Local Wally's Guide to San Diego

Local Wally's Guide to San Diego

SAN DIEGO WINE FESTIVAL IN CARLSBAD AVIARA JUNE 28, 29, 2024: LAST MINUTE DISCOUNT TICKETS!

Local WallyComment

California Wine Festival in Carlsbad, CA (San Diego)

Discount Tickets Now Available for the CALIFORNIA WINE FESTIVAL!

Time is running out so let me be quick about this. The CALIFORNIA WINE FESTIVAL is a wine and food fest held at the Park Hyatt Resort in Carlsbad, CA. The event runs June 28th to the 29th and I have discounted tickets!

There are two events:

SUNSET RARE AND RESERVE TASTING EVENT: Guests are invited sip on fine wines and taste a variety of delicacies at the beautiful Park Hyatt Aviara Resort Golf Club & Spa's - The Gardens. This is an elegant VIP event for true fine wine lovers, located in one of San Diego County's most beautiful coastal cities – Carlsbad. The limited number of tickets sell out quickly (due to the rarity of the wines being poured). A sparkling wine reception is just the prelude to an evening of sampling rare and reserve wines, some already out of circulation and impossible to find are poured, to an adoring crowd dressed in their finest casual/elegant resort wear.

BEACHSIDE WINE FESTIVAL: VIP/Early Entrance @ 12PM and General Admission at 1PM. The quintessential California wine tasting experience – sun, sea, food, wine and music – all come together at this sun-splashed wine fest overlooking lush rolling hills with the shimmering Pacific beyond at Park Hyatt Aviara Resort's Heron Lawn. By 1:00 pm the joint is jumping at this Camelot-like white-topped tent village. Wine oenophiles will find hundreds of fine wines, regional craft brews and a dizzying variety of foods to sample. Artisanal cheeses, breads, olive oil, as well as shellfish, salads, chocolates, cakes, and more! A live band keeps the beat for this all-day feast for the senses where wine and food are king and queen.

GET DISCOUNT TIX NOW

WHY DOES LOCAL WALLY THINK THIS IS POSSIBLY THE BEST WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL IN SAN DIEGO????

OK, I know there are other larger Wine and Food Fests in San Diego and I love the all but there’s something about the California Wine and Food that makes me double love it. First off, unlike the other festivals that are huge and require a bit of thought and planning the California Wine Festival is straightforward. You park right there next to the resort and unless they changed it this year parking is free. There’s no massive queuing and nervous anxiety before you get in, you just get in a short line and you walk in.

And now the best part - you want wine, you walk up and get wine. You want food, you just grab it. That’s because unlike other events where it can get as busy as the midway at the San Diego Country Fair on a holiday weekend, the California Wine Festival is very manageable, crowded enough to be festive but easy enough to get what you came for, namely wine and food!

And the wine! The food! All good stuff and all normal portions, no happy sized samples here. I mean, the fried chicken booth (best fried chicken to rival Thomas Keller) was handing out full chicken thighs. No tiny tacos but full sized tacos. And you can go back again and again to get more without having to think about the length of the line.

What a deal!

And bottom line is the price - the standard ticket is just $65 with the discount which is a steal. Have you priced out wine tasting lately? Hall Wines, who will be there, charges $40 per person at the winery but it’s included with your ticket price and unlike the winery you can ask for more. And more!

So look, I’m just going to say that you should go. If you like wine, if you like food, if you’re looking for a fun event to hang out with friends at, then do this one. You won’t be sorry, I really love the California Wine Festival!

California Wine Festval Coming JUNE 28TH and 29TH, Carlsbad Aviara Park Hyatt - What Wineries Will Be There? Worth It?

Local WallyComment

Good times at the California Wine Festival at Park Hyatt Aviara in Carlsbad, CA

The California Wine Festival is one of my favorite wine and food fests in San Diego. It’s more low key, more manageable, more relaxed than some of the other big events. You want wine, you walk up and get it. More food, no problem. And the north country beach vibe is all over this event, it’s really a great way to spend an afternoon with friends or neighbors.

