Every year, my family looks forward to the San Diego County fair. I wish it was officially still called the Del Mar fair! But we locals know what it is. Anyway, this is a fun filled event! Unfortunately, the prices are so high for food, rides, and treats. I'm sure the price is prohibitive for many families. However, you can find deals around town such as purchasing package deals through Costco or buying discounted tickets at Albertsons. Check the website, they do allow you to bring in food and drinks with restrictions. My family loves to enjoy the animals and the art exhibits. It's always a good time in the gaming section as well. I think there is something here for everyone to enjoy. Despite the high prices, there is never a shortage of people at the San Diego County Fair. I like to come on a night where the entertainment includes a band I want to see. On this particular night I enjoyed Night Ranger and Bret Michaels. I was thrilled to find out the concert ticket included my fair admission this year. For the past couple of years you had to pay separately for admission and then the concert. read more

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The fair has gotten more expensive every year, but it's always fun to attend. There are senior prices available and they run specials throughout the week. We attended a concert, so our tickets for admission were included. I always stop by the collections exhibit. It looks like they get smaller every year and I wasn't too impressed with any of the collections. I like the flowers and flower arranging exhibits. The table settings were also pretty cool. The quilts were hard to see this year because they were hung high above everything else. The art exhibit was nice with most of the art for sale. I also enjoyed the inventor section that included detailed drawings and descriptions. Don't forget to stop by the always impressive woodworking section. Our favorite stop was one of the speakeasy bars. The drinks are expensive, but strong. We went to the one on the top of the track. It has a beautiful view of the infield. The infield is packed with kid rides and attractions. You can probably hear the featured concert on the Toyota stage from the speakeasy. We rode the sky tram over the fair, shopped many of the vendors, and sampled foods like the birria Ramen and the giant cheese pretzel. Chicago performed all their hits. It was nice to sit at a table for four where they have table service and no one is standing in front of you. Parking is $25 per vehicle or $20 if you buy it online 24 hours before you attend. read more

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The San Diego County Fair will probably always be the Del Mar Fair to me, and it's been a summer tradition since I was a kid. I look forward to it every year and usually end up going more than once. One thing I appreciate is that there are several parking options depending on your budget and how much convenience matters to you. I've splurged on preferred parking before, which is usually around $50 and puts you right near the main entrance. This year I parked at the Horsepark for $15 and took the free shuttle. It was quick, easy, and worked out great. I always enjoy seeing the theme they come up with each year. Some themes are stronger than others, but it's part of what makes each year feel a little different. The food is also a big part of the experience. It's definitely expensive, but it's fun trying all the over the top fair foods and treats. I love riding the Ferris wheel and Sky Ride, and I was excited to see they have three speakeasies this year. My favorite part of the fair, though, is always the Garden Show. I could spend hours wandering through the beautiful flowers, gardens, and creative displays. I didn't attend any concerts this year, but those are always a fun part of the fair as well. Overall, it's one of my favorite summer traditions, and I'll keep coming back year after year. read more

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The San Diego County fair is still the cleanest and most family friendly county fair in Southern California. However, this time the fair was pretty empty and nobody was riding the rides, even on a Saturday. It looks like prices have gone up even further from last year, with most rides lasting less than two minutes while costing an average of $10 for a single ride. The carnival games also cost $10 to play a single round (like ring toss) and are rigged so hard it is more or less impossible to win. it's really not fun in that kind of environment, nor is it family friendly. I hope they take notice and change something because the fair is not really an affordable good time like it used to be. They still have cool fair stuff with many different tradeshow vendors, the deep fried food, and giant turkey legs. But with prices so high for every single thing, nobody's really buying. If you pay in advance on the website, you can save a few bucks on tickets and parking. They also have discounted tickets at Vons and Albertsons. Overall, five stars rated down to three because of the excessive cost and simple gouging that is going on. read more

