fun

Fall Activities To-Do in San Diego

Mike Stark

Fall is officially here, and no matter the season, it’s always sunny in San Diego, which means there are enough fall-themed activities to celebrate one of the best seasons of the year.

Here’s a list of places to visit and things to do throughout San Diego County this fall. 

Apple picking in Julian

Julian Farm and Orchard in Julian, CA, is open on Saturday and Sunday from September 18 to October 31. Visitors will enjoy the apple orchard, hayrides, cider press, farm animals, ax throwing, shopping, and pumpkin picking. For more information, including admission prices and hours, please visit their website here.

Bates Nut Farm Pumpkin Patch

On the weekends, Bates Nut Farm in Valley Center will have live entertainment, BBQ, Kettle corn, food trucks, rock climbing, hayrides, and more, all running from September 18 to October 31. For admission and more information, please visit their website. 

Photo Credit: Jeremy Lwanga

Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Celebrations

Oceanside Dia de Los Muertos Festival
The 20th Annual Oceanside Dia de Los Muertos Festival is scheduled for Sunday, October 24, 2021, from 10 am to 5 pm in Downtown Oceanside. For more information on activities and parking, please visit their website. 

City Heights Dia de los Muertos

Celebrate the lives of friends and relatives who have passed away the City Heights Dia de Los Muertos. People of all cultures will come together for community altars, face painting, mask making, and prizes for the best Catrina and Catrin contest, plus dancing, singing, and music. For more information on this event, please head to this event page. 

Carrera de los Muertos San Diego 5k or 10k Run

Looking for a fun run? Look no further. Los Muertos San Diego is a festive and fun 5k run/walk celebrating the Day of the Dead on November 7, 2021. Enjoy a scenic run or walk along the San Diego Bay to celebrate in the park with mariachi, dancers, and comida deliciosa! Join family and friends to remember loved ones who have passed in this rich cultural tradition. You will experience a great sense of community through a bit of exercise, music, dance, face painting, and a lot of fun. Please visit the event page here to purchase tickets and get more information. 

Fall at Balboa Park

Balboa Park will feature a variety of fall activities that are perfect for the family.

  • You can Take A Hike with volunteers from the San Diego Natural History Museum’s Canyoneers. The Canyoneers offer a guided hike in Balboa Park and around the area.
  • Trail of Fears/The Haunted Trail of Balboa Park will have two haunted theme activities to keep you on your toes. One is a mile-long outdoor trail through twisted pines and the other a 3,500 square foot maze. Both will keep you on your toes.
Photo Credit: Ethan Unzicker

Hike to See Fall Colors

Looking to see fall colors around San Diego County? Here’s a list of some great hiking trails to see nature switch to over to fall:

Thunder Ridge and Chimney Flat Loop

19952 State Park Drive, Palomar Mountain, CA

Sunset Trail

Laguna Mountain Recreation Area 10678 Sunrise Hwy Descanso, CA

Volcan Mountain

1209 Farmer Road (at Wynola Road) Julian, CA

Lake Cuyamaca

15027 Highway 79, Julian, CA

Observatory Trail

Cleveland National Forest

35899 Canfield Road, Warner Springs, CA

For more information on the trails above, please visit this website.

Photo Credit: Edgar Soto

Mountain Valley Ranch Pumpkin Patch

Ready to pick out a pumpkin? Let’s go! Mountain Valley Ranch Pumpkin Patch in Ramona is open from September 25 to October 31 from 9 am – 6 pm. The pumpkin patch features a giant corn maze, farm animals, and the ability to launch corn out of a cannon. Yes, please! For all the details, go to their website here.

Oktoberfest in San Diego (21 years and over)

Oktoberfest is a folk festival hosted initially in Munich, Germany. To view location and ticket information, visit their website here.

PB Pumpkin Patch

The PB Pumpkin Patch offers a large variety of pumpkins to choose from and has a free pumpkin carving and painting area. Also, enjoy some free hot apple cider and shaved ice for the little ones. The PB Pumpkin Patch is open from October 1 to October 31 Monday – Friday 10 am to 10 pm, and then Saturday and Sunday 8 am to 10 pm. For more information, please visit their website here.

