It’s no surprise that San Diego is a top spring-season destination for Southwest travelers. In addition to the gorgeous weather and beaches, this seaside retreat and bustling city has something for everyone to enjoy. Take a look at Visit San Diego’s spring 2025 roster of attractions and events, lodging news, restaurant openings and more.

Need more? Read more: 30-plus 2025 spring destination resorts & hotels in the Southwest

Pack your bags for San Diego’s spring 2025 attractions and events

San Diego Botanic Garden World of Orchids: May 3 to June 1

Guests can explore the beauty of the orchid during “World of Orchids” at San Diego Botanic Garden, on display from May 3 to June 1. The exhibition will be staged in the Garden’s state-of-the-art, 8,000 square foot, glass-enclosed facility, and will feature impressive orchid specimens, locally bred hybrids, and rare species plants displayed in unique and unexpected ways. 

Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa Garden Party: April 16

To celebrate the start of the spring season, Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa will host its second annual Garden Party on April 16. Attendees are encouraged to don their finest floral attire and join in for a whimsical afternoon filled with artful culinary creations brimming with botanical flair, colorful garden-inspired cocktails and bubbly, unique finds from beloved local vendors and much more. 

Female Makers Market in Little Italy: Once a month

Visitors can support local women makers by shopping at the Female Makers Market, held in Little Italy once a month in 2025. The market is hosted in the Piazza della Famiglia and offers goods from women-owned businesses ranging from handmade goods, trendy fashion, wellness products and unique gifts.

La Jolla Concours d’Elegance: April 25-27 

The 19th annual La Jolla Concours d’Elegance is back April 25-27. Set along the shores of La Jolla, this three-day event highlights the legacy of automotive mascots and features exclusive soirées, private collection tours and public displays of classic cars. This year’s festival theme is “Mascots in Motion,” spotlighting the legacy of automotive hood mascots.  

New places to stay and play

Double Tree by Hilton San Diego Bayside

The former Holiday Inn San Diego Bayside announced that it has joined the Hilton portfolio and has reopened to guests as Double Tree by Hilton San Diego Bayside. In addition, the property has been transformed with a $5 million renovation, including renovations to the lobby, guest rooms, restaurant, fitness center and exterior, and welcomes the addition of two new meeting spaces for guests. 

Fairmont Grand Del Mar

The Fairmont Grand Del Mar has partnered with Taktika Padel to bring paddle sports to its guests and the community with the addition of new paddle courts. The courts will add to the numerous outdoor activities and amenities currently available at the resort, including pickleball and tennis. Taktika’s championship coaching staff will provide private lessons, group clinics, leagues, tournaments and events.

The Bower Coronado

The Bower Coronado, one of Coronado’s first new developments in decades, opens this spring.  The hotel takes a unique approach to hospitality with transaction-free arrivals and offers custom-built itineraries for guests. 

The architecture and design embrace the Japanese wabi-sabi philosophy of perfection imperfection, emphasizing natural materials and serene aesthetics in homage to its location on the historic grounds of John D. Spreckels’ Japanese tea garden. The Bower also features Coronado’s first and only rooftop bar and restaurant, Dive, which will offer panoramic views from Point Loma to Mexico. 

Manchester Grand Hyatt

The Manchester Grand Hyatt is preparing to reopen the newly renovated Sally’s waterfront restaurant this March. Designed with nautical-inspired elements, the reimagined space offers a Baja Med-inspired menu by Chef Alvaro Garcia, featuring dishes like grilled octopus, ceviche, and premium aged local beef. Guests can enjoy mezcal and tequila-based cocktails while taking in stunning views of San Diego Bay from the expanded outdoor terrace.

Experience the best of San Diego’s arts and culture scene

San Diego Museum of Art

The San Diego Museum of Art’s Art Alive returns April 24-27, celebrating art and architecture with nearly 100 vibrant floral displays inspired by paintings, sculptures — and, for the first time, architectural designs. The event kicks off with the tenth edition of Bloom Bash, a lively celebration featuring large-scale festivities. 

Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA)

Oceanside Museum of Art presents In Losing Sleep, I Painted, a solo exhibition by Mary Jhun from March 15 to June 15, exploring the connection between sleep, psychology and creativity. Jhun’s surreal works interweave plant biology, architecture and her signature figures, The Girls, as emotional self-portraits reflecting shifting identities and perceptions of reality. 

A self-taught Filipino artist known for her murals across California, Jhun will also be featured in the SoCal Asian & Pacific Islander Festival on April 26, as OMA continues its mission to inspire community through art. 

San Diego Natural History Museum

The San Diego Natural History Museum is set to debut The Paleo Center, a new state-of-the-art exhibition where visitors can get an up-close view of an active processing center, see interesting collections and talk to scientists on the spot. The exhibit opens to the public on Memorial Day weekend.  

