West (San Diego) Meets East (Miami) for Fall Travel Deals

We always say autumn brings great travel bargains, and the fun cities of San Diego and Miami, among others highlighted by Family Travel Forum's fall getaways roundup, are aiming to prove us right.

In October, both family-friendly destinations have partnered with local attractions to make big discounts available to visitors.

San Diego Kids Free Month

San Diego, California calls itself "Kid Kingdom" in October because kids eat, sleep and play at no charge at more than 100 businesses. Restaurants, select hotels and the city's major attractions are either free or heavily discounted for visitors ages 12 and under.

While rooms are not free, families will find great extra perks at the Omni and Hilton Hotels, among others. Many restaurants serve kids at no charge for meals off their children's menu, including at tourist favorites in the colorful Mexican section of Old Town. Dozens of  attractions open their doors to kids free.

Among the 35 participating museums, for example, are the Birch Aquarium at Scripps, Maritime Museum of San Diego, The New Children's Museum, The San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Air & Space Museum, Museum of Making Music and the Fleet Science Center.

It will cost you something, but the local SeaWorld Spooktacular (Sept. 24-25 plus weekends through October) welcomes little ones to show off their costumes at special Halloween events such as an underwater “fantasia,” trick-or-treating throughout the park, photo ops with whimsical characters and sea-creature encounters. We guarantee a great time; check out the details at the San Diego tourism site.

October is the month to make new friends in Miami's Jungle Island. photo: courtesy Jungle Island

Miami Attractions Month

In the heart of south Florida, October brings big savings at attractions in Miami, as negotiated by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Through October 31, 20 of Miami’s best known and most family-friendly attractions are offering a BOGO promotion -- Buy One, Get One Free -- on admissions tickets. Choose from the Black Police Precinct and Courthouse Museum, a Coopertown Everglades Airboat Tour, the Deering Estate, Jungle Island, Miami Seaquarium among many more outings.

Plus there are special offers, hotel packages and unique experiences available all month. Through sponsor Citibank, visitors who pay with a Citi credit card can take another 10% off at select attraction gift shops and 10% off food and beverage at select partners.

October also features cooler weather and way fewer crowds than the winter season, and that means less traffic. With Uber in town, you won't even need a rental car to sightsee.

Go off the beaten path to tour heritage neighborhoods such as ‘Domino Park’ in Little Havana, the D.A. Dorsey House in Historic Overtown, Little Haiti’s Caribbean Marketplace, or the Coconut Grove Cemetery in Coconut Grove. You'll get to know the Miami that locals appreciate.


For more information, check out the Miami C&VB special website.