Fun and Free Activities in San Diego

AFFORDABLE SAN DIEGO

The nation’s 8th largest city, San Diego may be known for its great weather, beautiful beaches, and laid-back residents, but did you know that having fun in San Diego doesn't require a lot of money; in fact, many things to see and do in San Diego are absolutely free.

Arts and Culture

Visitors can relive early California history for free in Old Town State Historic Park, the first Spanish settlement on the U.S. West Coast, and stroll through its many historic buildings, including San Diego's first schoolhouse.

In Balboa Park, the largest urban cultural park in the country, the Timken Museum of Art is always free, and several of the park's other museums offer free admission on Tuesdays. Free Balboa Park tours include ranger-led general tours every Tuesday and Saturday, architectural history tours on the first Wednesday of the month and botanical tours every Saturday. Except for the Japanese Friendship Garden, all of the park's stunning gardens free as are the Botanical Building and the House of Pacific Relations International Cottages.

The Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego is free to visitors ages 25 and under every day at both its La Jolla and downtown San Diego facilities.

Guests can take a self-guided walking tour of the extensive outdoor sculpture installations by top-name contemporary artists included in the Stuart Collection, located on the campus of the University of California San Diego in La Jolla.

Explore San Diego's dazzling displays of public art from both local and internationally known artists.

At Chicano Park, visitors can experience the Chicano Park Murals, established by activists in 1970. This cultural park has received international recognition as a major public art site for its commanding mural paintings; some of the murals narrate the history of Barrio Logan where the park is located.

In 2010, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego commissioned renowned street artists including Shepard Fairey and Invader to leave their mark on the city with dazzling murals hidden throughout San Diego's downtown neighborhoods.

Known for his organic structures steeped in nature, local artist James Hubbell's eight fantastical structures can be viewed at his 40-acre artists complex in East County, and several other stunning Hubbell sculptural works are sprinkled throughout San Diego County.

Whether hippie or hipster, San Diego's artists, locals, and visitors converge on the second Saturday every month for the Ray at Night art walk. In addition to nearly two-dozen North Park galleries adjacent to Ray Street that extend their hours late into the night for this free event, Ray at Night often features performance art ranging from DJs to fire dancers. The event is San Diego's biggest monthly art walk, and the people watching can be just as good as anything on display at the participating galleries. www.rayatnightartwalk.com

Scenic Adventures

Free, guided nature walks are available at 10 am and 2 pm on Saturday and Sunday mornings at the Torrey Pines State Reserve in La Jolla. Guests can feast their eyes on the dramatic cliffs overlooking the Pacific Ocean, as well as the deep valleys and majestic pine trees in this scenic 1,000-acre wilderness playground.

Cruising San Diego's historic highways is a great way to soak up local colour. Historic Route 101 along the stunning North County coastline begins in La Jolla and runs up to Oceanside. The 40 km (25 mi) route meanders along the lush Torrey Pines State Preserve and through the charming vintage surf culture of the Del Mar, Encinitas, and Leucadia neighborhoods. Recently declared a California state historic route, Highway 94 is a 80 km (50 mi), tree-lined winding mountain road which runs through San Diego's backcountry. Visitors can find a number of beautiful campgrounds, parks, museums, quaint diners and other hidden treasures, including the Potrero General Store which dates back to the stagecoach era of the mid-1800s and the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum built in 1917, offering scenic one-hour train rides daily and displays dozens of antique locomotives, passenger cars, freight cars and cabooses from the 1880s.

At Mission Trails Regional Park, guests can explore the cultural and ecological history of San Diego free of charge. The Park's Visitor's Center boasts a 94-seat theater where you can learn about the wonders of nature and the people who once lived on the land. The park also offers 40 miles of natural and developed hiking and biking trails to explore year-round.

San Diego's 113 km (70 mi) of beautiful beaches are all open to the public and have free nearby parking. Here, beach lovers can swim, surf, build sandcastles, collect seashells and just bask in the golden sun.

Happiness is calling in San Diego. And you don't even have to pay for the call...