Visiting San Diego on a Budget - A Simple Way to Save on Your Vacation

By Go City Expert
Published: July 18, 2024

There is a reason California has been deemed the Golden State of our nation. With seemingly endless beaches and sunshine - California offers an outdoor playground for kids and families of all ages. Southern California is a great choice for budget-minded travelers when you use a Go San Diego Card, which makes visiting San Diego on a budget a breeze. We’ve connected with some SoCal locals to put together a list of budget-friendly family fun for your next San Diego adventure.

Save on Admission to Tourist Attractions

Admission to many of these San Diego tourist attractions are included on the Go San Diego Card. The Go San Diego Card give you the flexibility to choose as you go from dozens of top attractions to create a vacation tailored to your family's interests. See all available passes, attractions & prices – Learn more. A few of the attractions include:

  • The San Diego Zoo
  • LEGOLAND® California
  • SeaWorld® San Diego
  • USS Midway Museum
  • And more!

Top Attractions to Visit for a Budget Friendly Trip The San Diego Zoo

Image of Animal, Wildlife, Mammal, Kangaroo, Koala, The San Diego Zoo is home to over 3,500 animal ranging from salamanders and frogs to elephants and giant pandas. With a such variety, there is sure to be an animal to wow everyone. This animal haven offers 100 acres of paths surrounded by flourishing plants and is also open 365 days a year. We suggest hopping on the Skyfari to get an overview of the park and map-out your day. The Skyfari offers a bird's-eye-view of exhibits, plants and San Diego’s Balboa Park: you may even scope out an evening picnic spot. Getting In: San Diego Zoo tickets are included on the Go San Diego Card.

LEGOLAND® California

Image of Boy, Child, Male, Person, Female, Girl, Glasses, Located just north of San Diego in Carlsbad, CA, LEGOLAND California is a world of its own. With over 60 rides and attractions, LEGOLAND ignites the imagination while guaranteeing to get everyone’s creative juices flowing. The Imagination Zone exposes children to hands-on stations that allow them to build and race their own cars. Too young to build your own race car? LEGOLAND also offers a DUPLO Play center designed to tap into your toddler's inner engineer. Other attractions at LEGOLAND include: NINJAGO World, Miniland USA, Pirate Shores, Explorer Island and much more for creating a memorable trip. Getting In: LEGOLAND California tickets are included on the Go San Diego Card.

SeaWorld San Diego

Image of Child, Female, Girl, Person, Boy, Male, Adult, Woman, Water, Photo credit: Mike Aguilera/SeaWorld® San Diego
Dive into life underwater with a visit to Sea World San Diego. SeaWorld San Diego is home to a variety of aquatic life and allows visitors to get up close and personal with penguins, sea turtles, dolphins, whales, sharks, California sea lions and more! Ever wanted to speak dolphin? SeaWorld San Diego’s Dolphin Interaction Program is a must-do attraction that teaches you to communicate with dolphin’s using the universal language of play and various hand signals. If you’d rather look and not touch – the park offers a number of shows and attractions that both educate and entertain us about life in our oceans. Getting In: SeaWorld San Diego tickets are included on 3, 5, and 7-Day Go San Diego Cards.

USS Midway Museum

Image of Airport, Airfield, Aircraft, Airplane, Vehicle, Adult, Female, Person, Woman, Glasses, After getting a glimpse of what its life living under the ocean, explore life on the ocean by visiting the USS Midway Museum, America’s longest serving Navy air craft carrier of the 20th century. The USS Midway Museum allows guests to get an inside-look at what life was like aboard the ship for over 225,000 Midway sailors. There are over 60 exhibits that feature all facets of life aboard the Midway from sleeping quarters, engine room, machine shops to the ship’s jail and post office. With over 972 feet to explore, most visitors spend 3-4 hours exploring this “City at Sea.” Getting In: USS Midway Museum tickets are included on the Go San Diego Card.

