14 Free Things to do in San Diego

California can be expensive for tourists, and San Diego is no exception. Between a higher cost of living and higher gas prices, visitors from outside the U.S. or other parts of the country might find a Southern California trip daunting when it comes to the budget. However, there are plenty of low-cost and even no-cost things to do in San Diego. Here is my local’s list of the top free things to do in San Diego. It’s a great companion to my San Diego on a Budget post!

1.The Beach:

I’ll start with the obvious. The beach is free, and most of our local beaches have free parking, too. There are tons of beaches to choose from, I personally love the beach at Coronado and farther north at La Jolla Cove, but you really can’t go wrong with any of the beaches in between!

2. Waterfront Park:

This downtown park stretches along the Embarcadero and offers lots of green space, great views of the bay, an innovative playground and awesome fountains to play in. The fountains are made for wading and splashing. If you bring a blanket and a picnic, you and your family can enjoy a full day here.

3. The Hotel del Coronado:

Now obviously an overnight stay at this hotel is not super budget-friendly, but ‘the del’ is a great place for a daytime visit. The historic building is interesting in itself, and the halls are lined with old photos from the hotel’s early days. It’s fun to wander around and window shop. The back end of the hotel opens out onto the beach, and there are almost always sand castles to admire.

4. Mission Bay Park:

This vast park along Mission Bay offers great places to picnic, lots of paths for biking, skating jogging or walking, and several playgrounds. There are also many areas with water access for swimming, boating, paddle-boarding, etc. When our kids were little we preferred the bay to the beach because it is more shallow, warmer and doesn’t have the big waves of the beach.  

5. Hiking:

There are so many great places to hike in San Diego that I can’t even attempt to list them, but I’ll just mention two that are easily accessible if you’re just visiting. For beauty and nature, hike Torrey Pines State Reserve. There are several trails to choose from, and some of them are very easy, if you’re not a big hiker or if you have small kids. There is a day use fee if you park within the preserve, but if you get there early enough, you can find free parking along the road before the entrance. Another interesting hike is an urban option: the 7 Bridges Hike that starts in Balboa Park. It takes you through some of San Diego’s most interesting neighborhoods and, as the name suggests, over 7 different bridges. The best guide I’ve found to this hike is here.

6. Watch the Surfers:

San Diego is known for surfing, and watching the locals on the waves is a great experience, particularly for tourists from non-beachy areas. Surfing is year-round in San Diego, even if swimming is not, so this can be a winter activity, too. Some great places to watch surfing are off of the Ocean Beach Pier, Tourmaline State Beach at the north end of Pacific Beach, or in North County at Swami’s in Encinitas. All of these spots are great for sunsets, too!

7. Balboa Park:

It costs nothing to walk around this amazing city park and take in the gardens, the architecture and the performers. I have an entire post on How to Enjoy Balboa Park, but for this list I will specifically mention two admissions-free parts of the park: The Botanical Garden – a beautiful, lush space to catch some greenery and escape the sun for a while, and the Timken Museum – a small but mighty collection of art in the only Balboa Park museum that is free every day.

8. Seaport Village:

Along the bay, at the end of the Embarcadero, sits a quaint little collection of stores, restaurants and walking paths called Seaport Village. This is a lovely spot to walk along the water and enjoy views of the bay and the Coronado Bridge. There’s plenty of green space to relax in or for your littles to run around; it’s also a great place for flying kites! You can catch the ducks in the pond or watch the street performers – on any given day you might see a band, a magic show, or the guy who perfectly balances rocks along the water’s edge. There’s also a carousel, for a small fee.

9. Mount Soledad:

This peak overlooking all of San Diego hosts a Veterans Memorial and one of the best views in the city. It’s a spectacular spot to watch the sunset over the water. You really have to have a car to make the drive up, but it’s absolutely worth it.

10. The San Diego Mission:

Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcalá was the first mission built in California. It is still an active parish church, but it is also open to visitors. The current church is not the original, but the site is a national historic landmark and an interesting place to look into the California Missions’ controversial history.

11. The Little Italy Farmers Market:

One of my favorite free things to do in San Diego is the Farmer’s Market! “Il Mercato” is a Saturday morning market in downtown San Diego’s Little Italy district. While there are numerous farmers markets in San Diego county, this one is probably the largest and most lively. It’s a great place to wander around, check out the stalls, see some great art and grab a bite to eat. Arrive early to find parking.

12. Old Town San Diego:

While you can definitely spend plenty of money dining out and shopping in Old Town, it’s also a great budget choice because there’s a lot to see and do without spending a dime! Just walking around Old Town offers a historical perspective of early San Diego – there’s a cemetery from the 1800s and historic buildings. Most weekends you can find music or dancing performances in the plaza, and on certain holidays – Cinco de Mayo, 16 of September, Día de los Muertos and Christmas – you can find displays, decorations and other celebrations.

13. Free Concerts:

Free music is not hard to find in San Diego, particularly in the summer months. The Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park offers free concerts every Sunday, all year round, and on summer evenings. Many local neighborhoods offer free concerts in the parks: Coronado, Point Loma, Liberty Station, and more. Information can be found here.

14. Presidio Park:

The Presidio was a Spanish fortress built on a hill and was the first permanent European settlement on the West Coast. This national historic landmark how has a museum on site and a perfect picnic-worthy park overlooking San Diego. The Junipero Serra Museum is technically free, because they operate on a donation basis, but the suggested $5 donation is minimal if you choose to go inside.

San Diego is an incredible city, and a great place for a quick getaway, a family vacation or an extended stay! Don’t let the budget deter you from visiting, there are plenty of great free things to do in San Diego.

Make sure you check out my guide to the Perfect San Diego Vacation Itinerary!