Is fall a good time to visit San Diego? Weather, water and hotel prices by month
Yes, it may be the best time: September and October are among the warmest months (normal highs 77°F and 75°F), the ocean is still near its peak, and November hotel rates average about $171, down from $292 in July.
- October high
- 74.6°F
- November hotel avg
- About $171
- September water
- About 66°F
- The risk
- Santa Anas
NOAA normal
vs $292 in July
Near the annual peak
Hot, dry winds, fire risk
The short version
- NOAA 1991–2020 normals at San Diego's airport: September high 77.2°F, October 74.6°F, November 70.7°F.
- Rain stays rare until winter: 0.12 inches in September, 0.50 in October, 0.79 in November.
- Average public hotel rates fall from about $292 a night in July to $195 in September and October and $171 in November (Engine data, May 2024–April 2026).
- The ocean holds on: Scripps Pier averages about 66°F in September and 64°F in October.
- The trade-off is Santa Ana winds, which blow from fall into spring and raise wildfire risk.
Most visitors aim for July. Locals know the better months come right after. San Diego's marine layer burns off, the ocean is still warm from summer, schools are back in session and hotel prices slide. Here's what fall looks like, month by month, with the numbers.
Fall, month by month
| September | October | November | December | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Normal high / low | 77.2°F / 66.2°F | 74.6°F / 61.5°F | 70.7°F / 54.8°F | 66.0°F / 49.8°F |
| Rain (days) | 0.12 in (0.9) | 0.50 in (2.4) | 0.79 in (3.7) | 1.67 in (5.8) |
| Ocean (Scripps Pier) | About 66°F | About 64°F | About 61°F | About 59°F |
| Average hotel rate | About $195 | About $195 | About $171 | About $156 |
| Verdict | Summer weather, fewer crowds | Warm, dry, Halloween | Mild, cheap, events | Holidays; rain picks up |
Weather: NOAA 1991–2020 normals for San Diego's airport. Ocean: Current Results, from NOAA's National Oceanographic Data Center. Hotel rates: Engine's average public rates from about 3.1 million quotes, May 2024 to April 2026; July averaged about $292.
Why September and October feel like summer
June and July often start gray under the marine layer, the famous June Gloom. By September the pattern breaks, and the ocean, which runs about two months behind the sun, is still near its August peak. That's why September water is warmer than June water, and why many locals call September San Diego's real summer. More in when the water is warm enough.
Why November is the value month
November keeps highs around 70°F with less than an inch of rain for the whole month, while hotel rates drop to their second-lowest level of the year in Engine's data. The San Diego Tourism Authority's figures for the week of November 9–15, 2025 showed 66% occupancy, down from the previous year. And there's plenty on: see November 2026 in San Diego.
Deciding where to stay? Start with where to stay in San Diego by area.
Is this still right?
We last checked this tip against its sources on October 20, 2026, and we re-research every tip on a schedule. Things in San Diego change, sometimes overnight.
Nature runs on its own schedule: seasons shift with the weather and the ocean, so treat the timing here as typical, not guaranteed.
This is general information, not legal, financial, tax, medical or safety advice.
SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
Wikipedia, citing NOAA · Checked October 20, 2026
Monthly highs, lows, rain, rain days
- PrimarySan Diego climate
National Weather Service San Diego · Checked October 20, 2026
Official climate page (older normals)
Current Results / NOAA National Oceanographic Data Center · Checked October 20, 2026
Monthly ocean temperatures
Engine · Checked October 20, 2026
Average public hotel rate by month
San Diego Tourism Authority · November 21, 2025
Occupancy and rate