CONNECT with the CityParking Information for Balboa Park
Updated on Nov. 21, 2025
Paid parking in Balboa Park is scheduled to begin Jan. 5, 2026. The new parking plan recently approved by the City Council ensures that verified City of San Diego residents can receive discounted parking, and preserves some free parking options, including for park employees and volunteers. Parking revenues will be used within Balboa Park for improvements and maintenance. There will be monthly, quarterly and annual parking pass options for both verified residents of the City of San Diego and for non-residents, who will pay a higher rate. For those not purchasing passes, parking will be available at parking meter kiosks on Balboa Park roads for $2.50 an hour, and in the lots for daily fees ranging from $5 to $16.
Parking meters
Meters will be installed on roads within the park including Balboa Drive, El Prado, Juniper Road, Presidents Way, Quince Drive, Zoo Drive and Village Place. There will also be meters on some adjacent roads including Sixth Avenue, from Elm to Upas streets, and Park Boulevard, from Village Place to Presidents Way. Meter rates will be $2.50 per hour, up to $10 a day and will be enforced between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily. Meters outside the park on Sixth Avenue and Park Boulevard will also be $2.50 an hour, with a four-hour maximum. Meters take credit cards, Apple Pay/ Google Pay or coins. Download the Park Smarter App to pay using your smartphone.
City of San Diego Resident Discount
Verified residents of the City of San Diego will be able to park in Balboa Park parking lots at a discounted rate. The discounted rates will apply to daily parking in the Balboa Park parking lots and to parking passes, but will not apply to parking meters on the roads within or near the park.
Advance registration via an online portal is required. There will be a one-time $5 fee to register, and one form of residence verification will be needed, such as a driver’s license, vehicle registration or utility bill. Residents will also be asked to enter their vehicle’s license plate number. The resident verification process could take up to 48 hours.
The online portal to register for parking passes and discounts is still in development and will be added to this page at a later date.
Parking Lots
For parking lots within Balboa Park, paid parking will be enforced from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., with discounts available for verified City of San Diego residents.
The cost of each parking lot will vary, depending on how close it is to the center of the park.
- Level 1 lots: Space Theater, Casa de Balboa, Alcazar, Organ Pavilion, Palisades, Bea Evenson and South Carousel
- Verified resident rate: $5 for up to four hours; $8 full day
- Nonresident rate: $10 for up to four hours; $16 full day
- Level 2 lots: Pepper Grove, Upper Inspiration Point, Marston Point and Federal
- Verified resident rate: $5 per day
- Nonresident rate: $10 per day
- Level 3 lot: Lower Inspiration Point
- Verified resident rate: First three hours free; $5 full day
Nonresident rate: First three hours free; $10 full day
Parking Rates
| Resident Type | Level 1 Space Theater, Casa de Balboa, Alcazar, Organ Pavilion, Bea Evenson, Palisades, South Carousel | Level 2 Pepper Grove, Federal, Upper Inspiration Point, Marston Point | Level 3 Lower Inspiration Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| City of San Diego Resident | $8/day; $5/four hours | $5/day | $5/day; first 3 hours free |
| Nonresident | $16/day; $10/four hours | $10/day | $10/day; first 3 hours free |
Parking fee payments in lots within Balboa Park may be made at meter kiosks. However, to receive the City resident discount in the parking lots, users will have to register online and purchase parking in advance.
Parking Passes
Monthly, quarterly and annual passes will also be available for purchase for frequent Balboa Park visitors. Discounted parking will be available to verified residents of the City of San Diego. Each virtual parking pass will apply to one vehicle.
The rates for the parking passes are:
| Pass Type | City Verified Resident Rate | Nonresident Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly Pass | $30 | $40 |
| Quarterly Pass | $60 | $120 |
| Annual Pass | $150 | $300 |
Balboa Park Employees and Volunteers
Verified employees and volunteers of Balboa Park organizations with leaseholds and special use permits may park for free in any Level 2 and 3 lots within Balboa Park, and at metered spots on roads within the park’s West Mesa, while working or volunteering in the park.
ADA Accessible Parking
Parking will continue to be free, with no time limit, at parking meters in and near Balboa Park for those with a Disabled Person license plate or placard. Free ADA parking will also be available in the parking lots while parked in the blue parking spaces marked for disabled parking.
Trams and Shuttles
Free tram service will continue to serve visitors to Balboa Park. All trams are equipped with ADA-accessible ramps; ask the conductor for assistance. For more information, visit the Balboa Park website.
Trams operate daily and leave from the Inspiration Point parking lot at Park Boulevard and Presidents Way every 10 to 15 minutes, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Beginning Jan. 5, 2026, tram service hours will be expanded to run from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. An on-call shuttle will also be available for park-based employees and volunteers from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Special Events in Balboa Park
There will be new user fees for organizations holding special events within Balboa Park that either use a parking lot or park road or prohibit access to a parking lot or park road during the event. Those fees will vary depending on whether the organization is a nonprofit, the amount of space needed, the duration of the event, and other factors.
San Diego Zoo Parking
For questions related to parking in the San Diego Zoo lot, please contact the Zoo or visit the Zoo’s parking website.
Public Transportation Alternatives
Learn more about how to use the Metropolitan Transit System trolley and buses to visit Balboa Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Will Parking Revenue Be Used?
Parking revenues collected within Balboa Park must be reinvested in the park, with eligible expenses to include park operations and maintenance. Revenues collected from the Sixth Avenue and Park Boulevard meters may be reinvested in the park and surrounding streets, and those funds can only be used for traffic safety, mobility and transportation-related infrastructure needs.
Each parking pass applies to a single vehicle, verified by that vehicle’s license plate number.
The parking passes will be virtual. No physical passes will be issued.
Will the parking lot tram and on-call shuttles be free?
Yes, the tram and shuttles will remain free.
Are the trams and shuttles accessible for handicapped visitors?
Yes, both the trams and the on-call shuttles are ADA-compliant.
Can I register to receive the City resident parking discount at the parking meter kiosk?
No, registration and verification of City residence must be done online in advance. The kiosks will not be able to verify residency on the spot. Parking passes and daily discounted parking for City residents will both need to be purchased in advance, and residency verification could take up to 48 hours.
Will all nonprofit organizations be allowed free parking for their volunteers?
Only nonprofits that are based in Balboa Park may offer free parking to their staff and volunteers, and only while they are at the park working. Any other organization that is not park-based will not have access to the free parking for their volunteers/staff unless they are a contractor who would come in to make repairs on park facilities.
Free parking will be available for verified employees or volunteers of clubs and organizations based in the park, while they are working. Members of clubs or organizations that meet in the park may park for free for three hours at Inspiration Point, or pay for parking while visiting.
Free parking will be available for verified employees or volunteers of clubs and organizations based in the park, while they are working. Visitors who have an approved ground-use or facility-use permit in the park may park for free for three hours at Inspiration Point or pay for parking while visiting.