Thanksgiving spread at Bahia Resort. (Photo courtesy of Bahia Resort)
You think you know Thanksgiving — but you probably don’t know the San Diego version. The city may not get snow for the holidays, but it has its own distinct twists on Turkey Day that most people never hear about. From historic harvest feasts to surfing before the big meal, here are some surprising traditions and facts that make Thanksgiving in San Diego uniquely its own.
- Thanksgiving Proclamation of 1906
After the catastrophic 1906 San Francisco earthquake, Thanksgiving took on deeper meaning across California. Gov. George C. Pardee designated Nov. 29, 1906, as a day of general thanksgiving, recognizing the state’s resilience after one of the deadliest disasters in U.S. history (California State Archives, Doc15344).
A copy of the Nov. 20, 1906 Thanksgiving Proclamation that held a special significance to the people of California. In this Thanksgiving Proclamation, Gov. George C. Pardee officially designated Nov. 29, 1906, “as a day of general thanksgiving to Almighty God”. (Photo courtesy of the city of San Diego.gov digital archives)
2. Old Town Harvest Feasts
Long before turkey took center stage, early settlers in Old Town gathered for harvest-style meals featuring corn, beans, squash, and wild game. These celebrations blended Mexican and Indigenous food traditions, creating one of the earliest regional expressions of Thanksgiving in California.
Genetically modified corn is growing in the United States. (File photo by Preston Keres, USDA)
3. Mission Thanksgiving Celebrations
At Mission San Diego de Alcalá, Spanish missionaries and local Indigenous communities reportedly held annual harvest observances. These events combined religious rituals with communal feasting to mark the end of the growing season.
A painting of Mission San Diego de Alcalá as it appeared in 1848 depicts the original campanario (“bell tower”), before it was reduced to rubble. The painting also shows the enclosed front portico. (Photo via Wikipedia/public domain)
4. Balboa Park Public Festivities
From the 1930s through the 1950s, Balboa Park served as a Thanksgiving gathering spot. Families enjoyed concerts, parades, and community dinners — a festive alternative for San Diegans who weren’t traveling.
Food and Beverage Building – Balboa Park – Expo – 1915. (Photo courtesy of the San Diego History Center)
5. Surfing Before the Feast
In true San Diego fashion, many locals hit the waves on Thanksgiving morning at beaches such as La Jolla Shores and Pacific Beach. Sun, surf, and stuffing — only here does that combination feel perfectly normal.
A member of the Bad Boys of Summer Surf Club dons a Santa hat for its weekly surfing session at La Jolla Shores Beach in a previous year. (File photo by Chris Stone/Times of San Diego)
6. Local Turkey Farms
Family farms in areas like El Cajon and Fallbrook supplied fresh turkeys long before supermarkets became the norm. These small producers helped shape early Thanksgiving food traditions across the region.
Turkey farms in the area once provided fresh turkeys. (File photo by Chris Stone/Times of San Diego)
7.Fall Harvest Festivals
Rural communities such as Julian host apple picking, pumpkin patches, and cider tastings in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving. These seasonal events blend into the holiday spirit and offer families an early taste of celebration.
Pumpkin patch. (File photo by Chris Stone/Times of San Diego)
8. A Seafood Thanksgiving
Before turkeys were widely available, coastal families sometimes served abalone, shrimp, or fish for Thanksgiving dinner. It wasn’t unusual for holiday meals to reflect the maritime culture of the region.
White seabass on a commercial fishing boat. (File photo courtesy of California Department of Fish and Wildlife)
9. Hotel del Coronado Traditions
For more than a century, the Hotel del Coronado has offered multi-course Thanksgiving dinners featuring both classic dishes and local seafood — a holiday tradition rooted in San Diego’s coastal history.
The Hotel Del in 1899. (Photo Courtesy The Hotel Del)
10. Turkey Trots and Community Runs
San Diego’s Thanksgiving Day runs — including downtown routes and Balboa Park courses — draw thousands each year and often support local food banks and nonprofits.
Sailors run a 5K race on the flight deck of the USS Carl Vinson in a previous year. (File photo courtesy of the Navy)
Note: Some early traditions — including Old Town harvest meals, mission observances, and seafood-based Thanksgivings — come from regional history and oral stories that reflect San Diego’s cultural heritage and evolving holiday customs.
Sources:
- California Digital Newspaper Collection
- San Diego Union / San Diego Union-Tribune archives
- San Diego History Center
- U.S. Geological Survey
- California State Library
- Escondido Ostrich Farm records
- California Missions Foundation
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