Free Things for Kids to Do in the Summer in San Diego
San Diego, California's southernmost major city, is on the coast near Mexico. With more than 700 miles of beaches and coastline and a temperate climate, San Diego offers a wide range of activities. San Diego residents and visitors looking to entertain children have many options, including the San Diego Zoo, Sea World and Wild Animal Park. San Diego also has many activities for children that are completely free.
Other People Are Reading
-
Balboa Park
-
Balboa Park is the largest urban cultural center in the United States. Admission to Balboa Park is free; guests have access to the park's gardens, the grounds outside of the park's 14 museums and the botanical building where they can watch the Venus Fly Traps and visit the Touch and Smell Garden. Balboa Park features free concerts throughout the summer for families and kids to enjoy. Children can watch the Balboa Park Carousel, which features the original animals, hand-carved in 1910.
Beaches
-
San Diego's beaches are free to the public. As of 2008, the beaches were mandated alcohol-free, making them a more family-friendly place. Beaches that guests can visit include San Onofre Beach in northern San Diego County, near Camp Pendleton; and the beach at the San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant. San Onofre Beach is virtually untouched because of its proximity to these landmarks; La Jolla Reefs are home to seals and tide pools for children to watch and explore; Carlsbad State Beach consists of many small beaches separated by sea walls but accessible by walkways, which are ideal for taking children on picnics and building sand castles.
-
Mission Bay Park
-
Mission Bay Park is a man-made aquatic park consisting of more than 4,200 acres of water and beaches. Construction of the park began in the 1940s and lasted for nearly 20 years. The park is an ideal place to take kids because of the variety of free activities. Children's activities include kite-flying, picnicking, bird-watching, swimming and fishing. The park is home to a youth campground on Fiesta Island that allows youth groups to camp throughout the year.
Seaport Village
-
Seaport Village in downtown San Diego offers many free attractions and activities for kids. A number of performers line up each day along the tree-lined paths of Seaport Village to perform music and magic and to dance. Visitors can watch performers such as balloon artists, face-painters and caricature artists outside of shops and along the waterfront. Seaport Village has grassy areas for picnics, and many of the outdoor areas are ordained smoke-free, making it a healthy place to take kids.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit san diego skyline image by Janet Wall from Fotolia.com
