San Diego Rodeos

• Facebook
• Instagram
• Amazon
• Pinterest

Somehow it took me 37 years before I went to my first rodeo. I knew we had rodeos in San Diego, but it just wasn’t anything I ever did as a kid, so it wasn’t on my radar when I became a mom and started having my own kids. But I am happy to say that I have now been to four San Diego rodeos (and one in Wyoming!) and have had a blast at each of them.

If you are looking for some small-town family fun, right in the heart of a big city like San Diego, you have a handful of options to choose from. And these are actually one of the more affordable things you can do in San Diego.

Where Can I Find San Diego Rodeos?

There are three primary locations of the San Diego rodeos:

• The Poway Rodeo
• The Lakeside Rodeo
• The Ramona Rodeo

But coming in 2023 for the first time ever, there will be a rodeo in downtown San Diego at Petco Park.

The first rodeo I went to was the Ramona Rodeo. We actually made a fun weekend camping trip out there and camped at Dos Picos County Park. From there, it was a super short drive to the rodeo grounds. If you have the ability to do the same, I highly recommend it. We had a blast!

The second rodeo we went to was the Lakeside Bulls-Only Rodeo. This one was a lot closer to home for us, so we didn’t make a weekend out of it, however the Lake Jennings Campground is super close by if you are looking to do so. Instead we just met up with a group of friends who live near the rodeo grounds and then caravanned over to the rodeo grounds just before the gates opened.

There are some good family-friendly restaurants throughout San Diego, so whether you’re heading to the Lakeside Rodeo or the Downtown San Diego Rodeo, you can find a great place to eat near the rodeo grounds.

When Are The Rodeos?

Poway Rodeo – The Poway Rodeo is in September each year. They haven’t announced the 2024 dates yet, but there are typically three options–a Friday night, Saturday afternoon, and Saturday night event.

Something fun the Poway Rodeo does is a Kids Corral during the Saturday afternoon event. Their website provides the following information:

Kids Corral Tickets are $40 & Include

• One non-alcoholic drink ticket
• A special kid-friendly lunch
• A variety of unique entertainment just for kids, including face painting, a selfie photo booth with props, and a craft project
• A personal visit from our Rodeo Royalty & Rodeo Personalities

Lakeside Rodeo – The Lakeside Rodeo is in late April each year. They also have a Bulls Only Rodeo that takes place a couple of nights in October. That is the event I most recently attended.

Ramona Rodeo – The Ramona Rodeo is in August of each year. They haven’t announced the 2026 dates yet, but this year it was held the last weekend of August.

Petco Park Rodeo – January of each year. It’s a great thing to do if you plan to visit San Diego in the winter.

How Much Do San Diego Rodeos Cost?

Pricing will vary, but typically a San Diego rodeo at the three main venues (Ramona, Lakeside and Poway) costs about $25/ ticket for general admission. Sometimes the kids tickets are only $10. The rodeo at Petco Park is quite a bit more than that, with tickets priced at $60+.

What Do I Wear to a Rodeo?

It’s fun to get in touch with your wild wild west inner self and wear some fun western-inspired attire. And don’t worry–you won’t be the only one! And if you have nothing to wear, that’s ok too. I have cute rodeo outfits that won’t cost a fortune in my Amazon store. Or you can simply wear some casual attire, and that will be fine too!

There’s a little bit of everything at the rodeos, so no matter what, you won’t feel out of place.

What to Expect at The San Diego Rodeos (Not Petco Park Rodeo)

General Admission – Both of the rodeos I attended were general admission, which means you don’t have an assigned seat. If sitting near the front is important to you, you might want to aim at getting to the rodeo grounds when the gates open, which is usually 1.5-2 hours before the rodeo.

Parking – Parking typically costs about $5 or $10 and is probably cash only. That has been the case at both rodeos I attended, and we didn’t know until we arrived. Luckily it wasn’t too much and we had cash, but just something to be aware of. I’m sure it mentioned it at some point in my email or when I bought the tickets… Parking at the Petco Park Rodeo is going to cost you a lot more, and will likely be card only.

Food and Drinks – You can’t bring in your own food and drinks, but there will be a handful of vendors inside the gates. Food and drinks, as well as apparel and souvenirs. Alcoholic beverages at both rodeos I attended are only $5, so much cheaper than your typical sports outing. I’d guess the alcohol prices at the Petco Park rodeo won’t be as low.

Mutton Bustin’ – Mutton bustin’ is a cute event where young kids (about 7 years and younger) ride sheep through the arena as long as they can (which isn’t usually very long). This is something you can try to sign your child up for in advance. Each venue has different procedures for this, but it is definitely something to look into ahead of time.

Note: Links that appear on this page may earn me a commission at no cost to you, if used to make purchases.