Anyone who has travelled to California knows that it’s not the cheapest place in the world. High-end luxury and designer shops along with world-class restaurants are just some of the options available to you in the Golden State. If you’re planning to visit the southern part of California, there are lots of San Diego beach house rentals, which is a must for any trip to the city. But how can you cut the unnecessary costs so you can spend more on personal luxury? Keep reading, and you’ll find out.
Find the Perfect Deal
There are lots of websites that give people discounts on a range of things from restaurants, accommodation to attractions. San Diego is no exception. Popular sites include Groupon and Travelzoo where daily promotions can save you a fortune. If you’re savvy, you can follow what’s on offer over a few weeks or months and buy more than one when the price is right. Most discounts are valid for at least six months, and by taking advantage of the latest promotions a few months beforehand, you could accumulate quite a few deals.
Buy a Multi-Day Pass
If you’re planning to visit lots of attractions in San Diego, the smartest thing to do is buy a pass. The Go San Diego Card is excellent value for money giving access to the Safari Park, SeaWorld and Zoo. Search online to find the best deal to suit your interests and needs. More often than not, you can save a significant amount when you buy the pass compared to paying admission into each separate attraction.
Perhaps you’re unsure of what exactly you want to do when you arrive in the city. If this is the case, spend a quick 30 minutes reading about the must-visit attractions to put yourself in a prime position to pounce when that perfect deal turns up.
Visit in August
School holidays are always the worst time to travel, especially to a favourite destination. Rooms fill up quickly and unscrupulous hotel owners bump up the prices. Flights are often more expensive as well as admission into some of the attractions. Peak season in San Diego will be around July when the school kids are on holiday. If you visit when term restarts, you’ll find the cost is less. And there will be fewer tourists. Because of the cities favourable and all year round warm climate, Christmas and New Year are also peak times. Plan your trip carefully and visit during the low season if you can.
Renting a Car
If you fly in, you’re probably going to want to have access to your own set of wheels at some point. Public transport can be inconvenient and time-consuming, which becomes a problem on relatively short trips.
So what should you do?
The best option is to spend a little time planning your daily activities. Most attractions are quite far apart, and some of the must-sees such as the Cabrillo National Monument and Sunset Cliffs, are a good 16 kilometres from downtown. A car is essential if you want to see everything.
Here’s the trick. When you first arrive, spend a day or two exploring downtown and rely on the San Diego Trolley. Then, get a good map and mark out the attractions that are further away and plan to visit as many as you can over the space of a day or two. But make sure you know what the parking fees; some can be quite high and unexpected.
Take Advantage of Free Things to Do
Not everything in San Diego has an admission fee. In fact, you can visit several attractions such as Balboa Park and some of the museums for free. Balboa Park is a large area filled with trails, lawns and shady places to relax. You don’t need to spend anything walking around while you soak up the atmosphere. Other favourite free things to do are outdoor concerts that take place in the city on weekends. Have a quick search and see what’s happening when you’re in San Diego. You may be able to catch an awesome outdoor show for free if you’re lucky!
Visit Coronado Island
Let’s first start off by saying that Coronado Island isn’t actually an island but rather a peninsula. Someone coined the term island, and it’s stuck. If you visit here, you’ll get a completely different experience from San Diego. The beaches are beautiful and many tourists and locals bring their own towels and spend the afternoon at the beach. Want to swim? The waters are warm, safe and have gentle waves rolling in on a regular basis.
Another favourite activity is to rent a bicycle for a few dollars and cycle around. As you explore, you’ll find lots of interesting parts of Coronado while encountering the birds and wildlife. And most importantly, you’ll find a few places to get that perfect photograph. If you’re travelling to San Diego with your family, this is an ideal activity for the day.
The Savvy San Diego Tourist
So, hopefully after reading this article, you’re now equipped with the best ways to cut unnecessary costs on your trip to San Diego. Plan what time of the year you’re going to visit and start searching online for discounts and promotions now. And when you arrive, rent a car only when you need it and make sure you spend at least one day at Coronado Island. After all, the more you save, the more you can spend on the more essential things like holidaying in luxury.
