Things to Do in San Diego This Weekend
November 6–8, 2026
Greg Ross
CEO / Owner - Nancy's Vacation Rentals
Nancy’s Vacation Rentals Weekend Guide
This weekend, you can hear the Fleet Week Marine Band downtown, taste your way through a waterfront food festival or spend an afternoon hopping between shops and film screenings on Coronado. Saturday has the most going on, but Sunday might be the better day to linger by the bay, especially if your idea of a good afternoon involves tacos and a view.
Friday, November 6
Hear the Fleet Week Marine Band at Jacobs Music Center
Start the weekend downtown with live music honoring veterans and active-duty service members. The Fleet Week Marine Band plays at 6 p.m. at Jacobs Music Center. Admission is free, but seating is limited and a ticket is required. If you’re making a night of it, plan dinner downtown after the show so you only have to park once.
Concert details and reservations
Make Friday a food and wine night at JULEP
The San Diego Food + Wine Festival’s ticketed Icons + Legends event begins at 6 p.m. at JULEP Venue near Little Italy. It brings chefs, winemakers and spirits producers together for an evening tasting. If you’d rather spend the afternoon outdoors, the festival moves to the Embarcadero for its Saturday and Sunday signature events.
Saturday, November 7
Browse the free Shop North Park Community Fair
From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., North Park Way between 29th Street and Ray Street becomes a showcase for neighborhood businesses. Stop by for local pop-ups and a look at the shops behind them. This is an easy, low-commitment outing if your group wants to split up, grab lunch and meet back at Verbatim Books.
Attend the Veterans Day ceremony at Mt. Soledad
The Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial holds its Veterans Day ceremony at 11 a.m. in La Jolla. The hilltop setting looks out over the coast and city. If you’re coming for the ceremony, check the memorial’s parking and shuttle information before you head up. Afterward, La Jolla Village is a natural lunch stop.
Go to the Grand Tasting on San Diego Bay
The Food + Wine Festival’s Grand Tasting runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Embarcadero Marina Park North. Choose this day if you want to sample across a broad lineup of chefs, wineries and spirits producers in one afternoon. Check your ticket’s entry time, then leave room for a walk along the bay toward Seaport Village.
Grand Tasting lineup and tickets
Pair a Coronado film screening with a walk on Orange Avenue
The Coronado Island Film Festival runs through Sunday, with films, panels and special events at multiple venues. Saturday’s schedule includes Carl Sagan: We Are Made of Star Stuff at 4:30 p.m. in Village Theatre’s Screening Room 3 and The Debut at 7 p.m. in the Village Main Theatre. Check access for your specific screening and give yourself time for dinner or a stroll along Orange Avenue.
Coronado Island Film Festival program
Sunday, November 8
Start early at the Silver Strand Veterans Day races
The Silver Strand race lineup includes a half marathon, 10-miler, 12K and 5K. The 5K starts at 7 a.m. at Silver Strand State Beach. If you’re running one of the longer distances, use the organizer’s schedule to confirm your start location and transportation plan. Spectators can head to the state beach for the finish.
Spend Sunday afternoon at Grand Fiesta
From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., the Food + Wine Festival returns to Embarcadero Marina Park North for Grand Fiesta. Sunday’s tasting focuses on the culinary connections between San Diego and Latin America. If you’re choosing just one festival ticket and the cross-border food scene is what brought you here, this is the day to pick.
Grand Fiesta lineup and tickets
Make time for a coastal sunset
For a free finish to the weekend, take a late-afternoon walk along the Mission Beach boardwalk or watch the sky change from the waterfront at La Jolla’s Coast Boulevard. Bring a layer and arrive before sunset so you have time to find parking and get to the water. If you’re staying in Pacific Beach, walking the boardwalk south toward Mission Beach makes an outing out of the trip itself.
Event details checked November 4, 2026. Follow the event links for current ticket availability, entry requirements and schedule changes.
Planning a San Diego weekend? Explore Nancy’s Vacation Rentals and find a place to stay near the coast.
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