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A diverse and sophisticated arts scene probably isn’t the first thing that visitors—or even locals—associate with San Diego. It’s a destination for those who seek out its perennial sunshine, gorgeous beaches, and beautiful scenery. Even those within the arts scene readily admit their fiercest competition is the beach! But just a little to the right of the Pacific Ocean, there are some amazing and diverse artistic offerings to prove that San Diego can hold its own.
The theater scene in San Diego may not have the commercial appeal that Broadway does, but it more than makes up for it with talent. In fact, a long list of Broadway-bound productions started right here, including Jersey Boys, The Who's Tommy, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Memphis.
Balboa Park’s Old Globe Theatre is modeled after the Shakespearian Globe Theatre in England, and hosts both an annual Shakespeare Festival as well as contemporary plays. A little bit north is La Jolla Playhouse, which was founded by Gregory Peck in 1947, and has hosted dozens of world-premiere productions, in addition to star actors like Laura Linney and Neil Patrick Harris. The playhouse has also launched the Without Walls initiative, which places theater in a new context by removing the theater entirely.
Music also has a major presence in San Diego, courtesy of the world-class San Diego Opera, which performs major works by Puccini and Mozart, and the San Diego Symphony, which caters to a diverse audience thanks to both its classical concerts and its more accessible Summer Pops series.
There’s always something new and exciting happening with visual arts in San Diego. No longer limited to a collector’s market, younger urban artists are making in-roads with warehouse gallery spaces in Barrio Logan, while galleries in La Jolla and Little Italy showcase bold works of contemporary art on their walls. The annual San Diego Art Prize highlights rising figures in the visual arts realm, and in the field of architecture, Orchids and Onions honors the best and worst in structural design—and with a sense of humor at that.
The playhouse presents exciting and innovative plays and musicals on three stages. Many Broadway shows—among them Memphis, Come From Away, Tommy, The Outsiders, and Jersey Boys—have previewed here before their East Coast premieres. Hosted in late April, its WOW festival (Without Walls) also ensures that the productions aren't limited to the playhouse, having put on site-specific shows in places like outdoor art spaces, cars, and even the ocean.
This complex, comprised of the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, and The Old Globe, offers some of the finest theatrical productions in Southern California. Theater classics such as Into the Woods and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and more recent hits like Stir and The XIXTH, premiered on these famed stages and went on to perform on Broadway. The Old Globe presents a renowned summer Shakespeare Festival with three to four plays in repertory. The theaters, done in a California version of Tudor style, sit between the sculpture garden of the San Diego Museum of Art and the California Tower. If you can't catch a show, daytime one-hour behind-the-scenes tours offer a close-up look at the theaters as well as the intricacies of set and costume design.
Drawing international performers, the opera's season runs January–April. Past performances have included Madama Butterfly, Don Giovanni, and La Bohème, plus solo concerts by such talents as Renée Fleming.
This complex, comprising the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre, and the Old Globe Theatre, offers some of the finest theatrical productions in Southern California. Theater classics such as The Full Monty and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, both of which went on to Broadway, premiered on these famed stages. The Old Globe presents the family-friendly How the Grinch Stole Christmas around the holidays, as well as a renowned summer Shakespeare Festival with three to four plays in repertory.
The Athenaeum is a membership-supported, nonprofit library with an exceptional collection of books, periodicals, CDs, and other media related to arts and music. It also hosts classes, exhibits, lectures, and intimate jazz, chamber music, and the occasional folk concert throughout the year.
This fully restored theater celebrated 100 years of entertainment in 2024 and offers a variety of performances including ballet, music, plays, and even stand-up comedy. In addition to architectural splendor, the space offers unsurpassed acoustics and is home to one of the last Wonder Morton theater organs in the world.
This self-guided art crawl takes place along Logan Avenue the second Saturday of every month, with stops at 15 different galleries, museums, and art collectives.
The spacious factory setting that houses Bread & Salt feels like a modern art warehouse, though its name nods to its long history as a former Wonder Bread factory. Still adorned with much of the industrial machinery and exposed brick, Bread & Salt now houses rotating exhibits from local and national artists, as well as group events such as motorcycle shows and live music showcases. It's also a partner with La Jolla Athenaeum, and puts on experimental and avant-garde concerts throughout the year.
