San Diego with little kids is easiest around Balboa Park, where the zoo, Fleet and The Nat are all close together.
The places we go back to all year. Where to eat with a toddler, where to burn off energy when it rains, where to splash, what’s worth the admission, and where to spend a night without going far.
Places where a dropped fork is no big deal and nobody minds a little noise.
A casual spot in the San Diego Museum of Art’s sculpture court, with outdoor tables and room for kids to move. It’s a short walk from Fleet and The Nat.
A big food hall at Liberty Station with lots of counters to choose from.
For rainy mornings, cold afternoons and anyone who needs to run in circles for an hour. For toddler classes and every indoor playground we’ve checked, with prices and sock rules, see indoor play in San Diego.
County branches run free baby, toddler and family story times most weekdays, from Imperial Beach up to Fallbrook.
Pools, fountains, zoos and theme parks: the big all-day outings.
The big zoo in Balboa Park. Kids 11 and under get in free with a paid adult through October.
Museums, animals and farm days that hold a little one’s attention.
Hands-on science in Balboa Park. On the third Saturday of the month there’s a quieter accessibility hour from 9 to 10.
Three floors of art-based play downtown. Families on EBT, SNAP or WIC pay $5 a person, up to four people.
Five floors of fossils, animals and a giant-screen theater in Balboa Park.
A night away without a long drive.
A LEGO theme park with its own hotels. Hotel guests get early access to the park.
RV and tent camping on Mission Bay, with tent sites close to the shoreline.
462 bungalow-style rooms on an island in Mission Bay.
These don’t change week to week. Last checked . Hours and prices change, so check the place’s own site before you go. Know a spot we missed? Tell us at hello@littlesweekly.com.
Where a family can go in San Diego without paying for admission. For free days, free events and this week’s free outings, see every free thing to do in San Diego. For regular free days, Museums on Us and EBT discounts in 2027, see free museum days in San Diego.
Free or cheap for babies and toddlers, and easy with a stroller.
Recurring and free. Times change by branch, so check the calendar. For every weekly storytime by day and branch, see library storytimes in San Diego.
Most weekdaysFree baby, toddler and family story times at branches across the county.
Schedule ↗Toddler Tales on Tuesdays and Baby Lapsit on Fridays, 10:30amWeekly baby and toddler story times in North County.
Schedule ↗Baby storytimes, places where babies get in free, and where to change and feed. For rainy days, see indoor play places; for zero-cost ideas, see free things to do.
Fridays at 10:30am · Imperial Beach LibraryA story time for babies and their grown-ups in the South Bay.
Storytime calendar ↗Mondays at 11am · Poway LibrarySongs, rhymes and books for babies on Monday mornings.
Storytime calendar ↗Tuesdays at 1pm · Poway LibraryA second baby session at Poway on Tuesday afternoons.
Storytime calendar ↗Thursdays at 10:30am · Solana Beach LibraryA Thursday morning story time for babies near the coast.
Storytime calendar ↗
2 and under
Admission page ↗2 and under
Admission page ↗Under 1
Admission page ↗2 and under
Admission page ↗Santa visits and Christmas lights only run part of the year, so they have their own pages with this season’s dates and prices. For holiday and indoor rinks with season dates, prices and skate aids, see ice skating with kids in San Diego.
The guide is the evergreen list. Here’s what’s happening in San Diego right now.
Yes. It runs Toddler Time sessions on weekday mornings, and babies under 1 get in free. It’s closed Tuesdays.
San Diego County Library branches run free baby, toddler and family story times most weekdays, from Imperial Beach up to Fallbrook.
Go indoors: San Diego County Library. They’re all under one roof, and most work for a short visit around nap time.
San Diego Zoo: 2 and under free. The New Children’s Museum: Under 1 free. San Diego County Library is also easy with a baby or toddler. Free for the littlest: Fleet Science Center (2 and under) and San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat) (2 and under). See best for under 3s.
Every one of the 10 places is somewhere we’d take a baby, toddler or preschooler, with a note on who it suits and when to skip it. Prices, hours and menus come from each place’s own site, and 4 of them have checked admission or menu prices. The guide was last checked Oct 26, 2026. How we choose and check.
2 and under; kids 3–11: $68; adults: $78. We checked this on its official site on Oct 26, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.
Under 1; kids 1 and up: $20; adults: $25. We checked this on its official site on Oct 26, 2026. Prices change, so confirm before you go.
One short email every Thursday evening with the five things we’d leave the house for in San Diego.
