San Diego: Discounts & Deals

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Discounts & Deals

The International Visitor Information Center distributes San Diego Travel Values, a leaflet containing discount coupons for attractions, hotels, and restaurants; it also lists 25 free activities in San Diego. Multiday passes to SeaWorld and Legoland are available from some Mission Bay area hotels. Arts Tix sells half-price, same-day tickets for performances.

Some of the best San Diego attractions are as free as the air. Balboa Park offers several free tours of historic buildings and gardens. Most museums in the park are free on one Tuesday a month, on a rotating schedule. The Spreckels Organ Pavilion presents free concerts on Sunday afternoons. The Maritime Museum offers free admission for kids on Sundays from time to time. Free tours include the Arco Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, a walking tour of the Stuart Sculpture Collection at the University of California at San Diego, and monthly sky-tours using portable telescopes at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center in Balboa Park.

The Passport to Balboa Park, available at the visitor center in the House of Hospitality and at many of the park's museums, grants admission to 12 museums (plus the Japanese Friendship Garden) for a reduced price. It can be used over a number of days. The Best of Balboa Park Combo Pass includes the 13 attractions and a deluxe tour of the San Diego Zoo including a 40-minute bus tour and a Skyfari Aerial Tram ride. The San Diego 3-for-1 Pass is good for unlimited admission to the zoo, the San Diego Wild Animal Park, and SeaWorld for five consecutive days. During October, zoo admission is free for kids, so be prepared for crowds. Both SeaWorld and Legoland offer multiday tickets that may end up saving you money. The San Diego Passport, available through the Old Town Trolley, bundles admissions to some of San Diego's most popular attractions at significant savings. You can print discount coupons for 70 area restaurants at the Web site of the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau (www.sandiego.org).

Discount Arts Tickets

Arts Tix (Horton Plaza, Downtown. 619/497-5000. www.sandiegoperforms.com. Tues.-Thurs. 11-6, Fri. and Sat. 10-6, Sun. 10-5).

Package Deals

Packages combining lodging, dining, theater tickets, and museum admission within San Diego County are available through San Diego Art + Sol, a collaboration of the City of San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau, and their member organizations. Their offerings change frequently; you can order a brochure, but allow four to six weeks for delivery.

Packagers

San Diego Art + Sol (619/236-1212. www.sandiegoartandsol.com).