San Diego County Fair – Del Mar, California

Last year was our first year going to the San Diego County Fair and I have to say, it was one of the highlights of our summer.  We have all been waiting anxiously for it’s return all year and finally the wait is over.  This is no ordinary county fair – oh no!  It’s held at the Del Mar Racetrack and it’s ENORMOUS!  There are carnival rides, food booths, exhibits, shows, concerts, demonstrations, arts and crafts and an entire kiddie land area.  There is literally something for everyone.

There are all sorts of deals and coupons you can get for tickets and parking by checking out the fair’s website.  I would definitely look into your options.  This year we knew we’d be back more than once and opted to get a package deal that saved us a ton of money.

The nice thing about the fair is that you can bring your own food.  While deep fried butter and chocolate covered bacon are tempting (NOT!) the fair allows you to bring your own food and beverages (in a sealed container).  They have tons of nice spots for you to sit down and enjoy your lunch or dinner and never miss out on the action.  There are performances going on all the time and tons of different things to choose from – singing, dancing, magic shows, etc.

Without a doubt our favorite part of the fair is the rides!  This year our kids were able to enjoy both the regular rides as well as the kiddie land.

One of the most popular kid attractions is the climbing wall and trampolines.  While there is an additional fee and sometimes a longer wait (last year we waited almost 25 minutes!) it’s well worth the price and time.  

And what fair would be complete without face painting?!

This year the fair runs until July 4th, 2012.  It’s open from mid June to July 4th annually and attracts hundreds of thousands of people each year.  The Del Mar Racetrack is just a few short miles from the beach and there are miles of beautiful coastline for you to check out as well.

 It’s only been a few days and already the kids are asking to go back and I can’t really blame them.  I have a feeling you’ll be seeing a lot of us at the fair this year…

~Sarah