TIPS
Local know-how for San Diego — where to go, what it costs, what trips people up — checked against the agency, the dataset or the law that decides it, and dated so you can see how fresh it is.
16 tips · showing 1–15
Kids Free San Diego 2026: what's actually free this October, and the catch
All of October 2026, kids get in free with a paid adult at 70-plus museums and big attractions. The Zoo and Safari Park admit up to six kids 11 and under per adult. The catch: rules vary by place, and CityPASS-style passes don't count.
DatesOct 1-31, 2026
Where to stay in San Diego: the best area for your trip, with hotel picks and prices
No car and first trip: Downtown or Little Italy. Beach vacation: Mission Beach, Pacific Beach or Coronado. Splurge and scenery: La Jolla or Del Mar. Tight budget: Old Town or Mission Valley, on the trolley.
City hotel tax11.75-13.75%
5 beach walks worth doing in San Diego
Coronado Central Beach to Dog Beach, the Mission Beach to Pacific Beach boardwalk, La Jolla Shores to Black's Beach, Torrey Pines State Beach to Del Mar, and the Carlsbad seawall. Time the sand walks for low tide.
Longest3.2 mi
Military discounts at San Diego attractions in 2026: what is actually confirmed
Active-duty troops get in free at SeaWorld (through Dec 31, 2026), the Zoo, Safari Park and USS Midway. LEGOLAND, Birch Aquarium, the Padres and Cabrillo offer discounts or free passes. Base ITT offices sell the rest.
SeaWorld free visitThru Dec 31, 2026
5 easy coastal hikes in San Diego while Torrey Pines is closed
San Elijo Lagoon's Nature Center loop, the Tijuana Estuary River Mouth loop, Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, Cabrillo's Bayside Trail and the Batiquitos Lagoon Trail. All are 3.25 miles or less round trip.
Shortest0.5 mi
Are San Diego beaches lifeguarded in winter?
Yes, but only at the City's permanent stations — Ocean Beach, South Mission, Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, North Pacific Beach, Children's Pool, La Jolla Cove and La Jolla Shores — generally from 9 a.m. to dusk; the extra summer towers come down after the season.
Year-round stations (City list)8
Can you go metal detecting on San Diego beaches?
On City of San Diego beaches, generally yes: the city's beach rules don't ban detectors. State beaches set rules park by park, so call first, and Cabrillo National Monument bans even carrying one. Fill your holes.
City beachesGenerally OK
Dog-friendly restaurants, bars and breweries in San Diego: 188 spots, mapped
188 places across San Diego County let you bring your dog, from Ocean Beach brewpubs and bayfront patios with dog menus to Julian wineries. Here they are by area, each on a map, with where dogs can actually sit.
Places mapped188
San Diego's MICHELIN-starred restaurants
Five in San Diego County after the June 2026 guide: Addison in Del Mar with three stars, and one star each for Soichi, Lucien, Jeune et Jolie and Lilo.
Starred restaurants5
The best sports bars in San Diego, by type: big-screen bars, dives, upscale lounges and the ones with good food
Novo Brazil and The Bullpen for giant screens, Bub's and Tom's Watch Bar by Petco, Harbor Town and Time Out for a neighborhood feel, Nason's for a nicer room, and Dirty Birds or Sandbar when the food matters.
Venues20
Where can you borrow a free beach wheelchair in San Diego?
At lifeguard stations around the county. The City lends manual and power beach chairs free at Mission Beach, Pacific Beach, La Jolla Shores, Ocean Beach and Mission Bay; Coronado, Imperial Beach, Del Mar and Oceanside have them too.
CostFree
Where can you camp on the beach in San Diego?
At three state beaches (South Carlsbad, San Elijo in Cardiff, and Silver Strand for self-contained RVs only) and at private Campland on the Bay in Mission Bay. State sites open on ReserveCalifornia six months ahead at 8 a.m. and go fast.
Booking window6 months
COASTER vs. Amtrak: which train to take up the San Diego coast
For trips inside San Diego County, take the COASTER — it stops at eight stations from downtown to Oceanside for a flat $6.50 from October 1, 2026; take the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner if you're going beyond Oceanside or want a café car, and note that COASTER day and monthly passes work on the Surfliner between Oceanside and downtown.
COASTER one-way (from Oct 1)$6.50 flat
Where to watch your college football team in San Diego: the alumni bars, school by school
Ohio State: American Junkie or Oggi's Del Mar. Michigan: The Local PB or Tower 13. Iowa: PB Alehouse. Plus Penn State, USC, Oregon, Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Texas A&M and more, from club pages.
Schools covered17
Living near Camp Pendleton: which gate, which town, and what rent costs in 2026
Oceanside and Carlsbad are closest to the Main Gate, Vista and Fallbrook sit inland, San Clemente uses the north gates, and Temecula and Murrieta rent for less but sit about 32 to 37 miles from the Main Gate.
Main Gate24/7
