San Diego · TICKETS
The good tickets & entry passes fill up weeks out and the best go first. Below: the 13 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.
Use your mobile ticket for direct entry to the San Diego Zoo, then explore 100 acres of animal habitats and botanical gardens. See pandas, koalas, gorillas, tigers, and more, with the Guided Bus Tour and Skyfari Aerial Tram included. Plan for hills, crowds, and a full day.
“Wear comfy shoes as it’s a lot of walking but well worth it. Lots of food and toilet stops but food is quite expensive”
Spend one or two days at LEGOLAND California, with 60-plus rides, shows, LEGO models, SEA LIFE Aquarium, and seasonal Water Park access. The $64 base ticket suits families with children ages 2 to 12. Hopper upgrades add SEA LIFE and, in the top tier, the Water Park.
“It has a pretty good atmosphere, and good jungle gyms for the kids, and great Lego stations for the kids to get creative and build and race cars and boats. The rides were lacking a bit, my 5 year old even wanted more intense rides, but they did really enjoy a handful of the rides available.”
Spend a full day at the 100-acre San Diego Zoo, home to more than 4,500 rare and endangered animals. Use the guided bus tour and Skyfari tram to cover ground, then explore areas such as Africa Rocks, Polar Bear Plunge, Elephant Odyssey, and the Galápagos tortoise exhibit at your own pace.
“It was a great time. The zoo wasn't overly crowded. It was my first visit to the zoo and was able to see almost everything.”
Spend one full day at the 100-acre San Diego Zoo, home to more than 4,500 rare and endangered animals. See Galápagos tortoises, polar bears, koalas, gorillas, and Africa Rocks, with admission including the guided bus tour, Express bus, Skyfari tram, and Children’s Zoo.
“There could be better signs for directions at the zoo. Also some staff at different exhibits to give information about the animals”
Spend 2 to 8 hours exploring the 1,800-acre San Diego Zoo Safari Park at your own pace. Your $78 ticket includes admission, animal exhibits, shows, and unlimited Africa Tram rides. Walk among kangaroos, watch giraffes and rhinos, and consider paid safari tours for closer views.
“Like any zoo visit, the animals are sometimes asleep or hiding in their burrows and or enclosures as you tour . But yesterday, I felt like I got to see most of the animals in their habitat. There is also Soo many food and beverage/ snack options throughout the entire park.”
Use one pass for the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, or take two visits to either park. See thousands of rare animals, ride the Zoo buses, Skyfari, and Africa Tram, and enter directly with a mobile ticket. The parks are 35 miles apart, so separate days work best.
“I love to visit zoos wherever my travels take me. The San Diego Zoo and Safari park is the greatest I have ever been in. The variety of animals is breathtaking. This is my second visit to the zoo/park and I recommend it to anyone visiting the SD area.”
Spend one to two hours boarding historic ships and submarines at San Diego’s waterfront Maritime Museum. See Star of India, HMS Surprise, San Salvador, hands-on exhibits, below-deck galleries, and maritime models. General admission covers the fleet and exhibits, but not bay excursions.
“Lots to see, Great history lesson for all ages. Real hands on experience, great people working there to help with ticketing needs. A+ service!”
Use one ticket for the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park, or visit either park twice, within the ticket’s validity period. See koalas, tigers, elephants, lions, and more, with zoo buses, Skyfari, the Africa Tram, Cheetah Run, shows, and 2026’s new Elephant Valley included.
“I thought the price was a discount but it was the same as going to their website or at the gate .”
Choose 2, 3, 4, 5, or 7 San Diego attractions from more than 40 options, including the Zoo, USS Midway, Safari Park, museums, cruises, and trolley tours. Your digital Go City pass activates with the first visit and remains valid for 30 days.
“Gut durchgerechnet ein tolles Angebot. Perfekt bei bekannten Plänen. Sehr einfache Nutzung - kaufen, goCity App runterladen, Voucher hochladen, vorzeigen und Aktivität machen - dauert keine 10 Minuten.”
Spend one day at The Nat, San Diego’s oldest museum, with access to four floors of exhibits, a giant-screen theater, live specimens, fossils, and Southern California science. See dinosaur and mastodon fossils, explore Baja, watch a daily film, and use the $12 ticket at your own pace.
“Very good I enjoy how it’s helping animals around the world while still informing the general public about what they’re doing”
Spend a family day at Sesame Place San Diego with Elmo, Cookie Monster, Grover, 18 Sesame Street-themed rides, live shows, and a 500,000-gallon wave pool. Choose the two-park option to add SeaWorld San Diego, usable within one year of booking.
“Many of the big rides were closed and many (like the lazy river) only had half the rings out so had to queue on a one in one out basis so didn’t get to ride. Also annoying that you pay for a ticket then have to pay $45 to park…”
At the Museum of Illusions in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, you’ll explore more than 50 hands-on exhibits that bend light, scale, gravity, and perception. Expect illusion rooms, holograms, and visual puzzles for families, friends, dates, and group outings. Entry is $35 per person and wheelchair accessible.
“My experience was good but it was to much people maybe control better the amount of people”
Visit San Diego Natural History Museum after 5 PM for four floors of exhibitions, films, activities, bars, and rooftop views across Balboa Park. Explore fossils, Baja California, Southern California wildlife, citizen science, and living animals. The $12 ticket is valid for one evening on the selected date.
Water, streets, neighborhoods, or a run out of town.