This review is strictly about the food at the 2026 fair, but the food is the main reason many folks attend. I must say, there were many unusual and even wild items (bacon wrapped and fried anything one can imagine), but not lots of appetizing items. Spoiler alert: The decent-to-good -- funnel cake The bad -- lobster nachos Given that, there was so much that chances are good that almost anyone can find something to try. For me, it was Stizzy's lobster nachos. The price for the nachos was reasonable at $27, considering that lobster is a premium indigent and how overpriced some other items were. The quality, however, was awful. The nachos were smothered with a thick layer of sriracha mayonnaise that contained just enough sriracha to barely tint it pale pink. I felt like I was eating mouthfuls of mayonnaise. The melted cheese that congealed before I even left the booth didn't help. Not much lobster, but a good amount of chips. Much as I enjoy tortilla chips, that's not enough to justify calling that dish nachos. After two bites I have up and the them away. Still hungry, I opted to try some more traditional county fair food--a funnel cake. My first one ever, so the OG (topped only with powdered sugar) seemed appropriate. For $15, I was presented with a fried batter creation about 9 or 10" in diameter and 1 1/4 inches thick. Very intimidating, but tackle it I did. The funnel cake had a crispy exterior and a soft, but partly undercooked interior, probably because it was so thick. The edges were delectable and, happily, cooked all the way through. I hated the thought of wasting even more food, so pushed through eating almost half of it, but eventually had to admit defeat. So overstuffed! Tip: Do not breathe in when eating this confection. The layer of powdered sugar was ridiculously generous--1/2 to 3/4 inch thick in some spots! read more

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This is such a fun event! There were so many interesting foods to try--crazy hot cheeto burgers, fried oreos, dippin' dots root beer floats, pickle pizza, and just tons of random fun stuff. The variety was wild. The rides were actually really fun too. The raptor and crazy mouse brought back all those fair memories and were surprisingly thrilling. I liked wandering through the shopping areas, but I especially enjoyed the garden area, geode exhibits and the art shows. I wish I had planned my day a little better because there were food contests and other events I missed. If you time things right, you can really see and do everything. Also, don't skip the speakeasy hidden through the art show area. Such a fun little surprise. Definitely coming back! **Preferred parking is right next to the venue. Pass all the different parking available areas and as close as you can get to the entrance there are orange flags! Lots of parking! The food is on the pricey side-- check out foodie fridays where the 18 Fair-tastic Finalist Foods will be offered at HALF PRICE from 11am-4pm. Bring lots of sunblock and your water bottles! read more

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The theme is Once Upon a Fair this year and it is FANTASTIC. If you like books (I love to read the Bible, archeology, military history, fantasy, and sci fi) this is the fair for you. Usually the themes for fairs are just token slogans, but they have life sized 3d characters from many many beloved books. Also there is the usual fair food, fair music, cultural performances, animals, rides, agricultural and landscaping. Of course the usual fair merchandise that somehow you buy even though you didn't know you needed it or would never buy anywhere else. There are many places to hang out and stay cool and while it is like 100 around the rest of California, This is in Del Mar so it never got above 75 or below 70. This is one of the cleanest and nicest fairs I have been to. Cannot recommend it any higher. Lastly they have a really cool speakeasy called the Caboose (over 21) that is kind of hidden and you have to ask directions to, but is a fantastic place to chill out at. They serve alcohol, sodas, and the Virgin versions (Shout out to Lea who made us some really cool Virgin drinks). Finally I have seen the usual pig races ( which they have), but this time they also have turkey(?) races. Nuts. Gotta go give the best fair in California a try. They are open until July 5th (closed on Monday and Tuesday) and Costco has a great deal. read more

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We have fun every year here at the Del mar fair. We go through and taste everything especially at Chicken Charlie's. And lemonades at the hotdog on a stick. read more

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The San Diego County fair! One of biggest and best attractions in town. Lots of family and adult fun. If you're looking for a great place for fun this is the place to be. read more