If you do try some of these fall activities, let me know how it went by sharing your photos with me on socials @MikeStarkCA on Twitter and Instagram 
Written By: Mike Stark | @MikeStarkCA

10 Fun Activities To-Do Over Winter Break

Mike Stark

We did it, we made it through our first full virtual semester, and I am sure you are happy to be done. No more waking up early, studying in between classes, all-nighters, and the best part no more Zoom lectures (at least for a while) and silence that GroupMe app.

Indoor businesses may be closed and gatherings discouraged, so what is there to do now? Here are 10 fun activities to-do over winter break that abide by COVID-19 rules and maintain physical distance.

  1. Host a Virtual Happy Hour with Family & Friends

Photo Credit: Screenshot of Echo Video Call from review.com

Ok, I am sure you are over Zoom calls, especially because you have been on them all semester long and some have been on zoom calls all day from when they wake up to when they go to sleep, but since social gatherings are highly discouraged due to the pandemic it is important for us to still have contact with our social circles. Make the zoom calls fun but sharing the latest life updates, how your semester went, what you hope to change next semester, etc. You can even play games virtually over zoom like among us and chat about in-person to find the imposter.

2. Christmas Light Viewings


Photo Credit: Screenshot from San Diego Family Magazine

San Diego has some of the best houses that have excellent decorations for Christmas lights. Drive around your local neighborhood and see some of the excellent lights that your neighbors put in the effort to decorate year after year. You can also visit other neighborhoods by driving by to see how others decorate their houses. Remember to keep that social distancing by remaining in your car. For a complete list of neighborhoods with Christmas lights go here.

3. Self-host a Movie Marathon



Photo Credit: Screenshot of dining hall from Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone Warner Bros Pictures

Die Hard, Elf, and The Polar Express, or a regular movie marathon of some of your favorite movies. Why not? You have the time since you do not have a paper to write or test to study for, enjoy it. Unwinding with your favorite movie is the perfect form of self-care.

4. Complete A Tasty Video



Photo Credit: Icons 8 Team from Unsplash

We’ve all wasted point at one time in our college career by watching those addicting Tasty Videos on YouTube or Instagram so why not put that time waster to good use? Go outside your comfort zone and create something new and not to worry you will not be alone, you will have the video right there in your kitchen with you and who knows, you may like what you whipped up and can make it your own for your family once gatherings are allowed again.

5. Decorate your Room/Home


Photo Credit: DESIGNECOLOGIST on unsplash

Whether you celebrate the holidays or not this is the perfect time to make some changes around your room/home. It is the end of the year, so why not start the new year with a few changes, sure 2020 was full of changes but that does not mean all change is bad. Some suggestions for decorating: Purchase a new piece of artwork from Etsy or e-bay (support small businesses). Change around your Work from Home or virtual school desk set-up. These small changes can be meaningful in your life and affect your mood in a positive way.

6. Catch up on your favorite shows


Photo Credit: Adrian Swancar from Unsplash

Now more than ever is the perfect time to binge-watch your favorite show or start a new show guilt-free since you’ve been busy in school. You may get the message “Are you still watching?” and now you can press yes without any remorse. If you are in need of some new shows to watch visit one of my recent posts where I shared “Quarantine TV Picks” and includes current shows along with throwbacks on multiple streaming services.

7. Make a Gingerbread House


Photo Credit: Gingerbread House from Wilton.com

Every year during Winter Break I take the time to create a gingerbread house. There is something that is therapeutic about creating a gingerbread house. You can purchase a premade gingerbread house where all you have to do is decorate it or purchase one where you have to make it from scratch. How creative are you feeling? The brand I use year after year is Wilton as they make it so easy to build. You can purchase one of these from party city here (subject to availability).

