During the entire month of October 2016, more than 110 San Diego hotels, restaurants, attractions, museums and transportation companies will offer families with children special deals, so they can enjoy San Diego without emptying their wallets. “Kids Free San Diego” provides families an opportunity to save during budget-conscious times with a variety of “kids free” incentives, ranging from complimentary attraction admission to meals and welcome amenities at area hotels and much more.

Consistently rated one of the top family destinations in North America, San Diego is home to world-class family attractions, abundant arts and culture, fun eateries and hotels and popular activities like surfing, sailing and whale watching.  In October after the summer beach crowds diminish, visitors to San Diego can relish in the region’s sunny weather and warm temperatures and enjoy a number of fun-filled fall activities for the whole family. Below are highlights of the 5th annual “Kids Free San Diego” month.

Big Savings at World-Class Family Attractions

Home to the world-famous San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, SeaWorld San Diego and more, San Diego is offering substantial savings this October with free kids’ admission to local attractions.

• All kids, ages 11 and younger, are admitted free into the San Diego Zoo, celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2016. The offer is also valid at the zoo’s sister attraction, the 1,800-acre San Diego Zoo Safari Park, where guests can get up-close views of rare wildlife through safari-like experiences.
• SeaWorld San Diego is offering one child, ages 3 to 9, free admission with one full-paid adult admission. The same offer is valid at Dine with Shamu, and kids, ages 10 to 12, can participate for free in SeaWorld’s Dolphin Encounter and Dolphin and Beluga Interaction Programs with one paid adult participation (kids must be at least 48” tall to participate).
• Kids can cool off and splash around at Aquatica San Diego, SeaWorld’s sister waterpark that features exciting waterslide attractions in addition to guest experiences with a variety of exotic animals; one child, ages 3 to 9, receives free admission with one full-paid adult admission.

Hotels Roll Out the Welcome Mat for Kids

Located throughout San Diego, hotels ranging from budget options to luxury escapes are rolling out the welcome mat for kids this October. Kids can eat free at many hotels or receive special welcome gifts upon arrival at others.

• Located just steps away from major attractions like the Gaslamp Quarter and Petco Park, downtown’s Omni San Diego Hotel will provide kids, ages 12 and under, with a special welcome backpack and milk-and-cookies turndown service on the night of their arrival.
• The Hilton San Diego Resort & Spa will provide kids, ages 12 and under, with a special “bucket of fun” amenity, perfect for making the most of the resort’s coastal location overlooking Mission Bay.
• At the family friendly Paradise Point Resort on Mission Bay, kids will be able to play for free on land and sea with a special “island allowance” worth $50. The credit can be applied towards the resort’s kid-approved activities including bike or paddleboard rentals, miniature golf, and more.

Kids Can Dig In on the Deals at San Diego’s Restaurants

After an enjoyable day around the city, parents can have a taste of San Diego’s emerging culinary scene while kids eat free at participating family friendly restaurants.

• Located in downtown’s bustling Gaslamp Quarter, Don Chido offers one free kid’s meal with the purchase of an adult entrée. Adults and kids alike will want to save room for the restaurant’s famous churros for dessert.
• After exploring the historic sites of Old Town San Diego, parents can unwind with a margarita and some traditional Mexican fare at Casa Guadalajara while kids enjoy a free meal from the kids menu with every paid adult entrée. 
• Kids can select their favorite item from the kids menu while the adults dining at Pacific Beach Alehouse can choose from the extensive list of local craft beers on tap; diners receive one free kid’s entrée for every paid adult entrée.

Kids Learn and Have a Blast at San Diego’s Diverse Arts and Culture Venues

Kids have endless options to learn while they have fun at more than three dozen San Diego museums countywide that are offering free admission to all kids, ages 12 and under, in October.  Here are just a few of San Diego’s many kid-friendly museums to discover:

• Kids will delight in the new exhibition at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park, where artist Nathan Sawaya transforms countless colorful LEGO pieces into meaningful artistic expressions. The Art of the Brick  features works of beautiful contemporary art made out of one of the world’s most familiar childhood toys.
• Located in downtown, the New Children’s Museum is the place to stimulate a kid’s inquisitiveness and innovative thinking with hands-on exhibits and art making activities. Part tree house, part village, and part undiscovered world, the brand new exhibition The Wonder Sound invites visitors to explore its many rooms and passages, going from the real to the unreal, crossing the threshold from the known to the unknown, and venturing from the wild to the familiar. Accompanied by an original, experimental soundscape by composer Joel P. West, the installation will take guests to strange yet recognizable places.
• Kids can travel back in time as they step aboard one of the many historic ships at the Maritime Museum of San Diego, including the San Salvador, an exact working replica of the ship that Spanish explorer Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sailed when he discovered San Diego in 1542. 

Free Unique and Cool Activities for Kids

During October, kids can enjoy a variety of unique free activities, from paddling San Diego's calm coastal waters to treasure hunting with pirates.

• Families can explore the scenic coastline of La Jolla or Coronado with a rental from Bike and Kayak Tours Inc.; one child, age 12 and under, can ride for free (either solo or in a tandem kayak) with the purchase of one adult kayak tour.
• Future detectives can try their hand at solving a pirate-themed scavenger hunt adventure around Seaport Village with Murder n’ Mayhem tours. One child, ages 12 and under, participates for free with every paid adult ticket for the Seaport Pirate Treasure Hunt.
• Kids can go for a hole-in-one thanks to Riverwalk Golf Club, which offers a free round of golf for kids, ages 15 and under, all day on weekdays and after noon on weekends.

A complete listing of “Kids Free San Diego” participants and their special offers will be available at SanDiego.org/KidsFree beginning in August.  All offers are valid Oct. 1–31, 2016, and age limits and other restrictions vary by venue and activity. Visitors should check for complete offer details and terms at SanDiego.org/KidsFree before visiting any attraction.