Labor Day in San Diego can be bittersweet. Many see the weekend as the last of the summer, as many schools start the following week, but it’s also an opportunity to enjoy a long weekend outdoors with your family. If you are visiting La Jolla over the long weekend, there are plenty of fun events going on for you and your family. Here are some of the top events.
US Sand Sculpting Challenge & Dimensional Art Expo
This event is one of the most popular in La Jolla over Labor Day Weekend. The event is held August 31 – September 3 on the pier on San Diego’s Big Bay. This beach is specially built each year for the competition using 300-tons of sand. The best sand sculptors come to this event each year to compete for the $60,000 prize, and it has been called one of the top 20 “must see” seaside festivals in the world. There will also be live music at the festival, more than a dozen local food trucks, rides, and a sandbox for kids.
Spend a Day at the Beach
La Jolla is known for its beaches, and what better way to celebrate the end of summer than a day at the beach with your family. La Jolla Shore is one of the best beaches in the area. Located on the north end of La Jolla, this beach has plenty of space to lay out your blanket and chairs. There is also a seaside playground for your kids and picnic tables with grills. The beach can get busy on Labor Day weekend, however, so make sure to get there early if you want a grill. One of the best perks of this beach is its ample parking and public restrooms located near the playground.
Labor Day Stickball Tournament
On Saturday and Sunday, the streets of Little Italy are taken over by a neighborhood-wide stickball tournament. This event is all about honoring this East Coast pastime and embracing your inner kid. The event is free for the public to watch, so come out and watch the participants use broomsticks, table legs, and whatever other sticks they managed to find to whack a rubber ball around the streets of Little Italy.
Little Italy is also known for having some of the best restaurants in San Diego. If you’re hungry while you’re in the area, you can stop by the Crack Shack, which serves some of the best fried organic chicken sandwiches in the area, or Mona Lisa Italian Restaurant. This old-school Italian deli has been serving freshly baked bread and sandwiches since 1956. For the craft beer enthusiasts, Bottlecraft Beer Shop & Tasting Room has hundreds of hard to find beers and serves many of San Diego’s award-winning breweries on tap.
Take a Hike
Labor Day Weekend is best to spend outdoors enjoying the last few long, warm days of summer, so take a hike and enjoy La Jolla’s natural beauty. Torrey Pines State Reserve offers some of the most scenic hiking trails in the area. Bird Rock Bike Path is a great, easy hike that is usually less crowded. The path takes you from La Jolla to Pacific Beach and offers amazing views of the Pacific Ocean along the way. For a more intense hike, take the Guy Fleming Trail or the Beach Trail. These hikes take you straight down to the beach, making them a bit more difficult.
Take a Day Cruise
Hornblower Cruises offers several day cruises during Labor Day Weekend that last anywhere from 1 – 3 hours. You can choose from a variety of cruises, including a BBQ brunch cruise, a whale watching cruise, a sunset and cocktail cruise, and a lobster dinner cruise.
If you are planning a trip for Labor Day in San Diego, make sure you check out our luxury vacation homes. We offer some of the best vacation homes in the area for the ultimate relaxing vacation. Our rentals have stunning views of the ocean and are furnished with everything you and your family will need for a relaxing beach vacation. For more information on our La Jolla vacation rentals, please contact us today!