And don’t worry that the wineries are second rate - You’re sure to find a ton that you love including wineries from Napa, Sonoma, Paso Robles, as well as some local wineries. Here’s the list:

  • Adobe Road Winery

  • Austin Hope Family Wines

  • Barlow Vineyards

  • Bellante Family Winery

  • Bernardus Winery

  • Darcie Kent Estate Winery

  • Doffo Winery

  • Double Bond Wine

  • Dracula’s Daughter Prosecco

  • Esfuerzo Wines

  • Goldschmidt Vineyards

  • Hall Wines

  • Harvey & Harriet

  • Hawk and Horse Vineyards

  • Head High Wines

  • King Frosch Wines

  • Kubani Wines

  • Lloyd Cellars

  • MCV Wines

  • Michael Mondavi Family Wines

  • Miner Family Wines

  • Navarro Vineyards

  • New Zealand Wine Navigator

  • Pamec Winery & Vineyard

  • Pasmosa Sangria

  • Poggio Leano Winery

  • San Simeon Wines

  • Santa Rita Hills Wine Alliance

  • Sinegal Estate Winery

  • Tehachapi Winery

  • Wente Vineyards

  • Wine Guy & Wine Gal

California Wine Festival

The event extends over two days. Overlooking expansive lush green vistas beneath string lights at Park Hyatt Aviara Resort’s The Gardens, Friday evening kicks off with a Sunset Rare & Reserve Tasting, a special experience for wine enthusiasts. A sparkling wine reception begins the evening of sampling hard-to-find reserve wines and offers tasting room exclusives and limited-production wines descending from vineyards based in California’s world-class wine producing regions. Popular North County restaurants will serve delicious hot and cold appetizers to pair with the decadent wines. 

During the evening event, guests will have the ability to participate in a silent auction, bidding on coveted items such as exotic wines, tasting tours and dining certificates. Proceeds from this auction will benefit Golden Rule Charity, an organization dedicated to helping people in the hospitality industry during unexpected hardships.

The Next Day….

The next day, this wine tasting experience continues with a Beachside Wine Festival taking place at Park Hyatt Aviara Resort's Heron Lawn. The festivities will allow guests to improve upon their wine education and exploration through intimate conversations and tastings with winery representatives hailing from California’s world-famous wineries as well as culinary talent from the region’s most lauded restaurants. Guests will have the opportunity to experience hundreds of premium California wines and regional craft brews, paired with bites from the many culinary establishments present. The VIP Pavilion will feature a selection of reserve-level wines as well as craft brews along with special seating adjacent to the resort’s award-winning golf course overlooking the Batiquitos Lagoon nature preserve.

Insane Food at the California Wine Festival

Don’t forget about the food!

Top-tier restaurants from North San Diego County and beyond serving delectable appetizers to accompany the festival’s exquisite wine selections include: aficio22, Aquamar California Rolls, Beshock Ramen, Bluewater Grill, Carlsbad Cookie Company, EPAA! Empanadas, Farm Fresh Home Foods, Gino Angelini Authentic Italian Sauces, Goufrais Southern California - Cocoa Confection, Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken, Icelandic Glacial, Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, Kelly's Croutons, Kerrygold, Krave Asian Fusion Restaurant, Mendocino Farms, Orfila Vineyards Tasting Room & Kitchen, Ponto Lago, p.o.p. candy co., Prager Brothers Artisan Breads, Savory Bites, Señor Grubby's and Grubby's Poke, Seven Barrels Olive Oils and Aged Italian Balsamics, Swoon, Torsap Thai Kitchen Carlsbad, and Waterloo Sparkling Water.

Tickets start at $65 - that’s a steal when you compare this to other wine and food festivals charging $200 to $400 per person!

Get Tickets Now

Legoland is a RIP OFF - Or is it?

Local WallyComment

I’m going to be honest here - I live near Legoland and when they said they were going to build a theme park back in 1999 in an area more known for flower fields and strawberries I was highly skeptical. Now I will date myself here and say that as a kid we didn’t have Legos. In fact, my own kids who are now grown also didn’t have Legos. I was thinking that perhaps they just weren’t popular yet but I just read that in 1971 they were one of the best selling toys in the US and today Lego is one of the largest and most profitable toy companies in the world.

So damn, I guess I just wasn’t in the loop. I guess they have been very, very popular for a very, very long time and I’m the idiot who didn’t know. But can a theme park based on Legos really be any good? Is it a rip off, or an alternative to Disneyland?

