What is the best time to visit San Diego, month by month?

September is the best month to visit San Diego for most people. It has August's weather (a 77.2°F average high at the airport) with the warmest ocean of the year, almost no rain, and lower 2025 hotel rates than July or August. The trade-offs for every other month are below: NOAA's official 1991-2020 weather normals, ocean temperatures from Scripps Pier, and real 2025 hotel occupancy and room rates for a sample week in each month. We wrote separate guides on fall, June gloom and when it rains, so this page only links to them.

What is the weather like in San Diego each month?

Three things the averages hide. Rain is concentrated: about 7.3 of the 9.79 annual inches fall from December through March, which our rain guide breaks down. The ocean lags the air by about a month, so October water (65-66°F) is warmer than May's (60-61°F) even though the air is similar; see whether you need a wetsuit. And May and June are gray, not cold: the marine layer gives May 58% and June 57% of possible sunshine in NOAA's records, the lowest of the year. Our June guide covers how to plan around it.

When are San Diego hotels cheapest, and when are they most expensive?

In 2025 STR figures published weekly by the San Diego Tourism Authority, the cheapest of the weeks we sampled were late November and early December: county-wide rates averaged $176 over Thanksgiving week (60.9% occupancy) and $172 for December 7-13 (62.6%). The most expensive was Comic-Con week, July 20-26, at $290 with 83.3% of rooms full; Comic-Con 2025 ran July 24-27. Summer is pricey overall, and it is getting pricier: hotel analyst Robert Rauch reported in Hotel Online that June 2026 set an all-time June record average rate of $234.79 at 84.4% occupancy. Rates also depend on neighborhood, which our where-to-stay guide covers.

Which month is best for beaches, budgets, whales or families?

• —Beach trip: late August through September. Air highs average 77°F and Scripps Pier water reaches 67-68°F. In 2025, mid-September rates ($212) were lower than mid-August's ($221).
• —Budget trip: November (outside Thanksgiving week) through mid-December, or January. Expect 66-71°F highs and the year's lowest room rates. Check our what-to-pack guide.
• —Whale watching: late December to mid-March, when the NPS says gray whales pass Cabrillo National Monument. For boat prices, see our whale-watching tours guide.
• —Families on school breaks: April gives 69°F highs, and in the 2025 sample week (April 6-12) the county rate was $217, cheaper than any summer week we sampled. In summer, aim for early July or August and avoid Comic-Con week.
• —Sunshine seekers: avoid May and June, the cloudiest months on record. December and January get more sun, just with colder water.