Soggy Socks and Smashed Cucumbers: Our (Soaked) Sneak Peek at the Seven Seas Food Festival

Katherine: We got an exclusive invite to preview the Seven Seas Food Festival before it opened.

Kelsi: It was a magical, dream come true moment. And also… a monsoon.

When SeaWorld San Diego offered us a behind-the-scenes preview of the Seven Seas Food Festival, we envisioned a whimsical, fairy-lit evening of nibbling international bites and sipping cocktails under a dreamy coastal sky.

What we got? Biblical rain, the kind that turns sidewalks into slip ‘n slides and fashion into survival mode. But with 150+ food and drink options on the line, we weren’t about to let a little light flooding get between us and a braised meatball.

Step One: Raincoats, Optimism, and a Soggy Game Plan

Katherine: We arrived layered like we were about to hike Everest.

Kelsi: Except instead of a summit, we were scaling the mountain of global cuisine. In sneakers. In puddles.

As the last of the SeaWorld day guests cleared out, we made our way into the park for the special preview event. The vibe? Quiet. Mysterious. Slightly haunted by the rain. We were handed a map that, at the time, felt like our guiding light. Little did we know, it would resemble damp papier-mâché by the end of the night.

We huddled under our shared umbrella, turned on our phone flashlights like it was a middle school sleepover, and planned our route. Spoiler: Our shoes were soaked before we even hit the first booth.

Step Two: African Spices and Rain-Drenched Resilience

We kicked things off strong at the Africa booth, which quickly set the tone for the night:

• West African Suya – Yaji-spiced beef with red onion and cilantro that slapped us back to life.
• Charred Cabbage with Curry Sauce – A sleeper hit. Who knew soggy cabbage under actual rain could be divine?

Kelsi: I would walk through three more storms for that Suya.

Katherine: My socks have disintegrated. And I regret nothing.

Map in one hand, fork in the other, umbrella in… the crook of a neck? We weren’t thriving. But we were feasting.

We squished off to our next stop, shoes audibly sloshing, laughing at the sheer drama of it all. This was no longer a food festival. This was a quest.

Step Three: France, Snails, and a Flashlight

Next up? France. Because nothing says “romance” like eating escargot while your coat slowly absorbs a gallon of rainwater.

• Escargot in Puff Pastry – Delicate, buttery, and gave “main character in a culinary period piece” energy.
• Crème Brûlée – Caramelized perfection. We stood in the rain cracking the top like it was a tiny victory.

Between each stop, we huddled under the umbrella like soggy Sherlocks, peering at our map-turned-wet-paper-towel with flashlights to plot our next target.

Katherine: We look like we’re mapping enemy territory.

Kelsi: The enemy is wet socks, and we’re losing.

Still, we pressed on.

Step Four: Mediterranean Magic and Determined Drizzle Walks

We sloshed our way to the Mediterranean booth, which honestly deserved a red carpet and dry shoes:

• Greek Lamb Pita Pocket – Warm, juicy, and gone in 30 seconds.
• Frozen Mediterranean Sunset Mocktail – Ice-cold in the rain, because we’re chaotic like that.

Did we consider skipping the drinks because of the cold? Absolutely not. We are food-motivated, flavor-devoted, umbrella-wielding women on a mission. And we weren’t going to miss a booth just because the weather was auditioning for a disaster movie.

Step Five: The Philippines, France Again, and Our Downward Spiral into Deliciousness

By this point, we were starting to resemble swamp creatures. But nothing could stop us from reaching the Philippines booth for a life-altering bite of:

• Pork Belly Sisig – Crispy. Savory. Perfect.
• Turon – A sweet plantain-jackfruit miracle that revived our spirits like a warm hug.

We took shelter under a slightly-leaking festival tent, consulted our mush of a map, and locked eyes with the France booth again. Look. Desperate times call for second crème brûlée.

Katherine: We’ve entered our dessert era.

Kelsi: I’m not leaving this park until I’m carried out on a sugar high.

Step Six: Cocktails, Cold Hands, and Culinary Euphoria

Did we stop for cocktails? Absolutely. Would we do it again, despite the literal hypothermia creeping in? Yes. Because:

• Ube Margarita (Fortune Bar) – Bright purple, tangy-sweet, tequila-kissed perfection.
• The Black Rose – Moody, floral, and deeply romantic.
• Frozen French 75 – We had zero business ordering a frozen drink mid-storm… but we had to.

Every drink was a vibe. Every sip made us feel like glamorous if mildly frostbitten, heroines in a food-centric adventure film.

Step Seven: Our Last Bite (and 3,000 Steps Later)

We ended the night with a triumphant final stop at Korea, because no Seven Seas journey is complete without:

• Smashed Kimchi Cucumbers – Tangy, spicy, crunchy heaven.
• Korean Fried Chicken – Dynamite sauce. We died. Came back to life. Ate more.

Our shoes made the sound of betrayal with every step. The map? Ripped. Our faces? Rain-washed but satisfied. On our way towards the exit gates, we ran into a SeaWorld employee who thanked us for coming and asked us if we had tried the “Cherry Coke Rib Mac & Cheese.”

Katherine: I’m sorry—the what now?

Kelsi: Ma’am, with all due respect, that feels like information we should’ve received immediately upon entry.

We did a full dramatic pivot—umbrella flapping—and beelined to the SoCal booth like women on a mission. One last bite. One last shot at cheesy glory. And wow, did it deliver. The Cherry Coke Short Rib Mac was everything: rich, melty, bourbon-braised perfection tangled in creamy mac & cheese with just a whisper of sweetness. It was cozy, it was indulgent, and it felt like a warm hug from the state of California itself.

Final Thoughts: Was It Worth It?

Katherine: We braved a monsoon for macarons. And we’d do it again.

Kelsi: This wasn’t just a festival. It was a delicious endurance challenge—and we crushed it.

We may have left the park looking like we survived Survivor: San Diego – Snack Edition, but make no mistake: this festival is absolutely worth weathering anything—rain, wind, maybe even a mild hurricane. The food is that good.

Key Takeaways:

Event: Seven Seas Food Festival at SeaWorld San Diego

When: Fridays–Sundays, March 7–April 27

Must-Try Bites: Pork Belly Sisig, Suya, Escargot, Smashed Kimchi Cucumbers

Drink MVPs: Ube Margarita, The Black Rose, Frozen French 75 (rain be damned)

Pro Tip: Bring waterproof shoes, a backup umbrella, and someone who’s down to eat their way through international cuisine no matter the forecast

Because when the food slaps this hard, a little water never hurt anybody.