Lego Official Site + Tickets

Entrance to Legoland

Is Legoland a Rip Off?

If you go to the official Legoland site there are currently tickets for $84. I’m writing this in January 2024 so if you’re coming in Summer it might be different, but that’s what it is right now. If you go to the official Disneyland site the tickets for ages 3 to 10 are $160 and $169 for 10+, nearly double the price. If you put yourself into your kid’s head they don’t see Legoland versus Disney the way you do as an adult. At the end of the day they just want to have fun and either park does that so if you have kids 10 and under it’s a no brainer, go to Legoland. Not a rip off!

Lots of kiddie friendly rides for sure, but some pretty decent roller coasters as well. The Ninjago ride is also super fun for older kids, so if you have a 12 year old you don’t have to worry too much about them being too old. By 13, hmmm, they might want Disneyland so start saving up.

Legoland is also adult friendly with a parking lot that isn’t so huge you need a shuttle bus to get you to the entrance and GPS to find your car later. And when it’s time to go there are lots of good restaurants and breweries and bars close by so you can take your mind off plastic blocks and come back to adultland if only for a while.

For more info on Legoland prices and events go here!

Jewel & Melissa Etheridge at The Rady Shell, San Diego, July 23, 2024 - Show and Ticket Info Here!

Local WallyComment

Photo Courtesy of Rolling Stone Magazine

JUST ANNOUNCED – On July 23, 2024 the San Diego Symphony will present Jewel & Melissa Etheridge at The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park™ as part of their co-headlining 19-city tour.

Jewel went from a girl who grew up with no running water on an Alaskan homestead, to a homeless teenager in San Diego, to an award-winning, multi-platinum recording artist who released one of the best-selling debuts of all time. Throughout her three-decade-long career Jewel has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and has earned 26 nominations for such awards as the GRAMMY® Awards, American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards, and Country Music Association Awards. Jewel has been featured on the covers of Time and Rolling Stone, and has performed on Saturday Night Live, at the Super Bowl and the NBA Finals, for the Pope and the President of the United States. 

Melissa Etheridge stormed onto the American rock scene in 1988 with the release of her critically acclaimed self-titled debut album, which led to an appearance on the 1989 GRAMMY® Awards show. Her popularity grew around such memorable originals as "Bring Me Some Water," "No Souvenirs" and "Ain't It Heavy," for which she won a GRAMMY® in 1992. Etheridge hit her commercial and artistic stride with her fourth album, Yes I Am (1993). The collection featured the hits, "I'm the Only One" and "Come to My Window," a searing song of longing that brought Etheridge her second GRAMMY® Award for Best Female Rock Performance. In 1995, Etheridge issued her highest charting album, Your Little Secret, including the hit single, "I Want to Come Over." Her success that year led to Etheridge receiving the Songwriter of the Year honor at the ASCAP Pop Awards in 1996.

Please note: The San Diego Symphony Orchestra does not appear on this program. 

Ticket Info

Tickets for the concert go on sale on Friday, January 19th, 2024 at 10AM, at www.TheShell.org

WHAT: Jewel & Melissa Etheridge

WHEN: Tuesday, July 23, 2024 | 7:30PM 

WHERE: The Rady Shell at Jacobs Park

A Grandpa Goes to Legoland - What to Expect and top Tips

Local WallyComment

If you have a child or grandchild under the age of 12 and you’re anywhere near San Diego or Carlsbad or even Orange County just know you’re going to have to go to Legoland. My childhood had no Legos - we had trees and bikes and dull stuff like that. Today’s kids have seemingly unlimited amount of Legos, a never ending supply of them, and a full theme park that’s a bit like winning a golden ticket to the Wonka Chocolate Factory.

But before I go too far here’s a handy link to get Legoland tickets and to see the specials. You’re going to want to pay attention here as Legoland can get pretty pricey so check the link and see if there are any deals. And yes, I theoretically get paid if you buy tickets through me (though it’s not happened yet!) so support my website if you can.

Legoland, Ninjago

I took my 5 year old grandson to Legoland and I think he would live there if they let him. Legoland is filled with rides including three decent roller coasters (not too scary but pretty good for adults), a bunch of kid friendly rides like a submarine or miniature cars that kids can drive by themselves, an aquarium, and plenty of places to build Legos.