Will b going twice this summer. We did it all! Piggy races, turkey races, rides, arts, crafts, home improvement, fudge, turkey legs, pineapple whip, pizza, kettle corn, tons of candy, banana pudding popcorn, funnel cake & more! Ample parking, clean restrooms. Got our passes at Costco. It was a great time. I highly suggest anyone to go for a great time. read more

Every year, we come opening day. Every year we spend a little more money. The food not what it use to be. Pineapple express food just ok. Chicken charlie nothing look good the only thing good was the pig race. There was missing vendors. Might skip next year. read more

The traffic control people left and we were stuck in the parking lot for an hour! sucks! Won't come back

The $5 before 5pm on opening night was a steal. Took myself and my daughter, and bought the ride wristband. Definitely worth the $50 for the wristband. She was able to go on rides from when we got there at 2pm up until 8pm. read more

The San Diego Fair is a tradition for our family every year! We have so much fun! Always look forward to the hickory smoked brisket sandwich cause it is so delicious! Get it multiple times there each year! Went yesterday and we were all disappointed to see that vendor didn't come this year! Why???? read more

Obsessed with the Fair! We go at least once every year, and it's become something my family really looks forward to once school's out and summer rolls around. All the foods, rides, the blazing sun (yes, I'm even sentimental about the weather!), and general buzz gives all those nostalgic good feelings. It's pricey, but there's a couple deals here and there to shave off some of the price tag. Either way, be mentally prepared to spend. Even still, the value is there! The food is legit delicious and my kids have an absolute blast. Pro tip - check the daily event schedule to help map out your day. read more

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So this was our first time at the San Diego county fair in Delmar. Maxwell was performing so off we went. Plenty of food spots, everything from bacon maple donuts, gigantic fried turkey legs and plenty of funnel cakes. Your choice of food and beverages was plentiful. The concert venue was decent. We met Ms. Kim (concert Kim) who was amazing. She went out of her way for the family so major shout out to her for her amazing customer service. Lastly was the hype crew after the concert where you could dance till your feet fell off. They were great crowd pleasers. We had a really good time and the concert was good. Glad we made the trek down to San Diego. We will definitely come back again. read more

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San Diego County Fair at Del Mar Fairgrounds summer 2025 is serving fun, attractions, food, garden/jewelry/minerals/woodwork/school art displays, livestock viewing, dog/pig racing competitions, and four stages of music. SERVICE Mari at customer care is a compass and guardian angel; she efficiently guided me to my destinations to O'Brien Hall when I got to the fair, to the arena to see pigs and dogs race halfway in my time at the fair, and troubleshot my path to an accessible water station toward the end of my visit. Her knowledge of the schedules, events, and locations and guidance were invaluable to me, and FOOD Although a bit overpriced, there are some interesting items that caught my eye: Hot Cheetos Twinkies smash burger, cotton candy burger, fried frog legs, Mexican funnel cake (cinnamon sugar/white chocolate lavender churros). There is also Foodie Fridays 11am-4pm where finalists half the price of their food 4/5 Smoked Turkey Leg: smoked tender, I forgot about all the tendon attachments on Turkey legs, which wasn't too big of an issue as they fell right off the meat and bone. This is an item I almost always get at county fairs MUSIC ZEDD The crowd was wildly energetic and went crazy at mixed tunes like Selena Gomez/I want you to know, Hayley Williams/stay the night, Ariana Grande/break free, Alessia Cara/stay, Matthew Koma/spectrum, Martin Garrix/follow, Jon Bellion/beautiful now, Maren Morris/the middle, Foxes/clarity. I've wanted Zedd to tour in San Diego when he released his 2024 album Telos, and it's finally happened in 2025. Zedd even remarked he didn't expect San Diego have this much energy, TWICE, and I hope he makes San Diego a tour stop destination a regular occurrence. MESTO Another EDM DJ that has been on my playlists that frontlined for Zedd. Hearing him dish music from others on STMPD records is something I didn't expect to see here in San Diego, but I'm glad I did. BRUNO MARS TRIBUTE 24K magic in the air at the paddock MICHELOB ULTRA STAGE Progressive house music was pla at this stage read more

