Thanksgiving in San Diego: Turkey Trot, Dinner and Weekend

At a glance

• When: Thanksgiving Day, the fourth Thursday of November, plus the long weekend after
• Main morning event: Father Joe's Villages Thanksgiving Day 5K, Balboa Park (usually Thanksgiving morning)
• Dinner: Reserve ahead; several restaurants post a Thanksgiving page each fall
• Getting around: MTS buses run a Sunday schedule and the trolley runs modified service; check sdmts.com

Thanksgiving in San Diego is a Thursday morning turkey trot in Balboa Park, a reserved dinner at a restaurant that publishes its own Thanksgiving page, and a long weekend that eases into the holiday season. The city has no Thanksgiving parade we could confirm from an official source, so the morning belongs to the races. Plan the dinner first, because the good tables go early.

This guide groups the picks by when they happen: Thursday morning, the meal, then the long weekend. It also covers volunteering and what shuts down on the day.

How we chose

Every pick below was checked against the venue's, organizer's or agency's own official page, and sits inside the City of San Diego. We left out anything we could only find on third-party listings, which is why a few well-known hotel dinners are missing. Times, menus and prices change each year, so treat what follows as the usual pattern and confirm with the official site before you go. This year's specifics live in one section near the end.

No official page we could read confirmed Thanksgiving menus for every restaurant we looked at. Where a place was open but silent on the holiday, we left it out rather than guess.

What happens on Thursday morning?

The main Thanksgiving-morning event in the city is a 5K in Balboa Park, and it starts early. Pair it with a late-afternoon dinner and you have earned the second helping.

1. Father Joe's Villages Thanksgiving Day 5K, Balboa Park

The Father Joe's Villages Thanksgiving Day 5K is an annual race, now past its 25th running, that starts at the Cabrillo Bridge in Balboa Park and raises money for Father Joe's Villages, the San Diego organization that serves people experiencing homelessness. It is held on Thanksgiving morning. The race page also lists a sunrise Mass in Plaza de Panama before the race and a post-race festival, which makes it more of a morning-long gathering than a quick run.

Who it suits: walkers, strollers and runners alike. Register through the official RunSignup page, and expect to be in Balboa Park well before the usual crowds arrive.

Insider tip: Father Joe's Villages lists the Thanksgiving Day 5K among its holiday-season needs for group volunteers, so an office team or club can work the race instead of running it (see the volunteer section below).

Where do you eat Thanksgiving dinner in San Diego?

San Diego restaurants that serve Thanksgiving dinner tend to post a dedicated page each fall with a seating window and a reservation link. Three with official pages we could read:

2. Callie, East Village

Callie at 1195 Island Avenue in downtown San Diego's East Village runs a Thanksgiving dinner service, with booking through the OpenTable link on its Happenings page or by phone at (619) 255-9696. Its page lists an afternoon-to-early-evening window rather than a late seating, so book for the afternoon. Callie is normally an evening-only restaurant, so the holiday opening is the exception.

3. The Marine Room, La Jolla

The Marine Room at 1950 Spindrift Drive in La Jolla lists a Thanksgiving Day four-course prix fixe on its Upcoming Happenings page, with a reservation link. The room sits right at the water's edge, so the view is part of the meal. No price was posted on the page we read, so ask when you book.

4. Tower23, Pacific Beach

Tower23 at 723 Felspar Street in Pacific Beach posts a Thanksgiving page with a limited menu centered on a roasted turkey dinner, a children's menu, and a breakfast option earlier in the day. It is the beachfront pick for people who want to walk off dinner along the boardwalk.

Want to skip the cooking but not eat out?

We could not confirm take-home Thanksgiving meals from the official pages of the San Diego restaurants we checked. Browse the food and dining listings and call ahead. Do not count on your regular spot being open: Carnitas' Snack Shack on North Harbor Drive in the Embarcadero, for one, lists Thanksgiving as closed on its own site.

How do you volunteer on Thanksgiving?

The two most direct ways to help in San Diego are volunteering with Father Joe's Villages around its Thanksgiving Day 5K, and the San Diego Food Bank's Holiday Food Drive.

5. San Diego Food Bank, Miramar

The San Diego Food Bank is based at 9850 Distribution Avenue in Miramar, with a North County site in Vista. Its Holiday Food Drive usually runs through the holidays and into the new year, with checkout donations at Albertsons, Vons and Pavilions, the food bank's red barrels for nonperishable food at select stores, and online giving. Volunteering goes through the food bank's individual and group sign-up pages; holiday-only shifts are not listed separately, so sign up early. This is the better choice if you want to help on any day other than Thanksgiving itself.

For the 5K, Father Joe's Villages says it has group volunteer needs during the holiday season, including the Thanksgiving Day 5K. Questions go to volunteer@neighbor.org.

What is there to do over the long weekend?

The weekend after Thanksgiving is when San Diego starts its holiday-season traditions, though several of the headline events land the following weekend.