Ninjago is the big ride, an immersive experience where your car is taken through a ride filled with interactive giant screens of Ninjas that you get to “fight” by waving your hands in front of the car. I took my grandson to this last year and it was so intense that I doubt he will ever go on it again.

And that leads me to GRANDPA TAKEAWAY #1: No matter how much fun you think your grandchild will have on the rides there is no way they will like it better than going to one of the zones where you build Legos or going to one of the giant play areas with slides were they can run around. Here’s how my day went:

Grandpa: Let’s go on this cool ride!

Grandson: No thanks, I’m building a boat made of Legos to send down the river.

Grandpa: Look, you can shoot snakes and villains on this ride that looks like Indiana Jones!

Grandson: No thanks, I’m busy digging in sand looking for dinosaur bones.

Basically, this is their day and if you thought you were going to be going on all the cool rides it’s not going to happen unless they want to do it, and chances are they are just as happy building a race car as you might be riding the big coaster.

When it came time for food there weren’t a ton of options - decent but pricey BBQ, overpriced hot dogs and burgers, pizza and pasta, and ramen that might make adults happy but guaranteed to be ignored my my grand kids (even if they begged for it, I know how this works!). This leads us to GRANDPA TAKEAWAY #2: So Legoland is not like Disneyland where there are plentiful food options so I suggest you bring in your own snacks and some Jersey Mikes. Here is their official policy:

Food or beverages (water, small snacks and items required for medical, religious or specific dietary purposes are permitted) Coolers larger than 6-pack size (coolers no larger than 12” x 10” are permitted) Coolers of any size with wheels. No glass containers (baby food containers are permitted)

I know, that doesn’t seem to be complete sentences but basically just put your food into a tote bag.

You will never be able to leave this areas once your grandchild finds it.

In the end a trip to Legoland is a dream come true for the small ones. It’s not going to be like Disneyland but if you have fun watching your little one or grandchild has the time of their lives then is there really a better way to spend the day?

Official Ticket Info

It doesn’t take much to keep the little ones happy at Legoland

Every child’s dream is to someday grow up and work at Legoland to show off your minifigure collection.

Visit San Diego Tidepools with Birch Aquarium Experts January through March 2024

Local WallyComment

Tidepool Adventures with the Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography

I love going to the tide pools in San Diego looking for little crabs or sea anemones. In my youth I would poke them with my finger but I’m nicer now. I mean, we all get poked a bit too much these days, am I right? A lot of times I go and find NOTHING so I was really glad that Scripps aka Birch Aquarium is launching a guided tide pool tour this Jan -March, 2024.

TICKETS GO ON SALE DEC 15, 2023 - HERE’S THE LINK TO GET THEM.

From octopuses to sea stars, hermit crabs and sea anemones, there is no shortage of life in San Diego’s tide pools. Starting January 20, nature lovers will have the opportunity to explore local tide pools with a naturalist from Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego with the return of Tidepooling Adventures. 

During the 90-minute outing, guests will discover incredible animals that live in the intertidal zone, the rocky area that is exposed during low tide. Guests will also learn to safely navigate slippery rocks and spot the most elusive creatures in this rugged environment. 

“Winter is the ideal time for exploring tide pools,” said Cari Paulenich who leads outdoor programming for Birch Aquarium. “Tidepooling is a great outdoor activity that allows us to observe amazing animals in their homes.”

Our local tide pools are home to an amazing variety of animals including snails, mussels, urchins, sea stars, small fish and octopus. 

“Tide pools can be found in many coastal areas of California, including in our local marine protected areas (MPAs).  We want to encourage all visitors to tidepools to be ocean stewards and help protect these spaces,” said Paulenich. “Through responsible tidepooling practices, our exploration of these barnacle-covered rocks and piles of seaweed brings a whole new appreciation for this rugged habitat,” she continued. 

Tickets for Tidepooling Adventures go on sale Friday, Dec. 15 and make a great experience gift this holiday season. 

