Tag: free

300+ FREE online courses with library card!

If you have a library card with the San Diego Public Library, you can take almost 375 free online courses that further your professional and personal development!

I knew nothing about this amazing opportunity until the above gentleman who works for the library told me about it!

With a library card and access to a computer, anyone can enroll in free Gale Courses that provide 6-week online classes with real instructors. Subjects include everything from Accounting and Finance to Business to Computer Applications to Healthcare and Medical to Law and Legal to Teaching and Education and much more! I was told that completion of certain courses even provides certification.

To see all that is available, check out this webpage.

These free Gale Courses are available through the San Diego Library’s online eLibrary, which you can visit by clicking here.

The eLibrary offers many additional services. Users have access to eBooks, audiobooks, digital magazines, streaming videos, research databases, manuals, and a whole lot more.

Create a free account using your library card and you have access to a huge universe of free online resources!

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Sing Christmas carols with Balboa Park’s carillon!

If you happen to be in San Diego and you love singing Christmas carols, a special event is coming up in Balboa Park that you don’t want to miss!

Carol Along with the Carillon will take place in the Old Globe’s outdoor Copley Plaza on Saturday, November 29, 2025, between 12:30 and 1:30 pm.

Family, neighbors and friends will gather to sing beloved holiday songs, accompanied by the California Tower’s carillon. Lyric sheets will be provided so that you’ll know the words to every Christmas carol!

When I participated a few years ago two dozen popular carols were included. This year, the Ramona Community Singers and the Tremble Clefs will join the public again, so you know it will sound amazing!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Photos of Colombian tall ship Gloria in San Diego!

The public is invited to tour the very beautiful Colombian tall ship ARC Gloria, which is presently docked in downtown San Diego at the Broadway Pier!

The large three-masted barque is used by the Colombian Navy as a cadet training ship. It’s also the flagship of the Colombian Navy and floating goodwill ambassador. It’s currently on a tour of the west coast of North America.

Through the afternoon of Sunday, November 9, 2025, during daytime hours, anyone can freely board the amazing tall ship and walk about its decks. That’s what I did this morning, camera in hand!

A friendly salute welcomed everybody stepping from the gangplank. There are plenty of awesome photo ops. Visitors, after roaming about the ship, also have the opportunity to purchase souvenirs to remember their experience.

Take a look!

The figurehead of the ARC Gloria is a gilded, winged angel named María Salud. This figurehead is a tribute to the daughter of the sculptor who created it, Victor Gutiérrez Jiménez.

Here we go!

A shining plaque beneath the ship’s crest contains the words HIMNO BUQUE ESCULEA ARC GLORIA… MUSICA Y LETRA DE EVELIA PORTO DE MEJIA.

According to this: Evelia Porto de Mejía (1925-2013), a writer and composer from Cartagena, is renowned for her contributions to music and etiquette on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. She composed the anthem for the Gloria training ship of the Colombian National Navy, as well as several musical pieces that celebrate the traditions and culture of Cartagena.

You can read the anthem’s lyrics in Spanish here.

A medallion-like tribute mounted next to the door to SALON ALMIRANTE PADILLA. With his likeness, it honors GRAN ALMIRANTE JOSE PADILLA LOPEZ.

According to this: José Prudencio Padilla López…was a military officer and sailor and hero who participated in the wars of independence.

UPDATE!

I got a better photo of the beautiful figurehead the following day…

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Fun stuff at San Diego FC playoff FanFest!

I was in Mission Valley today, so of course I had to ride the trolley over to Snapdragon Stadium. I wanted to check out the free-to-the-public FanFest before San Diego FC’s first ever playoff game!

Can you believe it? San Diego FC’s debut season, and they finished in first place in the MLS Western Conference! Can they make it all the way to the championship?

Fans were just beginning to arrive when I swung by the outdoor event, which was officially called the Ford FanFest. I was pretty early. I’m sure the crowds were much larger after I departed.

What could fans do? Kick soccer balls around. Listen to live music. Have their hair cut. Make fun crafts. Drink beer and visit food trucks. Buy classy San Diego FC merchandise. Admire a row of cool lowriders. Visit a photo booth. Spin prize wheels and check out various sponsors…

Yes, there was plenty to do!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Two special Halloween events in Balboa Park!

Two very special, free events are coming up next weekend in Balboa Park, in time for Halloween!

The San Diego Sculptors Guild in Spanish Village Art Center will be hosting Glowing in the Hollow on Saturday October 25th, 2025 from 5 to 10 pm.

The Sculpture Guild’s courtyard and the tunnel leading to it will be aglow with illuminated art. The newly constructed stage in a corner of their courtyard will be alive with music performed by Auva Xuln. Guild artist Justin is part of the band!

