The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is opening its iconic San Diego temple to the public after recent renovations.

Why it matters: It's the first time the church has let visitors inside the sparkling white landmark in more than 30 years.

Driving the news: The towering four-story temple along the I-5 in University City near La Jolla is reopening after a three-year closure for renovations.

• Anyone can walk in or make a reservation for a free, 45-minute guided tour from Thursday to July 11 (except on Sundays) ahead of a rededication ceremony in August. About 350,000 visitors are expected to come through, the Union-Tribune reported.
• The temple will be restricted to church members again following the ceremony, but the grounds will remain open to visitors.

Inside the temple: You'll walk through the baptistry, where a water basin sits on the backs of life-size oxen representing the 12 Tribes of Israel, along with an elegant bridal suite and a sealing room used for ceremonies that bind partners, parents and children together for eternity.

• The walls get lighter and the ceilings get higher as you walk through the temple to reflect the ascension to heaven.
• The celestial room, the most sacred space, is bright white with gold trimmings, from the carpets to the grand staircase and crystal chandeliers. New stained-glass windows line the walls up through the spire tower, creating an atrium.

Between the lines: Members regularly gather at chapels for Sunday services, and visit the temple for certain ceremonies, including weddings.

• They wear plain white clothing inside the temple, and you'll see an area where they can borrow attire.

What they're saying: "With the San Diego Temple, it's right off the 5 freeway, everyone sees it going by, and not everyone has had opportunity to understand what happens there," Deon Travers, a leader of several North County congregations, told Axios.

• The open house gives friends and neighbors a chance to "come and see what we believe, why it's important, and the emphasis on families and a closeness to God," he said.
• "When you go in, you can feel kind of something different," Travers added. "It's like a step outside from the busy world."

The big picture: These tours are part of the church's broader effort to provide more transparency around temples and the sacred rituals performed inside them, including baptisms for the dead and sealings.

• The church typically hosts open houses at new temples before dedication, but then they're closed off to the public and allow only church members in good standing.

Share this story

San Diego, you might want to avoid Coronado this Father's Day weekend unless you're going to the NASCAR street race.

The big picture: The high-speed, three-day event is expected to draw 50,000 daily spectators to Naval Base Coronado — the first active military base to host a NASCAR race.

• It's also timed to the 250th birthday celebration for the U.S. and the Navy.

Driving the news: The series of races starts Friday afternoon, with the headliner Anduril 250 NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday at 1pm.

• Spectators can watch the action along the 3.4-mile Qualcomm Circuit that'll take drivers past aircraft carriers and fighter jets.
• Tickets through NASCAR are sold out for Saturday and Sunday races, but there's a waitlist for weekend passes and you can still find grandstand seats on resale at a higher price.

Zoom in: There are kid-friendly fan zones with autograph sessions and driver Q&As on base, plus watch parties, a country concert and other NASCAR events around San Diego throughout the weekend.

🌟 El Cajon native and NASCAR Hall of Famer Jimmie Johnson is racing.

If you go: Expect heavy traffic and arrive early, the first 10,000 fans each day will get commemorative gifts.

• Bring your ticket, parking pass, and a valid government-issued ID or passport since you'll be going on a federal base.
• There's also a designated spot for rideshare pickup/drop-off.

Tell a fan, and your dad

🚙 The California Coastal Commission approved San Diego's plan to restrict hours and limit overnight parking at coastal lots from Ocean Beach to La Jolla, and add bike parking around Mission Bay. (CBS8)

🚒 A San Diego County grand jury is urging the city to fix its fire safety inspection backlog, including thousands of schools, hotels and multifamily housing and other buildings, by recruiting civilian fire inspectors and getting help from other agencies. (Union-Tribune)

💡 SDG&E wants to increase average monthly bills by 8.6% for residential customers using electricity and natural gas in 2028.

• The new rate needs approval from the California Public Utilities Commission, and could change. (U-T)

🚲 Escondido is considering new e-bike restrictions, including age limits, fines and confiscating bikes, at its council meeting today. (inewssource)

🍔 Barleymash in Gaslamp held a Burger Brawl for home chefs in May.

• The winner was the Compadre Burger — beef patty, pepper jack cheese, shredded cabbage slaw, street corn spread, tortilla chips, crispy chorizo crumble, cotija cheese — and is on the menu through June 30.

Grizzly bear brothers Scout and Montana had fun playing in the snow at the San Diego Zoo the other day, and we're jealous.

• The fresh, man-made powder was blown in to mimic the late-spring conditions grizzlies normally experience in the wild.