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It will always be Del Mar Fair to me! Regardless I can't say it lived up to my memories and experiences with the fair in the past. Getting the obvious stuff out of the way: Yes, it is expensive, it always has been. Yes, traffic is terrible. Yes, parking is expensive, and a madhouse. Yes, there are tons of people walking around not paying attention to their surroundings. The fair seems much more retail Esque than it used to be. I remember of course vendors selling hot tubs as people would wait to go to the Fair, to get the "special" price, and car manufacturers having their displays of the newest models. What I really enjoyed was going through the halls and going through the vendor after vendor of almost "seen on TV" type of items, the misfit items, the unique curious that one could only find at the Fair, that one time a year. The Salesmen with their new XYZ product and the slick demonstrations, which even though you know they were sleight of hand, still captivating. What I experienced this time, was mostly just retail. Sure, they still had hot tubs, but it almost felt like I was walking down an aisle at Home Depot. Gone were the carny type booths with the "once in a lifetime" deals, or the what the heck is this thing type of products. I guess everyone's experience is different, and they come to the fair for different things. Rides and games were still aplenty, and Food vendors. I have not seen so many food vendors... ever at the fair. Hope all who went enjoyed it, for me it could have been better! read more

San Diego County Fair - Festivals Near Me - Del Mar, California

I visited twice in 2025 because I loved it so much! I considered giving it a 4 star instead of 5 just because it's SO. EXPENSIVE. But I actually had so much fun, so I think it still deserves 5 stars. Just make peace with the fact that it's going to be a big spending day before you go. There are so many things I love about the fair: pig races, seeing the farm animals, other free/fun entertainment, the petting zoo, the fair games (I won 3 plushies!) the ridiculous, indulgent, and innovative food the vendors come up with, the art/crafts showcases...there's a ton of things to do! New things we tried this year that were a ton of fun: * Parrot show was super cute & wholesome! * Butterfly enclosure * Lorikeet encounter * Dog acrobatics show * Farmyard follies * Twinkies Flamin Hot Bacon Double Cheeseburger * Funnel Cake Hot Honey Fried Chicken Sandwich The Costco package at the fair is a great value, and if you buy tickets at the fair WELL in advance (like months before the fair takes place) you also get bigger savings. read more

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Thank you Yelp for the tickets to attend the fair this year. It had been a while since I attended the Del Mar Fair (previous name) so was excited. We went early and purchased Preferred parking and were able to park right by the main entrance. It was a lot of fun! Come hungry! There were a LOT of food vendors! Had a hard decision picking where to eat After eating, we then walked inside the shopping building areas. It is always interesting shopping at the fair as there are some unique products you don't get to see normally including beautiful handmade ones. After eating and shopping, we went to the area of hobbies, crafts and photography. Awesome photography to see and it is always fun to see hobby collections. We also saw the gorgeous flowers entered for the contest. We then headed to the "secret" speakeasy by the Arena. There was also lots of food vendors and shopping to do in that area as well. There was farm animals to see on the way and when we got to the arena, there was an off-roading show going on. If you are sensitive to loud noise, be aware as it was pretty LOUD. To get to the Hair of the dog Speakeasy, there is a booth outside where they check your ID and put a wristband on you if you are over 21. Then you walk over to the entrance of the speakeasy and give the "code" and security lets you in. The place is on the second floor and when you walk in, it's beautiful inside and looks over the arena area. It's a nice place to cool down and relax. Overall we enjoyed our time at the fair. read more

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Always a good time to visit the county fair. Come for the food, drink and exhibits. I enjoy the art work, projects and u pique collections of various items (e.g. matchbooks, Starbucks glasses, comics, stuffed animals). The animals are also a nice walk through to see award winning chickens, roosters, hogs and rabbits. They also have all the rides if you want to take the risk. read more