The weekend excursions begin on January 20 and run select Saturdays and Sundays through March. Dates and times vary based on tides. Tickets are $20 for aquarium members, $25 for the general public and advanced reservations are required.  Participants must be at least 3 years old and minors must be accompanied by a paid adult. For more details or to purchase tickets visit https://aquarium.ucsd.edu/events/tidepooling-adventure.

Is BestaWan Pizza still the Best One? Cardiff's Iconic Surfside Pizza Joint Gets New Owners 2023

Local WallyComment

The Besta-Wan Pizza House in Cardiff, CA (North San Diego)

at a glance

Besta-Wan Pizza House, 148 Aberdeen Drive, Cardiff, CA | 760-753-6707

Funky, beachy pizza joint just a few blocks from the ocean. Expect a local vibe and a laid back surf scene.

TRIVIA: What’s that name mean? Imagine The Godfather asking you to bring him a pizza and you ask “which one?” and he says, and you need to say this in your best Godfather accent, “the besta one”. At least that’s my theory and it could be wrong but how could it be?

I moved to North County 25 years ago and while people like to say that it’s not the same as it used to be it’s frankly not that much different. Oh sure, there are fewer greenhouses and plenty more tract houses, and yeah, traffic is bad but the ocean still looks the same to me and that salty air and June Gloom hasn’t changed so this is where I’ll always call home.

But a few months ago something did change, something that was catastrophic if you read Nextdoor. Besta-Wan Pizza House, our local pizza joint known for the Kraut-za pizza, had changed owners… and the menu.

The Original Besta-Wan menu from 1965.

What’s a Kraut-za pizza? The Kraut-za is what they were famous for, a pizza with a thin layer of sauerkraut that was covered with spicy sausage and tons of gooey mozzarella cheese and topped with pepperoni. Stop making that face - you like a sausage and pepperoni pizza, right? The sauerkraut just addss a nice tang in an undercurrent sort of way. If you watch Food TV they call this "layers of flavor”. It was one of those things that made people go “uggh” until they took their first reluctant bite and then, yeah, they were convinced that every pizza joint should make this pizza. Except no one else did and that’s what kept so many of us locals coming back again and again. It was our special pizza that only locals knew about.

And then it was gone. Or was it?

Not a Kraut-za, but basically a Kraut-za

So yes, Kraut-za is no longer on the menu but Megan (everyone’s favorite waitress there) showed me a hack for how you can still get what is basically a Kraut-za - you simply order a cheese pizza and add sauerkraut, spicy sausage and pepperoni to it and there you have it, a Kraut-za pizza.

But was it as good as the real thing?

Here are a couple of photos of the Kraut-za Pizza take over the years:

2016

The Original Kraut-za from a photo I took in 2016

2018

Half Kraut-Za and half veggie (I know, this combination cancels each other out, right?) - this was a good one!

My Professional opinion of besta-wan’s quasi-Kraut-za pizza

The one thing about the old Besta-Wan is that it was never consistent. Sometimes the sausage was so spicy that I would break out in a sweat. Sometimes there wasn’t enough cheese. Sometimes the pizza crust was thick, sometimes thin, sometimes awesome, sometimes like dry cardboard. But when you got a good one, and that happened often, damn that pizza was hard to beat. Wait, you could not beat it is what I meant.

The new version of Kraut-za was very, very good. As good as the best one I’ve ever had there? No, but so close that everyone on Nextdoor needs to stop complaining and just go get this pizza and forget that things have changed because dammit that’s what happens sometimes and we need to embrace it when things are good and this pizza was damn good. I for one am glad that you can still get a Kraut-za and perhaps it’s even cooler that you need to be a local to know about it. And now you know too.

Dog friendly patio and this is my dog Birdy who is 6 months old and looks a bit worried that the pizza would not make the grade. She was very happy with some crust scraps.

Megan the waitress is so awesome and another big reason to go to Besta-Wan.

Pro Tip: People on Nextdoor have been complaining that the prices are higher than before and yeah, the medium pizza looked a lot like what I think we used to call the small but for a few bucks more you can get the large and it’s large all right - bring home the leftovers and just be happy about it.

