For most of the country, fall brings cooler temperatures, colorful leaves and the first hints of winter.
In San Diego, the season of autumn brings an entirely different vibe. Temperatures remain warm and beaches empty out as tourists start to leave, which gives San Diegans what we like to call a “local summer.” Instead of sweaters and scarves, fall here often means shorts and flip-flops, with a community rhythm that blends the lingering summer days with hints of autumn nostalgia.
Tourism dips about 50% in September, even though the weather is often at its best, according to KPBS. Parking at Mission Beach becomes manageable again, coffee shops near the water quiet down and there’s room to surf, hike or go to the Taco Stand in La Jolla without long waits.
“Coming back to school in August, the beaches are still crowded, but as soon as it hits late September, there is a huge change,” said Andrew Fleming, a third-year SDSU student from Pennsylvania. “I feel like I notice the difference, even after only living here for a few years. Tourists just start to disappear, even when the weather is still amazing.”
Seasonal events — from pumpkin patches in Julian to local fall festivals like the Jack-O-Pass — help shape this unique version of the fall season. For SDSU students, this “local summer” feels like the perfect time to explore the city they’ve avoided during the hectic tourist months.
SDSU student Sara Parmental had a whole day with her roommates dedicated to going to a pumpkin patch in Julian to truly embrace the fall spirit.
“The weather was perfect in my mind, high 60s to 70s,” Parmental said.
At SDSU, students have embraced this idea, creating their own “local summer” on campus through traditions and activities that make the season feel present.
Campus events through Associated Students, such as the “Oh My Gourd! It’s Homecoming!” and the “Good Neighbor Cleanup, Haunted Homecoming Edition,” bring students together to celebrate fall, SDSU-style.
Walking around the campus and nearby neighborhoods, you’ll see countless Halloween decorations, signs for the seasonal pumpkin smoothie at Shake Smart and the seasonal BCB pumpkin muffin.
Because of SDSU’s location, weather plays a major role in attracting students. As the rest of the country cools down, Southern California enters its prime season — the perfect time to show off one of the biggest reasons people love it here.
“I just went on a hike today and I was wearing shorts and a T-shirt,” said Olive Gilman, a first-year from Minnesota. “A lot of people came here for the weather, so they’re all just really happy when it’s 80 degrees. Here, it still feels like it’s summer.”
With the weather remaining warm, it begs the question: How are students able to still embrace the fall spirit?
“I don’t think that the weather honestly makes too much of a difference,” Fleming said. “Between Halloween coming up and other ‘fall’ traditions, I feel like we can still embrace the spirit.”
Bayla Polston, a third-year from the Bay Area, argues that San Diego does experience the autumn season.
“San Diego does change in the fall, you can feel it, the visual aspect of it,” Polston said.
Polston added that one of her favorite fall traditions is carving pumpkins with her roommates and decorating their home for Halloween.
She also mentioned the seasonal snacks that Trader Joe’s brings out this time of year: “I really like their pumpkin bread. It just feels like fall.”
For many students, rituals of shopping for seasonal treats, baking with friends and decorating homes help bridge the gap between traditional autumn imagery and Southern California’s sunny reality.
“I see lots of students coming just to get seasonal snacks that we offer or even buying pumpkins,” said Adam, a Trader Joe’s employee.
Even for those who miss the colder weather, San Diego still offers its own kind of charm.
“I’m happy in a way, like I miss the ‘typical’ fall, but I know in one month, when it’s like 30 degrees back home, I’ll be happy that I’m here,” Gilman said.
There aren’t many places where you can go to the pool in between classes on a casual Tuesday, mid-October.
For SDSU students, autumn isn’t dictated by the calendar. It’s defined by community, creativity and the ability to make the most of a season that refuses to follow the usual seasons. Fall is about reclaiming the city after the tourists leave.
In San Diego, the season’s rhythm belongs to those who stay — locals and students who know that the best part of summer comes after everyone else has gone. Whether it’s going to the beach, enjoying seasonal snacks or celebrating campus events with friends, San Diego’s “local summer” gives students a different kind of fall — one best experienced in flip-flops.
