California Wine Festival in Carlsbad's Park Hyatt Resort Aviara - Get Tickets for 2023!

California Wine Festival in Carlsbad, CA - San Diego’s Annual Wine and Food Festival by the Coast

What a fancy way to spend an afternoon, sipping wine and snacking on tasty bites at a 5 star resort on the San Diego coastline. That’s exactly what the California Wine Festival in Carlsbad is all about, an annual event held at the Park Hyatt Aviara Resort in Carlsbad every May.

Before I go further here’s the link to get more info on the 2023 California Wine Festival in Carlsbad (North San Diego): Official Site for the Wine and Food Event

OK, so what is this? And is it WORTH IT?

HALL WINES at the California Wine Festival in Carlsbad, CA

Wine, Food, Music, and Plenty of Space!

With dozens of tents you can spend hours just sampling the various wines - yes, unlimited wine! And if you know me you know that I love good wine and there was plenty there to sip, including Hall Wines from Napa with their incredible cabs

Ketel One at the Carlsbad Wine Festival at Aviara

And yes, just to spice things up a bit you can sip some vodka, get a perfect gin and tonic, sip some Belching Beaver beer. Look, if you can’t find something you love to drink then you’re not looking very hard. And unlike some food events where the lines are so outrageously long that your wine buzz is long gone by the time you get to the front the lines here were refreshingly short - find a favorite and just keep going back!

Food Trucks - Yes, it’s Included!

There were great food options scattered around, like big bites of cheese (and butter) from Kerrygold and delicious poki bites from Senor Grubby.

Tasty bites to be sure - but then I found the food trucks! I expected to pull out my credit card but whoa, it was included! Red Oven Pizza was there - incredible wood fired pizzas - along with Belinda’s Taco Truck and The Groovy Greek Food Truck. Belinda’s was handing out street tacos with various fillings (the spicy pork, wow) and cheesy quesadillas that were perfect for one hand snacking. The Groovy Greek Food Truck was handing out full sized greek bowls which were insanely good - I mean, GREAT! I’ve been to plenty of "Tastes of ____” or food festivals where you frankly leave a bit underwhelmed, but these three food options left me plenty satisfied. OK, yes, a bit stuffed but can you blame me?

Is the California Wine Festival Worth it?

With ticket prices (in 2022) starting at $70 per person, yes, absolutely worth it. Look I went to McDonald’s for the first time in over a year and the crappy two cheeseburger combo was nearly $10! A tiny house wine pour at an “order at the counter” restaurant just set me back $12. So for $70 you get all the wine you want, unlimited delicious food, a live band, a great setting, it’s so worth it. Gather up your friends and have an afternoon to remember.

Need more convincing? How about FREE parking (that never happens)?

For those of you wanting to really go all out there’s also a VIP tent with early entry for $45 more, and a Sunset tasting event with rare and reserve wines to go with the main event for $175.

Gator by the Bay - San Diego's "Hidden" Music Fest - Planning for 2023 with Tips and Tickets!

Gator by the Bay is San Diego’s Most Fun Event (that no one knows about!)

I must admit - I didn’t know anything about Gator by the Bay until last year. It was like I fell into a Alice in Wonderland world with people dressed in crazy costumes, New Orleans parades (complete with beads), dancing and music. It was so much fun (and so delicious) I’m still smiling. So what is it? It’s hard to explain but it’s unlike anything you might imagine happening in San Diego, an authentic four day Mardi Gras celebration from May 11-14, 2023.

GET TICKET INFO HERE

I learned a lot last year from my day at the Gator by the Bay event and I’ll share some tips with you so you can get the most out of this super fun event. And spoiler alert - you should go!

WHAT EXACTLY IS “GATOR BY THE BAY” IN SAN DIEGO?

It’s sort of like a four day Mardi Gras party down in the Spanish Landing, the grassy area across from the airport with views of they bay. OK, but what is it??? At first glance it looks like a street fair with vendors and food carts but it’s much more than that. With seven music stages, authentic foods like boiled crawfish, beignets and po’boys, this isn’t like anything you’ve ever experienced in San Diego. There’s plenty of people watching to be had (verrry interesting) and parades with beads tossed to the crowds, just like New Orleans.

