Tips for Saving Money on a Trip to San Diego

I started thinking about taking a trip to San Diego and now I can’t stop thinking about it. San Diego is just such a great destination. It’s good for couples, solo trips and family travel. It’s particularly great because there are a lot of free and cheap things to do in San Diego.
I’m not actually going to get the chance to go to San Diego right now but it doesn’t hurt to plan a trip there for whenever I do get the chance to do. I like to keep tabs on the cheapest ways to travel to destinations that interest me. Based on my research so far, I’d say that these are the best ways to save money on a trip to San Diego:

• Don’t plan too far in advance. I keep getting information about great travel deals for San Diego. This looks like the kind of destination where you can plan a last minute trip and save money.
• Save money with economy hotels. I have seen terrific online hotel reviews for a large number of San Diego budget hotels. Of course, there are a lot of expensive hotels, especially in the Gaslamp Quarter, but I think you can stay at a really nice place in San Diego without spending a lot of money on your room.
• Get a cheap rental car. It looks like San Diego is a city where you really need a car to get around. It’s just not feasible to use public transportation here as a visitor from what I can see. I think it’s worth it to get a rental car that’s affordable for this trip.
• Do a lot of people watching. It seems like the best cheap activities in San Diego are things that let you just walk, window shop and people watch. Hanging out at the beach, walking through the Gaslamp District and sitting outside at a cheap outdoor cafe are all great ways to spend a day in San Diego.
• Spend a day at Old Town San Diego. This is a popular attraction and yet it doesn’t cost any money. You can see all of these neat historic things and you get to enjoy a famous place in the city but you don’t have to spend a fortune. That’s the way I like to travel!
• See things at Balboa Park other than the San Diego Zoo. The San Diego Zoo is amazing but it costs a lot of money. It’s located inside of Balboa Park where there are a lot of other things to do that are free or cheap. The museums here, the botanical gardens, the outdoor concerts and the Japanese Tea Gardens are all much more affordable to do and just as fun for the whole family.

That’s what I’ve learned so far about saving money on a trip to San Diego. I’m sure I’ll keep researching this in case I get to go someday so I’ll keep you posted as to what I learn. And any tips that you have about this are welcome!
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