Advance Info on 20th ANNIVERSARY SAN DIEGO WINE + FOOD FESTIVAL 2024 aka SD Bayfest

eventsLocal Wally1 Comment

Every year around mid November is the San Diego Wine and Food Festival, a week long celebration of gourmet food and wine adventures with THE GRAND TASTING on Saturday as the main event. The Grand Tasting is booths and booths of food and wine, all yours for the taking. Every year has been incredible and 2023 really knocked it out of the park but I anticipate that THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY of the SD Wine and Food Fest will be the BEST ever and you won’t want to wait to get tickets as it will guaranteed sell out.

HERE’S THE LATEST INFO ON THE SD WINE AND FOOD FEST 20TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2024

DATE: To be determined but I would bet The Grand Tasting will be on Saturday, Nov 9th, 2024. This makes the Grand Fiesta, aka Taco TKO, on Sunday, Nov 10th, with the various food and restaurant experiences the week before.

PRICING: Basic tickets were $250 last year but I suspect the pricing will increase in 2024, especially since their main competition, the Del Mar Wine + Food Festival, has tickets in the $400 range. If you can swing it the VIP experience is the way to go. You get in an hour earlier plus you gain entrance to additional food bites, the higher end stuff like caviar and oysters and for the VIPs. You want to do this if you can.

As more info is available I’ll update this. Of course you can always click the info button to be magically transported to the official website. Ahh, the internet is so cool.

Official Ticket Info

Where are all the oysters??? Well, I helped empty a few. Don’t worry, plenty more coming!

WANT A REVIEW OF THE 2023 SAN DIEGO WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL TO SEE IF IT’S WORTH IT? Click here to read my review and check out the photos!

Holiday Event With The San Diego Symphony Orchestra: El Milagro del Recuerdo, Dec 3, 2023

Local WallyComment
Ticket Info

The beauty of opera blends with mariachi to tell this heartwarming pastorela story with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra.

El Milagro del Recuerdo (The Miracle of Remembering) is a heartwarming holiday mariachi opera full of family traditions, love, and dreams of a better tomorrow. Sung in Spanish (with English and Spanish text projected above the stage) this new mariachi opera, a prequel to 2013’s Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, lovingly explores family traditions in the face of life-changing decisions and dreams of something more.

In a small town in Michoacán, Mexico, two women, Renata and Lupita, are raising their families while their husbands, Laurentino and Chucho, work as braceros in the United States. Laurentino manages to come home for Christmas, but his return enflames an ongoing argument with Renata about his long work trips. Will Laurentino’s urge to support his family overshadow Renata’s desire to keep her family together in a rapidly changing world?

This new mariachi opera, a prequel to 2013’s Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, lovingly explores family traditions in the face of life-changing decisions and dreams of something more.

Sung in Spanish, this opera marks the welcome return of mezzo-soprano Claudia Chapa, who made her Company debut as La Badessa/Zita in 2022’s The Puccini Duo, as Josefina. She is joined by mezzo-soprano Sishel Claverie as Renata and baritone Héctor Vásquez, who made his Company debut as Capitán in 2018’s Florencia en el Amazonas, as Aba. Stage Director Leonard Foglia (Cruzar la Cara de la Luna, El pasado nunca se termina, and Moby-Dick), returns to stage his libretto with James Lowe conducting.

To make things even more festive, there will be a variety of family-friendly activities -- pre and post-performance -- in the plaza, including a live muralist, music, holiday decorations and possibly even an appearance from Santa. Additionally, there will be delectable holiday-themed food items like Tamales, Mexican Sweet Treats, Mexican Hot Chocolate, a speciality cocktail and more. 

El Milagro del Recuerdo (The Miracle of Remembering) - HOLIDAY OPERA

San Diego Wine + Food Festival Review - WORTH IT? Is this the BEST food festival in San Diego? 2023 Review Plus 2024 Event Info!

Food FestivalsLocal WallyComment

Sam the Cooking Guy wows the crowd again at the San Diego Wine and Food Festival

What a weekend! Every November San Diego hosts a GIANT wine and food festival that culminates with THE GRAND TASTING where there are seemingly endless booths of gourmet food, prestige wines and tons of good vibes all included in your admission price. The event is held on the large grassy peninsula behind Seaport Village, officially called the Embarcadero Marina Park North. For roughly the cost of dinner for two at a nice steakhouse you get three hours of unlimited bites and sips at one of San Diego’s most scenic spots. With views of the Coronado Bridge, sailboats in the bay, and an ocean of vibrant people to watch, it really is one of the best weekends you’ll ever have.

