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SEPTEMBER: What To Do With Kids In San Diego (Sept. 2024)


What to do with kids in September Adventures in San Diego

September Adventures are here! 🙌 Which ones will you go on this month?! 🍎 🎡 ⚾️ 🛩️ 💃 🌺 🎥 🌅 😎


September's List of What To Do With Kids in San Diego

Here are all the fun kid-friendly events and seasonal happenings for these lucky San Diego kids in September.


Contents:



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🍎 APPLE PICKING 🍎

'Tis the season for apple picking! Apple season is a short one (2-3 weeks), so head out to Julian NOW to find your favorite orchard before they're all gone, usually by the end of Sept. ALL the apple orchards' info is updated on my website: more info



 

September 14, 2024 from 9 AM to 4 PM. Enjoy a day packed with family-friendly activities: car show, complimentary pony rides, amusement park rides, live music, magic performance, treasure hunt, community organizations, food stalls, and more!. COST: Free. Held at South Clairemont Park. more info 


Also enjoy Aquafest held on the same day by the City of San Diego Parks & Recreation Department!



 

⚾️ PADRES KIDS FEST ⚾️

September 22, 2024. Join us at Petco Park in the brand new Gallagher Square for KidsFest, featuring bounce houses, games, face painters, balloon artists, and more! The excitement begins 2 hours prior to the first pitch. more info 



 

🛩 MIRAMAR AIR SHOW 🛩

Sept. 27-29, 2024. The annual air show is back this year at Miramar. Food trucks, music, awesome aerials & flyovers. Bring noise-cancelling headphones for kiddos because it will be loud. COST: Free, but parking & reserved seating is extra. All the info & weekend lineup is on my website. more info 


 

💃 FIESTAS PATRIAS 💃

Sept. 14, 2024 from 11-4. Celebrate Mexican Independence Day in Old Town with equestrian parade, music, dance, crafts, games, early settler demonstrations & kids pinatas.  more info 



 

🌺 PACIFIC ISLANDER FESTIVAL 🌺

Sept. 21-22, 2024. Celebrate the culture & traditions of the Melanesian, Micronesian & Pacific Islander people. Enjoy the food & entertainment from the islands, walk thru the cultural village, arts & craft booths and so much more! Plz bring a non-perishable food item. Plan ahead for parking.📍Ski Beach on Mission Bay. more info 



 

🎥 OUTDOOR MOVIES 🎥

ROOFTOP CINEMA CLUB: starts at $11+

These are one of my favorite fall activities! Watch an outdoor movie from the 4th floor of The Hilton Grand Hyatt hotel downtown next to Seaport Village. Kids can attend movies before 4pm; films that start after 4pm are for ages 13+ only. They have a full concession snack bar with drinks and dranks. Bathrooms are inside the hotel down the hallway, so make sure kids go before the movie starts.


Note: these are "silent" movies in that you wear provided headphones to hear the movie, so if your headphones are off you won't hear the movie. Headphones fit best for ages 5+. The padded Adirondack chairs are first come first serve, but every seat is a good seat. There's plenty of space between rows for kids to get up and wander around if they need to and to park strollers.


Check their website for movie trailers and to see the full schedule of movies for 18+ after 4pm for date nights or friends night out. more info


Save 20% with my code: "famdiego20" (expires 9/30/24, but will be extended soon).


Below are SEPTEMBER movies before 4pm (kids allowed):

🔸 Sat 9/14/24 at 3:45pm - Hocus Pocus

🔸 Sun 9/15/24 at 3:30pm - Inside Out 2

🔸 Sat 9/21/24 at 3:45pm - The Goonies (*dog-friendly showing)

🔸 Sun 9/22/24 at 3pm - Garfield

🔸 Sun 9/29/24 at 2:45pm - Princess Bride


Below are OCTOBER movies before 4pm (kids allowed):

🔸 *Fri 10/4/24 at 5pm - Nightmare Before Christmas (*Ages 13+ only)

🔸 Sat 10/5/24 at 1pm - Inside Out 2

🔸 *Sat 10/5/24 at 4pm - Jurassic Park (*Ages 13+ only)

🔸 Sun 10/6/24 at 12:30pm - Despicable Me 4 (*dog-friendly showing)

