Kids Free San Diego!

Around 30 years ago, the San Diego Zoo started to offer free entry for kids during October to boost sales during a normally slow month.  That tradition has now expanded to over 100 companies over San Diego county for the entire month of October.   “Kids Free San Diego” offers everything from free food to free museum tours and even rides on the Amtrak train for kids with an accompanying paid adult.  

Most companies restrict the deal to two free children for every one adult, except for the San Diego Zoo, which only specifies that the amount of children per paying adult must be within reason.  Either way, it’s an amazing opportunity for friendly family fun that doesn’t break the bank.  

Check out a complete list of participating companies HERE and specifically which museums (there are over 40!) which will have free entry HERE.  Note that some places, like the Birch Aquarium, require you either download or print out the coupon in order to take advantage of the deal.  A lot of places define a child as ’12 and under,’ however some places like the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park limit the age to '11 and under.’  

If you’ve ever wanted to book a week for the family at Mission Bay Vacation Rentals, now is the time.  There are enough fun activities and meals to last beyond a seven-day stay.  Below is a list of our favorite picks:

 Belmont Park

Our favorite amusement park is chock full of deals this month!  Kids will receive an Unlimited Ride wristband with the purchase of one full priced adult Unlimited Ride wristband.  With the purchase of an adult unlimited laser tag wristband, one child will also receive an unlimited laser tag wristband.  Kids will love the free cotton candy they get when an adult buys an ice cream cone at The Sweet Shoppe.   You must print out the Coupon (HERE) to redeem these goodies and more!

Restaurant Deals

If you visit the Patio on Lamont during breakfast, kids will get free pancakes with the purchase of an adult breakfast.

If you’ve ever wanted to try the delicious and upscale Brazilian barbecue, Fogo de Chao Brazilian Steakhouse, then this is the month to do it.  Children receive one complimentary  dinner with the purchase of an adult full-priced churrasco dinner, or entree.

For ‘shopaholics,’ Bloomingdales is letting kids eat free at their cafe.  So the whole family will benefit when you need to take a break from a shopping spree for some grub.

Museums & Culture

As we mentioned before, there are over 40 museums taking part in this amazing deal.  Balboa Park will be especially fun for the whole family, as most of their museums will offer up to two free children’s entry for every one paying adult.   You can visit as many museums as you like, just be sure you print out a coupon for the museum you want to visit.  Here are a few that we are especially excited about sharing with the kids:  

The New Children's Museum

USS Midway Museum

Japanese Friendship Garden

San Diego Museum of Art

San Diego Air & Space Museum

Family Entertainment

For every one adult full-priced ‘Adult Hopper’ ticket bought to LEGOLAND, you will get one free ‘Child Hopper’ ticket.  The ‘Hopper’ tickets allow you entry to LEGOLAND, LEGOLAND Water Park, and SEA LIFE Aquarium.  

The San Diego Zoo started it all and the fact that they let more than two children in per one paying adult is pretty awesome.  Just note that the Zoo as well as the San Diego Safari Park define children as 11 and under.  

For educational fun, the lovely Birch Aquarium in La Jolla will engage visitors of all ages.  Just be sure you print out your coupon before you go.  

On the Sea

Two kids can ride free with Flagship Cruises and Events per paid adult for all one and two-hour San Diego Harbor Tours.   

October will be the month that the whole family should learn to surf thanks to Surf Diva La Jolla, where every private surf lesson bought for an adult or child, another child will receive a free private lesson as well. 

Everyday California offers tours and rentals for kayaking and snorkeling, as well as paddle boarding and surfboard rentals.   For every paying adult, one child will be free.    

The whole fam will love taking a gondola cruise through San Diego Bay from the Gondola Company.  Up to four kids ride free for every paying adult couple.   

Take a one or two-hour cruise on Hornblower Cruises and two kids will ride free per adult.   

 By Land & Air

The Amtrak Pacific Surfline train hugs the coast of Southern California for stunning views as it makes its way to San Diego.  This month, one child will receive a free ticket per adult. 

