17 Fun Things To Do In San Diego In October (2024)
Looking for all the best things to do in San Diego in October?
Below are some of the fun things to do in San Diego in October from festivals to theme park holiday events to the scariest Halloween events and more.
Planning A Trip? Use Our Favorite Resources Below!
👉🏼 Accommodations
👉🏼 Tours/Experiences
👉🏼 Flights
👉🏼 Car Rentals
Fun Things To Do In San Diego In October
1. Howl-O-Scream at Sea World San Diego
Sea World also hosts it’s own night time event called Howl-O-Scream, which happens on select nights from September 27th – November 2nd.
During the day time park hours there are kid friendly activities, but the evening event is not recommended for small children.
2. Brick-or-Treat at Legoland California
Since Legoland is a kid oriented park, it’s Halloween event is entirely kid-friendly as well.
There is tons of candy, shows, characters, and more.
The event takes place on September 14th, 21st, and 28th, and select Saturdays and Sundays in October.
3. Julian
Julian, California is a great place in Southern California to see Fall foliage.
It’s an old Gold Rush town just east of San Diego.
They are known for their apples, so definitely do some apple picking while you’re there and bring home some apple pies.
If you click the link above, it goes to another blog post on our site of the Best Things To Do in Julian in the Fall.
4. Haunted Trail Of Balboa Park
The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park begins on September 27th and runs through November 2nd.
In addition to the haunted trail, also check out the eXperiment Maze.
5. Bates Nut Farm
Bates Nut Farm offers a pumpkin patch and other fun Fall activities beginning on Thursday, September 19th.
The pumpkin patch will remain open through October 31st.
Parking is free during the week, but $10 per vehicle on weekends in October.
The farm is open 9 am – 5:30 pm on week days and 8:30 am – 6 pm on weekends.
6. Halloween Movie Screenings at Rooftop Cinema Club in San Diego & LA
They show films seven nights a week at their venues in San Diego, the LA Arts District, Downtown LA, and El Segundo.
Movies include: Hocus Pocus, Friday The 13th (1980), Coraline, Halloweentown, Practical Magic, Edward Scissorhands, Scream (1996), Halloween (1978), The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Addams Family (1991), Rocky Horror Picture Show, American Psycho, and A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984).
Click for more information on Rooftop Cinema Club’s Halloween movie screenings!
7. The Pearl Halloween Movie Screenings In San Diego
The Pearl offers themed dive-in screenings throughout the month of October.
Check out the “Happenings” page for the full schedule.”
8. Halloween at the Station
This is a free, family friendly event at Ingram Plaza on Sunday, October 27th from 12 pm – 4 pm.
You can enjoy live music and entertainment, a Hollywood car show, inflatable obstacle courses, crafts, activities, and trick-or-treating.
There is also a costume contest for a variety of age groups.
9. HalGLOWeen At San Diego Zoo
HalGLOWeen takes place after 5 pm on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in October at the San Diego Zoo.
You’ll enjoy live entertainment, interactive experiences, and unique experiences at a variety of animal exhibits.
10. Autumn Festival At San Diego Zoo Safari Park
This year’s Autumn Festival takes place on Saturdays and Sundays in October (5–6, 12–13, 19–20, 26–27).
They have live entertainment, seasonal foods and drinks, and of course all your favorite safari animals!
11. San Diego Zombie Crawl
The Zombie Crawl takes place in the Gaslamp Quarter from October 25 – November 3rd from 6 pm – 2 am.
USE THE CODE “GQA10” at checkout to save 10%
Your ticket includes free admission to all of the 20+ bars and restaurants that are participating in the Zombie Crawl.
It’s like a bar or pub crawl, but with live entertainment, costumes, food, and drinks.
12. The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular At Sesame Place
This event takes place September 14th – November 3rd at Sesame Place.
If you’re looking for kid-friendly Halloween events, this is one of the best one’s out there.
You can come in costume and enjoy trick-or-treating, shows, a Halloween parade, dance parties, a scavenger hunt, rides, games, photo ops, and more!
13. Beachside Fall Fest at Belmont Park
This festival takes place every weekend in September and October at Belmont Park.
They offer all kinds of seasonal foods and drinks to try, as well as live entertainment.
Of course, you can also enjoy the rides at Belmont Park while you’re attending the festival.
14. Ghosts And Gravestones Frightseeing Tour
This night time trolley tour throughout San Diego is actually available throughout the year, but Fall is obviously the best time to do it if you’re looking for spooky stuff to do.
The tour starts at $40+ depending on the day of the week and the season you’re taking the tour and it lasts for about 90 minutes.
15. The Haunted Amusement Park
The Haunted Amusement Park is one of the best scare trails in Southern California.
It’s a great alternative to the scare mazes at all of the amusement parks.
They have areas that are total blackout areas, they use strobe lights, lasers, fog machines, and more.
It runs on weekends throughout October, including October 30th and 31st, at the old Marshal Scotty’s Playland in El Cajon after 7 pm.
16. Taste Of North Park
Taste of North Park is on Saturday, October 5th this year from 11 am – 3:30 pm.
This is a self-guided experience where you can roam around the North Park neighborhood of San Diego and try a variety of over 50 specialty foods and over a dozen specialty drinks.
17. Oktoberfest In El Cajon
The first weekend is September 27th-29th and the second weekend is October 4th-6th.
Oktoberfest takes place from 4 pm – 10 pm on Fridays, 12 pm – 10 pm on Saturdays, and 12 pm – 9 pm on Sundays.
This event is hosted by the German American Societies of San Diego.
Enjoy live music from a real German band and all your favorite German foods and beers.
More Fun Things To Do In Southern California In The Fall
Below are more fun things to do in Southern California this Fall.
If it’s not too late when you’re reading this, here are some things to do in September
- Things To Do In San Diego This September
- Fun Things To Do In Orange County In September
- Best Things To Do In Anaheim In September
- Best Things To Do In Los Angeles In September
Here are some more favorites:
🎃 Fun Things To Do In Anaheim In October
Anaheim has a variety of things to do in October from spooky escape rooms to Dia de los Muertos festivals, theme park special events, and more!
🎃 Fun Things To Do In Los Angeles In October
October is a great time of year to visit LA.
There are festivals for just about anything you could imagine.
Plus so many Halloween events like haunted hayrides, pumpkin trails, and more.
🎃 The Best Things To Do In Southern California This Fall
For even more ideas, check out our list of all the best things to do in Southern California this Fall.
We’ve got events, festivals, Oktoberfests, Fall foliage towns, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below are the most frequently asked questions we see about things to do in San Diego in October.
Is October A Good Time To Go To San Diego?
Yes, October is a great time to visit San Diego!
The weather is mild, it’s not as crowded as the Summer, and there are so many Fall festivities to enjoy.
Do People Go To The Beach In October In San Diego?
Yes, people do go to the beach in October in San Diego.
The weather is pleasant and it might not be as hot as the summer months, it’s still suitable for the beach.
What Is San Diego Like In October?
San Diego in October typically experiences mild weather.
The temperatures range from the mid-60s to low 70s F (around 18-23°C).
You can expect fewer crowds and a quieter atmosphere.
Conclusion: Things To Do In San Diego In October
From haunted trails to Oktoberfests to a variety of festivals, there are plenty of things to do in San Diego in October.