Mingei International Museum

The Mingei International Museum is launching six new exhibitions this spring, celebrating diverse cultural expressions through craft and design. Highlights include Fashioning an Icon, which explores the Virgin of Guadalupe in textile art, Historic Footprints, showcasing Native American ledger drawings and Across the Spooniverse, featuring spoons as cultural artifacts. 

Other exhibitions focus on student craft, Centennial-era quilts reflecting race and gender narratives and a playful display of armadillo-inspired folk art. 

Comic-Con Museum

The U.S. premiere of the Doctor Who Worlds of Wonder: Where Science Meets Fiction exhibit at San Diego’s Comic-Con Museum opens March 15. The exhibit features original props and set pieces, offering fans a chance to explore iconic characters and worlds from the series while delving into the real-life science behind the show’s fantastical concepts like time travel and AI. Highlights include a Time Vortex Corridor, TARDIS Tech Room and a Monster Vault. 

La Jolla Playhouse

The La Jolla Playhouse, will host the annual WOW Festival April 24-27 presented in partnership with UC San Diego, taking art beyond traditional theater walls and into unique spaces. The festival promises four action-packed days of immersive theatre, dance, music, puppetry, spectacle events, and more by local, national, and international artists. 

Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD)

The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego (MCASD) announced its spring programming with the debut of Yan Pei-Ming: A Burial in Shanghai, an epic cycle of paintings by Chinese-born artist Yan Pei-Ming in April.

Restaurants, breweries and bars host visitors near and far

The Lion’s Share

Entering its 13th year, The Lion’s Share is now led by Executive Chef Dante Romero, of Two Ducks and previously of Wormwood. With the help of Sous Chef Xavier Verdugo, Dante has reintroduced a refreshed menu applying his signature marriage of classic French techniques and Mexican/Southern Californian culinary influences, while staying true to the restaurant’s highly lauded menu of exotic fare, centered on high-quality, seasonal ingredients and wild game.  

Wildflour Delicatessen

Chef Phillip Esteban, creator of White Rice and Open Gym San Diego, has now opened Wildflour Delicatessen in Liberty Station. Inspired by its namesake in the Philippines, Wildflour focuses on local ingredients for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

The menu features house-cured meats, fresh bread, and standout dishes like steak tartare and eggs on toast and pistachio tiramisu. The restaurant also offers a curated coffee program by Jocelyn Farinas and Provecho Coffee, a full bar with natural wines and a modern California-inspired space spanning over 4,200 square feet with multiple patios. 

Melo Melo

Westfield UTC recently welcomed Melo Melo to its growing list of offerings. The specialty cafe offers a wide array of coconut jellies with flavors from mango to avocado. Melo Melo is also committed to sourcing the freshest ingredients in all of its jellies and smoothies. 

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream

Van Leeuwen Ice Cream has also recently opened its doors to the public. The ice cream shop is known for crafting dairy and vegan ice creams with out-of-the-box flavors such as Hidden Valley Ranch and Kraft Mac ‘n Cheese.  

6th and G Breakfast Co.

6th and G Breakfast Co. opened in Downtown San Diego in the former Fig Tree Cafe space in March. 6th & G offers a dynamic atmosphere designed to enhance the downtown experience with a menu and vibe tailored to the neighborhood’s vibrant spirit. 

Menu items include Birria Benedict, Carrot Cake Pancakes and Waffle Pops available in four unique flavors, and Guava French Toast. 

Madison on Park (three new projects)

The team behind Madison on Park is launching three new projects this spring, bringing diverse dining experiences to San Diego. Sonny’s will introduce a 1980s Brooklyn-inspired pizza spot in University Heights, serving pastas, pizzas, and Italian-American classics alongside natural wines and amaros. 

A second location of their popular brunch spot Madi will open in Pacific Beach, featuring California-meets-Mediterranean dishes like Waffle Churro Sticks and White Bean Shakshuka. 

Meanwhile, Hillcrest will welcome a yet-to-be-named diner concept inspired by classic American diners and partner Matt Sieve’s Midwestern roots. 

Flora

The recently opened Flora brings a fresh and vibrant bistro experience to North Park. Led by husband-and-wife team Nino Cusimano and Ocean Mohamadi, Flora is a passion project born from their shared love of food, travel and community. Serving both brunch and dinner, the restaurant combines eclectic flavors with a lively ambiance, adding to the neighborhood’s dynamic culinary scene.  

Little Victory Wine Bar

Little Victory Wine Bar open in Carlsbad in March. Little Victory is a natural wine bar inspired by the modern caves and bistros of Paris and Copenhagen, serving wines made with minimal intervention from both the new and old world with a focus on emerging and exciting producers. 

The food program is led by husband-and-wife duo, chefs Elliot and Kelly Townsend, previously of Long Story Short in North Park. Food offerings consist of seasonal small plates and shareable items that highlight local farms and their farmers. 

For more information about spring in San Diego, visit https://www.sandiego.org/press/press-releases/2024/whats-new-spring-2025 and for general information, visit sandiego.org.