San Diego Feature

Arts free-for-all: Summertime means free concerts, movies, and theater throughout the county.

Puppet strings: Your kids might not care for Shakespeare at the Old Globe, but you can introduce them to great acting at Balboa Park's Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theatre.

Gallery gathering: Before you visit, scour gallery websites or places like www.sdcitybeat.com or www.sezio.org for upcoming openings, which usually include a spread of sips and snacks—and art, of course.

San Diego Film Festival: This five-day festival in September is a must for film lovers and celebrity spotters—a day pass will get you in to some of San Diego's most glamorous parties.