Free things to do in San Diego

17 places in San Diego with free entry or no charge, based on guide listings and map data.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

SeeLa Jolla
Athenaeum Music & Arts Library
A nonprofit, membership library which sponsors art exhibitions, concerts, lectures, and art classes.
Tue Thu-Sat 10AM-5:30PM, Wed 10AM-8:30PM, closed Sundays and MondaysFree
DoMission Beach-Pacific Beach
Belmont Park
A seaside amusement park located near the southern end of Mission Beach, Belmont Park is a landmark with a number of shops, restaurants, an arcade, and a bunch of rides. The big attraction is the Giant Dipper, a historic roller coaster that is one of the only two remaining oceanfront roller coasters still operating on the west coast. Also popular is The Plunge, a historic indoor heated swimming pool that continues to be the city's largest indoor pool. Among the other rides is a FlowRider (a simulated wave attraction which you can bodyboard on), an antique carousel, bumper cars, slides, pendulum rides, tilt-a-whirl, and a trampoline.
Open April–December, hours vary by season and day of week; typically 11AM-8PMGeneral admission free, ride tickets $1 each (rides take anywhere from 3-6 tickets each); unlimited ride passes available
SeeBalboa Park-Hillcrest
Centro Cultural de la Raza
A cultural arts center dedicated to promoting Chicano, Mexican, Indigenous and Latino art and culture. The gallery showcases rotating exhibits and performances regularly take place here.
Tue-Sun noon-4PMFree; donations accepted
DoNorth
Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve
A large park stretching several miles between the I-5/I-805 intersection and I-15, just south and roughly parallel to SR-56. There is very beautiful scenery which can be explored via the system of hiking, biking and equestrian trails. The park also contains a few historical landmarks, including the Rancho de los Penasquitos, one of the oldest surviving homes in the region, dating back to 1823. Tours of the house are available every Saturday at 11AM.
Tue-Sat 9AM-5PMFree
SeeOld Town-Mission Valley
Mason Street Schoolhouse
Established around 1865, this was the first public school house in San Diego. The school offers daily tours, and visitors can sit at the desk and examine the books on display.
Daily 10AM-4PMFree
DoNorth
Mission Trails Regional Park
This massive park along the San Diego River between San Diego and Santee is a hidden jewel among the city's park system. Consisting mostly of rugged, hilly scrubland, Mission Trails offers an excellent diversion from the hustle and bustle of the city. Numerous trails criss cross through the park, and there's an excellent visitor center with exhibits on the flora, fauna, and the human history in the area. You can also see the Old Mission Dam, which once provided water to the original mission community of San Diego just to the west in Mission Valley. Cowles Mountain, the tallest point in the city (1,591 feet above sea level), offers a lovely view of the surrounding area clear out to the ocean and is popular with runners and hikers, with several challenging trails ranging from three to five miles (round trip) featuring steep climbs, wooden steps, and rock crossings. Mission Gorge is one of the most popular rock climbing spots in the area, with over 150 routes from 5.0 to 5.12 grades, and suitable for the novice and the experienced climber. In the summers the gorge can be extremely hot in the direct sun, but the crag stays cool and shaded in the until around noon or 1PM. The rest of the year you can climb all day. Also within the park is Lake Murray Reservoir, which is open to boating and fishing.
Free
SeeOld Town-Mission Valley
Mormon Battalion Visitors' Center of San Diego
A monument to the hundreds of Mormons who fought in the US-Mexican War.
Daily 9AM-9PMFree
SeeDowntown
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
Just north of Santa Fe Depot, this museum holds a part of the museum's collection over 4,000 works.
Thu-Tue 11AM-5PM (closed Wednesdays)$10 adults, $5 seniors/students, military/25 and under free (free admission the third Thursday of the month)
SeeOld Town-Mission Valley
Robinson-Rose House Visitor Center
To begin touring, the best place to start is the visitor’s center, which includes a model of what the area looked like in 1872, maps, information about touring, and information about the area’s history. Free guided walking tours of Old Town depart daily at 11AM and 2PM.
Free
SeeBalboa Park-Hillcrest
San Diego History Center
This museum has a large collection of artifacts and exhibits showcasing the history of the city. If you don't want to pay to enter the museum itself, you can just walk into the building (which contains three separate museums) and look at some historical photographs on the walls of the atrium.
Daily 10AM-5PMFree, by donation
SeeNorth
San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park
On December 6, 1846, one of the bloodiest battles of the Mexican-American war took place here. The visitor center on-site has displays on the history of the site.
Sat-Sun 10AM-4PM (until 5PM April-Sept)Free
SeeOld Town-Mission Valley
Seeley Stable Museum
A reconstructed stage coach stop with a collection of vintage carriages inside.
Daily 10AM-5PMFree
DoBalboa Park-Hillcrest
Spreckels Organ Pavilion
Home to one of the world's largest outdoor pipe organs, the Spreckels Pavilion holds a number of free - yes, free of charge - concerts throughout the year.
DoNorth
Tecolote Canyon Natural Park
Tecolote Canyon is a narrow coastal valley in the neighborhood of Clairemont which offers miles of trails open to hiking and biking. The visitor center at the mouth of the canyon offers exhibits on the flora and fauna found in the park.
Free
SeeBalboa Park-Hillcrest
Timken Museum of Art
A small art museum with collections of lesser-known pieces from famous European old masters, American, and Russian painters.
Tue-Sat 10AM-4:30PM, Sun noon-4:30PMFree
SeeMid-City Not mapped
Chicano Park
A park distinctive for being the site of a militant takeover like Berkeley Park in Berkeley CA, by individuals affiliated with the Chicano Movement resisting assimilation in the likes of Cesar Chavez, with the main attraction being extensive murals beneath the Coronado Bridge superstructure. There is also the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center on site and a statue of General Zapata.
Daily 6AM-10PMFree
SeeOld Town-Mission Valley
Sheriff's Museum
Learn the history of the San Diego Sheriff's Department.
Tue-Sat 10AM-4PMFree. Donations accepted

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to San Diego (CC BY-SA 4.0).