Today, country stars like Luke Bryan, Morgan Wallen, and Jordan Davis consume the airwaves. But, before these artists, there was Garth Brooks, the American country music singer-songwriter who has been touring arenas since the 1980s. There are perhaps only a handful of names in country music bigger than Brooks, which speaks volumes about the city of San Diego, as the 59-year-old has chosen San Diego as his only West Coast stop on his 2022 stadium tour, The One Man Show.

On March 5th, 2022, Brooks will perform at Petco Park, his first concert at the venue that also doubles as the home of the MLB’s San Diego Padres. It will also be Brooks’ first show in the San Diego area since September 2015. While many are surprised the country star has opted for one West Coast show, San Diego is accessible from other California cities, such as Palm Springs and Los Angeles, so there’s bound to be traveling fans.

Entertainment In San Diego

Brooks’ decision to play in the city also reflects how San Diego is a pillar for entertainment and perhaps deserves a reputation similar to Los Angeles and San Francisco. For starters, the world-famous comic book convention Comic-Con has taken place in San Diego for over 50 years. There’s also the annual Rock ’n’ Roll San Diego Marathon, first organized in 1998. It is also the initial race of the Rock ’n’ Roll Marathon Series, best known for lining race routes with live bands. 

Other sporting events in San Diego are popular forms of entertainment, such as going to a San Diego Sockers game at Pechanga Arena Stadium. For those who don’t know, the Sockers are the city’s professional indoor soccer franchise that has won a total of 15 titles. Further, as we covered, World Lacrosse recently selected San Diego as the host city of the 2023 Men’s World Championship, which will bring an influx of visitors to the city.

Entertainment Inspired By San Diego

Of course, it’s not just the physical events that take place in San Diego that make it a hotspot for entertainment. Many of the movies that have been filmed in San Diego and/or set in San Diego have been cult classics, bringing tourists and movie fanatics to these locations time and time again. 

For instance, the Anchorman series, starring and written by Will Ferrell, is based around a San Diego television station. The films feature several prominent areas around the city, including the San Diego—Coronado Bridge and Balboa Park. The Anchorman series became an instant hit, with the first installment, The Legend of Ron Burgundy, bringing in nearly $30 million in its opening weekend in 2004.

Interestingly, there have been numerous other forms of entertainment based around the Anchorman series, including board games and online slot games. For example, BetMGM, which has one of the best online casino bonus offers among US operators, has an Anchorman-themed slot game. In this game, the reel symbols are Ron, Brick, Baxter, and other characters from the films. 

Other movies filmed in San Diego and the surrounding areas have inspired entertainment too, including The Longest Yard, Freaky Friday, and Some Like It Hot. The latter, starring Marilyn Monroe, was filmed at the iconic Hotel del Coronado, just across San Diego Bay. Every year, tourists visit the hotel that has inspired countless films, literature, and music.

In the same ways, San Diego-born musicians have inspired similar results. For instance, Blink-182 was formed in the San Diego suburb of Poway. Many diehard fans have gone to Poway to explore where their favorite artists got their start in the world.

So, are we surprised Garth Brooks has selected San Diego as his only West Coast stop? Not really. History tells us San Diego is a hotspot for entertainment, not just in movies but music, literature, and online games. And the more that entertainment focuses on San Diego, the more people will come to visit, helping the city’s tourism sector grow even more.