San Diego Harbor Tour

Image of Vehicle, Yacht, City, Boat, Ferry, Water, Waterfront, There is something amazing about a city-scape from the ocean; hop aboard a San Diego Harbor Tour for the chance to see San Diego Bay from a different perspective. The San Diego Harbor Tour highlights a variety of historical and naval landmarks in San Diego. The tour allows guests to choose between the South Bay’s Coronado Bay Bridge and USS Midway or a tour through North Bay, each tour lasting about an hour. Regardless of which Bay is chosen, you’ll be immersed with both history and beauty while cruising through San Diego Bay! Getting In: One Hour Harbor Tour by Hornblower Cruises are included on the Go San Diego Card.

Fun Options to Visit During Your Trip:

Whether a short or long-stay in San Diego, this city offers so much. Educate the inner scientist, please the ocean lovers or create your own tour-de-San Diego all whilst saving money; below are some fun budget-friendly options also included on the Go San Diego Card. San Diego Zoo Safari Park – If you didn’t expect to go on an African Safari in San Diego – think again! The San Diego Zoo Safari Park is home to over 2,600 animals including lions, tigers, elephants, giraffes, antelope and more! San Diego Air and Space Museum – Located in San Diego’s Balboa Park, fly through aviation history at the San Diego Air and Space Museum. The museum is home to the first vehicle that defied gravity in the sky – a model of the Montgolfier brothers 1783 hot air balloon. San Diego Natural History Museum – Also in Balboa Park, the San Diego Natural History Museum (TheNat) offers enriching history of Southern California and Baja California. View over 200 skulls, fossils and plant life with TheNat’s unique educational family-friendly exhibits. Whale Watching Tour- Spend an afternoon on the water, where you’re guaranteed to see gray whales! This excursion is narrated by a naturalist from Birch Aquarium and will be sure to enlighten you with knowledge off the majestic gray whale. GoCar Tours - Meander through the streets of San Diego with San Diego’s first-ever GPS guided tour car. This little yellow storytelling Gocar will point out landmarks, let you choose the stops and makes for a great way to see the city!

Free Activities for a Budget Friendly Vacation

San Diego Beaches – A trip to California simply isn’t complete without a swim in the Pacific Ocean. Grab the towels, pack the lunches and take a drive down the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) to one of our favorite beaches near San Diego: Mission Beach, Coronado, Imperial Beach and Moonlight Beach. You won’t want to leave the beach before sunset and be sure to pack the camera – California sunsets are a truly stunning. Seals at La Jolla Cove – While exploring the La Jolla area, you’ll want to follow the crowd for this one. On any given day at La Jolla, people gather around Shell Beach and Children’s Pool to watch as Seals and Sea Lion’s swim and frolic throughout the area. These furry friends are used to modelling for photos all day long and you may even want to capture the 'seal scooch' on video. Seaport Village- San Diego’s Seaport Village will satisfy the foodie, music lover and shopaholic all in one place. With over 50 shops, free outdoor entertainment and a variety of restaurants - this unique area is a great place for an afternoon or evening stroll. Old Town- When the Europeans first settled in California, Old Town San Diego was their place of choice! Historic Old Town is now considered the birthplace of California offering rich history, museums, artisan festivals, galleries and restaurants all in one convenient, beautiful area. Mission Bay Park – With 27 miles of sandy shoreline, Mission Bay is scattered with campers, kite boarders, runners and beach goers alike. Mission Bay is a great place to spend an afternoon or evening picnic. We suggest renting bikes and cruising down the 14-mile bike path while taking in the stunning views.

Let's Recap on Visiting San Diego on a Budget

There you go - a few great recommendations for things to do when visiting San Diego on a budget. Remember, many of these great budget friendly attraction options and more are included on the Go San Diego Card, where you can save up to 55% on combined admission vs paying at the gate. So when you are planning your trip, consider including some of these options to your San Diego vacation itinerary.

