Free & Cheap Things to Do with Kids
Explore the best free & cheap things to do with kids options for kids and families in Carlsbad
Magee Park
Scenic park with a rose garden & gazebo. This 2.1-acre public park features a rose garden, gazebo & historic buildings, plus picnic spots.
Buccaneer Park
Municipal basketball courts & play areas. Tiny public green with basketball courts & a playground, plus a path along the Loma Alta Marsh.
Hidden Canyon Park
Green space with a shaded playground. Park with a playscape shaded by huge umbrellas, plus grassy open space & undeveloped land.
Viewing for Flower Field
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Agua Hedionda Lagoon Foundation (Discovery Center)
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Fun Town
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Miniland USA
Lego-built miniature cities & a cafe. Area of Legoland with mini models of U.S. cities from San Francisco to Washington D.C., plus a cafe.
Oceanside Pier Amphitheater
Visit this great place for kids and families!
SEA LIFE Aquarium
Oceanic exhibits & play areas. Family-friendly exhibits featuring more than 5,000 sea creatures, plus a play area & group packages.
California Surf Museum
Historic boards, iconic surfers & more. Surf museum chronicles the history of the sport with exhibits of surfboards, famous surfers & more.
Oceanside Museum of Art
National & global artwork in a mod space. This contemporary building presents a rotating collection of modern art pieces & cultural events.
Oceanside Municipal Pier
Iconic 1,942-ft. wooden ocean pier. Originally built in 1888, this iconic wooden fishing pier stretches 1,942 ft. into the ocean.
LEGOLAND California
Vibrant Lego-themed hotel with a pool. Vivid Lego-themed quarters in a lively hotel offering dining, an outdoor pool & free breakfast.
Buddy Todd Park
Grassy retreat with grills & a play area. Shady outdoor park featuring a children's playground & a covered picnic area with grills & outlets.
Oceanside Harbor Village
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Sea Lion Island
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Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation
Coastal wetland & nature reserve. Protected wetland habitat with on-site parking & wildlife-viewing opportunities.
Heritage Park & Museum
Historic buildings & a gazebo. Park featuring many early 1900s buildings from downtown Oceanside & a gazebo for events.
Leo Carrillo Historic Park
Historic park in the heart of a canyon. 19th-century hacienda in a secluded & meticulously landscaped park, home to numerous wild peacocks.
Stonesteps
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Moonlight State Beach
Volleyball, kids' play area & snack bar. Sandy beach with a snack bar, playground, volleyball & tennis courts & recreation equipment rentals.
Alta Vista Botanical Gardens
Botanical park integrating art & gardens. Botanical gardens dotted with works of art offering native plants, a lotus pond & ongoing classes.
San Diego Botanic Garden
Sprawling locale with unique vegetation. Large botanical garden with vistas & four miles of trails featuring flowering trees, palms & bamboo.
D Street Viewpoint Park
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Sea Cliff County Park
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Discovery Lake
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Double Peak Park
Hiking trails with panoramic vistas. Rugged, 200-acre park featuring a play area & hiking trails that lead to a summit with ocean views.
San Elijo Lagoon and Ecological Reserve
Wildlife-watching & visitor center. Nature reserve with 7 miles of trails plus a visitor center with exhibits overlooking the lagoon.
Fletcher Cove Beach Park
Waterfront viewing deck & a playground. Picturesque park with a viewing deck, grassy area & playground, plus tables & a basketball court.
Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve
Spacious park for hiking & picnics. Large park featuring native plants, picnic areas & hiking, biking & equestrian trails.
San Dieguito County Park
Natural area with playgrounds & sports. This scenic park offers play & picnic areas, plus trails, baseball & basketball facilities.
Rod McLeod Park
Picnicking, a playground & walking path. 18-acre green space offering a tot lot, paved trail & restrooms, plus benches, picnic tables & BBQs.
Powerhouse Park
Bluffside setting for play & leisure. Perched above a wide sandy beach, this green space has a children's playground & picnic areas.
Sea Grove Park
Recreation lawn with an oceanfront view. Oceanside park offering lawns for relaxing & picnicking along with beach access.
San Diego Children's Discovery Museum
Playful, hands-on exhibits for kids. Lively indoor & outdoor museum providing interactive educational exhibits for children.
Sunset Seat
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Extension
State park with rare trees & trails. Beachside park features sandstone bluffs, a visitor's center, rare pine trees & nature trails.
Carmel Del Mar Park
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Torrey Pines State Beach
Sandy swim & surf spot with picnic area. This wide, sandy beach with a picnic area is popular spot for swimming, surfing & fishing.
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve
Trails, beaches, lagoons & wildlife. Acres of oceanside trails for exploring or exercising while spotting occasional dolphins or bobcats.
Mira Mesa Park
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Miramar Overlook Park
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Pacific Beach
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Pennypickle's Workshop
Hands-on children's museum & gift shop. Family-friendly venue with an on-site gift shop offers interactive exhibits for kids of all ages.
Old Town Temecula
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Rose Haven Heritage Garden
Botanical park with 1,600+ plants. This outdoor showcase for many rose varieties offers walking paths, picnic tables & kids' programs.
Town Square
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Sam Hicks Monument Park
Park with a playground & restrooms. Public park featuring a play area, picnic tables, a stone monument, restrooms & more.
Temecula Valley Museum
Regional history & author memorabilia. Historic museum featuring city artifacts & a permanent exhibit on author Erle Stanley Gardner.
Temecula Duck Pond
Pocket park with veterans memorial. Compact park featuring ducks paddling in a petite pool & a memorial to war veterans.
Vail Ranch Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Preserve
Rugged hiking site & a visitor center. 9,000-acre nature conservation with varying terrain & habitats, open trails & a visitor center.
Mission Beach Boardwalk
Bustling promenade with ocean vistas. Longtime beachfront boardwalk featuring shops, an old-school amusement park & ocean activities.
Mission Bay Park
Bustling area for oceanside activities. Vast bayside spot popular for sand & surf sports, sunbathing, boats, picnics & dog-friendly beaches.
Magical Adventure Balloon Rides
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Temeku Hills Park
Spot with ball fields & a playground. Green space with baseball fields, a basketball court & a children's playground, plus picnic tables.
Town Square Park and Amphitheater
Public green space & event venue. Grassy outdoor area with paved walkways & shade trees, plus a stage for concerts & other events.
Mulligan Family Fun Center- Murrieta
Go-karts, mini-golf & small rides. Amusement center features go-karts, batting cages, an arcade, mini-golf & small rides for kids.
Kidz Digz Gem Mining & Crystals Store
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Old Town San Diego
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Old Town San Diego State Historic Park
Open-air living-history museum. Open-air museum about local life in the 1800s, with adobe buildings & interpretive performances.
Lower Copper Canyon Park
Retreat for outdoor sports & picnics. Neighborhood recreational park offering a baseball field, basketball hoops & trails.
Inflatable World
Amusement park with giant slides & domes. Giant outdoor playground next to the mall offers massive slides, obstacle courses & bounce domes.
Discovery Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Old Trolley Barn Park
City park with a playground. City park on the site of an old streetcar barn, offering a playground & summertime concerts.
Mountain Pride Park
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California Dreamin' Balloon Adventures
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Glen Arbor Park
Busy park with off-leash dog areas. Tree-filled, grassy park & popular local haunt for dogs to run around off-leash.
UPTOWN JUNGLE FUN PARK | Murrieta, CA
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