Out with the old, in with the new (year). While you tinker with a new set of resolutions, there are many ways to savor the remainder of 2025 and welcome in 2026. Partygoers can spend New Year’s Eve exploring the Hard Rock Hotel’s annual end-of-year bash or enjoying bass drops around Petco Park durin

When times get tough, San Diegans step up to help those in need. Even amid economic uncertainty, locals donate their time and money to nonprofit organizations and independent foundations. These stats from the University of San Diego’s 2025 State of Nonprofits and Philanthropy Report highlight the th

For more than 80 years, the North Chapel has been one of Liberty Station’s defining silhouettes. Opened in 1942, the multi-faith chapel  has hosted Navy services, weddings, memorials, and countless community milestones during wartime years. Its story stretches from religious services for military me

I’m standing in a hotel lobby with a carry-on suitcase packed with three pairs of flats, two pairs of heels, a dress I hope isn’t wrinkled for The Nutcracker later, and a handful of outfits perfect for wandering a multi-story mall. Light Christmas music floats through the air, mingling with the scen

While canids like Arctic foxes, New Guinea singing dogs, and jackals aren’t native to San Diego County, a handful have made a permanent home in Santa Ysabel. The Judith A. Bassett Canid Education & Conservation Center (JABCECC) is a safe haven for these animals and others rescued from fur farms, the

In 2016, a group of female surfers in Oahu came together with a shared belief: When women come together to support and uplift one another, they can change the world. The surfing sisterhood founded the Changing Tides Foundation, initially to provide aid in disaster-stricken coastal communities in Lat

City Ballet of San Diego’s Glitz & Glamour Gala marked its 33rd season and raised a record-breaking $357,000 to support upcoming programs and productions. Guests at the elegant event at the US Grant Hotel were treated to a performance of “Summer Wind” from Geoffrey Gonzalez’s Sinatra ballet. The gal

Though it seems a rain-filled Christmas is in the cards, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy the week ahead. Cinephiles can watch screenings of the nostalgic classic A Christmas Story at the Brooks Theater or the thrilling ski flick Downhill Racer at Digital Gym Cinema. Not in the mood for cooki

Make-A-Wish San Diego Polar Plunge January 10  Dive in to help Make-A-Wish San Diego at its inaugural Polar Plunge. Supporters will be “freezin’ for a reason” as they jump into Mission Bay to raise money to grant wishes for local kids facing critical illnesses.  41st Annual Jackie Robinson Family YM

It’s always kitten season in San Diego. This doesn’t sound like a problem (cute babies!), but for Hannah “Kitten Lady” Shaw, it’s a big issue—one she’s dedicated her life to solving. December 8, 2025San Diego Magazine's 2025 Cutest Pets Contest WinnersRELATED ARTICLE “I moved to San Diego in 2018 be

For some, 2025 was a dream, and letting go of it feels like Rose releasing Jack: tragic and too soon. For others, 2025 can end immediately, thank you very much. Whatever camp you fall into, there’s no stopping 2026—so we might as well usher it in with style (and sequins). From Gaslamp parties and wa

Christopher Ashley is a failed child actor, a former computer programmer, and a Yale alum. He’s also San Diego’s Hal Prince. In 18 years as one of the most acclaimed artistic directors in the history of La Jolla Playhouse, he produced 20 world premieres that went on to Broadway, including Jesus Chri

San Diego’s epic, photogenic bridge was nearly an eyesore. If earlier developers had succeeded, the Coronado Bridge would’ve been a mass of chunky, criss-crossed trusses and trestles jutting into our view of San Diego Bay, scarring the skyline with industrial steel. But serendipitous delays (and fir

Four years ago, two people from the national-media world drove out into the desert with their nervous rescue terrier on their lap. One of them was vividly pregnant with their son. They signed their lives over to become the new owners of San Diego’s iconic local media company. That was us. Today we l

Tucked away on the outskirts of Julian, just a few miles from antique shops and apple pie, is an organization fighting to protect one of the world’s most misunderstood predators. In 1977, Paul and Judy Kenis opened the Julian Center for Science and Education, now called the California Wolf Center. T

Built for rugged terrain and changing seasons, these Colorado log homes rely on solid timber structures, stone foundations, and deep rooflines to create durable, landscape-driven exteriors. Each design shows how traditional materials are used with precision to anchor the house to the site and extend

Technically, the seasons don’t switch over until Sunday’s solstice, but since the fog has returned, I think it’s fair to say winter is already back in San Diego. So get your seasonal fix early with a host of themed festivities, including the Chicano Park and Museum Center’s Winter Family Posada, the

Technically, the seasons don’t switch over until Sunday’s solstice, but since the fog has returned, I think it’s fair to say winter is already back in San Diego. So get your seasonal fix early with a host of themed festivities, including the Chicano Park and Museum Center’s Winter Family Posada, the

It’s an in-between moment at the Kiva Learning Center for Women and Children in Lemon Grove. The banana-yellow slide of a small jungle gym brightens up the misty day outside, waiting for the charming bedlam of kids set loose to play. In the doorway of the center’s onsite daycare, a mom calls her chi

Exterior Christmas lighting is less about excess and more about control. When lights follow architectural lines, highlight entry points, and respect scale, the house feels intentional rather than decorated. The designs below show different ways to use exterior Christmas lights to shape the facade, g