The 8 Best Swap Meets in San Diego


Who doesn’t love a good bargain?

The San Diego area is one of the country’s prime locations for swap meets and flea markets. If you’re looking for just about anything, you’ll be able to find it at one of the swap meets on our list.

Some people like to go just to walk around, some like to browse, and some are on a mission to find something very specific.

Luckily, San Diego’s swap meets and flea markets have it all. There are thousands of vendors if you combine all the listed locations!

Use our extensive guide to learn about the finest swap meets and flea markets that the city has to offer.

Related:

The 7 Best Swap Meets in Orange County

The 11 Best Swap Meets And Flea Markets In Los Angeles In 2022

The Best Swap Meets and Flea Markets In San Diego

1. Kobey’s Sports Arena Swap Meet

kobeys swap meet orange county

(photo: Ejl E.)

Kobey’s Sports Arena Swap Meet describes itself as “a clean, family-oriented outdoor marketplace.”

If you want to sell, this is a great place to start out. They have great prices for dealers’ spots and have equipment available to rent such as canopies, clothes racks, and wheelchairs.

One reviewer concisely describes the range of things available at the market: “I get plants, I get socks, I get pants, I get shoes, I get tools, I get creepy photos, I get it all.”

If you’re looking for a one-stop-shop, Kobey’s is the place to go. That’s what makes it San Diego’s finest swap meet.

Not only is it the largest swap meet in San Diego County, it’s also one of the largest in the entire state! No wonder it needs a sports arena.

They operate every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 7am to 3pm. Admission is $1 on Friday and $2 on Saturday and Sunday. Children 11 and under are free.

3500 Sports Arena Blvd, San Diego, CA

2. Spring Valley Swap Meet

spring valley swap meet san diego

(photo: Nathan D)

The Spring Valley Swap Meet has been open since 1970 and offers: “Food. Antiques. Garage sales. Fabrics. Farmers market. Flowers. People watching. And so much more.”

People gush over the great food and assortment of things available. Whether you’re an antique enthusiast or swerve your car at the sight of a garage sale, you’ll love the Spring Valley Swap Meet.

Not only are there great treasures to find, but the fruits and vegetables at the farmers market are both high-quality and cheap.

You can spend hours walking around if you take the time to look at all of the booths. Every vendor has something different from the next and you are bound to come across some very interesting finds.

It’s such a good market that it fills up incredibly quickly, and sometimes a line starts forming before it even opens!

They are open Saturday and Sunday from 7am to 3pm. Admission is $1 and cash only. Parking is free.

6377 Quarry Rd, Spring Valley, CA

3. National City Swap Meet

national city swap meet san diego

(photo: linda_flres)

The National City Swap Meet is a prized place to shop for nearly anything you could think of. Having been around since 1962, they know what they’re doing.

Locals recommend going on the early side, as it can fill up fast. It is smaller than the Spring Valley Swap Meet, although many people attend both.

The fabric and fruits are honorable mentions. It also has an incredible taco shop right next door.

They are open from 7am to 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $.50 and cash only, with free parking available.

3200 D Ave, National City, CA

4. Santee Swap Meet

santee swap meet san diego

(photo: santeeswapmeet)

The Santee Swap Meet averages a whopping 2,000 shoppers and 150 sellers each Saturday and Sunday! It has been family owned since 1958, drawing in customers for over six decades.

It has great hidden treasures and mind-blowing bargains. You can find anything you can dream of: antiques, electronics, fishing gear, bikes, and more.

Some die-hard fans opt for early entry at 5:15am for a $5 fee. Regular hours of operation are 6am to 1pm every Saturday and Sunday, rain or shine.

Saturday admission is $1 and Sunday admission is $2 with free on-site parking.

10990 Woodside Ave N Santee, CA

5. South Bay Drive-In Theatre and Swap Meet

south bay drive-in swap meet san diego

(photo: Victor G.)

This is one of the most unique swap meets you’ll ever find.

A drive-in theater that doubles as a swap meet, the South Bay Drive-In Theatre and Swap Meet has it all.

It operates as a theater at night 7 days a week, meanwhile transforming into a swap meet on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 6am- 2pm.

You can find almost anything at this swap meet, from rusty old tools to stunning jewelry. With over 300 vendors, you’d have to visit almost 40 vendors an hour to see them all in one day!

Admission is $1 on Wednesdays and $.50 on Saturdays and Sundays.

2170 Coronado Ave, San Diego, CA

6. San Diego Vintage Flea Market

san diego vintage flea market

(photo: sdvintagefleamarket)

The San Diego Vintage Flea Market is known as San Diego’s most prominent vintage flea market.

It is a huge flea market where you can easily find little treasures to take home. Many locals have been going to this flea market for years because it gets you hooked. Haggling is encouraged!

Unlike some other flea markets, dogs are completely welcome, although not recommended during the hottest months.

It is open on the first Saturday of the month from 10am to 4pm. It has a $1 entrance fee, with children 12 and under getting in for free.

A portion of the door fee goes to a different nonprofit every month.

3366 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA

7. Consignments Classics

consignment classics san diego

(photo: consignmentclassicscenter)

Consignment Classics has been around for over 20 years and “is the place to go when it’s time to make your house a home.”

They offer new and gently-used home decor and furniture.

They have four locations, with the San Diego showroom being a whopping 36,000 square feet!

They also have a vintage and antique center where over 100 dealers sell their goods. Mid century and modern furniture, art deco, Victorian pieces, collectibles, artwork, and more can be found in their 40,000 square foot antique center.

They’re open Monday-Saturday from 9am- 7pm and Sunday from 10am- 6pm.

3602 Kurtz St, San Diego, CA and 1895 Hancock St, San Diego, CA

8. Encinitas Bazaar

encinitas bazaar san diego

(photo: encinitasbazaar)

Encinitas Bazaar is an outdoor marketplace where an assortment of quirky vendors sell their goods.

Specialties include crystals, tie dye, tapestry, and vegan products. Items range from handcrafted to vintage.

Hippies of all genders and ethnicities can be found at this artsy Bazaar. If you like to people watch, this is the location for you!

The size of the market depends on the weather and time of year. Saturdays tend to have more vendors as well as a larger crowd.

Encinitas Bazaar is open on Saturdays from 10am- 5pm and Sundays from 9am- 5pm.

459 Coast HWY 101, Encinitas, CA

Final Thoughts About Swap Meets And Flea Markets In San Diego

Whether you’re a die-hard flea market fan or just a casual observer, you should make it a goal of yours to visit every swap meet on our list at least once.

Using this guide, you can find anything from local fruit to handcrafted art to antiques so old you’ll wonder how they’ve survived.

If it’s your first time going to a swap meet, be prepared to get addicted. After you go to one, you’ll want to go to them all!

So get together a group of friends and explore the booths. You never know what you might come across!

Mariska Lee

Mariska is a recovering attorney who gave up her professional job to discover new perspectives of life while traveling in a 2009 Ford Transit. She has been living the van life for 3 years and has not looked back since.

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