Hey Everyone, it’s Kimberly from Packed with Fun, the official blog for Get Away Today, where we love to share the best travel tips (especially for Southern California) and fun ways to keep vacation magic alive at home. Since we specialize in Southern California, I feel that I have a moral obligation to inform you that October is Kids Free Month in San Diego. It’s a big deal. Almost of all of San Diego’s biggest and best attractions join forces to make San Diego even more family-friendly than it already is by making kids free in San Diego all month long. Given the fact that so many schools have fall breaks in October and San Diego has pretty perfect weather year-round, it’s almost crazy not to go! Here is a brief overview of the rules and what you won’t want to miss:
October is Kids Free Month in San Diego
San Diego Zoo: All kids age 3-11 get in free with an adult – and there’s no limit “within reason,” so none of the buy one, get one stuff applies here. The free kid admission does not include bus tour or Skyfari, but it can be added at the gate. Some of the main attractions here include Panda Canyon, one of the few places where you can see the world-famous pandas, and the new Australian Outback exhibit where you’ll see koalas, wallabys, Tasmanian devils, kookaburras and more.
San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park: All kids 3-11 get in free with an adult and the same “reasonable” rule applies here as well. Free admission does not include Africa Tram or other safari types, but they can be upgraded at the park. I can’t stress enough that you’ll want to make time see the Cheetah Run where you’ll watch the world’s fastest mammal get up to full speed (70 mph) in seconds. You’ll also want to explore Tiger Trails which opened this summer.
SeaWorld San Diego: One child ages 3-9 gets in free with each full-price adult ticket purchased. If it’s been a while since you’ve been to SeaWorld, you’ll definitely notice the difference when you enter the park. You now walk into the new Explorer’s Reef with huge interactive tide pools. This year is also the park’s 50th anniversary and they’re celebrating with a Sea of Surprises. Guests are chosen at random for fun prizes like behind-the-scenes tours, interactive experiences, merchandise and more. As an added bonus, when you visit over a weekend in October, you’ll get to experience their Halloween Spooktacular complete with seasonal shows and trick-or-treating stations.
USS Midway Museum: Two children aged 12 and under get free admission when accompanied by a paying adult. If you haven’t been before, it is something to behold. Be sure to allow enough time for the full audio tour which includes the living and work spaces on the aircraft carrier and the flight deck where you can explore actual jets and planes used by the military.
Old Town Trolley Tours: One child ages 4-12 rides free with each paying adult on the San Diego Old Town Trolley Tour. This tour allows on and off privileges at San Diego’s most popular areas (like Balboa Park, SeaPort Village, Old Town and Coronado) and is a perfect way to get familiar with the city. I recommend doing the Old Town Trolley on your first day just in case you learn about something you want to add into your vacation schedule.
San Diego SEAL Tours: One child ages 4-12 rides free with each paying adult. You start this tour in what appears to be an open-air bus before your “bus” turns into a boat for the second part of your tour – a cruise on the San Diego Bay. It’s pretty awesome.
All of these tickets can be purchased at www.getawaytoday.com or by calling our San Diego experts at 855-GET-AWAY. Just be sure to use promo code: OSSS2014 or mention Or So She Says to save an extra $10 off your vacation package. (2 night stay and 2 ticket minimum)
There are also tons of museums like the San Diego Automotive Museum, Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum, Museum of Music Making and San Diego Railroad Museum that are participating. Local restaurants also jumped in on the fun and are offering Kids Eat Free all month long as well. It is awesome.
And, to make it even better, Get Away Today has some of the best hotels with 4th or 5th night free specials still available – even over UEA for Utah families! Some of my top hotel recommendations include:
Hampton Inn Mission Valley – This is a brand new hotel with free hot breakfast and a 4th night free!
Days Hotel – The rooms come with a mini-fridge and microwave, plus they have a 4th night free!
Dana on Mission Bay – This hotel is located right on the marina of Mission Bay, features two outdoor pools and has a 5th night free!
If you’re thinking you’d like to visit San Diego this October, (and I think I’ve made a pretty strong case as to why you’d want to), you’ll want to book now. Head on over to www.getawaytoday.com or call 855-GET-AWAY to get started. Use promo code: OSSS2014 or mention Or So She Says to save an extra $10 off your vacation package. (2 night stay and 2 ticket minimum)
We did this last year and it was AWESOME! You can’t go wrong in San Diego.