The ballet holds performances at the Balboa Theatre, as well as other area venues such as California Center for the Arts, Escondido and Epstein Family Amphitheater at UCSD.
With roots in classical and chamber music, the permanent home of the La Jolla Music Society features a range of performances from piano and jazz to mariachi, dance, and world music. The venue's four spaces host concerts, educational programs, and SummerFest—a four-week music festival featuring more than 20 performances. For the season schedule, visit their website.
This cabaret-type, 96-seat theater near the Hotel del Coronado stages regular dramatic and musical performances. It's the longest continuously running community theater in the county and even offers a series of free performances throughout the year.
San Diego's premier gay and lesbian company presents a range of original works that focus on LGBTQIA+ themes.
The theater typically produces four mostly uplifting productions throughout the year. It also stages an original musical, Festival of Christmas, in December. The company's resident theater for performances has 350 seats in a horseshoe shape so that no audience member is more than seven rows away from the stage.
This quaint, comfortable performance space inside the Price Center on the University of California San Diego campus hosts intimate music concerts, spoken-word programs, film screenings, and culinary events. Once the Zanzibar Café closes, shows at The Loft begin, weekdays and on select weekends.
The city's esteemed modern dance company presents edgy, intriguing works at venues throughout the city. Under the artistic direction of Christopher K. Morgan, Malashock has performances and classes for all ages.
Over its nearly 100-year history, the Observatory North Park has gone through a few renovations (and more than a few names) to become a top-tier destination for live music. Enjoys shows and other live performances several nights a week in the ornate space that includes an on-site restaurant and full bar.
The glamorous (and curvaceous) home for outdoor summer and spring concerts presented by the San Diego Symphony sits on the same spot where its former outdoor concert space sat, but with a dazzling upgrade. An $85 million, two-year project completed in 2021, the Rady Shell is a large and stunning space to catch a concert or symphony performance during the warm summer months—or any time of year, really—with space for up to 10,000 attendees, with typical seated performances accommodating around 3,500. In addition to the sounds and bayside sights, the Shell also has top-notch dining options, including a prix-fixe menu from Blais by the Bay, tacos from Lola 55, and wood-fired pizzas from Biga.
The ballet brings a vast repertory of classic and contemporary ballets to several venues countywide, as well as in-studio performances.
The home of the San Diego Opera and Broadway San Diego, the Civic Theatre is the city's largest performing arts venue, with musicals, ballets, theatrical productions, and concerts held throughout the year.
The company has earned serious kudos for its diverse company and provocative programming, including its annual Trolley Dances, (usually in September) which take place at various trolley stops throughout San Diego. Other performances are held at venues around the city.
Now performing at the beautifully renovated Jacobs Music Center, which reopened in 2024 after an extensive restoration and expansion to fit 1,835 guests, the world-class orchestra's events include classical concerts, concertos, and many other acoustically impressive events throughout the season. Outdoor summer concerts are held at the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park at the Embarcadero ( 222 Marina Park Way), on North Harbor Drive beyond the convention center.
You can buy advance tickets, many at half price, to theater, music, and dance events at Arts Tix.
The center presents mainstream theatrical productions such as Grease and The Odd Couple, as well as concerts, art shows, and dance performances.
Amateur and professional puppeteers and ventriloquists entertain here five days a week. The cost is just a few dollars for adults and children alike. If you feel cramped in the 200-seat theater, don't worry; the shows rarely run longer than a half hour.
Usually held in late September, this festival screens local, national, and international entries at the Gaslamp Theater (701 5th Ave., Gaslamp Quarter), as well as the Museum of Contemporary Art-La Jolla (700 Prospect St., La Jolla). The city's glitterati—as well as a few Hollywood celebs—love to rub shoulders at the fest's films, panels, and finale fête.
Home of a giant outdoor pipe organ donated to the city, the beautiful Spanish baroque pavilion hosts concerts by a rotating lineup of guest organists on most Sunday afternoons and on Monday evenings in summer. Local military bands, gospel groups, and barbershop quartets also perform here. All shows are free.
Ticketmaster sells tickets to many performances, as well as to select museum exhibitions. Service charges vary according to the event, and most tickets are nonrefundable.
Big-name concerts are held at this historic arena with room for 13,000-plus fans.
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