San Diego Thanksgiving Traditions & Things to Do 2024

It’s safe to say that many of the best Thanksgiving traditions involve an incredible meal.

With the Thanksgiving Day Buffet Brunch or Dinner Cruise on San Diego Bay, you and the family can enjoy that meal in a truly unique way: from a ship as you cruise around the harbor!

Head to the San Diego Bay at 11:30am on Thanksgiving Day, November 28th, to board the boat and embark on a two-hour cruise. It’s easy to think of things to be thankful for when you’re overlooking the bay; some of my own include the incredible sights, San Diego’s beautiful weather, and the excellent company of my family.

The cost of your ticket includes buffet-style salads, entrees, and desserts, as well as bottomless mimosas during the brunch cruise. Children under three can cruise and eat for free, making this an excellent choice for families with young kids.

What Makes It a Special Way to Celebrate

While you can have the traditional sit-down turkey dinner anywhere, this cruise is a uniquely San Diego experience that highlights some gorgeous spots around the bay. I think it’s worth doing at least once for any local and a great way to try something different this year.

If you’re interested in other harbor cruise options before or after the holiday, checkout our article on the 13 Best San Diego Harbor Cruises & Boat Tours.

Feeling charitable this holiday season? If so then I’d recommend you attend the 19th annual O’side Turkey Trot fundraising event in 2024.

All registered participants who pay to join the run or walk will receive a series of perks including a commemorative shirt and photo, but if you’d just like to watch from the sidelines, that’s fine too.

The O’side Turkey Trot consists of four different events with staggered start times so you can watch or participate in as many trots as you wish. All races will take place on the morning of November 28th. In 2024, the start times are listed below.

• Early Wave 5K: 6:45am
• Main Wave 5K: 8:05am
• Kids 1 Mile (7-12 Years Old): 10:00am
• Kids 1/5 Mile (6 and Under): 10:25am

In addition to being one of the biggest holiday events in Oceanside, the Turkey Trot is the perfect way to pregame for a Thanksgiving dinner so you can chow down guilt-free afterwards. In fact, the Turkey Trot benefits the Move Your Feet Before You Eat!® foundation which encourages regular physical activity as a healthy habit, especially for kids.

What Makes It a Special Way to Celebrate

As a parent, I love finding ways to teach my kids (especially when they were younger) that holidays are about more than the celebrations.

The O’Side Turkey Trot benefits the community and lets you make a positive impact, encouraging participants of all ages to focus less on the feasting and more on sharing and being thankful.

San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood is a popular location for foodies, with many classic Italian restaurants to choose from. Competition for my top restaurant here is steep, but my wife and I find Herb & Wood to be one of our favorite places thanks to its charmingly rustic atmosphere and a menu filled with delightful Mediterranean fare.

While Herb & Wood is worth a visit any time of year, what nets it a spot on our A Complete Guide to All the Holidays in San Diego article is that its specialty Thanksgiving dinner is just so incredibly delicious. I had to include it in our list!

Meals include two starters, your selection of a main course (with a vegan option), family-style sides, and a seasonal tart or cake for dessert. Dinner is served from 1:00pm to 7:00pm on November 28th, 2024. Make a reservation in advance, as tables fill quickly.

Going out to eat on Thanksgiving is a convenient option that allows you to spend more time with family and less time doing dishes. But if you’d rather gather at home, Herb & Wood also offers Thanksgiving takeout with all the traditional fixings.

What Makes It a Special Way to Celebrate

Many of my favorite things to do in Little Italy are food-related, since the neighborhood is known for its restaurants. But the Herb & Wood is a standout among standouts and one of the best places to dine out for Thanksgiving.

Many turkey trots are held in San Diego each Thanksgiving, but the original and longest running event is Father Joe’s Village Thanksgiving Day Run for Hope. This is a 5k run and walk that includes both timed and “fun run” options for youths and adults.

Even if you’re not a big runner, attending the race to cheer on the runners from the sideline can be just as fun and a great way to kick off your family’s celebrations.

