The funny thing is, as the recession hits San Diego, our entertainment options just continue to expand.
When you’re cash-conscious in a city like San Diego, you don’t have to stay home, you just have to get creative. From upscale happy hours and hosted bars to free outdoor concerts, endless hiking trails and a summer lineup bursting with events and festivals you don’t want to miss, it turns out you don’t need much money to have a fun-filled summer in San Diego.
Beat the recession with these cheap and free things to do in San Diego.
San Diego Guest Lists and Open Bars
Many people assume in order to party at Gaslamp clubs you must pay skyrocketing cover charges and shell out upwards of $12 for a single drink. While that holds true for some, Insiders know better. Pay attention to what events are going on around town and get involved with local promotion efforts for the best (and cheapest) San Diego nightlife experience. Stay up to beat with DJhere (djhere.com), Sfinx (sfinxproductions.com), Fortune (fortune421.com), Encore (encorepresents.net), Night Access (nightaccess.com) and TK Productions (tkent.com) to know what events are going on. Every week, these promotion companies offer free guest lists with early arrival and, more often than not, a hosted bar for the first hour of the party. Find all these events on the DiscoverSD Event Calendar, or become an Insider so you don’t miss out on the specials.
San Diego Happy Hours
We believe you shouldn’t have to sacrifice atmosphere just to find an affordable happy hour. In the name of discount cocktails and chic surroundings, we partied from Del Mar to Pacific Beach and down to East Village to find the best deals. We recommend sunset views and $3 drinks at Firehouse, cheap late night pints and fish tacos at Brigantine, “Happier Hour” at Quarter Kitchen with $5 specialty cocktails and a discount dinner menu, a bottomless glass of wine at Suite & Tender, and $4 you-call-its every evening at Fleetwood. When in doubt, the cheapest of the cheap happy hours are always in Pacific Beach. Find more happy hours.
DSD on NBC: Check out Michelle on NBC San Diego Morning Show spotlighting the best recession busters.
Jumpstart your weekends in Carlsbad with TGIF Jazz in the Parks every Friday from 6 – 8pm at Stagecoach Park, Poinsettia Park and Calavera Hills Park. Coronado Summer Concerts-in-the-Park take place at Spreckels Park Sundays at 6pm from May 24 – September 13. While the San Diego Fair and Del Mar Racing concerts (3 O’Clock Fridays this year) aren’t completely free (must pay for admission to the grounds), Del Mar Twilight Concert Series at Powerhouse Park is free for all, one Tuesday a month at 5 and 7pm from June 16 – September 13. Moonlight Beach is home to Encinitas Sunday Summer Concerts by the Sea from 3-5pm Sundays July – August. Every Sunday from 2 – 4pm, La Jolla Concerts by the Sea take over Scripps Park at La Jolla Cove. Kate Sessions Park hosts Pacific Beach Concerts on the Green on Sundays from 4-6:30pm July 19 – August 16. Find details and more concerts on the DiscoverSD Event Calendar.
San Diego Summer Festivals
This summer is full of events and festivals to keep you entertained on a budget. Some options come with small price tags, but many are completely free. The San Diego County Fair runs June 12-July15, and features art shows, garden shows, livestock shows, shopping, entertainment, carnival rides, games, food and free concerts. Admission ranges from $7 to $13, with additional discounts throughout the season (sdfair.com). Known as one of the biggest and most entertaining street fairs in San Diego, the OB Street Fair & Chili Cook-off on June 27 features a chili cook-off, arts and crafts, food and beer, live music, entertainment, and areas for artists and children (obstreetfair.com). U.S. Open Sandcastle Competition arrives in San Diego July 18-19 with a street fair, entertainment, and sandcastle competitions for kids and pros, for free (usopensandcastle.com). If you do it the right way, Del Mar Racing is a cheap and fun day for friends and family. Running July 2-September 9, admission starts at $6 with free concerts on Fridays and special events all season (delmarscene.com) Pictured: Del Mar Racetrack. Find more summer events.
Have Fun the Local Way
Everyone knows a concert at Humphrey’s, an afternoon in Coronado, and a night out in the Gaslamp are great ways to spend time during summer. But we’re here to tell you there’s a better way. Why pay for a ticket when you can check out your favorite show at Humphrey’s Concerts by the Bay for free, from the comfort of your own boat or raft. Simply float up to the edge of Humphrey’s and soak in the front-row sound (humphreysconcerts.com). Discovering the quaint restaurants and shops of Coronado by foot is fun, but biking across the entire community is better. Even more, save yourself the hassle of parking by leaving your car downtown and hopping on the San Diego Bay Ferry. For only $3.50 each way, bring your bike on the ferry for no extra charge as you embark through the Bay for a day of adventure in Coronado (sdhe.com). If you don’t live downtown, a night out in the Gaslamp can get complicated, unless you do it our way. Skip the cover charge, ride for free, and score a hosted bar… by letting us do the work for you. If you party like an Insider, you can hop on a free party bus from Pacific Beach (calipartybus.com), cut to the front of the line, and indulge in a hosted bar during special events. Find out about these parties on the DiscoverSD Event Calendar.
