Looking for activities that are fit to kids and adults alike? There are a lot of things you can actually do in San Diego that do not require a lot of money. In fact, some are totally free! San Diego actually offers inexpensive vacations from its beautiful beaches to other magnificent settings countywide.
Free things to do with your family and friends:
- Bask/Surf in San Diego’s beaches – you can do everything you want under the sun. Swim, body-surf, sunbathe; the beaches are free to the public!
- Witness La Jolla Cove’s magnificent sunset – San Diego’s La Jolla Cove is considered as one of the most amazing natural views in the world.
- Stroll in San Diego’s Seaport Village – After shopping, you can relax and sit down on the grass and treat yourselves with amazing views like the San Diego Bay, the passing yachts, and many more.
- Walk through Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego – Get to see unique Victorian architecture, art galleries, boutiques and shops.
- Fly a kite in the Tecolote Shores of Mission Bay Park – there are no signs of tall trees and overhead wires so a lot of families gather here and launch colourful kites.
- Visit the Spreckels Organ Pavillion for a free organ concert – Located in Balboa Park, the show starts at 2:00pm every Sunday. You can also have a photo opt with one of the world’s biggest outdoor pipe organs, San Diego’s old landmark.
- Visit Old Town – this living legacy of San Diego history contains historic buildings, blacksmith shop, Seeley Stables, Stewart House, Estudillo House, including the oldest schoolhouse in the city.
- Explore Mission Bay Park’s trails – Save yourself from spending too much at the gym and choose the trail you want to jog or bike with. There are also workout courses featured at planned stations.
- Go see the US Olympic Training Center – with a vicinity of 150 acre located in Chula Vista, free tours are conducted from the training fields, athletes’ dorms to the Otay Lake Reservoir until 4pm.
- Stargaze outside the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center – Balboa Park is the go-to every first Wednesday of the month. Why? Because the San Diego Astronomy Association provides their own massive telescopes to the public for an evening treat with the stars.
- Drive and hike to Laguna – your lungs will thank you for that invigorating hike and fresh mountain air, trust me. And oh, also your eyes for the scenic view!
- Visit Julian in the Cuyamaca Mountains – Time travel in this century-old gold mining town. Don’t forget to get that free map at the Chamber of Commerce for a self-guided tour. Also, don’t leave the town if you haven’t tried their homemade apple pie – it’s a Julian specialty!
- Head to Torrey Pines State Beach – Grab your picnic basket and enjoy watching the fearless hang gliders doing their thing amidst the strong winds along the coastline cliffs.
- Take that 59-Mile Scenic Drive – if you want an adventure and visit all the must-sees in San Diego.
- Skate until you drop at Mission Beach Boardwalk – Yep, good news to ya’ll skaters! Rollerblade, skateboard or bicycle on the scenic 3-mile boardwalk along picturesque Mission and Pacific Beaches.
- Visit Mission Trails Regional Park – If you want to learn about San Diego’s cultural, recreational and historical aspects, then this is the place to be. Don’t forget to stop by the Visitor’s Center to learn more about the wonders of nature. Not just that, the park also has hiking and biking miles for about 40 miles!
- Go scuba diving or snorkeling in La Jolla Cove – for the water babies, put your invisible gills and fins into use and enjoy the clearest waters on the California coast and say hello to the awesome sea creatures in the protected marine reserves!
- Go bird watching at the Torrey Pines State Reserve – the area is home of the exotic and primitive Torrey Pine as well as the swifts, thrashers, woodpeckers and wrentits, located high above Torrey Pines State Beach.
- Marvel at Balboa Park’s beautiful Spanish Colonial Revival architecture – The Park offers 15 museums, free daily park tours, public organ concerts and seven spectacular gardens.
- Visit the museums downtown and La Jolla’s Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego – these are free on the third Thursday of each month. Open from 5:00 – 7:00 pm.
- Have a bonfire by the beach – gather your family and friends and hit any of these San Diefo County beaches: Coronado Beach, La Jolla Shores and Mission Beach. Enjoy the cozy night!
- Swim on the tide pools in Point Loma – visit the place at low tide and meet the flowery anemones, scurrying chore crabs, elusive octopus and many other beautiful marine life.
- Roadtrip to Mt. Soledad in La Jolla – this peak offers a breathtaking, 360-degree view of San Diego, and a bonus of the Mission Bay and the curving La Jolla coastline. Don’t forget to stop by Mt. Helix for the magnificent views of San Diego’s East County.
- Visit the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park – this 600,000-acre park is one of the biggest parks in the US. Don’t miss the desert’s natural beauty and the blossoming wildflowers every spring.
- Take a scenic walk along The Big Bay – considered as San Diego’s “largest attraction,” it features bayside parks, marinas, hundreds of shops and restaurants, and miles of promenades and bikeways, the Big Bay appeals to all ages and interests.
