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25 Fun & Free Things to do in San Diego

It doesn’t require a lot of money to have fun in San Diego, in fact…there are many things to do and see for free. With a variety of settings, near-perfect weather, and 70 miles of beautiful beaches, San Diego can offer a fun but inexpensive getaway during all seasons of the year for adults and children.

1. Visit Seaport Village on the weekends for free entertainment and hours of leisurely window-shopping.  Or you can sit in the grass and gaze at passing ships or yachts in the San Diego Bay.
2. One of the most beautiful natural settings in the world, visit La Jolla Cove and view the magnificent sunset.
3. Fly a kite in Mission Bay Park which has plenty of grass.    It’s a great place to fly a kite because of the bay breezes.
4. Head to one of San Diego’s beaches, which are free for the puglic to swim, surf and much more.
5. Take a walk through the historic Gaslamp Quarter in downtown San Diego and check out the renovated architecture, art galleries and boutiques.
6. Visit Old Town and check out San Diego’s history by viewing Old Town’s historic buildings, blacksmith shop, Stewart House, Seeley Stables and the oldest schoolhouse in San Diego.
7. Jog or bike through the popular Mission Bay Park’s many trails where joggers share more than 20 miles of scenic running paths that win through shade and sunlight near the shoreline.
8. Park on the first Wednesday of every month in front of Reuben H. Feet Science Center in Balboa Park to stargaze.  The San Diego Astronomy Association sets up huge telescopes to offer guests a great view of the night sky.
9. Enjoy free organ concerts at 2 p.m. on Sundays at the Spreckels Organ Pavillion in Balboa Park which features one of the world’s largest outdoor pipe organs.
10. Check out the apple-town, Julian, and its century-old gold mining town in the Cuyamaca Mountains.  You can pick up a free map at the Chamber of Commerce for a self-guided walking tour of the area’s historic sites.  Make sure to sit down for a slice of homemade apple pie – a Julian specialty.
11. Take a one-hour drive to Mt. Laguna and take an invigorating hike while enjoying the fresh mountain air.
12. Rollerblade, bicycle or skateboard along Mission Beach Boardwalk on a scenic 3-mile boardwalk.
13. Head out to Torrey Pines State Park for a picnic where you can also watch the talented and daring hang-gliders do tricks in the strong winds along the coastline cliffs.
14. Visit the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista for a free tour of the 150-acre facility, including athlete dorms, training fields, tracks and the Otay Lake Reservoir.  Tours are offered daily from Copley Visitor Center between 10am-3pm on Monday-Saturday and 11am-3pm on Sunday.
15. Visit the Mission Tails Regional Park to explore the recreational, historical and cultural aspects of San Diego.  Learn about nature and the people who once lived on the land.  Or roam, the park’s 40 miles of natural and developed hiking trails.
16. Cross the board and visit Tijuana, Mexico.  Entrance is free and the shops offer unique gifts and apparel or make great window-shopping.
17. Go bird watching at Torrey Pines, where there are many thrashers, woodpeckers, wrentits and swifts.
18. Have a beach bonfire on one of the beaches in San Diego County, including Mission Beach, Coronado Beach and La Jolla Shores.
19. Go scuba diving or snorkeling off San Diego‘s shores.  La Jolla Cove offers some of the clearest waters on the California coast and miles of protected underwater preserves.
20. Check out the tidepools in Point Loma at low tide and discover anemones, octopui, spongy deadman’s fingers, shore crabs and many other sea creatures up close and personal.
21. Visit museums that offer free days each month at the Balboa Park while marveling at the beautiful Spanish Colonial Revival architecture.  Free days are with select museums on Tuesdays.
22. At the top of Mt. Soledad in La Jolla is a breaktaking, 360-degree view of San Diego which includes the curvy Mission Bay and La Jolla coastline.
23. The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego is free on the third Tuesday of each month, the downtown facility is free daily.
24. Take a scenic walk along The Big Bay, San Diego’s “largest attractions”.  Over 27 miles of waterfront feature bayside parks, shops and restaurants, marinas and miles of promenades and bikeways.
25. Visit the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.  The 600,000 acre park is one of the largest state parks in the United States and each spring after rain, gives forth a rainbow of colorful wildflower blossoms.