8. Do a TikTok Dance


Photo Credit: Andrew Weiss from unsplash.com

If you’re obsessed with TikTok like me or haven’t even used the app before this will be a fun activity. There are many dances out there to chose from on TikTok like “What You Know Bout Love” by Pop Smoke, “Savage Love” by Jawsh 685 and Jason Derulo, or “Tap In” by Saweetie to name a few. It is a great form of exercise practicing these dances, learning something new, and getting out of your comfort zone. The best part, you have the time to perfect while on break. Download the app and start searching TikTok dances.

9. Start Journaling


Photo Credit: Andrew Weiss from unsplash.com

Journaling is an excellent activity for self-care that you can do for fun when you’re upset about something, or when you’re just bored around the house. You make journaling work for you. It can be paragraphs of thoughts, a mixture of paragraphs and photos to describe how you’re feeling, rearranging song lyrics, or making a list of things you want to do after quarantine. This is your creative space. You do not need to have a fancy journal for this activity. Pen and paper around the house will do just fine or the notes app on your phone, but if you are feeling fancy. I recommend the Day One app. Available both on Andriod and iPhone. I use it and it’s awesome. You can incorporate photos, videos, and text all in on entry. I love it because it’s simple to use, secure, and private. Information regarding pricing for Day One is here and you can download the app from the App and Google Play store.

10. Try a New Fitness Class


Photo Credit: Screenshot of Chris Hemsworth in Gym from The Associated Press

All indoor fitness centers are closed, however, there are many that have moved operations outdoors. Try something new over the break like a fitness class. This is the perfect opportunity to meet new people while socially distancing and getting in a good workout at the same time. Don’t feel like leaving the house just yet? That’s ok too. There are endless amounts of at-home workouts available on YouTube like Orangetheory Fitness at Home. You can complete this workout with everyday items around your house already and no sign-up is required and they’re free.

Now that have you some ideas for your winter break what do you plan on doing? Hit me up on socials and let me know. @MikeStarkCA on Twitter and Instagram. I will definitely be creating a gingerbread house and then eating the creation and watching classic tv shows on the couch with some hot cocoa, an SDSU hoodie, holiday socks, and my favorite blanket. 

Written By: Mike Stark | @MikeStarkCA

Feature Image: Screenshot of holiday tree from hopkinsmedicne.org

Sunflower Seeds: Summer Recap

Nina Capuani

Hello again, it has been a while since my last seed, so if you’re new here, welcome to my life blog, Sunflower Seeds! 

This past summer has been a busy one (thus, the lack of posts), but it was full of adventure! In this seed, you can expect to read about a recap of my last summer ever as an undergrad (I am SOOO upset)!

May – what a month you were.

May was an absolute blast and maybe that’s because I turned 21 or because it was the start of Summer (Taurus Season is the best Season, duh). I finished up my Junior Year around May 10, and my 21st birthday fell on May 12. As you can tell, I was already off to a great start! My 21st birthday was the most fun nights I have ever had, and not for the reasons you probably think. My mom visited me for that week, and I had all of my closest friends over to celebrate with. It was a night filled with friends, fun, and of course, tequila.

Around the end of May, I went back to the homeland of Chicago and I got to see the rest of my family, friends, and my awesome cats – shout out to Cookie and Christian. During that time, my sister and I decided to take a spontaneous trip to Nashville for a few days and it was quite the rodeo. Nashville is such a lively place and I recommend that everyone goes there at least once in their life.

June – you were the start of something interesting.

June had a lot of curveballs, to say the least. A boy who I had met at the beginning of March unexpectedly came back into my life in May. I thought it was only a weekend thing in March, but I was mistaken. I had my fun with him, but that eventually simmered down. Things with work got complicated too, but that isn’t important. June had a few setbacks, but it was a month of lessons well learned.

July – you always seem to fly by.

July was an extremely hot month considering I don’t have AC in my apartment. The highlight of this month was definitely the Fourth of July. This holiday seems to be one of the people’s favorites. This was the first fourth that I was of age, so it was so much fun to go to the beach and enjoy some of Pacific Beaches’ activities (PB Shore Club anyone?).

  • Fourth of July – Photo By: Caroline’s Polaroid

August – the last month of the summer ever.