San Diego Hiking Trails
From El Cajon Mountain to the iconic trails of Torrey Pines State Reserve in La Jolla, San Diego offers a diverse array of hiking trails to suit all preferences. Much cheaper than the gym and complete with a beautiful view, hiking trails in San Diego are perfect for summertime fun. Check out Sunset Cliffs Beach Walk in Ocean Beach (Ocean Front St. and Sunset Blvd.), Torrey Pines State Reserve in La Jolla (North Torrey Pines Rd. and Torrey Pines Scenic Park), Lake Poway to Mt. Woodson (Lake Poway and Espola Rd.), El Cajon Mountain (Wildcat Canyon Rd. and Blue Sky Ranch Rd.), Cowles Mountain (Cowles Mountain Blvd. and Boulder Lake Rd.) and Los Penasquitos Canyon (Black Mountain Rd. to Canyonside Rd.). If you’re looking for a more leisurely walk with the family, visit Cabrillo National Monument in Point Loma (nps.gov/cabr). Pictured: Torrey Pines
San Diego Museums
Balboa Park has generously extended the limited time day pass bargain until 6/30/09, enabling you to score an all-access pass to Balboa Park museums at one affordable price. Do Balboa Park the right way: 4 museums, 1 day, 1 price: $29. For extra bonuses, head to Balboa Park on Sundays for free parking or Tuesdays for extra free museum entrance. Insider Tip: Timken Museum of Art is always free (balboapark.org). Looking outside of Balboa Park, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego in La Jolla is free the third Thursday of the month from 5-7pm, and the downtown location on Kettner is also free the Third Thursday, typically in conjunction with the Thursday Night Thing art mixer event (mcasd.org). If you’re eager for a historical museum experience, head to Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala in Mission Valley (missionsandiego.org) or Mission San Luis Rey de Francia in Oceanside (sanluisrey.org). With donation entry fees ranging from $1 to $5, tour the beautiful mission grounds complete with museums, sanctuaries and botanical gardens, all while soaking in California’s rich history.
San Diego Attractions
From SeaWorld to Belmont Park and San Diego Zoo, there’s no reason you can’t hit the top San Diego attractions this summer, especially due to the season-long specials at each park.
Belmont Park in Mission Beach presents the fifteenth year of Family Nights. Every Tuesday, Family Night offers half-price rides from 4pm to closing, including the Giant Dipper Roller Coaster, Bumper Cars, and the Liberty Carousel. In addition, guests will receive discounts on food and shopping through August 29 (belmontpark.com). Buy the SeaWorld San Diego Fun Card to pay for a day and come back all year ($55-65). This value comes in handy during Summer Nights at
SeaWorld, featuring free concerts and extended hours (seaworldsandiego.com). Become a member of the
San Diego Zoo to play all year long. Right now, get $10 off new memberships for kids and two-for-one adults, ($32-75). Similar discounts apply for
Lego Land (sandiegozoo.org, legoland.com).
San Diego Beer Tasting
We all love taking a weekend trip wine tasting in Temecula, but we often forget about the many breweries in our own backyard. Three of the great San Diego breweries offer monthly tasting events … for free. Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido runs several free tasting tours each week, such as every hour on Saturday from noon until 7pm, and every hour on Sunday from 2 until 4pm. These 45minute tours host 25 people for an intimate experience (stonebrew.com). AleSmith Brewery in Mira Mesa is a bet more selective, with one free tour the last Saturday of every month at 1pm for a lucky group of 40 guests (alesmith.com). Want to bring your crew and escape the crowds? Schedule a tour at Green Flash Brewery in Vista. Booked by appointment only, these tours are personalized to the last detail (greenflashbrew.com).
San Diego Movie and Theater Tickets
When movie tickets are $10 a pop (or more), who even wants to know the price of theater tickets? In a city like San Diego, however, all you need to do is pay attention to the promotions around you to score cheap or free movie tickets and theater tickets. For years you’ve noticed the half-price booth outside Horton Plaza Mall, and now it’s time to put the landmark to use. The Art Tix booth is located at Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego and also in Escondido, and it sells bargain tickets to all the best plays in town (sandiegoperforms/artstix). How many times have you been in your car (or on Twitter…) and heard about a contest or giveaway for free movie tickets on the radio? Pick up your phone and call! Listen to 91.1, 93.3 and 103.7 for new movie ticket contests, and also check out online giveaways and screening passes on gofobo.com and filmmetro.com. Want more San Diego contests? No prob, check out DiscoverSD Contests.
Find more Free Things to Do on our San Diego Wiki.
