There’s no better month to take in the fun and adventure of “California’s Beach City” than in October, when 70 miles of beautiful beaches and warm autumn weather combine with several family-friendly events and activities that are absolutely free for visitors to enjoy.

From an extreme sports festival and star-spangled salute to the military to a performing arts spectacular and festive Mexican holiday tradition, the following are the top 5 free happenings in San Diego during October that families are sure to enjoy while saving significant money to put toward beach toys and souvenirs instead.

• Now in its 6^th year, Kids Free San Diego returns with more than 100 free deals just for kids at San Diego hotels, major attractions (including San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, LEGOLAND California and SeaWorld San Diego), museums, restaurants and sports and recreation activities like surfing, sailing and kayaking, and much more. Visitors can go to www.sandiego.org/kidsfree for a complete list of offers.

• Likened to “NASCAR on the water,” the Extreme Sailing Series festival glides into San Diego Bay for the first time ever on Oct. 19-22. Located just off of Harbor Island, spectators can watch the world’s best sailors in high-performance action on a stadium-style racecourse. The state-of-the-art GC32 boats can fly up to 6 feet above the water, making for a wild and exciting show for onlookers. The free entry Harbor Island Race Village will provide front-row seats for the public, along with other entertainment options throughout the day.

• One of the largest military appreciation events in the country, Fleet Week San Diego features the free Sea & Air Parade on San Diego Bay on Oct. 14. From 12 to 2 p.m., visitors can view the finest of the U.S. military in action, including Navy amphibious ships, destroyers, frigates, submarines, landing craft, Coast Guard Search and Rescue, fly-overs of military aircraft and more. The parade can be seen all along the downtown waterfront, with prime views from the Broadway Pier; arrive early for the best viewing spots. On Oct. 13-15, the public can also enjoy free U.S. Navy ship tours, military displays and Qualcomm’s Innovation Zone on the Broadway Pier and at the Port Pavilion.

• Visitors should prepare to be wowed from Oct. 19-22 during La Jolla Playhouse’s Without Walls (WoW) Festival, a vibrant, interactive site-specific theater series around San Diego. WoW showcases multiple performances by acclaimed local, national and international artists, along with a selection of family friendly offerings occurring simultaneously throughout the weekend. Several of the performances, artist talks and workshops are free , including a pop-up Festival Club and CVUTAIN virtual reality experience in Barrio Logan, Faetopia faerie marionette flash mob (11 a.m. free performance), The Quest 3.0 interactive family adventure (children admitted free) at the New Children’s Museum and more.

• At the end of October, embrace local Mexican culture and honor lost loved ones during free traditional Dia del los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebrations throughout San Diego. Old Town San Diego’s Dia de los Muertos, Oct. 28–Nov. 2, will feature live entertainment, tours of more than 40 colorful altars and a candlelight procession from the state park to Campo Santo Cemetery. In San Diego’s North County , the grounds of Mission San Luis Rey will come alive on Oct. 29 during Dia de los Muertos, Oceanside, featuring carnival rides, altar displays, kids craft activities, classic car show showcasing trunk altars and food vendors. Visitors can also celebrate life at the Encinitas Dia de los Muertos Celebration on Oct. 28, featuring live Latin music, art-making workshops, a student art exhibit, artist demos, food trucks and a contest for best skull makeup. A community ofrenda (remembrance) altar will feature a replica of the town’s famous Surfing Madonna sculpture.

Happiness is calling in San Diego. For more information on San Diego’s free and other exciting offerings, including vacation packages and valuable coupons for attractions, restaurants and more, visit the San Diego Tourism Authority’s website at www.sandiego.org.