Go City Expert
Go City Travel Expert

Continue reading

Woman looking across the water towards San Diego's skyline
Blog

Best Cruises in San Diego

San Diego Bay is second to none when it comes to world-class beaches, shops, restaurants and entertainment, not to mention those swoonsome sunsets so typical of the SoCal coastline. You might find yourself hiking the pine-scented bluffs of La Jolla, diving kelp forests at Point Loma, fishing for herring from the historic Ocean Beach Pier, sipping craft beer on the Mission Bay boardwalk, or toasting s’mores at sundown on lively Pacific Beach. But there’s just as much fun to be had on the water, with sport and snorkeling activities aplenty as well as plenty of opportunities to go exploring and whale-watching by boat. Read on for our guide to making the best of the Bay (and beyond) with our pick of the best cruises in San Diego… The Harbor Cruise The classic harbor cruise is a must-do for newbies, as essential a San Diego activity as experiencing the Gaslamp Quarter nightlife, saying hey to the La Jolla seals, or ogling Monet masterpieces in the San Diego Museum of Art. Here’s your chance to kick back, relax and let the crew do the sightseeing for you. Landmarks you’ll spot along the way include Seaport Village (pictured), Coronado Island, the Cabrillo National Monument, and the Old Point Loma Lighthouse on the tip of the peninsula. Crew will also be on hand to serve drinks and point out any native marine life along the way. The San Diego Harbor cruise can be booked via a variety of different operators – the 90-minute City Cruises experience is one of the best and is available as part of the money-saving San Diego attraction pass from Go City. Get more info on pass options here. The Whale-Watching Cruise If viewing whales and dolphins in their natural habitat is on your bucket list, you’ve come to the right place. San Diego’s balmy waters are prime territory for marine mammals: gray whales cruise through the bay en route to and from Mexico’s calving lagoons in winter and spring, while blues cruise the same aquatic highway in summer. Pods of dolphins and colonies of harbor seals mean you rarely have to wait long before some sort of sighting.  Boat tours depart daily from Downtown and Mission Bay, with many guaranteeing a refund in the unlikely event you do fail to set eyes on any of our splendid sea-faring friends. The Speed Boat Cruise Take it up a notch (or seven) on a speed boat adventure across San Diego Bay. Ok, so this one is less a cruise and more of a white-knuckle ride (depending on who’s doing the driving, of course). Just pick up your 13-foot, two-person cruiser and, well, the Bay is your oyster. Maybe you’ll cruise over for close-up views of the USS Midway aircraft museum, or meander down to admire the curvaceous Coronado Bridge, a 200-meter engineering masterpiece in concrete and steel that links Coronado Island to the mainland. Or, y’know, you can just spend the whole time doing donuts in the harbor. The choice is yours. Speed boat hire is also available as part of the Go City San Diego pass. The Coronado Ferry Cruise The cute old-fashioned ferry that chugs across the bay from San Diego to Coronado Island is hands-down the most romantic way to travel between the two. Hop aboard at Broadway Pier (every hour) or San Diego Convention Center (every half-hour) to reach the island in just a few short minutes. There’s plenty to do once on the island, too, from selfies at the iconic Hotel del Coronado (pictured) to farmers’ markets, coastal cycling adventures, and firepit s’mores on the beach. Check out our guide to all things Coronado here. The Amphibious Cruise San Diego SEAL Tours offers the best of both sightseeing worlds thanks to its amphibious ‘boats with wheels’. Board at Seaport Village or the Embarcadero for a 100-minute narrated tour that takes you on one of San Diego’s best ‘cruises’ first through the scenic streets of downtown San Diego then into the water. Transformation from bus to boat complete, the tour continues to sights including the millionaire mansions at Point Loma, Shelter Island, and the world-famous Scripps Institution of Oceanography. The Foodie Cruise Everybody knows serious sightseeing can be hungry work. What better way to acknowledge this than by booking one of San Diego’s top brunch or dinner cruises? Again, there are loads of different operators to pick from, but City Cruises are among the most reputable locally. Get your sea legs on for a two-hour brunch/sightseeing experience that includes pastries, eggs, smoked salmon and more, plus unlimited mimosas during the two-hour cruise. Or, if you prefer to wait until the sun’s over the yardarm, opt for a dinner cruise that promises cocktails, a la carte dining, live DJs and swoonsome views of the San Diego skyline at sunset. The Gondola Cruise Like your cruise experiences a little more… quirky? San Diego Gondola Cruises has just the thing for you! As the name suggests, this experience brings a little slice of Venice to Southern California, with your choice of daytime or sunset cruises of the Coronado Cays aboard a Venetian-style gondola. The ride comes complete with stripy-shirted gondolier, traditional Italian music, and (for an extra charge) a real-life mandolin player. You can even add wine and truffles to the 50-minute experience. Who said romance is dead? The Fishing Cruise The waters around San Diego are rich in sea bass, rock fish, halibut, yellowtail and more. Why else did you think so many dolphins, seals and gulls hang out along the coastline here? There’s a wide range of fishing charters available, from half-day local forays into the harbor and kelp fields to epic voyages into Mexican waters for prized game including dorado and bluefin tuna. Check out the plethora of local operators to find the trip that best suits your skill level and preferred catches. Save on Tours, Attractions and Activities in San Diego Save on admission to San Diego attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Coronado Central Beach in San Diego
Blog

