Gaslamp & the Embarcadero in July: A Comic-Con Adventure

Comic-Con is one of the biggest (if not THE biggest) events that comes to San Diego each year. Taking place at the San Diego Convention Center and the surrounding area, the event runs this year Thursday, July 24, through Sunday, July 27, 2025.

For anyone unfamiliar with it, it’s the premier event for not just comics but also popular art such as gaming, movies, television, and more. Cosplay—short for costume play—is a big component, with event attendees dressing up as fictional characters.

Whether you have a ticket for Comic-Con or not, you can still don your favorite costume (though it’s certainly not required) and head to Downtown San Diego for a fun, active, and affordable outing. This route described here is paved, so those using strollers or mobility aids can enjoy it, too.

Read on for why I love Comic-Con and how I enjoy it with my young daughter for little-to-no cost.

Comic-Con and Community

Comic-Con San Diego got its start in 1970 with a group of comic fans who wanted to meet, you guessed it, other comic fans. What started with just a few hundred attendees has exploded into over 100,000 each year. This is a testament to the power of community. 

According to Dr. Laurie Santos, the so-called Happiness Professor, "Happy people tend to spend more time with others." One of the clearest things seen in cognitive science is that human connection and a sense of community belonging supports our well-being. So, getting out and about with like-minded people is a recipe for improved health and increased happiness.

Tips for visiting with a young-ish child

I’ve been “visiting” Comic-Con with my daughter since she was six years old. I put visiting in quotation marks because we’ve never had tickets to officially enter the event or any of the activations. We just go downtown and walk around, mainly to admire the elaborate and inventive cosplay.

Taking the trolley is a fun, and not to mention highly efficient, way to get to Comic-Con. Children 5 and under ride for free with a paying adult, so it’s probably the most economical option, as well, considering parking downtown during Comic-Con can be costly.

Even if you’re willing to splurge on a meal at a restaurant, during Comic-Con the wait times for a table or the lines to even place a carryout order can be excruciating (cue a hangry kid). Consider bringing a picnic lunch or at least lots of snacks and, of course, hydration. Here are my top three spots for a family picnic or snack break during Comic-Con:

• San Diego Children’s Park (326 W Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101
• Embarcadero Marina Park North (1 Embarcadero Marina North, San Diego, CA 92101)
• Embarcadero Marina Park South (200 Marina Park Way, San Diego, CA 92101)

As an added bonus, public restrooms are available at all of these locations (though I cannot guarantee the cleanliness level will meet your expectations).

Try our paved and flat 2-mile walking route

We start our adventure at the Gaslamp Quarter trolley station (on the green line). As soon as you step off the trolley, you step into the fantastical and friendly world of Comic-Con. The volume of people, many in costume, and the transformation of Gaslamp into a barrage of advertisements and activations can be overwhelming for some, so come prepared if you or a member of your group is easily triggered by crowded spaces or sensory overload.

From the station, we explore primarily Fifth Ave before taking the Martin Luther King Promenade to the Children’s Park. Here, you’ll find a recently renovated and completely fenced playground. A dog park is also available in case you brought your four-legged friend along. A security attendant is available most of the day, so it’s one of the safer spots in downtown.

We then cross Harbor Dr at Front St and walk between the Marriott Marquis and Manchester Grand Hyatt to reach the Embarcadero’s waterfront walkway. To add a half-mile to your route, stroll around the Embarcadero Marina Park North and enjoy the views of the bay and Coronado. Otherwise, head towards the Hilton Bayfront along the Embarcadero, no doubt surrounded by lots of superheroes and anime characters.

Once at the Hilton Bayfront (and of course, another detour is available at the Embarcadero Marina Park South, where you can add another half-mile walking around the Rady Shell and its adjacent grassy lawns), head towards East Village via the pedestrian bridge over Harbor Dr. Beyond the fine views atop the bridge, you may be delighted by the local performers that entertain visitors with their song and dance.

At the bottom of the bridge, take the paved walkway along Tony Gwynn Dr back to the Gaslamp Quarter trolley station. This basic route is approximately 2 miles long, but if you added either or both of the loops around the Embarcadero Marina Parks you will travel closer to 3 miles in distance.

Plan your next outing with The GO Deck

Fun, budget-friendly outings can be a breeze to plan when you GO with The GO Deck. Every featured location is free-to-visit. When you hand the deck over to your children and tell them to “Pick a card, any card,” rest assured that you won’t be shelling out a ton of money at the entrance gate of the card location they select. However, if you do want to splurge, fee-based attractions may be listed in the “Explore More” section at the bottom of each card.  

The San Diego deck is where you’ll find our Embarcadero adventure.