It's going to be nasty in many communities across Southern California this Labor Day holiday weekend. There's an Excessive Heat Warning across the region, with temperatures forecast to hit 105 degrees in Anaheim, 108 in Studio City and 112 in Santa Clarita.
The theme parks in those locations continue to be closed due to the pandemic, but a couple of Southern California parks in much cooler communities are opening for limited operations this weekend. So if you're in California and looking to escape the heat with a holiday weekend getaway, you might consider a visit to Zoo Days: Bayside BBQ & Brews at SeaWorld San Diego, where the high temp this weekend is forecast only to get to 86 degrees.
And if that's still too hot for you, the park has announced that it will be opening three of its indoor attractions this weekend, as well. Penguin Encounter, Shark Encounter, and Turtle Reef will be open at 25 precent capacity, thanks to new California guidance that allows indoor exhibits at zoos and aquariums to operate at 25 percent capacity in counties, such as San Diego, that have moved into Tier 2 under the state's pandemic response system.
Those join the outdoor animal exhibits and presentations that opened with the new, hard-ticket event last weekend: Sea Lion Point, Otter Outlook, Dolphin Point, Explorer’s Reef Touch Pools, Orca Encounter, Sea Lions Live, and Dolphin Days.
Tickets to the event also include a tasting lanyard with punches for six food or beverage items from available selections at Calypso Bay Smokehouse, Explorer’s Cafe, Mama Stella's, or Shipwreck Reef Cafe. Our travel partner has tickets available for $72 for adults and $63 for kids.
Zoo Days: Bayside BBQ & Brews runs Fridays through Sundays, plus Labor Day, through September 27.
If you're up closer to the Bay Area, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom has extended its Marine World Experience event through September 20. That experience is open Saturdays and Sundays, plus Labor Day. Our travel partner also has tickets for the Marine World Experience, at $18.50 per person. And it's looking to stay no warmer than the low 90s up there this weekend.
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Sea World San Diego, located in Mission Bay, has one of the most serene locations of any major theme park. It is a beautiful park just to walk in and the sea breeze/effect makes many visits there pleasant. Now, it is going to be 86 degrees this weekend which is quite warm for this park. Although the weather is usually always great in that area, when the sun is out it really does make watching their daytime shows quite uncomfortable. I wish this park would, one at a time, invest in putting an outdoor shade/covering for their stadiums. All their shows in Orlando and San Antonio have shade for the audience. Those locations can get stupid hot at times so good for them but like I said that San Diego sun doesn't discriminate either. It's not as intense but after a few minutes it can bother just about anyone despite the constant 70 degree temperatures.
Top tip for visitors is catch the night shows when available or catch any shows before noon. That sun will leave a mark, literally.