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2 5 e iconic waterways of Venice inspired owner Sean Jamieson to create e Gondola Company, offering gondola rides in the canals in the Coronado Cays. For a quarter of a century, guests have enjoyed the ambiance of a romantic rendezvous on these authentic water vessels, guided by an experienced gondolier dressed in the traditional striped shirt and straw hat with a colored ribbon. e cruises are a peaceful and enchanting respite. RON DONOHO 2 0 USA Today readers picked the San Diego Food & Wine Festival as the "Best Wine Festival" in the country for the past two years. After two decades, the festival's bayside Grand Tasting on November 9 will feature more than 800 wines, beers, and spirits, served to 6,000 attendees. What started as a Downtown San Diego event has blossomed into a countywide celebration of local food and beverages, as well as an homage to Mexican culinary excellence. RON DONOHO I distinctly remember walking out of the final Padres game at Qualcomm Stadium in September 2003 with an odd sensation of being slightly adrift, the future unknown. But on April 8, 2004, when I joined more than 41,000 people to watch the Friars take on the San Francisco Giants for their first-ever game at their new downtown home, Petco Park, the only feeling I recall is complete awe that this beautiful stadium was ours. Twenty years later, Petco Park has hosted more than 50 million fans and still delivers the magic, from Padres baseball and A-list concerts to community events both on and around the field, and local, if-you-know-you-know eateries (not to mention the most deliciously tempting hot dogs in baseball at Randy Jones Grill). "Petco Park was built 20 years ago on the promise that it would be more than a ballpark," says Padres CEO Erik Greupner. "Over the last two decades, our commitment and investment in activating the ballpark year-round through Padres games and non-baseball events has established Petco Park as the premier sports and entertainment venue in Southern California. Not only has Petco Park served as the catalyst for the redevelopment of Downtown San Diego, but it has become a powerful engine for our regional economy." DEANNA MURPHY In 2005, Jon Foreman, Tim Foreman, Chad Butler, and Jerome Fontamillas — collectively the Grammy Award-winning band Switchfoot — dreamt up the idea of creating a meaningful way to express their gratitude toward the San Diego community that supported them in their youth while giving the next generation the same opportunities to thrive. at idea became the Switchfoot Bro-Am, which just celebrated its 20th anniversary, raising more than $2.75 million to date for local kids through the programs of their selected beneficiaries. rough funds raised at the annual Beach Fest at Moonlight Beach and an evening Benefit Party, Bro-Am's 2025 goals include opening a new neighborhood school pantry with Feeding San Diego, championing a new Music erapy Program inside Rady Children's Hospital, funding a new Core Mariachi Program in Vista Unified School District with Save e Music Foundation, sponsoring more low-income students for afterschool dance programs and academic support at A Step Beyond, providing athletes with physical disabilities sports equipment, lessons, and travel grants through Challenged Athletes Foundation, and increasing enrollment and opportunities at Monarch School for children experiencing homelessness. "Even after 20 years, there's so much more that can be done," says Switchfoot drummer Chad Butler. "So much impact that we can have together, and I can't wait to see what happens next." MIA PARK COURTESY PHOTO