There will be treats, drinks and interactive experiences, and costumes are welcome!

Also next Saturday, between 11 am and 4 pm, the House of Scotland among Balboa Park’s International Cottages will be celebrating Samhain. There will be piping and drumming, and dancing, and plenty of Scottish food!

Samhain is the Celtic festival at the end of the harvest and a basis for Halloween!

Why not enjoy both events next Saturday? Sounds like fun!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Kids can become Junior Rangers in Balboa Park!

Kids visiting Balboa Park are invited to become Junior Rangers! It’s fun and it’s free!

Simply head over to the Balboa Park Visitors Center and ask one of the friendly volunteers at the front counter about the program!

Becoming a Junior Ranger is super cool! You get an Activity Journal which has fun puzzles, helpful information, and a Junior Ranger Certificate inside. You also get an awesome Junior Ranger badge sticker! I was surprised to learn you might get a Junior Friends of Balboa Park patch, too!

The program was created by the City of San Diego Parks and Recreation Department. It encourages young people to respect and care for our beautiful Balboa Park, San Diego’s crown jewel.

Is your family visiting Balboa Park? Swing by the Visitors Center first thing, learn what special things are going on in the park, perhaps grab a souvenir or snack, and excite the kids with this cool opportunity!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

A free Phantom of the Opera concert in San Diego!

A great free concert will be held in San Diego this coming Saturday, October 25, 2025. Just in time for Halloween, The Phantom of the Opera in Concert will be performed in Balboa Park at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion!

The 75 minute concert will begin 6:30 pm, but you might want to arrive early for the best seats. The concert will feature soprano Laynee Dell and tenor Cole Tornberg and include popular music from Phantom of the Opera and spectacular organ solos with spooky projections on the front of the Pavilion!

Audience members are encouraged to come in costume! You’ll be able to get your photos taken with the artists on stage!

This very special concert is presented by the Spreckels Organ Society.

How awesome!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Beautiful ofrenda at San Diego History Center.

The San Diego History Center in Balboa Park, which is open free to everybody, has put up a beautiful ofrenda (altar) for Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Their ofrenda appears a bit different from prior years, but it still honors and remembers figures from San Diego’s past. Oh–and San Diego’s famous town dog from the late 19th century, Bum, too!

Making a family ofrenda is a beloved tradition in Mexico. The beautiful altar in the San Diego History Center also contains traditional objects like marigolds, candles, papel picado and photographs of loved ones who’ve passed on.

A nearby table invites visitors to the museum to make their own tissue paper marigold. These hand-made marigolds can be added to the altar with a note containing the name of your loved one and a message.

You may also take your special marigold home.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Watch a plein air painting demonstration in Balboa Park!

Visitors to Spanish Village Art Center in Balboa Park were in for a treat today. One of the resident artists had set up on the patio with easel and canvas, and was demonstrating the art of plein air painting! Plein air is French and means outdoors.

Michelle Joy Montrose, the artist, who works out of Studio 1, was there outside, painting one of the other studios in Spanish Village. Several chairs were set up behind her so that anyone could watch. That’s what I did!

Speaking to Michelle, I learned she aims to paint every studio, and perhaps create a coffee table book containing all the images. That should be very colorful!

I also learned that Spanish Village intends to have more of these free public demonstrations in the future. It’s a great idea. Engaging with artists on a sunny San Diego day is educational and a lot of fun.

Michelle was happy to talk about all sorts of stuff, including the creative process. She’s a writer, too!

Should you ever visit Balboa Park and walk through Spanish Village, make sure to see whether a cool art demonstration is taking place out on the patio!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!

Join a free, fun Kayak Cleanup Event!

Would you like to help clean the wetlands of south San Diego Bay? Would you like to do so while kayaking on the beautiful water? Would you like to do so for free? YES!

No kayak, no problem. They’re provided. No experience kayaking, no problem. It’s easy going. Cleanup materials are provided, too.

Ocean Connectors organizes fun Kayak Cleanup Events that anyone can freely join. I happened to observe one such event today during my visit to Pepper Park in National City.

I spotted a sign concerning the event at the boat ramp, then wandered over to the parked Chula Vista Water Sports truck to ask all about it. Chula Vista Water Sports provides the kayaks. They partner with Ocean Connectors.

I saw the participating kayakers were busy across the Sweetwater River channel, removing bits of litter, cleaning our environment, cruising slowly, gently along. I think I might try this! Each event lasts 2 to 4 hours.

Check out this page to learn all about these Kayak Cleanup Events and book your future participation. Groups up to 15 can join. And yes, it’s all completely FREE!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

Feel free to share!