Petco Park Holiday Market 2022 Review

by Maria Haase

Petco Park Holiday Market Quick Facts:
Date and Time: Daily from 4 PM – 10 PM between December 1 – December 23, 2022, except December 5th, 6th, 7th, 12th, and 13th
Location: Petco Park
Tickets ($14 for adults, $10 for children 1-14)

The longest-lasting San Diego Holiday Markets takes place at Petco Park on Gallagher Square. For 18 nights in December, visitors can enjoy artisanal shops, Holiday decor, and of course, delicious treats for the whole family. Of course, there will be a Christmas tree lighting, Santa, and all the other holiday characters as well.

Greg and I went on opening day and as our first event for the Holiday Season of 2022. The light displays were very picturesque and Instagram-able. Great if you are still looking for some photos for your Holiday cards. The booths also had some really cute trinkets and things for gifts in all price ranges. There were a few food stalls, including a Raclette booth, pizza (Big Oven Pizza is amazing!), and lots of sweet treats.

However, the beverage prices were, in my eyes, way over the top. $15 for a small 8oz cup of Glühwein served in a paper cup? And it wasn’t even good. All you could taste was way too much cinnamon and clove. Not to be a Grinch, but yikes!

Hard cider and spiked hot chocolate were also $15, a can of beer $13.50-15, and canned cocktails between $13.50-23.50. Non-alcoholic drinks were a bit easier to stomach. $5 for hot chocolate and cider, $6 for a can of soda, and $5 for a bottle of water.

Growing up in Germany and visits to the Christmas Markets were something I grew up with. They were something that was affordable for everyone and part of everyone’s Holiday tradition. It was sad for me to see it being turned into such an overly commercialized event.

I am not saying the Holiday Market at Petco Park is all bad. If sparkly and stunning Holiday photo ops are your thing, this is definitely worth checking out. Also, the activities for the kids are all free, including seeing Santa, Merry-go-round, a big carpet slide, and more.

Personally, I don’t think Greg and I will be back, though, at least not for this season.

Tickets for Holiday Market at Petco Park:

Speaking of tickets… To purchase tickets for the Holiday Market at Petco Park, you need to go to this website, select a date and time and buy the tickets. Important: You must enter during your selected time period; however, there is no time limit on how long you can stay for your visit. Adults cost $14, and children aged 1-14 cost $10.