For the truly adventurous,  Corporate Helicopters are offering one free child ride per paying adult for a 30-minute ride over San Diego, but you will need to have a minimum of two adults booked per ride. 

Take a ride on one of San Diego’s charming trolleys through Old Town or La Jolla and Mission Bay on the Old Town Trolley Tours.  For every paying adult, one child will be able to ride for free. 

Whale Watching Season in San Diego

Winter is winding down so be sure to add a whale-watching trip to your itinerary before the whale season ends!  Don't miss your chance to get a glimpse of the majestic grey whales as they migrate from Alaska, passing right by San Diego and Mission Bay, en route to Baja California, where they give birth to their calves.   Their journey starts in December and ends in April for around 20,000 of these whales, so now is the time to grab a camera and go exploring on the sea.    

From Land

The grey whales swim so closely to the shore that you can easily spot them from land.  Below are two of our favorite spots to spend an afternoon enjoying nature and watching for the graceful giants. . .

Thanks to the second largest kelp forest in California, the grey whales hug the San Diego coast on their journey.  One of the closest points you can get to this kelp forest is at the Cabrillo National Park.  Cabrillo has some amazing vantage points for spying whales, such as  the Old Point Loma Lighthouse, a historical structure with views of the city and vast ocean.  A short walk from the Lighthouse is the Whale Overlook, with perfect views of, you guessed it, the migrating mammals.  The park’s visitor center has more information on the whales and rangers are also available to answer questions or give pointers on when and where is the best spot to catch a glimpse of them. 
 

Make a day of it with a visit to Torrey Pines State National Reserve, another gorgeous park with perfect vistas of the whales' path.  After watching the whales on their annual winter journey from the bluffs overlooking the ocean, you can explore the 2000 acres of protected wildlife on over 8 miles of trails.  Torrey Pines is unique not just because of the pristine cliffs and land on the coast, but also because it offers a wilderness of both pine forests and sandstone canyons in the middle of the Southern Californian desert. 

From Sea

Being a coastal city, San Diego offers numerous whale-watching tours, which is a great way to not only appreciate the delicate balance of marine life, but also to experience the stunning San Diego skyline.  Here we’ve highlighted some of our favorites. . .

The world-renowned Birch Aquarium has partnered with Flagship Cruises & Events to offer two very unique excursions to explore the ocean while looking for the giants of the deep. Tours are guided by Birch Aquarium Naturalists and include fact sheets about the gray whale and the best part is, if you don’t see a whale you ride again for free!  For those who don’t have three and a half hours for the standard whale tour, they also offer a ride on The Patriot, a high-speed boat; you get as far out at sea as the other tour, but this ride is an hour and a half long.  A ride on the Patriot also has the same ‘see a whale or the next ride is free’ policy.  Talk about a win-win!

Hornblower Cruises & Events is one of the most popular whale watching ships in San Diego.  Their boats are comfortable, spacious, and fast.  It’s easy to see why they are the most sought after tour when it comes to viewing the whale migration.  They always have live educational narration from both the captain and trained Naturalists from the Natural History Museum, which makes for some fascinating time on the sea.  Before you book, you can check out current sightings and other ocean news on their Whale Report blog. 
 

For a truly luxurious whale watching experience, look no further than the San Diego Sailing Tours.  They offer a half-day tour, which includes a gourmet lunch.  Glide in and out of San Diego Bay and up and down the southern Californian coast on a gorgeous ship.  Stewards serve cheese and crackers along with San Diego made craft beer and chilled wine  (for the adults, naturally) and everyone is served a boxed lunch from their gourmet deli.  At $149 for each passenger, this is truly an elite day on the sea, but one you will never forget! 

Mission Bay Vacation Rentals couldn’t be any closer to the action, so book now and spend some time on both dry land and the water.   Once you get a magical glimpse of these peaceful creatures in their natural habitat, you’ll want to come back for more.