If you like people watching, Gator by the Bay is in a class by itself.

MUSIC, DANCING, AND GOOD EATS IS WHAT GATOR BY THE BAY IS ALL ABOUT

Now remember, I had never been and had absolutely NO IDEA what to expect so let me lay it out for you. First and foremost, this is a music festival with people bringing in their beach or camp chairs and staking out spots by the various stages. There’s a listing of people playing but it won’t necessarily matter if you don’t know the artists because the acts come and go throughout the day. It’s a bit like the old San Diego Street Scene, New Orleans Style.

No need to dress up though if you have tails it would not be wrong to wear them.

Most people just put their chairs out and roamed the area, searching for food and beer, then returning to check out the music and hit the dance floors. It’s blues, zydeco, rock, and even a marching band playing “When the Saints Go Marching In” (pro tip: Follow that parade!).

CRAYFISH AND OTHER DELICIOUS DELIGHTS

New Orleans is famous for their foods, from Jambalaya and Po’Boys to my favorite, boiled crawfish. Wait, you’ve never had these? The first time I had them was on a business trip to New Orleans where I was slightly (more than slightly) tipsy and they poured a pile of these in front of me. Like little lobsters, you twist off the tails and pinch out the tail meat, then suck down the juices in the head, all while trying not to get the red spicy seasonings all over your clothes.

These are hard to find in San Diego but they had a seemingly never ending vat of crawfish boiling away. I was expecting rip off prices for these (and willing to pay, why not?) but for $15 I got enough to satisfy my craving. There’s a larger $25 platter and if you want to add boiled potatoes and corn you can. I’ll say it - these were better than the ones I had in New Orleans on Bourbon Street.

DON’T MISS THE BEIGNETS!

Like a cross between a cream puff and a doughnut, beignets are another “must get” food at both New Orleans and Gator by the Bay. Crispy on the outside, pillowy on the inside, with enough powdered sugar to fly though the air as soon as you take a bite. Tip: Don’t wear black unless you want to wear white specks for the rest of the day.

PLAN AHEAD TIPS

Like I said, this was my first time so while I had a GREAT time let me share some wisdom with you so you can have an even better time than I did.

1. Bring a folding chair - I was jealous of the people who were relaxing in their chairs with a beer and enjoying the music while I stood up in the back. People brought beach chairs, tall camping chairs, blankets, everything goes here.

2. Check out the music schedule so you know if there’s an act you might want to see.

3. Plan to stay all day - this isn’t like a street fair where you come and go in a couple of hours. You’ll want to dance (or take their free dance lessons), you’ll want to sample all the food, you might even want to check out the cooking demos.

4. While there are plenty of food stalls selling things you can find at any street fair (turkey legs, nachos, etc) be selective and make sure you try all of the New Orleans specialties first. You can have a bratwurst later, right?

5. Parking can be a bit of a hassle so we just parked at Liberty Station and took an Uber in - about $10 each way. No big deal, and no problems.

Go! Just Go!

If Covid has taught me anything it’s that life is short so when out of the ordinary things like this come around don’t waste a lot of time wondering if it’s going to be fun or if it’s worth it, just buy that ticket and go. If you like music, food, and just getting out of the house to do something cool in San Diego then make sure you go to the next Gator by the Bay Festival in San Diego.

Bring your beach chairs and stake out your spot at Gator by the Bay.

Gator by the Bay is BACK on May 11-14, 2023

Gator by the Bay in San Diego is coming May 11-14, 2023

My very first trip to New Orleans was actually my very first big business trip. Someone had the great idea to hold a convention over Mardi Gras week and somehow I was selected to run the booth. That night I walked Bourbon Street with a red cup of tequila in my hand and a hurricane in the other and had the most fun I’ve ever had. Well, at least until the next morning when I had to get up to run the booth and then later get on a plane to come home, all with a massive hangover.

