Swim at La Jolla Cove: The water is so warm. You can try to reach the ¼- or ½-mile buoy (safely!) and eventually work up to swimming from the Cove to La Jolla Shores and back.
⚽ Watch a game at a women's sports bar: One of Us opened in North Park this summer as San Diego's first permanent women's sports bar, with about a dozen TVs prioritizing the WNBA, soccer, rugby and other women's sports.
📚 Go on a Little Free Library walk: Pick a neighborhood and wander between some of the dozens of Little Free Libraries, trading a book or just browsing what neighbors have left behind.
💰 Explore a museum: You can save money in October with kids free museum month promotions.
🥾 Take a hikes, walk or bike ride on these coastal (and cooler) coastal trails.
🌅 Wander Sunset Cliffs: The mostly flat trails through the 68-acre natural park are an easy way to get ocean views and cooler coastal air.
🚲 Explore the Bayshore Bikeway: The South Bay portion has wide, flat paths that work for walking, running or biking and connect into the Silver Strand.
🌳 Walk the San Diego River Trail: This roughly 3-mile Mission Valley loop is surprisingly sheltered and green, with shade and a river breeze.
🪨 Try the new Ruffin Canyon connection: The canyon itself is rocky because much of the trail follows an old riverbed, but a newly opened dirt section connects the trail into Mission Valley.
🌊 Hike Cabrillo National Monument: Pick from the 1-mile Coastal Trail, 2.5-mile Bayside Trail or newer Oceanside Trail, with views of the ocean, Coronado, Ballast Point and Tijuana.
🍓 And then there's food and drinks.
🍦 Go on a frozen yogurt crawl: Compare your five favorites: Yogurt Mill, Rockie's, Paradise Yogurt, Golden Spoon and Yog-art.
💜 Try the OG ube froyo in Poway: In The Mix owner Sandy Patag has been swirling ube since 2008. Her current go-to combination is ube with coconut flakes, mochi and mango.
🍨 Or go on an ice cream crawl: Make your own crawl with stops at Stella Jean's, An's, Mariposa, Wild Child, Jeni's and Silver Hoof.
🍺 Hunt for San Diego's cheapest beers: From 99-cent High Life ponies at Good Night John Boy to $3 beers at Johnny Mañana's and $5 craft beers at Trattoria Sofia.
🌴 Or take a California burrito tour: From the fancy burrito at Barefoot Bar & Grill at Paradise Point to the fat burritos at Nico's Mexican Food and The Taco Stand, there are lots of options.
🍕 Get pizza and beer after the beach: Pizza Port's Ocean Beach brewpub is walking distance from Dog Beach and has a dog-friendly patio, cold local beer and thick-crust pizzas.
🌞 Eat outside: Try patio dining at Bica in Normal Heights, Wormwood in University Heights, Teleféric Barcelona at UTC, Pizza Port in Ocean Beach or Wildflour at Liberty Station for everything from Portuguese small plates and paella to pizza, absinthe and cocktails.
