Top 10 Free San Diego Attractions for Amazing Family Fun!Looking for free San Diego family fun? You don’t have to have big bucks to have big fun in San Diego. Just check out our are our 10 ten favorite free things to do in San Diego Whether you’re vacationing from another state or you're a local San Diegan, here are 10 ideas to make memories with your kids, absolutely free!
1. Spend a Day at Coronado Municipal Beach.
Park near the Hotel Del Coronado and walk up and down the coast. Find a spot to build sandcastles and dip your toes in the water or swim, go boogie boarding, or surf if it’s warm enough. (Believe it or not, 65-70 degrees is considered a WARM water temperature here in Southern California!) And don't forget to bring picnic lunch for a cheap and yummy lunch or dinner on your free San Diego adventure! There are places to rinse your feet at the Hotel Del Coronado (locals call it "The Del") and the restrooms along the beach. You can’t beat the picture perfect view of the ocean, Hotel Del Coronado and Point Loma in the distance. The surf is gentle, the sand is soft and the lifeguards are present year round. San Diego residents and active military with ID can enjoy any of these museums for free on those days. You’ll find them noted below:
Reuben H. Fleet Science Center
Free the second Tuesday of each month--
Free the third Tuesday of each month--
Free the fourth Tuesday of each month--
Fifth Tuesdays of each month--
Note: Some museums may offer complimentary admission to their permanent collections only and charge admission to special exhibitions or films.
3. Seaport Village. Located downtown on West Harbor Drive and Pacific Highway, this free San Diego attraction is 14 acres of waterfront shopping, dining and entertainment. But you don’t have to buy anything to have a good time. Parking is free for 2 hours. Just ask someone to validate your parking ticket when you’re browsing in their store. Our favorite places to look around for kids are Apple Box (a toy store specializing in wooden toys), Carousel Music Box Company, Kite Flite, Safari Animal Collection, and Rip Squeak and Friends Gallery. There's even a Harley Davidson for your little biker. Also, the carousel is great for younger kids at $2 per ride. This is a great place to fly a kite, pack a picnic and enjoy a fantastic view, or listen to free entertainment.
Click here for more about Seaport Village. 
4. Mission Bay Park. A great place for free San Diego playgrounds is Mission Bay Park. Centrally located and super close to Sea World, Mission Bay offers really great play areas with beautiful views. Try the playground at Tecolote Shores North just south of the Hilton Hotel in East Mission Bay.
5. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista. This year-round facility is home for U.S. Olympic athletes training in track and field, canoe/kayak, cycling, field hockey, soccer, archery and rowing. Your kids will be inspired to go for the gold (and even have the chance to take their picture on a medal stand!). The Olympic Training Center is located at 2800 Olympic Parkway. The Copley Visitor Center is open from 10 am – 5 pm. Free San Diego Olympic Training Center tours are offered Tuesday through Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Call 619-656-1500 for reservations.
6. Walk around La Jolla. Drive down Prospect Street, head down towards the Cove and find a parking spot along the water in lovely La Jolla. Walk along the sidewalk and take in one of California’s most beautiful shorelines. Bring a Frisbee and let your kids play on the large grassy areas, or bring sand toys and head towards the beach. Search for crabs or sea anemones in the tide pools. Visit the sea lions near the Children’s Pool. And then there’s always window shopping. Browse in quaint and free San Diego shops ranging from t-shirts to fine art. 7. Coronado Library. Of course you know any library has wonderful books for kids, but when you visit the Coronado library, you’ll find much more! Railroad buffs will love the train that runs along a track overhead. Meanwhile, your kids can entertain you at the well-stocked puppet theatre at this free San Diego spot. They can grab their favorite books and sit in a little kid-sized gazebo to read. This library is lovingly designed to delight the heart of a child and inspire them to read. Story Hours are held on Tuesdays and Fridays in the Ruby Room. Toddlers: 10:10 am for infants through 2 ½ or 3 years old-- -A 20 minute session for our youngest library users. Toddlers sing, play, and read stories geared for the very young set. Pre-Schoolers: 10:45am for children 3 to 6 years old -- -A 30 minute session of songs, finger plays, puppets and a variety of stories chosen for the older pre-school crowd. Children's craft programs are held on Tuesdays at 3pm several times a month in the Ruby Room. Check the library calendar for dates and projects. Crafts include holiday celebrations, puppetry and story themed projects. The Coronado Library is located at 640 Orange Avenue, Coronado, 92118. Call 619-522-7390 for more information. 
8. The New Children’s Museum. Every second Sunday of the month, admission to the New Children’s Museum is absolutely free. Sponsored by Target, this free San Diego attractions will save you $10 per ticket (adult or child ticket is normally $10). The museum is located at 200 West Island Avenue. For more information, call 619-233-8792. 
9. Old Town. Here’s where you can combine a little history lesson with some fun on your free San Diego day out. Old Town San Diego is the first European settlement in what is now California. In 1769, Spanish priest Father Juniper Serra found California’s first mission here. Today, Old Town includes a state historic park and related historic sites, plus lots of shops and restaurants. The State Historic Park is nine square blocks. You’ll find California’s first schoolhouse, a blacksmith shop, the state’s first newspaper office and a stable. In between all these preserved buildings, you’ll find Spanish themed shops. Check out the visitor center for daily free guided tours. 
10. Free Sunday Concerts at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park. John and Adolph Spreckels donated the Spreckels Organ to the City of San Diego in 1914. For decades, organists have been giving free concerts using this unique organ containing over 4,500 pipes ranging in length from the size of a pencil to 32 feet! Free San Diego concerts are given every Sunday from 2:00-3:00 pm. Oh...by the way, there's more free San Diego things to do! Here are a few more ideas for your family... 11. Drive to the top of Mt. Soledad in La Jolla. You'll find breathtaking, 360-degree views of San Diego, including the gently curving La Jolla coastline and Mission Bay. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday, 9:00 am to 3:30 pm. Enter the base through the Museum Gate (off Miramar Road in Mira Mesa). For general information, call 1-877-FLY-USMC (359-8762). |
