The weather is perfect in San Diego during the long, hot, lazy days of summer, and
the ocean is still unpleasantly cold, but somehow bearable. It doesn't get dark
until 7 p.m. or later, and it's extremely rare to see anything but blue sky once
the "June gloom" has passed. Huge crowds flock to beaches, bars and baseball games,
in addition to parks, concerts and nightclubs.
San Diego, California is most crowded with visitors in July and August, due to the
annual San Diego County Fair (mid-June through July 4) and the Del Mar Horse races
(mid-July through early September).
Other summer events which bring thousands of people to San Diego are the annual
Comic-Con convention held at the San Diego Convention Center in late July, the Pacific
Classic in late August (San Diego's equivalent of the Kentucky Derby), the Acura
Tennis Classic (end of July) and Street Scene (not quite Woodstock, but a really
big party) in early August. Typically, the Comic-Con convention sells out every
hotel room in San Diego.
When planning your summer trip, also keep in mind that college classes start at
San Diego State University in late August, and at the University of California San
Diego in mid-September. Many families combine a family vacation the week before
moving out with their student, so beware that lodging accommodations may be full
that time of year, especially in Mission Valley (near SDSU) and La Jolla (near UCSD).
It's typically recommended to book your reservations for San Diego accommodations
months in advance - especially if your vacation falls during one of the big summer
events. Aside from all the large attractions, tons of weddings pop up all around
San Diego, which can make getting a hotel even more difficult. You don't want to
spend your vacation homeless. If you are planning a long weekend or extended vacation,
consider Mission Bay condo rentals
or renting a vacation home in Mission
Beach as an alternative to hotels.
Once you have secured your accommodations in San Diego, plan time in your vacation
to enjoy one or several of these popular summer activities and annual events San
Diego is known for:
- PARK AT DARK/NIGHTIME
ZOO: Both the San Diego Wild Animal Park and the San Diego Zoo are open for extended
hours during the summer, usually from mid-June to mid-September. For more information,
visit www.sandiegozoo.org.
- U.S. OPEN SANDCASTLE
COMPETITION: Head to Imperial Beach to watch professional teams of three and 10
persons from around the country compete for cash prizes by building sand castles.
This event is held in mid-July. To check the date, visit www.usopensandcastle.com.
- SAN DIEGO PADRES:
Petco Park in downtown San Diego is one of the best places in the country to watch
a baseball game. Tickets start under $20; go to www.padres.com for dates and information.
- COMIC-CON: If you
are a sci-fi fanatic or crazy for comic books, you'll fit right in at San Diego's
biggest annual event. Buy tickets early at www.comic-con.org, as tickets usually
sell out before the event starts.
- HORSE RACES: Del
Mar, California is where the turf meets the surf. Watch and bet on horses running
around the track with a pristine view of the Pacific Ocean. For dates and to purchase
tickets, go to www.dmtc.com.
- SAN DIEGO COUNTY
FAIR: Formerly the Del Mar Fair, this annual event is the kick off to summer. See
everything from livestock to woodwork to art at the fair, and get your fill of deep-fried
Twinkies and funnel cake. There are plenty of rides and games to keep the kids busy.
Go to www.sdfair.com for dates.
If you're a last-minute traveler who hasn't planned your San Diego summer vacation
yet, you can still find available or vacation rentals in San Diego or
La Jolla vacation rentals on Zonder.com.
About Zonder
Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, Zonder was the first vacation home rental company
to offer accurate, real-time availability and markets the largest portfolio of vacation
homes that can be booked instantly online. Only Zonder gives consumers and partners
the necessary tools to efficiently search through tens of thousands of vacation
home rentals and narrow their results using a variety of criteria. In addition,
Zonder offers partners a powerful, flexible technology platform that makes it simple
to add vacation rentals to their product offerings. Founded by search industry veterans,
it is the technology behind Zonder that enables its powerful search, filtering and
real-time booking capabilities.
CONTACTS:
Amanda Deveaux
PJ Inc. for Zonder
(212) 629-8445
amanda@pjinc.net