Military discounts at San Diego attractions in 2026: what is actually confirmed

This list is for service members, veterans and visiting families who want to know which San Diego discounts are real right now, not which ones a coupon site claims. Every offer below was checked on the attraction's own website on October 5, 2026. Where an offer covers only the service member, or ends soon, we say so. If we could not confirm a 2026 discount for a place, it is not here.

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Leaflet | © OpenStreetMap contributors

Attraction

1. 1SeaWorld San Diego — Waves of Honor free visit through Dec 31, 2026
2. 2San Diego Zoo — Free for active duty with ID
3. 3San Diego Zoo Safari Park — Free for active duty with ID
4. 4USS Midway Museum — Active duty free, veterans $26
5. 5LEGOLAND California — Up to 10% off, 2-for-1 multi-day
6. 6Birch Aquarium at Scripps — $3 off with code MILITARY
7. 7San Diego Air & Space Museum — Active-duty rate $15
8. 8Petco Park — Padres military pricing via GovX
9. 9Cabrillo National Monument — Free with America the Beautiful military pass

Base ticket office

1. 10ITT Ticket Office, ADM Robinson Rec Center (Naval Base San Diego) — Mon-Fri 9-5, Sat 9-2
2. 11ITT Ticket Office, Waterfront Rec Center (Naval Base San Diego) — Mon-Fri 7:30-4
3. 12ITT Ticket Office, NAS North Island — Mon-Fri 9-5, Sat 9-2
4. 13ITT, MCRD San Diego — Wed-Fri 9-6, Sat 9-2
5. 14ITT, MCAS Miramar — Near the McDonald's and Navy Federal

Pins are approximate. ITT offices are on base and need a military or DoD ID to enter. Source: attraction and Navy/MCCS websites, checked October 5, 2026.

See these on the full San Diego map

1. SeaWorld San Diego: Waves of Honor is still running

Waves of Honor is confirmed for 2026. Active-duty members, activated or drilling reservists and National Guard members get one free single-day visit for themselves plus up to three direct dependents, valid through December 31, 2026. You register and verify through ID.me on SeaWorld's site, then bring printed tickets and your military ID. Spouses can redeem if the service member is overseas. The Military Silver Pass is $113 and gives 12 months of admission, free general parking, three guest tickets and up to 20% off in-park purchases; you can buy up to six. The catch: Howl-O-Scream and other separately ticketed events are not included, and dependents over 10 need ID. SeaWorld is at 500 Sea World Drive on Mission Bay.

2. San Diego Zoo and Safari Park

Active-duty members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard, plus Guard, reserves and service academy cadets, get in free every day at both the San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park and the Safari Park in Escondido. Show a CAC or uniformed services ID at the turnstile. Spouses and dependents get 10% off 1-Day Passes, not free entry. Retirees and veterans get no discount at the gate; the Zoo points them to base MWR offices instead. Parking is not included. Forget your ID and you pay full price with no refund later.

3. USS Midway Museum

The carrier museum on Navy Pier is free for active-duty military and reservists with valid ID. Veterans pay $26 with proof of service for each veteran ticket. Everyone else pays $39 online or $41 at the door for adults 13 and up, and $29 online for kids 4 to 12. See our full USS Midway Museum guide for parking and timing.

4. LEGOLAND California

LEGOLAND in Carlsbad extends military pricing to active duty, retirees, veterans, spouses and dependents. It is a discount, not free entry: up to 10% off a 1-day LEGOLAND ticket, or a 2-Day SEA LIFE or Resort Hopper where the second day is free if used within 90 days. Buy at a base ticket office or through LEGOLAND's military page. Honest drawback: the savings on a 1-day ticket are small, so the 2-day Hopper is where the value is.

5. Birch Aquarium at Scripps

Birch Aquarium in La Jolla takes $3 off admission for active, reserve and retired service members and veterans. Buy online with promo code MILITARY, up to six tickets, and show military ID at the door. Base ticket offices also carry discounted Birch tickets.

6. Balboa Park museums and Blue Star Museums

Blue Star Museums, the summer program that gives active-duty families free museum entry, ran May 16 to September 7, 2026 in San Diego, at places including the San Diego Museum of Art, Mingei International Museum and the San Diego Automotive Museum. It is over for this year. Outside that window, the San Diego Air & Space Museum in Balboa Park charges active-duty members $15 and retired military $29 with ID. For the rest of the park, see Balboa Park admission and free Tuesdays for residents.

7. Padres games at Petco Park

The Padres give active-duty members, veterans and their families 25% off Sunday tickets and 10% off tickets all season, verified through GovX on the Padres website (blackout dates apply). The 2026 Military Sundays ran from Military Opening Day on April 12 through the POW/MIA and Veterans Salute on September 20. With the regular season over, this is one to bookmark for spring. Base ITT offices also sell Padres tickets.

8. Cabrillo National Monument

Cabrillo, at the tip of Point Loma, normally charges $20 per vehicle or $10 per person on foot or bike. The free America the Beautiful Military Annual Pass covers current military and dependents, and the free Military Lifetime Pass covers veterans and Gold Star families. Both work at every federal recreation site and need valid photo ID. The park is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

9. ITT ticket offices on base

• —What they are: ITT (Information, Tickets and Travel; Tours at Marine bases) offices sell discounted tickets to theme parks, harbor cruises, shows and Padres games to authorized military patrons. All sales are final at the Navy offices.
• —Naval Base San Diego, ADM Robinson Rec Center: Building 3223, dry side of base. Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.-2 p.m. 619-556-2180.
• —Naval Base San Diego, Waterfront Rec Center: 3515 Brinser St, Building 45. Mon-Fri 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m. 619-556-2174.
• —NAS North Island: inside the Navy Exchange Mall, Coronado. Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.-2 p.m. 619-545-9576.
• —MCRD San Diego: 3800 Chosin Ave, Building 16. Wed-Fri 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat 9 a.m.-2 p.m. 619-725-6350.
• —MCAS Miramar: Building 2524 on Elrod Ave, in the lot by McDonald's and Navy Federal. 858-307-4141.

Moving here on orders? Start with our PCS to San Diego checklist and 2026 BAH rates. Visiting for a graduation? See things to do around a Marine graduation.