California Weekend Getaway:Kids’ Admission Free at San Diego Zoo In October

October can be one of the nicest months to visit San Diego. Summer tourist crowds are reduced, the weather remains sunny and, if you have kids, you’ll encounter one of the best sightseeing values in California: free admission for kids to the San Diego Zoo.

It’s not as if the San Diego Zoo has to offer this loss leader to bring in customers. The zoo is one of the most popular tourist attractions in California and a must-see for most visitors to the San Diego area. But it’s also run by a non-profit organization that promotes conservation and education, and zoo officials say the free admission for kids helps to bring the zoo’s message to many children who might not otherwise be able to afford tickets to the zoo.

If you travel with a carload of kids, this program will save you significant money — $14.50 per child, to be exact. Admission is free for kids 11 and under for the entire month of October.

The San Diego Zoo is near downtown San Diego, just minutes from the hotels along the scenic waterfront or from the other major cluster of hotels in Mission Valley. It’s part of Balboa Park, a magnificent recreational area that began as the Panama-California Exhibition back in 1915 and today includes several major museums. As popular as Balboa Park is locally, the big draw for out-of-towners is the world-famous San Diego Zoo.

If you haven’t been to the San Diego Zoo before, the first thing to realize is that you probably are not going to see everything you wanted to see in one day. You’ll see plenty but, with 800 species and 4,000 animals, there will always be something that you will wish you could have seen. The zoo, frankly, is a little overwhelming with its 100 acres of animal exhibits woven into a tapestry of forests and vegetation that seem to represent just about anything you’d see on earth.

It’s hard to imagine a better way to combine education and fun than a visit to this world-class zoo. The only thing that would make it better is if it was free. And, for kids, it will be in October.

For more information, contact the zoo at (619)231-1515 or visit www.sandiegozoo.org. General admission for adults is $22, or $32 for Best Value admission that includes the Guided Bus Tour, free Express Bus rides and free Skyfari Aerial Tram rides. Kids 3-11 are $14.50 and $19.75. Ages 2 and younger are free.

For more information on travel in California, visit www.californiaweekend.com.