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.
42 tips · showing 1–15
10 free things to do in San Diego that are actually worth it
Balboa Park's gardens, the Sunday organ concert, Sunset Cliffs, La Jolla's seals, shore whale watching, Mount Soledad, Old Town, Chicano Park, the Little Italy Mercato and Liberty Station. The usual catch is parking.
Organ concertSun 2 p.m.
San Diego's 7 Bridges Walk: a swaying suspension bridge, a 1905 wooden trestle and 5 more in one loop
A free 5.5-mile loop through Bankers Hill, Hillcrest and Balboa Park crosses seven historic footbridges, including the 1912 Spruce Street Suspension Bridge that wobbles as you walk. Allow about three hours.
Loop5.5 miles
5 best places to watch the sunset in San Diego
Sunset Cliffs in Point Loma, Coronado Central Beach, Mount Soledad above La Jolla, the Torrey Pines Gliderport and the Oceanside Pier. Skip Cabrillo (gate shuts at 5 p.m.) and the closed OB Pier.
Mt. Soledad822 ft
The big free holiday events in San Diego, December 2026
December Nights in Balboa Park (Fri–Sat, Dec 4–5), the Mission Bay Parade of Lights (Sat, Dec 12) and the San Diego Bay Parade of Lights (Sundays, Dec 13 and 20) are all free; the Holiday Bowl is Monday, December 28 at Snapdragon Stadium.
December NightsDec 4–5 · free
The best tide pool days this winter
Go on a winter afternoon with a minus tide: the best 2026–27 dates at Cabrillo National Monument are Dec 22–24, Jan 20–22 and Feb 18–19, when the tide drops below −1.4 feet between about 2 and 4 p.m. — just before the tidepool area closes at 4:30.
Lowest tide of winter−1.97 ft · Jan 21, 2:51 p.m.
MCRD San Diego graduation guide: Family Day, Gate 5, ID rules and the schedule
Enter at Gate 5, 2200 W Washington St, from 6:30 a.m. Thursday's Family Day starts with the 8:15 a.m. Motivational Run, then liberty on the depot until 5:30 p.m. Friday's ceremony runs 10 to 11:30 a.m. Adults need REAL ID.
Visitor gateGate 5
6 things to do in San Diego when it rains
The USS Midway Museum, Fleet Science Center, The Nat, Comic-Con Museum, Liberty Public Market and a Convoy food crawl. All keep you mostly dry. Note the Comic-Con Museum is closed Wednesdays.
Priciest$39–$41
Cabrillo National Monument: what it is, what it costs and the best time to go
It marks where Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo landed in 1542, the first European expedition to set foot on what's now the U.S. West Coast. Entry is $20 per car, it's open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and it's free on Nov 11, 2026 for U.S. residents.
Entry$20 per car
Halloween in San Diego 2026: what's on, from toddler-friendly to genuinely scary
Little kids: SeaWorld Spooktacular, LEGOLAND Brick-or-Treat and the Zoo's HalGLOWeen, all included with admission. A real scare: Howl-O-Scream or Balboa Park's Haunted Trail. The Haunted Hotel and Scream Zone are off this year.
HalloweenSat, Oct 31
How to see the Sunset Cliffs sea caves (and why the tide decides everything)
Only at a negative low tide on a calm day. Sunset Cliffs Natural Park in Point Loma hides arches and sea caves below 68 acres of bluffs, but the cliffs are unstable, falls have been fatal, and even at low tide you may wade or swim.
Park size68 acres
Liberty Station and its Public Market: what to know before you go
It's the former Naval Training Center in Point Loma, closed in 1997 and turned into shops, restaurants, an arts district and a park. Its centerpiece, Liberty Public Market, is a food hall in the base's 1921 commissary.
Base closed1997
Lobster season is open in San Diego: the rules, the costs, and where to buy one if you'd rather not dive
California spiny lobster season opened at 6 p.m. on Friday, October 2, 2026, and runs until 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17, 2027. You can keep seven a day if they measure at least 3¼ inches across the body shell. Everyone needs a $12.70 report card, kids and pier hoopers included. If you'd rather skip all of that, local lobstermen sell them live at Tuna Harbor on Saturday mornings.
SeasonOct 2 – Mar 17
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
Thanksgiving in San Diego 2026: turkey trots, racing at Del Mar and what's open
The big turkey trot is Father Joe's Villages' 5K through Balboa Park at 7:15 a.m. on Thursday, Nov 26; Encinitas and Oceanside run their own. Del Mar races from 11 a.m. Many museums and city buildings close, so check before you go.
Biggest trot7:15 a.m.
The best shore dives in San Diego, and who each one suits
La Jolla Shores is the default: a sandy beach entry, a gentle slope for beginners and a canyon edge at about 60 feet for experienced divers. La Jolla Cove has the kelp and garibaldi; Point Loma's kelp and Wreck Alley need a boat.
Easiest entryLa Jolla Shores