Best Time To Visit San Diego

Let’s be honest: there’s no such thing as a bad time to vacation in San Diego. But when’s best to visit will mostly depend on what kind of break you’re looking for. Cultural sightseeing trip? Visit in February for half-price entry to dozens of museums during San Diego Museum Month. Traveling on a budget? You’ll find some of the best hotel rates between Labor Day and Thanksgiving. Just looking to top up your tan? July through September is when beaches swarm with sun-worshippers as temperatures soar. Check out our short guide to the best time to visit San Diego, by season. Spring March through May is a fine time to visit San Diego, with low hotel rates compared to the summer season and Balboa Park’s thousands of flowers coming into spectacular bloom. Pack a picnic and make a pilgrimage to the city’s great green lung, where March is your last opportunity to admire flowering succulents and cacti in the Desert Garden, all brilliant reds, oranges and pinks contrasting with the dark green flesh of these otherworldly plants. Conversely, the neighboring Rose Garden is just getting started, with its near-200 varieties creating an absolute riot of scent and color through its peak in April and May. Meanwhile, March's enchanting Cherry Blossom Festival in the zen-like Japanese Friendship Garden will make all your Instagram dreams come true. This time of year sees beach life in San Diego already in full swing, with skaters whizzing along the boardwalk at Pacific Beach, firepit cookouts in front of the legendary Hotel del Coronado and kids foraging for mussels, anemones and hermit crabs at low-tide in the kelp-rich tidepools under Ocean Beach Pier and around La Jolla Cove. You can swim, snorkel and surf in the San Diego sea year-round, but you'll want to bring a wetsuit (or rent one from one of the city’s many, many surf shops) if you’re planning on getting wet in March, when the water temperature is still a teeth-chattering 60°F. May tends to bring overcast skies to San Diego. This coastal phenomenon is known locally as the ‘May Gray’ and just happens to make for ideal conditions for hiking the canyons, exploring Balboa Park’s trails or renting a bike to explore the long, rugged coastline with its plethora of sandy beaches. Indeed, for active outdoor types, this may be the best time to visit San Diego, when you get to have all the fun without the sweat. It’s also when the huge zydeco, blues and crawfish festival that is Gator by the Bay rolls into town, with great live music and dancing, plus 10,000 pounds of live crawfish imported straight from Louisiana and cooked to sizzling perfection, Cajun and Creole style! Summer As summer kicks off in earnest, you’ll find wetsuit-free locals and vacationers splashing around in the sea, even as the May Gray continues, becoming – wait for it – the ‘June Gloom’. Don’t worry, it’ll soon burn off! This is the season when sun-worshippers in search of that perfect California tan can be found lounging on beaches along the coast, with an occasional languid foray into the water to cool off. Average daily highs hit 77°F in August, so don’t forget your essentials: sunglasses, an oversized floppy hat and lashings of sunscreen! As well as being San Diego’s hottest season, it’s also its most expensive, with prices soaring in tandem with the summer temperatures, particularly in July when the massive comic book convention that is Comic-Con takes over Downtown, pushing hotel prices higher than Superman can fly – that’s if you can even find a Downtown hotel with any rooms left available. Hillcrest – heart of San Diego’s thriving LGBTQ+ community – also hosts the annual Pride Festival around this time, putting a further squeeze on the city center, but otherwise making it a lively time to