Still, that didn’t dissuade me from visiting again though perhaps a bit more restraint as I got older. And now we fast forward to 2023 and damn do I want to travel but dammit that travel is so expensive these days. That’s why I am so happy that San Diego is once again hosting GATOR BY THE BAY FESTIVAL, the largest celebration of everything that makes a trip to New Orleans so great - meaning food, music, dancing, and just plain fun for the entire family. You deserve it. We all deserve it! It’s like the best of Mardi Gras without having to jump on a plane.

"Gator By The Bay is a one-of-a-kind event that brings joy and lasting memories to people of all ages," says Festival Producer Peter Oliver. "Each year over 15,000 passionate enthusiasts attend this event to get a taste of Louisiana's rich culture on the West Coast. After two years of dormancy we are happy to be back with all the fan-favorite Mardi Gras experiences including samples of the history, food, music, dancing, and more."

WHAT TO EXPECT AT GATOR BY THE BAY?

Hosting everything from A to Zydeco, this four-day, family-friendly event features more than 100 live musical acts and special performances. Here’s the complete music line up. The event includes over 10,000 pounds of crawfish from Louisiana, a chef-led gumbo cook-off, flowing libations, seven stages – five with wooden dance floors, a Mardi Gras costume parade, and a full weekend of fun to coincide with Mother’s Day weekend. Each day during Gator By The Bay brings new experiences, live entertainment, and unforgettable moments at every corner with activities designed for music lovers, food enthusiasts, dancers, and more.

Gator By The Bay kicks is like a four day weekend, kicking off Thursday, May 11, 2023 with an evening concert, followed by three full days of nonstop crawfish sucking and New Orleans celebration. You’ll want to plan out which day or days you want to attend, or heck, just get the multi-day pass and enjoy it all. You can also go deluxe and get a VIP pass for reserved seating at the main stages, catered lunch, even upgraded restrooms(!). Look, just click the button below to get all of the info. Trust me, this is one of San Diego’s most fun events of the year!

HOW MUCH ARE TICKETS TO GATOR BY THE BAY? Wait, Early Bird Discounts???

There are several ways to experience Gator By The Bay, including single day, multi-day and hotel ticket packages. Early bird pricing is available if you get your tickets NOW!

• Thursday Evening Concert: $45 early bird ticket, $55 gate. Deluxe dinner tickets also available.

• Single Day Friday: $50 early bird ticket, $65 gate

• Single Day Saturday: $60 early bird ticket, $75 gate

• Single Day Sunday: $55 early bird ticket, $70 gate

• Three-Day Pass: $165 early bird ticket, $205 standard

• Four-Day Pass: $210 early bird ticket, $250 standard

• Patron Single Day VIP Experience: $220 Sat early bird, $210 Sun early bird, $420 both days early bird. After that it’s $240 Sat, $230 Sun, $459 both days. What’s included in the Patron Pass? Click here for more details.

SAN DIEGO BAY WINE + FOOD FEST 2022 - NOT TOO EARLY TO START PLANNING!

Insane Food and Wine at the San Diego Bay Wine + Food Fest

I’ll do a big post later of the highlights of the 2021 San Diego Bay Wine + Food Fest, an annual event that’s always the weekend before the week before Thanksgiving (pull out a calendar, what I said might make sense). It’s one of the best foodie events in the country and certainly the best in San Diego. What I want you to do is to go to your 2022 calendar and on OCT 1, 2022, to mark the following:

GO TO THE SAN DIEGO WINE AND FOOD FEST WEBSITE TO BUY TICKETS RIGHT NOW!

I’ve gone for the past 13 years and it just gets better and better. If you like going to Costco and eating free samples then imagine an event where the samples are bites of top end steak, or delicate seafood, or stunning gourmet pizzas, all washed down with unlimited sips of wine and spirits.

Do I have to say it again? PUT A REMINDER ON YOUR 2022 CALENDAR to visit their website for ticket info next October. The event sells out so you don’t want to put it off only to miss out.

Celebrity Chef Brian Malarkey entertains the crowd

What a glorious way to kick off the holiday season, San Diego style, with temps in the high 70’s and a food and wine festival that will make you feel like the VIP you know you are.

What? You still need more convincing????