August was filled with fun! I went to Vegas with one of my best girlfriends on the first weekend of the month. I don’t think we slept more than 6 hours the entire weekend, but we definitely made the most of it.  Of course, one trip wasn’t enough for me, so my mom, sister, and I took a girl’s trip to Vegas at the end of the month! We went to see Def Leppard together for our second time and it was such a blast. I don’t get to see them often, so a mother-daughter trip to Vegas did just the just trick.

  • Mom and Sister in Vegas – Photo By: Sister’s Snapchat Story

 I took advantage of my last summer ever and hopefully made the most of it. I can’t believe I am a Senior in College because I feel like I’m eight years old half the time considering I still have to sleep with a nightlight on. All fun aside, I am so excited, scared, and hopeful to see where life takes me. May is just around the corner and I have no idea where I am going to end up, but that’s the magic of life. Cheers to Senior year and not having class on Fridays!

Photo Credit: my BFF, Lara

P.S don’t forget to tune into Sunflower Hour on Tuesdays from 10 – 11 am!

Written by: Nina Capuani

Sunflower Seeds: A Road Trip to Remember

Nina Capuani

A road trip to remember: travelling from desert to desert, we traversed a great Spring Break!

This past Spring Break two friends and I ditched the traditional college affair (going to Cabo and getting drunk for a week) and decided to get in touch with Mother Nature. We rented one of those colorful hippie vans and had absolutely no plans for the week but it was a freaking blast. 

On the first day of our escapade we had to take the train to Los Angeles to pick up Gidget(our super cool surfer van). After we picked her up, we got some yummy vegan food for lunch and headed to the grocery store. By the time we were done it was about 7pm and we were headed for the desert! We had planned to go to Arizona for the first night, but we were just too exhausted to make the trip that late, so we camped out in a random parking lot in the middle of Joshua Tree, CA. It wasn’t necessarily what we had hoped for, but it worked out in our favor. 

Road Trip!
Road Trip to the Sonoran Desert

When we woke up the second day we couldn’t wait to go to the Sonoran Desert!

(Our Uber driver from when we went from the train station to get our van had told us that we should go to the Sonoran in Arizona). After a few hours we had arrived to what we thought was the Sonoran, but it was really just a dirt road in the middle of nowhere Arizona. We concluded that the Sonoran isn’t a destination, but a massive desert that has an area of 100,000 square miles. The other two girls were from Maryland, so this wasn’t common knowledge for any of us. Note to self – do some research before driving to another state. After feeling like fools, we found a real camp site that we stayed at for the next three nights. We really enjoyed our time in Arizona and we did some pretty spectacular hikes that we had no idea even existed, for sometimes being lost somewhere unfamiliar can bring you great treasures.

We went back to Joshua Tree for the the last two nights of the trip.

The first night we couldn’t find a camping spot, so we asked this man if we could share one with him and he thankfully let us. He was a really cool guy that made us a bonfire and everything, and it turns out he is a film writer who has worked on some movies like The Terminator. It was nice to be out and about in nature with genuine kind-hearted people. For the duration of our time there we did a few more cool hikes and saw some massive rocks. Needless to say, our Spring Break was filled with great 6-hour work outs. 

My favorite part of the trip was being able to enjoy the wonders of the world with two of the most awesome girls I know. We spent our nights under the stars listening to Fleetwood Mac with lots of wine and even more laughs. We had no plan at all, and I think that’s the best plan to have. I know it might have made my mother a tad bit worried since I didn’t even know where I was, but we were safe and it couldn’t have been better!

I didn’t have the best cellphone service for the duration of the trip, so not too much time was spent on my phone. However, it was a bit stressful at times when we were lost, but we all figured things out one day at a time. It was rewarding to push myself out of my comfort zone for a bit since I plan out almost everything. I learned a lot about myself during this week and I believe everyone should experience something like this at some point in their lives.

This trip will always hold a special place in my heart because it was the first road trip I have ever done and every moment of it felt like magic. In the desert you really can remember your name cause there really ain’t no one for to give you no pain.


Written by: Nina Capuani