October 5, 2026 · By CDM Yachts · 4 min read
The San Diego Bay Wine + Food Festival returns November 1 through 8, 2026. Its flagship Grand Weekend is held right on the water. If your group already has plans around it, a private charter fits right in. It's an easy way to spend part of that week on San Diego Bay, not just on land.
What the Festival Is
Now in its 22nd year, the festival celebrates Southern California and Baja cuisine. Participating chefs, winemakers, and spirits producers are grouped into themed culinary districts, including:
- Smoke + Fire
- Sweet Street
- So San Diego
- Street Feast: Asian Market
- South of the Border
The Grand Weekend combines the Grand Tasting on Saturday, November 7 with the Grand Fiesta on Sunday, November 8, both at Embarcadero Marina Park North. The Grand Tasting runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Full schedule and tickets are on the official festival site.
A Waterfront Event, Right on the Bay
Embarcadero Marina Park North sits directly on San Diego Bay, a short stretch from Seaport Village and the USS Midway. It's part of the same waterfront a harbor cruise typically passes between Point Loma and Coronado. You won't get festival tastings from the deck of a yacht. But you will get a clear view of a busy week along the Embarcadero.
Pairing a Charter with Festival Weekend
A charter works best as a bookend to a day at the festival, not a replacement for it. Book a cruise before your tasting session starts, or after it wraps. That way the day doesn't end when the last pour does. The Grand Tasting itself runs four hours, long enough to pair comfortably with a shorter cruise on either side of it. The standard 2-hour minimum applies, and most guests book 4 hours or more.
Groups also use the weekend as an occasion on its own. A food and wine festival is a natural fit for a corporate event — client entertainment built around a weekend when San Diego's culinary scene is already the draw. It also suits a smaller group of friends in town for the festival. One more San Diego Bay memory before the flight home is an easy sell.
Choosing Your Yacht for the Weekend
For a small group, the Sunseeker Predator 72 is a 4-hour charter built for exactly this kind of weekend. It's a sport yacht with presence, for a group that wants to be out on the bay in style. It can also drop anchor in Glorietta Bay off Coronado for swimming and lounging, conditions permitting.
The Sea Ray 56 and Sea Ray 52 suit a more relaxed group. Each has a salon, flybridge, and foredeck space for up to 13 guests. The Beneteau 50 is another option in that size range, with an open cockpit, a wet bar, and a forward bow sunpad. It's a good pick for guests who'd rather sit in the sun than crowd a festival line.
For a larger group, the Westport 100 handles up to 134 guests. That fits a company outing, a client event, or a few friend groups combining plans around the festival. Hourly pricing is tiered by headcount, starting at $1,500 per hour for 25 guests or fewer.
What to Know Before You Book
- Bring your own food and drinks. Guests may bring their own food and beverages, including alcohol, on any CDM Yachts charter.
- A captain is included. Every charter comes with a USCG-licensed captain and crew, so nobody in your group has to skip the tastings to get everyone home.
- Book early. If you want a specific date during festival week, request availability once your festival tickets are set. The earlier you ask, the more vessel options you'll have.
Make It a Full Weekend
Part of your group might be more interested in the water than the tastings. If so, split the day. Book a harbor cruise past the skyline and Coronado Bridge for the boat people. Get a festival pass for everyone else. Then regroup for dinner once both groups are back on dry land. San Diego Bay is generally calm, protected water. That makes it a comfortable option for guests who don't spend much time on boats. It also helps anyone nervous about pairing a full day of tastings with a boat ride.
Ready to add a charter to your festival weekend? Request availability for November 7 or 8, or use our price estimator to compare yachts for your group.
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