SDICRCNA 40 Registration & Information
If you’re heading to San Diego for the 40th San Diego Imperial Counties Regional Convention of Narcotics Anonymous, you might want to give yourself a little extra time.
SDICRCNA 40 — “Light the Way” takes place January 1–3, 2027, at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego. But the recovery weekend can actually begin a night earlier: the San Diego Imperial Counties Region is hosting a 40th Anniversary New Year’s Eve Masquerade Party at the same hotel on December 31.
That means an out-of-town visitor can turn one convention into a four-day recovery-centered New Year’s getaway — and the location happens to put you right on San Diego’s downtown waterfront.
Start the Trip on New Year’s Eve
Rather than flying in on January 1 and heading straight into the convention, consider arriving a day or two early.
The 40th Anniversary New Year’s Eve Masquerade Party runs from 6:00 p.m. until midnight on December 31 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt. The event is being promoted around fellowship, fun, countdown and gratitude, and it rolls directly into the opening day of SDICRCNA 40.
That creates a pretty appealing itinerary:
December 30: Arrive, check in and explore downtown San Diego.
December 31: Spend the day sightseeing, then attend the New Year’s Eve Masquerade Party that evening.
January 1–3: SDICRCNA 40.
January 4: Add an extra sightseeing day before heading home.
Instead of trying to squeeze an entire vacation into the spaces between convention activities, you can put most of the sightseeing on either side of the event and let the convention remain the center of the trip.
You’re Already on the Waterfront
One of the best things about this particular convention is the location.
The Manchester Grand Hyatt is at 1 Market Place in downtown San Diego, directly on San Diego Bay. Hyatt describes the location as highly walkable, with the Embarcadero, Seaport Village, Gaslamp Quarter, USS Midway Museum and San Diego Convention Center all accessible on foot.
So even if you only have a couple of hours free, you don’t necessarily need a car or an elaborate itinerary.
Walk outside and you’re already in an area worth exploring.
Take a Walk Through Seaport Village and the Embarcadero
For an easy outing between convention activities, start with Seaport Village and the waterfront.
Seaport Village sits along San Diego Bay and combines shops, restaurants, waterfront paths and views across the bay. The surrounding Embarcadero continues along the waterfront with parks, public art, maritime attractions and plenty of places to simply walk and enjoy San Diego.
This is probably the easiest option if you have a free morning or afternoon but don’t want to venture far from the convention.
Grab something to eat, walk along the bay and head back when it’s time for the next meeting, workshop or speaker.
Visit the USS Midway Museum
History buffs have another major San Diego attraction practically next door.
The USS Midway Museum is located along the Embarcadero and is one of the prominent attractions within walking distance of the Manchester Grand Hyatt.
Touring the museum takes more commitment than simply walking the waterfront, so this might be a better choice for someone arriving early or staying an extra day.
Even if you don’t tour the ship, the surrounding harbor area is worth seeing.
Spend Half a Day at Balboa Park
If you can carve out half a day — or extend your trip through Monday — Balboa Park is an easy addition to a San Diego visit.
The park is home to the San Diego Zoo, gardens, historic architecture and 18 museums, covering everything from art and natural history to science, aviation and model railroads.
You could spend an entire day there without running out of things to see, but you don’t have to.
Choose one museum, walk the grounds, have lunch and return downtown. Or save Balboa Park for January 4 after the convention has ended and enjoy it without watching the clock.
Head Across to Coronado
If you came to Southern California hoping to see the ocean, consider setting aside a few hours for Coronado.
You can make the trip across the bay, walk the beach and explore the area without turning it into an all-day excursion.
January obviously isn’t peak swimming season, but you don’t have to get in the water to appreciate a Southern California beach. A long walk along the coast can be a pretty nice change of pace after several days inside convention rooms.
Explore the Gaslamp Quarter or Little Italy
Downtown also gives you plenty of options for meals away from the hotel.
The Gaslamp Quarter is within walking distance of the Manchester Grand Hyatt, while Little Italy is also nearby and accessible by a longer walk or short ride.
Both areas give you plenty of restaurant choices if a group of friends wants to go out for dinner between convention activities.
For a recovery trip, that may be all the itinerary you need: find some good food, spend time with people you came with or people you just met, and make it back for the evening program.
If You Only Have a Few Hours
You don’t need to see everything.
If your convention schedule is packed, keep things simple:
One or two free hours: Walk Seaport Village and the Embarcadero.
Half a day: Visit the USS Midway or explore Balboa Park.
An extra day: Make Balboa Park, Coronado or another part of San Diego your main outing.
The point isn’t to cram every tourist attraction into a recovery convention weekend.
It’s to recognize that if you’re already traveling hundreds or thousands of miles to be there, you can experience a little of the place you traveled to.
Make Recovery the Reason for the Trip
That’s really the idea behind While You’re in Town.
A convention doesn’t have to be three days spent entirely inside a hotel followed by a trip back to the airport.
It can be the anchor for a vacation.
For SDICRCNA 40, that could mean ringing in the new year with fellowship on December 31, spending January 1–3 at the convention, walking along San Diego Bay between activities and giving yourself another day to experience Southern California before returning home.
Recovery brought you to town.
You might as well see a little of it while you’re there.
SDICRCNA 40 Event Details
40th Anniversary New Year’s Eve Masquerade Party
December 31, 2026
6:00 p.m.–Midnight
Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego
1 Market Place, San Diego, California
SDICRCNA 40 — Light the Way
January 1–3, 2027
Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego
1 Market Place, San Diego, California
The official convention site currently has convention registration, hotel information and additional convention activities available, including meals, bingo, golf, a comedy show and other options. Because registration, hotel availability, pricing and schedules can change, travelers should always confirm current information with the official convention before booking their trip.
Official Convention Website:
SDICRCNA 40 Registration & Information
Event Directory:
[VIEW SDICRCNA 40 IN THE NA EVENT DIRECTORY]
[VIEW THE NEW YEAR’S EVE MASQUERADE PARTY]
[SEARCH ALL UPCOMING NA EVENTS]
Featured photo: Stephen Leonardi / Pexels