The Grand Tasting takes place on Saturday and for those who can’t get enough there’s THE GRAND FIESTA on Sunday, also known as the TACO TKO where you get to sample 20+ tacos and vote for the best taco in San Diego. This event is much more low key, which is fine after the busy main event on Saturday. Lots of Baja wines, lots of tequila, live music, if The Grand Tasting is like a night in Vegas the Grand Fiesta is like a really great BBQ with good friends in your backyard.

I’ve been to the Grand Tasting many, many times, over 10 times, maybe more, and I need to be honest here - the 2022 event was the Covid bounce back and it was good but left a lot of people wondering if it was still worth it. The folks behind the event were paying attention and in 2023 the event was spectacular, perhaps the best one ever with every booth knocking it out with their A game.

Is the San Diego Wine and Food Fest Worth It?????

SO IS THE SAN DIEGO WINE AND FOOD FESTIVAL WORTH IT?? Yes, yes, yes!

The event returned to it’s wine tasting roots and was set up in regions with Napa and Sonoma, Paso Robles, Temecula and Baja well represented. That was a great way to sample each region and there were plenty of great wines to taste. If you haven’t been before here’s how this works - when you enter you are given a wine glass and your job is to go taste as many wines as you like. Pours are generous and lines manageable and if you get something you don’t love you just dump it and move on. Beer and spirits were there as well but I did like that they really upped their focus back on wines.

How was the food??? I know, a lot of food festivals offer bites that makes Costco samples look generous but there was so much food that I found myself sharing bites with my wife and then… gasp… even turning down food. Look, I’m the guy normally standing in line for half of a breaded chicken nugget that’s shaped like a dinosaur but I was so stuffed I was turning down BBQ brisket and fried chicken sandwiches made by Crack Shack and sushi and, well, you get it. So much food! So good, so good!

For those who want to splurge there’s a VIP tent with even more food. I was lucky enough to gain entry (that PRESS pass really came in handy) and damn there were oysters and caviar and escargot roasted over the BBQ, a live band to keep things lively, and it’s sure nice to be a VIP if only for a few minutes to shoot photos. OK, I did sneak a few bites but I do this for you guys out there and take my responsibility to shoot photos and report back to my readers seriously.

wait… there’s more! THE GRAND FIESTA ON SUNDAY

Held at Liberty Station in a grassy park, The Grand Fiesta is much more low key but packs a lot of punch and yes, value. The concept is similar - loads of booths to stroll featuring food and beverages - but this time every booth has a taco and the beverages range from beer to Baja wines to tequila. These are not ordinary tacos either - No Wallybertos - but rather rather gourmet tacos with each booth trying to out-taco the next. With carne cooking over open fire, lobsters and octopus on the grill, ceviche and creative fusion of Japanese and Baja - if you love tacos, you’re going to be happy. And the tacos are either full size or fully stuffed street tacos and all you can eat, of course. Get a taco and vote for your favorites, wash it down with some awesome Baja wines or tequila, just relax because this event is low key and just a lot of fun. Lines are short and the music is great, it’s a nice way to cap off a great weekend. If you’ve never been to a food festival and want to see what it’s all about do this one next year - I love it. And if you always go to The Grand Tasting and never have tried The Grande Fiesta then you know what I’m going to say - do it! Look, Local Wally is all about telling you the honest truth and I really, really like this event.

There are other competing Wine and Food Festivals now in San Diego but the San Diego Wine + Food Festival, also known as the San Diego Bayfest, is the OG and still the best. You just can’t argue with the setting on the bay and the local San Diego vibe and with the return to their high standard for food and wine it’s my top pick for Event of the Year!

The 2024 san diego wine and food festival is coming in november

There’s no date announced as of this writing but the San Diego Wine and Food Fest is typically the weekend or two before Thanksgiving. Go to the official San Diego Bayfest site to get more info on date and tickets. In fact, I suggest you go to you calendar right now and put a reminder to check their site around September of 2024 as by then all the info will be up. You must trust me - this is the wine and food festival you’re looking for. See you next year!

2024 Ticket Info