🔸 Sat 10/12/24 at 3:45pm - Hocus Pocus

🔸 Sun 10/13/24 at 1pm - Inside Out 2

🔸 *Sun 10/13/24 at 4pm - Ghostbusters, 1984 (*Ages 13+ only)

🔸 Sat 10/19/24 at 1pm - Despicable Me 4

🔸 Sat 10/19/24 at 3:55pm - Scooby Doo (*dog-friendly showing)

🔸 Sun 10/20/24 at 1pm - Nightmare Before Christmas

🔸 Sun 10/20/24 at 3:15pm - Hocus Pocus

🔸 *Fri 10/25/24 at 5pm - Nightmare Before Christmas (*Ages 13+ only)

🔸 Sat 10/26/24 at 1pm - Inside Out 2 (*dog-friendly showing)

🔸 Sun 10/27/24 at 1pm - Coraline

🔸 *Sun 10/27/24 at 4pm - Hocus Pocus (*Ages 13+ only)

🔸 *Thur 10/31/24 at 5pm - Nightmare Before Christmas (*Ages 13+ only)



Good To Know:

Doors open 30-60 min before showtime, seats are first come first served based on your ticket type; every seat is a good seat! Even those in the back. Arrive early to play yard games, order food & drinks and get your wireless headphones set up; and to plan for extra time getting there.


Parking:

Park in the Manchester Grand Hyatt self-park parking garage (bring your parking ticket with you to get it validated after the movie for reduced parking rate, I think it's $11. If you don't get it validated you'll have to pay the full rate.) Plan on 10 minutes to walk from the parking garage, through the hotel and up the escalator to the 4th floor and down the hallway to get there. Don't worry, the signs are well posted, but just plan extra time to get there in time. ;)


 

OUTDOOR MOVIES IN THE PARK: Free!

These outdoor movies are held at various parks around San Diego County through the end of October. Dress the kiddos in their pjs and BYO lawn chairs, blankets, pillows, food, snacks & drinks. They're all FREE and some have bouncies, face painting, games and other fun activities and movie snacks. Each location has different activities that are available so check the schedule online for each venue's lineup.


Check website for changes, exact location & venue info. more info


  • Movies will start 15 minutes after sunset. 

  • Pre-movie activities start at the time listed.

  • Smoking and alcohol are prohibited.

  • All dogs must be on a leash.


🔸 Friday 9/13/24

5pm - Elemental - Spring Valley County Park, Spring Valley

6pm - Little Giants - Lindo Lake County Park, Lakeside

6pm - Wonka (2023) - Point Loma Comm Park, Point Loma


🔸 Saturday 9/14/24

5pm - Toy Story - Stagecoach Park, Carlsbad


🔸 Friday 9/20/24

5pm - Wonka - La Mesita Park, La Mesa


🔸 Saturday 9/21/24

5pm - Encanto - West Hills Park, Santee

6pm - A Million Miles Away - Sweetwater Summit Regional Park, Bonita

6:30pm - Barbie - Flinn Springs County Park, El Cajon

6pm - The Sandlot - Felicita County Park, Escondido

6pm - Mean Girls - Heritage County Park, Old Town


🔸 Saturday 9/28/24

6:30pm - Nacho Libre - Rancho Guajome Adobe County Park, Vista


🔸 Click the link for October movies



 

🌅 SCRIPPS PIER SUNSET WALKS 🌅

Sept.-Oct. 2024. Join Birch Aquarium on a private walking tour of Scripps Pier at Sunset. Learn about sharks, see plankton under microscope & dissect a squid! Registration required. more info 


AGES: 9+

COST: Reg $40; Member $27

DATES: Sept. 13, 14, 15, 29; Oct. 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 27; between 5-7pm



 

😎 LOCALS' SUMMER 😎

Our "Locals' Summer" starts NOW! This is our favorite month when all the tourists have gone, but right before the Kids Free October deals so crowds are low. Head out to these hotspots and take advantage of the low crowds: San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, Balboa Park, Legoland & beaches.



 

HAVE FUN! 🤗

 

DONATION:

If you'd like to make a donation for this Fam Diego content you can share your thanks here. Your contribution is truly appreciated to help keep this website going. I'm grateful for all the love that comes from this community. Thank you. 💕🤗💕





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