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We enjoy going to the fair each year. From the food to the live entertainment there is usually always something to do. It is also a nice escape from the heat during the Summer. A lot of walking and being outside but being so close to the beach there is usually a nice cool breeze. We have had some good times every year at the fair, always look forward to spending a few hours there with the family. read more

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Each year I look forward to the fair. Especially the Paul Ecke Jr., Flower show. https://www.sdfair.com/p/participate/entry/flower-show For some reason unbeknownst to me, the amount of flowers looked like less than half compared to last year. Oh don't get me wrong they are still beautiful to behold and admire. I was just worried there were less contestants. The theme this year focused on pets. The indoor exhibits held a variety of animals to enjoy. I think the animals could have used more companions as a few of them seemed very scared of the people. The dogs seemed the most relaxed as they had many other dog companions. The Paul Ecke Jr., Garden show was fun to look at. It seemed the entrants put a lot of effort and thought into it. My favorite was the interactive exhibit, with fun signs depicting the action. https://www.sdfair.com/p/participate/entry/garden-show After many years of going to the fair we've figured out the best time to go in the hopes of avoiding the crowds. Usually it's the first few days (never the weekend or nighttime) before the kids get out of school. I tend to get too much anxiety (panic attacks) around huge crowds of people. So less is better for me. This year we sat down and listened to a presentation from; Farm Fresh To You. This is a unique concept that includes home delivery from a local farm. You get to pick your box size and which types of fruits, vegetables or farm products (jams, eggs, dairy, olive oil, honey, etc.) you'd like. Personally I like the no cooking box! However if you're unsure what to do with any of the produce they include handy recipes, storage tips and more. https://www.farmfreshtoyou.com read more

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Another year, another fun time. Lots to see and do all in one place. Today's visit was perfect! Ate and drank a few things and rode a few rides. Parking was easy and paved. The ocean breeze helped to keep the temperature manageable. It was such a beautiful day. 66 degrees was perfect to walk up and down the main boulevard. Though I didn't stay long enough to watch the Reggae Concert, I had a memorable time. Glad I made it out again. Thanks to Costco for hooking a brother up with passed and tickets. I'll be back again for sure before the season is over. Be sure to make it out too! Maybe I'll see you there. read more

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No matter the weather, a trip to the Fair is the best way to spend your day. Packing snacks and drinks, you'll be able to enjoy hours of entertainment. From rides, animals and sights like gems, art and performances it's surprising how time flies. We were treated to golden kiwis too. This visit we missed the swimming pigs and doggie obstacle course. This was the first year they had a dog adoption on site, and it was heart warming to see them getting adopted. read more

San Diego County Fair - Feeding Lorikeets - Festivals Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Not the Del Mar Fair for some time, but SD County, still worth going, a nice experience. Lots of dizzying rides, lots of junk food, this year we had healthful food from Roxy Catering, an artichoke sandwich and salad. Brought in a few of our own bottled health drinks. Also had a chocolate covered strawberry cup from TJ's ice cream. She rode the merry go round, and we rode the ferris wheel together and a slightly dizzying ride called I believe, Skyliner. Also played a few games (won nothing). For just these experiences, $70. in tickets. And to get in to the fair, day of, $20. each adult. Went on a Thursday didn't realize that for $50. each could have gone on unlimited rides with the wrist band that is available Wed/Th, but probably just as well would have gotten quite dizzy from all those rides. Enjoyed seeing art and nature exhibits, and the animals both in the pens and being ridden in shows. We were driven to and from by Uber to avoid the hassle of parking, and getting in and out wasn't actually bad on a weekday. read more