visit. Prices increase everywhere at this time but, if you like your summer break a little less hectic, you may find the laid back beachy vibe of family-friendly La Jolla and boho Ocean Beach a little more palatable. Cool off at the San Diego International Beer Festival in June, when ale aficionados can sip, slurp and sample their way through hundreds of beers and ciders from nearly 200 breweries. Of course, great beer is a year-round preoccupation here in the craft-brewing capital of the US, where you can barely leave your hotel without accidentally stumbling into a microbrewery taproom, especially in hip young neighborhoods like North Park, Hillcrest and Ocean Beach. This convention at the Del Mar Fairgrounds merely serves to cement that reputation. Bottoms up! Fall September through November delivers some of the best times to visit San Diego, with clear blue skies, balmy Santa Ana breezes and relatively low rates between Labor Day and Thanksgiving. With kids back at school, major attractions like Pacific Beach, SeaWorld and San Diego Zoo are way less crowded, while late summer and early fall also sees some of the best surfing conditions, when surfers ride the gnarly swells beneath Sunset Cliffs and off the La Jolla coastline, especially at Black’s and Windansea beaches. A glut of events and celebrations lend a real carnival spirit to fall in San Diego, when the world’s fastest super-boats tear around Mission Bay for the San Diego Bayfair and America’s biggest military air show lifts off in Miramar. In October, kids go free at many of San Diego’s biggest attractions, including the zoo, LEGOLAND and the USS Midway Museum. Meanwhile, November’s rock-bottom rates, week-long beer festival (yes, another!) and the San Diego Bay Food and Wine Festival make for a fine cocktail of affordable gluttony and boozy revelry. Winter Winter is a great time to visit San Diego, thanks to the mild climate and stacks of seasonal events. Prices are inevitably up again during the festive period, but it’s worth it for the opportunity to ice-skate in your shorts at Hotel del Coronado’s annual Skating by the Sea event, right? Come for the Christmassy goings-on at Balboa Park’s December Nights festival, including magical light displays, carol singing and fab street food; stay for the Parade of Lights, when boats draped in colorful festive lights and holiday decorations cruise through San Diego Bay by the dozen. December to March is whale-watching season, when gray whales migrate en masse from Alaska to the warm calving grounds of Baja’s lagoons and spotters crowd the cliffs from La Jolla to the Point Loma peninsula in the hope of catching a glimpse. Get up close on a whale-spotting boat trip: there are plenty departing from in and around Mission Bay every day during migration season. You’ve nothing to lose: most will guarantee a sighting or refund your money, and you really can’t say fairer than that. Culture vultures make a beeline for San Diego’s world-class museums every February when Museum Month knocks 50% off the entry price at close to 50 venues. This includes big-hitters such as the San Diego Museum of Art and Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park as well as Downtown’s historic Gaslamp Museum and New Children’s Museum. Associated events in public libraries, where you can pick up your pass, are free. Save on things to do in San Diego Save on admission to San Diego attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
From Missions to Museums: San Diego’s History Fix
Blog

From Missions to Museums: San Diego’s History Fix

Discover the stories, people, and places that shaped San Diego.

Have a 5% discount, on us!

Sign up to our newsletter and receive exclusive discounts, trip inspiration and attraction updates straight to your inbox.