6. San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park

The San Diego Zoo at 2920 Zoo Drive is open every day of the year, including all holidays, according to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance help center. That makes it a dependable Thanksgiving-week plan for visiting family. The posted hours page did not show a Thanksgiving Day entry, so check the hours for the specific day.

7. Little Italy Tree Lighting and Christmas Village

The Little Italy Tree Lighting and Christmas Village is an annual event in Little Italy, with the tree lighting at Piazza della Famiglia and a holiday village along India Street between West Cedar and West Grape Streets. It is usually held on a Saturday in early December, the weekend after Thanksgiving weekend, with a tree-lighting ceremony in the early evening, Santa visits, live music and vendors.

8. December Nights, Balboa Park

December Nights is the free holiday festival that Balboa Park bills as the City of San Diego's largest, usually held in Balboa Park on a Friday and Saturday in early December. Several of the park's museums, including the Fleet Science Center and the San Diego Museum of Art, stay open into the evening for it. It falls after the Thanksgiving weekend, so treat it as the sequel to this guide. Check the official site for hours.

What is open and closed on Thanksgiving Day?

Most attractions close or run reduced hours, but transit runs and the Zoo stays open.

• Transit: According to the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS), buses run a Sunday schedule on Thanksgiving, the trolley runs modified half-hour service, and several express and rural routes do not run. Check sdmts.com/getting-around/holiday-services for your route.
• USS Midway Museum: The Midway on North Harbor Drive lists Thanksgiving Day as a closure, and is normally open daily outside of holidays.
• San Diego Zoo: Open every day of the year, including holidays, per the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance help center.
• Balboa Park museums: The park's site does not publish a single closure list, so check each museum before you head over.
• Restaurants: Some local favorites close, including Carnitas' Snack Shack in the Embarcadero. Confirm on the restaurant's own site.

This year's dates

Thanksgiving Day this year is Thursday, November 26, 2026. These dates come from the official pages and may change, so confirm before you go.

• Father Joe's Villages Thanksgiving Day 5K: Thursday, November 26. Sunrise Mass at 6:00 a.m. in Plaza de Panama, race at 7:15 a.m., festival 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.
• Callie: Thursday, November 26, 1:00 to 7:30 p.m.
• The Marine Room: Thursday, November 26, 1:00 to 8:00 p.m., four-course prix fixe.
• Tower23: Thursday, November 26, limited menu 12 to 7 p.m., breakfast 9 to 11 a.m.; turkey dinner listed at $65 per person and the children's menu at $29.
• MTS: Sunday bus schedule and modified half-hour trolley service on November 26; Rapid Express 280 and 290 and rural routes 888, 891 and 894 do not run.
• San Diego Food Bank Holiday Food Drive: checkout donations through November 27, red-barrel food drop-offs through January 1.
• Little Italy Tree Lighting and Christmas Village: Saturday, December 5, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m., tree lighting at 6:30 p.m.
• December Nights: December 4 and 5.

Save this

1. Reserve dinner now: Callie, the Marine Room or Tower23, depending on your neighborhood.
2. Register for the Father Joe's Villages 5K on RunSignup, or sign up your group to volunteer.
3. Check your bus or trolley route on the MTS holiday page.
4. Skip the Midway on Thursday; plan the Zoo instead if you need an outing.
5. Mark the first weekend of December for Little Italy and December Nights.

Local tip: Thursday-morning race, Thursday-afternoon dinner, Friday at the Zoo. It is the whole holiday in a single sentence.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a Thanksgiving parade in San Diego?

We could not confirm a Thanksgiving Day parade in the City of San Diego from an official source. The main Thanksgiving-morning event is the Father Joe's Villages Thanksgiving Day 5K in Balboa Park.

What time does the Father Joe's Villages Thanksgiving Day 5K start?

The race has a 7:15 a.m. start on Thanksgiving morning, November 26, 2026, per its RunSignup page. A sunrise Mass is listed at 6:00 a.m. in Plaza de Panama, and the event is usually held on Thanksgiving morning each year.

Which San Diego restaurants serve Thanksgiving dinner?

Callie in East Village, the Marine Room in La Jolla and Tower23 in Pacific Beach each post a Thanksgiving Day page on their official sites. Reserve ahead and confirm times with each restaurant.

Do San Diego buses and trolleys run on Thanksgiving?

Yes. According to MTS, buses run a Sunday schedule and the trolley runs modified half-hour service on Thanksgiving, although some express and rural routes do not run.

Is the San Diego Zoo open on Thanksgiving?

Yes. The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance help center says the San Diego Zoo and the Safari Park are open every day of the year, including all holidays. Check the hours page for the specific day before you go.

How can I volunteer in San Diego at Thanksgiving?

Father Joe's Villages takes group volunteers for its Thanksgiving Day 5K in Balboa Park, and the San Diego Food Bank takes individual and group volunteers through its sign-up pages during its Holiday Food Drive.