San Diego Party Guide
Where To Find The Best Bars and Nightlife

Bars like Barley Mash make the Gaslamp San Diego's prime party place.
Photo: Jack Fleming Photography

It's the beauty and the beach, a postcard on the Pacific, a supermodel as a city.

And oh, those signature San Diego skies. True blue and cloudless, it is as much of a landmark as the zoo and the Coronado Bridge. In San Diego, the sky is truly the limit.

As famous for its weather as anything, this beautiful hostess for Super Bowls and huge conventions is a diverse city with great nightlife, riveting restaurants and more outdoor activities than the Olympics.

When we say the weather here is great, we're not just talking about the 300-plus days of annual sunshine. We're talking rich, blue skies without the haze of L.A., year-round temperatures in the mid-70s and not a hint of humidity. It's not just Chamber of Commerce talk, it's reality.

This guide to sunny San Diego focuses on nightlife. Specifically, the best places to party, from the Gaslamp through the Pacific Beach and up to Del Mar and what locals call "North County."

They pour on the fun in the pubs and clubs of the Gaslamp.

There's a great, fun vibe at the Dollhouse in the Gaslamp.
Photo: Jack Fleming Photography

• Galamp. There's a very European vibe here, small restaurants serving great food with tables on the sidewalk. The real heartbeat of the place are the bars, from sports bars to Irish bars (lots of Irish bar) to casual hang-out bars, a couple of dives. And clubs. Tons of clubs. Many of the sports and casual bars crank up the music at night and transform from pub to club. This is San Diego's prime party area.

Pacific Beach greets partiers with warm and friendly smiles.

• Pacific Beach. The laid-back beach lifestyle of San Diego happens here. It's where you can put on the flip-flops and go to a place like Lahina right on the beach or crank it up clubbing at night when PB Bar & Grill turns from beach bar to nightclub.

The Belly Up in San Diego's North County is a top live music venue.

• North County (Del Mar, Solana Beach). The most mellow of the San Diego's trilogy of party places, there's still a lot of fun to be found, including a place that's "En Fuego" on Tuesdays and a great dive bar on the coast.

San Diego also has these great party events throughout the year:

San Diego has a fun and funky Fat Tuesday parade in the Gaslamp.
Photo: Jack Fleming Photography

• Fat Tuesday (Feb. 12, 6-midnight). A party and parade right through the Gaslamp. It's not New Orleans or Rio but it's wild and it's fun.

Opening Day in Del Mar brings out the beauties and the Kentucky Derby hats
Photo: Jack Fleming Photography

• Del Mar Opening Day (July 17). The Kentucky Derby of the West Coast. More than 50,000 people turn out to jam this horse racing track a block from the beach. Girls come in their best sundresses wearing exotic hats. Guys come out to meet those girls. After Opening Day there are concerts on Friday nights featuring reggae and rock bands that are so popular thousands come in just for them and skip the day at the track. Racing runs through Sept. 4 in 2013.

The Miss Emerson contest is the highlight of the OTL in July.

• Over-The-Line (2nd and 3rd weekends of July). A sand softball tournament of sorts on Fiesta Island that is San Diego's biggest party. It's so big, the city supsends it's "no drinking on the beach" law for the event. The highlight event takes place the second Saturday, the "Miss Emerson" contest!

It's friendly and fun at the San Diego Wine & Food Festival.
Photo: Jack Fleming Photography

• Wine & Food Festival (third weekend of November). A series of cooking and cocktail demonstrations and mixers all leading to the Grand Tasting, a grand event in Embarcadero Park along the marina.