Season guide · San Diego · United States
San Diego in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Rob Reviewer, http://www.ReviewerPhoto.com, CC BY 3.0
Quick answer
Mild, sometimes rainy, with cool evenings, whale-watching and the lowest hotel rates outside the holidays. Expect highs up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 9°C (48°F), with about 20 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 9°C (48°F) to 19°C (66°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 20
- Sea
- 15°C (59°F) to 16°C (61°F)
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19°C (66°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 7 | 10.2 h | 2/5 |
| February | 19°C (66°F) | 10°C (50°F) | 7 | 11 h | 2/5 |
| December | 19°C (66°F) | 9°C (48°F) | 6 | 10 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 19°C (66°F) against a yearly 22°C (72°F), and 20 of the year's roughly 41 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Grey whale migration season (usually mid-December to April)
- February: Lunar New Year celebrations in the Convoy District and downtown (late January or February)
- December: December Nights in Balboa Park (usually early December)
- December: San Diego Bay Parade of Lights (usually December)
Good choices for winter
Museum · Embarcadero
USS Midway Museum
Go up to the flight deck first while it is cool, then work through the lower decks; the self-guided audio tour is included.
- Time needed
- 3–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Museum · Embarcadero
Maritime Museum of San Diego
A collection of historic vessels moored along the Embarcadero, led by the Star of India, an 1863 iron-hulled sailing ship that is among the oldest still able to sail.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- History
- Kids
- Rainy day
Aquarium · La Jolla
Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Pair it with a calm-water swim or tide-pooling at La Jolla Shores just below.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
- Views
Day trips in winter
- Julian (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car) — A former 1870s gold-mining town in the Cuyamaca Mountains, known for apple pie, autumn apple picking and an old-west main street.
- Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (About 2 hours by car) — California's largest state park covers badlands, slot canyons and palm oases around Borrego Springs, plus more than 100 large metal sculptures of prehistoric animals at Galleta Meadows.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit San Diego?
It is a trade-off: Mild, sometimes rainy, with cool evenings, whale-watching and the lowest hotel rates outside the holidays. The best months overall are April–May and September–October.
+What is the weather like in San Diego in winter?
Highs of up to 19°C (66°F) and lows around 9°C (48°F), with about 20 rainy days over the season.