Plus, from 8:00am to 10:00am, you can have fun at the post-race festival at Plaza de Panama, which is filled with fun and games for all ages. Our Complete Guide to All the Holidays in San Diego highlights this and other activities that will help you keep the excitement going not just on Thanksgiving, but throughout the year.

Like the O’Side Turkey Trot, this event is another chance to give back to the community, as proceeds go toward the Father Joe’s Villages’ meal program for feeding San Diego’s homeless population. Runners are encouraged to fundraise and will receive merchandise at check-in as a thanks.

What Makes It a Special Way to Celebrate

Through getting active and getting involved with charity work, joining Father Joe’s Village Thanksgiving Day Run is a tradition you can feel good about participating in each year, which makes it one of our favorite ways to start the holiday!

If you’ve ever thought about relaxing on Thanksgiving without having to cook and clean, enjoying a meal at the Oceana Coastal Kitchen at the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa on Mission Bay is an excellent choice.

You’ve got your choice of when to stop by for lunch or dinner, which makes the Thanksgiving Day Buffet an especially convenient option if you’ve already got a few other activities planned for the day. You can make your reservation for any time between 2:00pm - 8:00pm.

Buffet stations include seafood, soups, salads, carving, pasta, desserts, and a selection of Thanksgiving sides. The experience is extra special as everything is served in the Catamaran's Ballrooms.

Busy in the evening? There’s also a special breakfast à la carte that runs from 7:00am -11:30am, which is held right in the Oceana Coastal Kitchen restaurant.

What Makes It a Special Way to Celebrate

I’ve dined at Oceana Coastal Kitchen quite a few times, and while the food itself is great, the standout here is the view!

Head out onto the restaurant’s patio and you’ll catch an impressive view of Mission Bay, which becomes even better when sharing the experience with your loved ones.

We love Turkey Trots as a family-friendly holiday activity. Not only are they fun for all ages, but they also embody the spirit of the holiday by spotlighting what really matters: lending a hand. The Coronado 5K Turkey Trot is held by the Coronado Unit of the Rady Children’s Hospital Auxiliary, and all net proceeds are donated to the local hospital.

In 2024, the Coronado 5K Turkey Trot will be held on November 28th at Tidelands Park. The walk begins at 8:00am and continues until 11:00am.

Spots are limited and tend to run out each year, so it’s a good idea to register in advance on the race’s website.

What Makes It a Special Way to Celebrate

This Turkey Trot is just over the bridge in Coronado, which is packed with other fun activities.

For more ways to stay active and save money during the holiday season, take a look at the Go City San Diego pass! Coronado Island is your playground, with discounts on rentals for biking and kayaking around the neighborhood to work off those Thanksgiving Dinner calories, plus you can bundle admission to famous attractions like the San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld San Diego.

Located just off the boardwalk in Pacific Beach, my stomping grounds, Tower 23 Hotel is a boutique hotel that’s all about the beach-going lifestyle!

As a resident of this seaside community, I wanted to include a Thanksgiving activity that would make it easy to feel like you were a born-and-raised San Diegan! Thanksgiving dinner at Tower 23 JRDN Restaurant is a beachside affair, so gather the entire family to add some extra pizazz to your holiday celebrations.

The oceanside property of Tower 23’s JRDN Restaurant will serve Thanksgiving dinner on November 28th from the afternoon to the evening, with reservations available from 12:00pm to 8:00pm.

Thanksgiving can often be a hectic event (especially if you’re the host!), but when you dine out, it doesn’t have to be. Experience a laid-back meal where you don’t need to stress over washing dishes, cooking, or deep-cleaning the house in preparation for guests. I love Thanksgiving at JRDN because it is relaxed and lets guests focus on the part of the holiday that really matters: spending time with family!

Plates are $69-73 per person and include an appetizer, two sides, and a dessert alongside your choice of entree from turkey, ham, scallops, and pumpkin risotto.

What Makes It a Special Way to Celebrate

I live in Pacific Beach, so I know the restaurant scene here pretty well. JRDN is one of my favorite restaurants when I’m looking to eat somewhere on the fancier end.

I haven’t yet had a chance to try their Thanksgiving feast for myself, but if it’s as good as it is the rest of the year, you won’t be disappointed!