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I've been a regular Del Mar Fair (yes, it is still and will always be the Del Mar Fair!!!) attendee since 1979. The fair means the start of summer and that is the best feeling. I love that after four decades there are still things that I can rely on to be in their exact spot. There are food smells that take me back to being ten years old running between crowds with my friends to get ours. There are sites that and sounds like the Ferris wheel and the call from game booth attendants that overwhelm the nostalgic senses in the best way. The 2025 season was another successful fair season. Mom and I always hit up the fair at least twice. The first time is mostly for the lookie-looing and eating and the second time is for the shopping and eating. I loved the changes to the exhibit halls this year with the different displays in O'Brien on produce and home cooking and the Hollandia milk booth. They had a wine tasting area this year too. The San Diego Marketplace was great too! Found a vendor who makes face and body oils with no fragrance or soy which is so hard to find. The vendor, Alanna, was also super cool. Check out her products at: Herbcrafter's Portal. We spent 7/4/2025, yesterday, at the fair and even caught the parade led by the Marine Corps band and joined by the Del Mar and Solana Beach fire departments. We enjoyed fish tacos and beer for me, artwork and photography display in the Grandstand. Rocked out with the New Orleans brass band, Euphoria, at the Paddock stage. They are excellent! I managed to only buy a few things, things I'll actually use this year. HA! On our way out we grabbed our fudge and cinnamon rolls to get us by until next summer. Del Mar fair: don't stop doing you! Until next year! read more

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Went to the Del Mar Fair ;-) with my adult daughter. We had a good day together. We went with a very chill mindset with no strict game plan. A very 'go with the flow' excursion for the both of us. *Parking 20 bucks *was gifted 2 media passes valued 20-25 each. *we shared everything so we could sample the food(s) and dessert(s) *looked at the art exhibits - free *people watched and sat and talked with local strangers -free *listened to music-free *wilder show was quite entertaining with crowd involvement. *Chicken Charlie's for the Maui chicken teriyaki pineapple, Dole whip (yes more pineapple), mini doughnuts, and strawberries with Dubai chocolate, and towards the end of the evening we got a regular lemonade with a souvenir cup. Everything was to our liking. *The fair did have souvenir cups for sale at merch stations but not at any of the food/drink vendors spots. Sorry if a drink doesn't come in it I'm opting out of the 10$ Pet~Tacular Fair themed cup. Although I did want one. Oh well. We love monster trucks so we caught the extinguisher giving rides and then we saw the lit up Monster trucks at 8pm. Our final destination was to go on at least one ride. So the Ferris wheel was the ride of choice. The park looked very cool lit up at night! We loaded our ride card with exactly 14 points and it was just under 20 bucks. To go around twice with strangers (cute young couple who probably wanted alone time but we were required for the 4 of us to go together) *used my discover card where available because cash back! Worth it because I pay off as I go. *cute bunnies!!! This type of event needs to be included in your vacation budget planning. Save up in your penny jars so you can just enjoy the very things that you enjoy here. Had good parking karma as the shuttle guy pointed out a great spot for me! Overall we had yet another fun & memorable time here together. read more

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Buy your tickets and parking online!! This one of the biggest fair I've been to, there's so much space available and it is not too crowded. Get ready for lots of walking. The freeway to enter was crowded so be prepared for that traffic. read more

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I remember coming here and one of the staff members working there YELLED at my child because she was wearing heels while trying to go into the mirror maze. Yes, there was no heels allowed, but we didn't know that at the time. Second of all, there was no need for that grumpy old man to yell at my daughter. Except for that incident, everything else was okay. read more

Always love the fair but the greed is a lil outta control. I feel sorry for the kiddos that want to experience more. It's still a great time and I love getting the massages lol. I think we went to five spots for massages haha. I'm always overwhelmed with the food but that's a good thing. read more

San Diego County Fair - Yeee - Festivals Near Me - Del Mar, California

So much to see and do! Great exhibits, unique food items, and great fair experiences! Of note this year was the butterfly text/experience. Well worth the $4 entry fee. One is able to interact with the butterflies. Also of note was the Speakeasy! Really fun and a great view up there. read more

