Carmel Valley's Halloween Starts at a Fountain That Isn't Running

At 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31, Del Mar Highlands Town Center will start handing out trick-or-treating maps from one spot: the Pop Jet fountain in the lower plaza. Six hours earlier, the free Halloween Party at the Pop Jet kicks off in that same plaza at 10 a.m., with live music and costumes encouraged.

As of mid-October, the center's own website has a banner over that fountain.

"The pop jet fountain is undergoing maintenance. We hope to have it up and running soon!"

The notice appears at the top of the Halloween at The Highlands page and gives no restart date. So for its Halloween events, the Highlands is gathering families around a fixture that may or may not have water in it. That's worth knowing before you plan your Saturday.

Why the Lower Plaza Carries So Much Weight This Year

The Pop Jet is where Del Mar Highlands holds its kids' events, and this summer one of the center's new tenants chose a spot right beside it. In July, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported that Wanderlust Creamery was on its way and "will be located by the pop jet fountain." The center's directory now lists Wanderlust Creamery as "Now Open." An ice cream shop right beside a splash fountain is a smart pairing on a warm afternoon. It works less well while the fountain is down for maintenance.

This isn't the first time the fountain has been down. In March 2023 the center posted a "coming back soon" notice for the Pop Jet, which also promised an opening date later without naming one. The current notice likewise offers a hope and no schedule.

The center's Halloween page lists the 10 a.m. party and the 4 p.m. map pickup at the Pop Jet without saying they depend on the fountain running, so plan on both happening in the lower plaza either way.

What Opened Upstairs While the Fountain Sat Idle

Several of the Highlands' other summer additions went onto the upper level and the decks. According to the Union-Tribune's July roundup, the center planned Lobster Lab for the Sky Deck and Seabørn Cocktails for the Brewer's Deck, taking over the former Boochcraft taproom. The same article noted that L&L Hawaiian Barbecue had recently held a luau-themed grand opening next to Ike's Love and Sandwiches, and that Perspire Sauna Studio and CorePower Yoga had joined the center.

Here is where each one stands as of mid-October, according to the center's listings and the Union-Tribune:

Seabørn is the one to watch for anyone who misses Boochcraft's deck. The listing still says "coming soon." No opening date or hours have been published.

Across El Camino Real, a Swap

One Paseo had a quieter summer, and its biggest change came down to one storefront. Goop Kitchen moved into the former Tender Greens space at 3745 Paseo Place. The Union-Tribune reported that it opened Aug. 31. One Paseo posted its own "now open" announcement on Oct. 1.

The brand is the reason this opening matters beyond Carmel Valley. Gwyneth Paltrow founded Goop Kitchen in 2021 as a delivery and takeout operation, and it has 16 locations in California and three in New York. According to the Union-Tribune, the One Paseo location is its first-ever dine-in restaurant. It's also the first Goop Kitchen in San Diego County.

The whole menu is gluten-free. Dishes are made without seed oils, processed additives, refined sugars or corn. It runs from salads, bowls and wraps to soups, pasta and nine pizzas. The best-known items are the Brentwood Chicken Salad, with organic chicken, bok choy, snow peas, toasted quinoa and a carrot-ginger vinaigrette, and the Pepperoni Potts pizza, named for Paltrow's "Iron Man" character. The patio has black-and-white scalloped umbrellas. Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, and takeout and delivery are still available through goopkitchen.com.

The swap also ties back to the Highlands. Joe & The Juice was one of One Paseo's founding tenants when it opened in 2019, the Union-Tribune noted, describing it as a location that "used to be" there. This June, the brand came back to Carmel Valley across the street, on the Highlands' upper level. So a smoothie-and-sandwich spot moved east across El Camino Real, and One Paseo filled its wellness-food slot with the first sit-down room of a brand that had only ever delivered. Each center now has one of the two.

One Paseo also added a shorter-term tenant. A limited-time KREWE eyewear pop-up opened Oct. 1, and its event page doesn't give a suite number.

Halloween Weekend, Hour by Hour

The two centers didn't schedule against each other. One Paseo takes Friday afternoon and Del Mar Highlands takes Saturday, which lets families with costumes ready do both.

1. Friday, Oct. 30, 3 to 5 p.m. One Paseo hosts a free family Trunk or Treat. If you're making a dinner of it, Goop Kitchen is open until 9 p.m. a few steps away.
2. Saturday, Oct. 31, 10 a.m. The free Halloween Party at the Pop Jet starts in the Del Mar Highlands lower plaza. Costumes are encouraged.
3. Saturday, Oct. 31, 4 to 6 p.m. Trick-or-treating at participating Highlands businesses, while supplies last. Maps are picked up at the Pop Jet fountain, and three character meet-and-greet stations are spread around the center.

The Highlands also has an Eventbrite RSVP for the trick-or-treating, and it enters you in a drawing for four Cinépolis tickets. The center says the event will be photographed and filmed.

Between the morning party and the 4 p.m. map pickup, the Highlands' summer additions fill the middle of the day. A Wanderlust Creamery stop is right there in the lower plaza. Lobster Lab is up on the Sky Deck for an early-afternoon lunch. Joe & The Juice is on the upper level for anyone who'd rather skip the candy. Check the fountain banner on the center's Halloween page that morning. If the banner is gone, the Pop Jet is running again.

If you own near El Camino Real and are curious how being close to One Paseo or Del Mar Highlands figures into your home's value this fall, FW Property Group can walk you through it. Request your free home valuation.