This Thanksgiving, it’s easy to find something to be thankful for when you and the family are dining in luxury at the La Valencia Hotel. Pull up a chair at the hotel restaurant’s classy dining room and let the chefs and staff of La Valencia cater to your every need.

There are few better places in all of San Diego to treat yourself than the La Valencia Hotel, which is also one of our best San Diego hotels overall. You and the family can feel like royalty throughout dinner.

2024’s Thanksgiving dinner is a sit-down three-course meal. Alongside holiday favorites like turkey and pumpkin pie, you’ll have your choice of upscale options like lobster tail.

Dinner reservations are available from 12:00pm to 7:00pm on November 28th, 2024.

After dinner, visit the beach at nearby La Jolla Cove and make use of Go City San Diego pass discounts throughout the weekend to save on surfing rentals, lessons, and more to make the time with loved ones truly memorable.

What Makes It a Special Way to Celebrate

This hotel is just a short walk from the La Jolla coastline, and the dining room’s wide windows offer stunning views of the Pacific Ocean while you eat. To me, going for a stroll along the beach after a Thanksgiving meal is the most San Diegan way to celebrate the holiday and an experience you won’t want to skip.

For some, having the same dishes each year at Thanksgiving is all part of the tradition. For others, a little variety goes a long way.

We’ve included plenty of restaurants on this list that serve up the classic Thanksgiving fare of turkey and mashed potatoes, but that’s not your only option! Many San Diego restaurants are changing up the formula and reinventing traditions. One such restaurant is Animae, which is putting a Filipina-American twist on Thanksgiving.

Join chef Tara Monsod on November 28th, 2024 for a four-course meal with sides. Standout options on the menu include short rib kare kare, beef tartare, ube bread, and red bean tarts.

Dinner will be served from 3:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

What Makes It a Special Way to Celebrate

This Thanksgiving dinner was included on our list because we love the multicultural feel of the menu and Animae’s unique approach to an old-fashioned holiday. By combining flavors from Filipino cuisine with an all-American holiday, Animae’s menu stands out among other Thanksgiving offerings.

Thanksgiving marks the start of the Christmas gift-giving season, but for savvy shoppers, deals are available well before Thanksgiving and well after it too!

Traditionally, most San Diego stores have only offered Black Friday deals during the holiday weekend. However, this trend has been changing in recent years, with many stores extending sales to run through the whole month of November. This means you can comfortably take a post-turkey nap without worrying about missing out on many one-day-only discounts, which is totally fine by me!

If you still enjoy the rush of Black Friday shopping, though, don’t worry; while most malls will be closed Thanksgiving day, spots like San Diego's Fashion Valley will open bright and early at 6:00 am on Friday, November 29th, while North County Mall will open at 9:00 am.

I’d also recommend doing some shopping at Westfield UTC shopping center and Las Americas Premium Outlets, which both open at 10:00 am.

If you’re interested in more incredible places to shop before or after Thanksgiving, checkout our article on the 12 Best Malls & Shopping Areas in San Diego.

(H3) What Makes It a Special Way to Celebrate

If you’re hoping to get some of your family members’ Christmas lists checked off early, there are few better ways to do so than taking advantage of Black Friday deals.

And for me and my family, there’s just something about heading to one of the malls on Black Friday that gets us in the holiday spirit.

There are few stories that are as closely associated with the holidays as How the Grinch Stole Christmas. If you, like me, have grown up reading the original Dr. Seuss book or watching the movie each year, you’ll be happy to know that the stage play version performed in Balboa Park each year is an excellent adaptation.

Performances take place in the Old Globe Theatre, one of San Diego’s best-known art venues and one of its oldest, dating back to 1935. Watching a show here is very cool as you can practically feel the history all around you.

While this isn’t strictly a Thanksgiving activity and also has a home on our list of Christmas activities in San Diego, performances begin as early as November 6th. I like to go a little after Thanksgiving to bridge the gap between the holidays.

Know that kids must be 3 or older to attend.

What Makes It a Special Way to Celebrate

This is something my family and I do every year around Christmas time, and it’s become something of a personal ritual. It’s the best way to get everyone in the holiday spirit and the performance is always fun for all ages.