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I've been going to the fair since I was a kid in the 90's OGs know this as the Del Mar Fair. The Kendrick Lamar concert in 2012 was one of the best concerts I've ever been to. Still can't believe he performed there. The actual fair was once a magical place to be. It still is, but everything is so much more expensive now. The average cost for food is $20-25 for something. My group and I ended up buying our own things and sharing it with everyone. That's the best way to experience the fair as a foodie. The rides don't have actual tickets, but a plastic card that can be scanned for rides and games. It's weird how the games are valued the same as rides now. I think 1 ticket was $2 and the lowest cost for a ride was 4 tickets and so were the games. The shops in the halls have dwindled down and are mainly taken up by mattresses dealers and massage chair egg shaped men in black chairs. read more

Everything was good except the pet tacular animal exhibit was a bit disappointing. Food choice overload it smell's so good there. Lots of beverage to choose from. Lots of different vendors to check out The ladies running this particular game were super nice they want entire to go home a winner. Best ride IMO Joker 360 it'll get your heart racing Prices are ways a bit steep but a good time when you have good company. read more

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This was my first time at the famous San Diego County Fair, and I had an absolute blast exploring it with a group of friends! While I'm usually all for solo adventures (I'll happily go to the movies alone), this is definitely one of those experiences that's better shared. Especially when you're with friends who are "in the know"--lucky me! As a first-timer, I would've never found some of the hidden gems on my own. We discovered two unique speakeasies, both full of character and offering great views. Destination Unknown stood out in particular--the atmosphere was fantastic. The drinks were on the pricey side, but honestly, worth every penny. The waitress was incredibly sweet and attentive. Service? Top-notch! When it came to food, I didn't find anything that really wowed me, which is probably for the best--hello, calorie savings! I had onion rings that were just okay, but the corn was sweet and definitely a good buy. One of my friends grabbed a sandwich from the Greek spot and gave it a solid thumbs up. The highlight of my day, though, was hands down the photography exhibition. I could've spent hours there admiring all the incredible talent. I'm seriously considering going back this year just for that exhibit. I visited on a weekday, and I'm so glad I did. It wasn't crowded, parking was a breeze, and the whole vibe was relaxed. I've heard weekends can get pretty hectic, so this worked out perfectly for my first visit. I think I've just found a new yearly tradition--love, love, love! read more

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This year the free parking has moved to Crest Academy.  Real nice parking lot.  There are lots of shady spots under the solar panels.  Also they have a few buses of higher quality than the school buses.  The school buses are bad for tall people as my knees are wedged into the seat in front of me. I like the free ride as I don't have to drive through the terrible traffic on the freeway to the fair exit Via De La Via. I went on a Thursday and they had a $5 Taste of the Fair promotion.  Generally you get a tiny amount of food for $5. My favorite eatery was Reno's Fish and Chips.  Sadly it's been years since I've seen them.  I tried San Diego's Original Fish and Chips.  I paid an extra $2 to get fried cod and zucchini.  Both were battered in a crunchy tempura batter.  Cod was tender and flaky.  I liked the mild flavor.  Zucchini was fresh and juicy.  Loved the big juicy pieces.  San Diego's Original was very good and the staff was friendly. Next I tried a $5 deal at a bacon eatery.  They offered 2 pieces of candied bacon wrapped pork belly.  The 2 pieces were pretty small so this was like a free Costco sample.  Pork belly was neither juicy nor dry.  Bacon had a delicious sweet and savory flavor.  Pretty good tasting snack. The pan fried chicken place was offering 2 chicken wings for $5.  It turned out you get 1 chicken wing cut in half.  Batter was crunchy and the chicken moist.  Flavor was mostly salt based.  Pretty good dish.  I've been eating alot of fried chicken lately and my favorite is the Korean Fried Chicken at BHC. For dessert I got the $5 deal at Dippin Dots.  They offered a root beer float.  It looked like they used Mug Root Beer.  The root beer was sweet and had a nice root beer flavor.  Dippin Dots had a sweet creamy vanilla flavor.  Pretty good. Maggie's favorite part of the fair is the flower and garden shows.  We saw tons of lovely flowers and plants.  The model train exhibit was really cool too. On our way out Maggie got a large bag of kettle corn.  There were a few varieties and Maggie got her favorite caramel.  Kettle corn was fresh and crunchy.  Tons of sweet caramel flavor.  A bit like Cracker Jack except there were no peanuts. We had a great time at the fair.  Lots of things to see and do.  Loved the variety of food they had. New this year they have water bottle refilling stations. read more

