Thanksgiving in San Diego 2026: turkey trots, racing at Del Mar and what's open
The big turkey trot is Father Joe's Villages' 5K through Balboa Park at 7:15 a.m. on Thursday, Nov 26; Encinitas and Oceanside run their own. Del Mar races from 11 a.m. Many museums and city buildings close, so check before you go.
- Biggest trot
- 7:15 a.m.
- Del Mar
- 11 a.m. post
- Closed
- Cabrillo, NHM
- Weather
- About 70°F
Father Joe's 5K, Balboa Park
Thanksgiving racing
Check others
November normal high
The short version
- Father Joe's Villages' Thanksgiving Day 5K starts at the Cabrillo Bridge at 7:15 a.m.; timed entry is $62.48 for adults and kids 5 and under run free.
- The Encinitas Turkey Trot starts at the ENCINITAS sign on Coast Highway 101: 10K at 7:30 a.m., 5K at 8 a.m., adult 5K $68.
- Del Mar races on Thanksgiving with an 11 a.m. first post and a one-mile Family Fun Run on the track.
- Cabrillo National Monument and the Natural History Museum are closed on Thanksgiving; in past years City libraries and rec centers closed and meters weren't enforced.
- Thanksgiving is usually mild: San Diego's November normal high is 70.7°F with 0.79 inches of rain for the whole month.
Thanksgiving in San Diego tends to mean a morning run in shorts, a long lunch, and maybe a day at the races. Thursday, November 26, 2026 follows the pattern: here are the turkey trots, Del Mar's holiday card, and what's likely to be closed.
The turkey trots
| Father Joe's 5K | Encinitas Turkey Trot | O'side Turkey Trot | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Start | Cabrillo Bridge, Balboa Park | ENCINITAS sign, Coast Hwy 101 | Coast Highway, Oceanside |
| Time | 7:15 a.m.; optional 6 a.m. Mass | 10K 7:30, kids 7:40, 5K 8:00 | Check Race Roster |
| Distances | Timed 5K, untimed fun run, virtual | 10K, 5K, Kids-K, 1K fun run | 5K run/walk and kids' run |
| Adult price | $62.48 timed; $57.08 fun run | $68 5K; $78 10K | See organizer |
| Kids | Ages 6–12 from $38.72; 5 and under free | Ages 5–11 $19; 1K for 8 and under $10 | Kids' run |
| Good to know | Prices rise after Nov 15; strollers OK | Check-in opens 6 a.m. | Finishes on The Strand |
Thanksgiving at the races
Del Mar's Bing Crosby Season races on Thanksgiving Day with an 11 a.m. first post, earlier than its usual 12:30. The Del Mar Thoroughbred Club runs a one-mile Family Fun Run on the track and a three-course Thanksgiving brunch in the Turf Club, and the FanDuel Racing Turf Festival runs November 26–29.
Open or closed on Thanksgiving
| Place | Thanksgiving Day | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Cabrillo National Monument | Closed | NPS hours page |
| Old Town SHP visitor center and museums | Closed | Park listings |
| San Diego Natural History Museum | Closed | Museum website |
| City libraries, rec centers and pools | Closed in past years (Thu and Fri) | NBC 7, 2024 |
| City parks, trails and beaches | Open | NBC 7, 2024 |
| City parking meters | Not enforced in past years | NBC 7, 2024 |
| MTS buses and Trolley | Ran a Sunday schedule in 2025 | Times of San Diego, 2025 |
| Zoo, Safari Park, SeaWorld | Check before you go | Not yet posted |
Checked October 20, 2026. City and MTS rows reflect prior years; 2026 notices usually appear in the week before Thanksgiving.
70.7°F
November normal high
San Diego airport
54.8°F
Normal low
Bring a layer for the run
0.79 in
November rain
Whole-month normal
Staying the long weekend? Skating by the Sea at the Hotel del opens November 20; see November 2026 in San Diego and December's holiday events. Driving to Del Mar? Check race-day traffic.
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.
Event dates, times and prices are set by the organizers and can change or sell out. Confirm with the organizer's own page before you plan around them.
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.
Father Joe's Villages (race site) · Checked October 20, 2026
Start time, prices, distances
- PrimaryThanksgiving 5K Turkey Trot
Father Joe's Villages · Checked October 20, 2026
Course, road closures, strollers
- PrimaryEncinitas Turkey Trot
Encinitas Turkey Trot · Checked October 20, 2026
Start times, prices
- BackgroundO'side Turkey Trot
Visit Oceanside · Checked October 20, 2026
Date and course
- PrimaryThanksgiving at Del Mar
Del Mar Thoroughbred Club · Checked October 20, 2026
11 a.m. post, Family Fun Run, brunch
- PrimaryOperating hours
National Park Service, Cabrillo National Monument · Updated November 26, 2025
Closed Thanksgiving
- PrimaryPlan your visit
San Diego Natural History Museum · Checked October 20, 2026
Closed Thanksgiving
NBC 7 San Diego · 2024
City closures pattern
Times of San Diego · November 26, 2025
2025 holiday service
Wikipedia, citing NOAA · Checked October 20, 2026
November normals