Whether you’re traveling with your family or friends, having fun in San Diego doesn’t require a lot of money; in fact, many things to see and do are absolutely free. With 70 miles of beautiful beaches, near-perfect weather year-round, and a variety of magnificent settings countywide, San Diego offers a fun and inexpensive getaway, for kids and adults, any time of year.
Being a frequent visitor there myself, I’ve compiled a list of activities to give you a good place to start;
- San Diego Beaches: With beaches consistently ranked top in the nation, and free to the public, you can enjoy a swim, body surf or hang-ten. Build a sandcastle, relax with a good book, or just bask in the sun – you won’t be disappointed.
- Visit La Jolla Cove and see the magnificent sunset on the ocean. La Jolla Cove is one of the most spectacular natural settings in the world and delivers a spectacular sunset display at the end of each day.
- Tour the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier: As the longest-serving U.S. Navy carrier of the 20th century, the USS Midway is one of the most popular attractions to experience. Guests can hop aboard the massive ship with more than 29 aircrafts on display, walking in the footsteps of 225,000 Midway sailors who served our country.
- Fly a kite along the grassy field in the Tecolote Shores of Mission Bay Park, a 4,600-acre aquatic park. Here, away from trees and overhead wires, friends and family gather to launch colorful kites into the bay breezes.
- Take a scenic, one-hour drive to Mt. Laguna. Once there, hop out for an invigorating hike and enjoy the fresh mountain air whispering through the pines.
- Grab your picnic basket and head to Torrey Pines State Beach where you can watch talented and daring hang gliders do tricks in the strong winds that sweep along the coastline cliffs.
- Go bird watching at one of the many wetland reserves including Tijuana Estuary, Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge or the Famosa Slough in Point Loma to name a few. San Diego has more than 500 species of birds that either stop along the migration path in fall and spring, or call San Diego home year-round more than any other place in the continental United States.
- Go hiking at Torrey Pines State Reserve. Located high above Torrey Pines State Beach, cliffside hiking trails offer stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. The area is also home of the rare and ancient Torrey Pine as well as a beautiful protected habitat for swifts, thrashers, woodpeckers and wrentits. With cliffside hiking trails that feature stunning views of the Pacific Ocean.
- Drive to the top of Mt. Soledad in La Jolla for breathtaking, 360-degree views of San Diego, including the gently curving La Jolla coastline and Mission Bay. Spectacular views of San Diego’s East County communities also await guests at the top of Mt. Helix.
- Take a scenic walk along The Wonderfront, San Diego’s “largest attraction.” With 27 miles of waterfront featuring bayside parks, marinas, hundreds of shops and restaurants, and miles of promenades and bikeways, the Big Bay appeals to all ages and interests.