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After living in San Diego for about 16 years, I would say I'm almost a local...and San Diego County fair (used to be called Del Mar Fair) is just an iconic thing to do at least once in the summer. It's like a kick off to start summer! I've been to the fair yearly only missing 2 years due to covid and being pregnant. It's a love hate affair with the fair. I love it because it's officially the summer! I love it because you can satisfied your gluttony cravings of everything fried and bad. I love it because it's an outing to do with friends. I love it because it's now tradition. I love it because of all the events and many activities. I love it because I never go on the extreme rides anywhere else but here and fear for my life bc who really trust fair rides? I love the Ferris wheel ride, it's just a must to do at sunset! And I hate it because of fair traffic on the days that I don't want to go to the fair. I hate it because you can easily eat 10,000 calories worth in a few hours. I hate it because it's got super pricier year after year (due to inflation but most things here are overpriced in general). I hate it because I spend hella $ on the games and never win! lol I hate it because it's so packed and hot. It's definitely a love hate relationship! But can't get enuf of this kickstart to San Diego summer. read more

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Always a great time at the San Diego County Fair. We literally only go for the food. I can't do rides because I get very dizzy and I'd rather eat and drink alcohol. WAYS TO SAVE ON FAIR ADMISSION! Purchase your tickets online in advance to save on admission and parking. You can also visit the San Diego County Fair on Wednesday or Thursday to save even more on admission. I prefer visiting during the week when they first open and it's less crowded. Doors open at 11am and we usually stay until 2:30pm. We try getting out of the area before the rush hour traffic. We got a chance to see a food competition that involved food vendors at the fair and got to meet Troy Johnson who is a writer and co-owner of the San Diego Magazine and a commentator and food judged on the FoodNetwork. That competition was entertaining to watch. We always split smoked Turkey legs with bacon. Those are always delicious!! We also split a smashed burger, adobada tacos, and chicken teriyaki on a stick. We were too full to split a dessert :,( I'm looking forward to coming back before fair ends July 7th. Check it out if you've never been. Happy Yelping! read more

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The fair is really exciting for people who love to ride rides, play competetive games, and eat fair food. If you aren't into those things, the fair isn't for you. This place is EXPENSIVE. Right off the bat, per person, you'll at least spend $40, if not more. It's also easy to quickly spend $300 if you are doing amazing lot of activities here and don't pay attention. Be careful, haha. I enjoy the fair, but definitely the biggest downside is how expensive everything is. read more

Friday, June 14: The 2024 SD Fair did not disappoint! It remains one of our very favorite fairs. The weather and locale can't be beat! Highly recommend buying admission and parking tickets online for cost savings. Every little bit helps especially with the high cost of food & drink. We enjoy going through the various exhibits especially the garden area. Many of the vendors hawking their wares are a bit too aggressive and annoying! I just pretend I don't speak English-LOL-and walk by quickly. We had fun perusing the multitude of displays in the Homemade Exhibit; there were various collections, art, clothing, and costumes. My favorites were the miniatures. So fascinating to see how talented and creative these exhibitors are. The woodworking displays are incredible and indescribable! It's a must see! We spoke at length with a nice young man, Anthony Flowers, who was a volunteer and wanted to learn woodworking. His enthusiasm was inspiring and infectious. Hoping to see his work next year. The fair closed at 10:00 pm, which we felt was a little early. As we were making our way to the exit at about 9:37, we heard some rock music from afar. It sounded good so it piqued our interest and we discovered a great cover band called Arena Red. They proficiently covered Love Removal Machine by one of my favorite bands, The Cult. They were so talented that we stayed longer than we expected. We loved visiting and we plan on returning! read more

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