October is the BEST time to be a kid in San Diego! The San Diego Museum Council has announced the return of the popular Kids Free San Diego program, presented in partnership with the San Diego Tourism Authority and with support from First 5 San Diego. From Oct. 1-31, children ages 12 and under can enjoy free admission to dozens of museums and other family-friendly attractions throughout San Diego County. With more than 50 participating locations (like the USS Midway Museum (pictured), there is something for every age and interest, including art, science, history, cultural heritage, nature, wildlife, trains, ships and much more. A list of participating museums can be found on the San Diego Museum Council website (with additional locations still being added). Coupons for each museum can be downloaded from the SD Museum Council website. Kids Free San Diego
Fun Things to Do in San Diego
• Take a stroll on the iconic Scripps Pier this fall! During Sunset Pier Walks, guests will join Birch Aquarium naturalists on an exclusive walking tour of Scripps Pier — which is normally closed to the public — and learn about fieldwork being conducted by Scripps Oceanography researchers. The 90-minute tour features hands-on science stations where guests can scoop up plankton, examine samples under the microscope, The tour requires guests to walk the length of the pier and all participants must be ages 9 or older. Participants are encouraged to dress in layers and wear comfortable walking shoes. Sunset Pier Walks
• After the sun goes down. Birch Aquarium will light up for Halloween Aglow, set for 6-8:30 p.m. Oct. 27-28. Modeled after Oceans at Night, the aquarium’s popular adults-only event, Halloween Aglow celebrates the wonders and mysteries of the ocean after dark in a fun family-friendly atmosphere. View the aquarium’s glowing nightscape featuring live music, a costume contest and trick-or-treat stations. There will also be interactive experiences that highlight ocean phenomena that occur at night including bioluminescence. Don’t miss skeleton divers in the Giant Kelp Forest or the opportunity to learn about some weird and wonderful research being done at Scripps Oceanography. Tickets for Halloween Aglow are $27 for members and $30 for the general public. Advanced reservations are required as the event is expected to sell out. Tickets
Get your tickets for the USS Midway Museum’’s “Haunted Hangar Halloween Bash,” where fair winds and frightful seas await! On Oct. 21, visit the Halloween Safety Zone in Midway’s “Haunted Hangar Deck”! Get ready for a “Boo-tiful” evening with a fun lineup of activities, contests, tasty treats, magic potion cocktails for Mom & Dad, and more. And if you dare, be sure to dress up in your spookiest outfits and you can win a big surprise! Last entry into event is at 8 p.m. Tickets
Bring your friends and family for an after-hours Halloween party at the Living Coast Discovery Center from 5-8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28! Celebrate the spooky season with an evening of trick-or-treating, mysterious animal encounters, dissections, Dia de Muertos stories, eerie night hikes, creepy crawlers, arts and crafts, and more! Tickets The Living Coast Discovery Center is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday.
San Diego Botanic Garden is celebrating fall and you’re invited! Enjoy the venue’s seasonal display of pumpkins in Hamilton Children’s Garden from Oct. 12-Nov. 6. Make time for the special Fall Festival Family Day from 10 a.m.-3 pm. Saturday, Oct. 21, featuring fall crafts, the music of Billy Lee and the Swamp Critters, and get ready for Halloween with the Garden’s spooky boo-tanical costume parade. You’ll also have the chance to plant your own ghost succulent, learn about and dissect pumpkins, and hold a slimy worm, if you dare! All participants will receive a mini pumpkin to decorate. Also don’t miss the continuing “killer” exhibition, “Savage Gardens,” featuring hundreds of real carnivorous plants on display in the Conservatory, along with three photo-worthy installations. “Savage Gardens” ends Oct. 29. Looking ahead, another dazzling year of Lightscape is just around the corner at the Garden. Featuring exciting new installations along with returning fan favorites, this one-mile loop has been reimagined for the 2023 season. Merging nature and art, the Garden will come to life at night with festive sights and sounds for all to enjoy. Purchase Lightscape tickets here. San Diego Botanic Garden
Fiesta de Reyes in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park is planning a Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, celebration like no other in San Diego – a free, family-friendly immersive experience designed to bring the spirit of this traditional annual Mexican and South American celebration to life for San Diegans of all ages. The experience runs Oct. 1-Nov. 2. A long-standing Mexican tradition, Dia de los Muertos is celebrated Nov. 1-2 and is an opportunity to remember loved ones with honor in a lively, vibrant way. View more than 50 unique displays. Thousands of marigolds – a traditional flower associated with Día de los Muertos – will garner the courtyard, and live entertainment on the Fiesta de Reyes stage. Staff will dress in festive attire associated with Day of the Dead and merchants will host both traditional and more contemporary altars throughout the plaza. Fiesta de Reyes is open from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. daily, Free parking is available throughout Old Town. Fiesta de Reyes