San Diego Bayfair

People were so nice, the hydroplane races were incredible. I came down for the races and spent an absurd amount of money having fun on Mission Bay and all of the surrounding attractions.

I have been attending this event for 30+ years and due downward spiral of Bayfair I will no longer be going. This year they are banning open containers of alcohol in public. This year the only place you are allowed to drink beer/​alcohol is in the beer garden or INSIDE your motor home or trailer.
Bruno S posted this last year and I completely agree:
«Thunderboats Unlimited is falling apart and seems to be going away soon. The whole experience is getting pretty shabby. There used to be entertainment for the fans — aerobatic airplane show, skydiver show, offshore boats giving demonstration races, Saturday night fireworks, Vendors near the start/​finish line on Fiesta Island. Pancake breakfast near the vendor area on the island, printed programs sold along the campspots during the heat races… These are all things that are NO LONGER! Not to mention the missing classes of boats that race — Drag boats etc. Even the main event of Unlimited Hydro boats is getting almost boring with so few boats entered that everyone still running at the end of heat races gets to race in the final! «,
With the requirements the City imposes on this event and quality of the event going down hill I will be surprised if Bayfair is still here in three years.

Thunderboats Unlimited is falling apart and seems to be going away soon. The whole experience is getting pretty shabby. There used to be entertainment for the fans — aerobatic airplane show, skydiver show, offshore boats giving demonstration races, Saturday night fireworks, Vendors near the start/​finish line on Fiesta Island. Pancake breakfast near the vendor area on the island, printed programs sold along the campspots during the heat races… These are all things that are NO LONGER! Not to mention the missing classes of boats that race — Drag boats etc. Even the main event of Unlimited Hydro boats is getting almost boring with so few boats entered that everyone still running at the end of heat races gets to race in the final! Then there is the constant blabber of the P.A. talk that makes no sense most of the time — and never stops all day. Also the annoying electronic CLICK the speakers make ALL DAY LONG really grinds on the nerves. This is also not made any better by the lack of professional security and safety crew for the camping areas. The security crew usually is the cause of concern and disturbance — with nobody to report them to except the San Diego Police — which the security crew specifically forbid you to call!!! What a joke. Then, once your day is done and you settle in for a nights sleep — The extremely loud and slow outhouse vacuum trucks show up anywhere from 1:00 AM to 4:00 AM and wake the whole world up. They park right inside the camping area about 20 yards from the motorhomes, rev their engines for hydraulic power, then turn on the 130 decibel vacuum pumps to make sure your sleep is thoroughly stunted. My friends and I have become so accustomed to all this that we still have fun, but it is almost impossible to get anyone to come down with us anymore. The Fiesta Island camping area is getting more and more empty every year with dozens and dozens of spots not occupied — so that on Sunday the empty spots have squatters come in who have not paid the huge fees for camping that we have, and set up a day camp right beside us for free — because security is so lax that anyone can just drive on in… Plus you better educate yourself, because «bayfair» does not promise any specific class of boat to be racing at all… And NO REFUNDS.

Wow… After several years attending the Bayfair I must say I am ashamed I have not written a review. This is one of those yearly occurrences that a person could write a review for each portion… but alas… only one must do here. In a nut shell, if you live in the area, are visiting, or are a humanoid type being that enjoys fun… humanoid not being a requirement… then you should come check it out! There really is not another event like this… you have the «fair» type area with rides and food, you have several live concerts that go on thru the week, you have the amazing boat races and even an area where you can see the boats up close.
Get Down Here !

Super fast n sexy boats along with great entertainment and good food equals a great wknd on the bay in San Diego :)