SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – Balboa Park has plenty of history, and many changes have come to the jewel of Downtown San Diego. Even the park's banners say it's ever-changing.
"We've raised our kid coming down here. We've been to the museum every resident. Free Tuesday is one of our favorite things,” Jennifer Blanck, who is visiting Balboa Park from Escondido, said.
A 6-3 vote by the San Diego City Council on Tuesday brought the latest change: free parking becomes a thing of the past.
"I love that it's free parking, but at the same time, if that, those funds are helping, with other things like maintaining the park and keeping it available for every, all the citizens to enjoy, then I think it could be worth it,” Kristen Perdue, who is visiting Balboa Park, said.
"I think a lot of the parking in San Diego in general has just gotten out of hand with all these uh pay increases that they've been putting in,” Alex Pulpot, who lives in Downtown San Diego, said.
Starting on January 5th, 2026, parking at Balboa Park will cost $5 to $8 a day, depending on how close the lot is to the heart of park.
The lots will be broken up into three levels. Those in Levels 2 and 3 are going to be $5, with 3 hours being free in Lot 3 locations. However, that fee doubles if you’re not a City of San Diego resident. Lots in the Level 1 section will be $8 per day, with it being $16 per day for non-residents.
The City of San Diego will create an online portal where people can verify their residency. A $5 one-time setup fee will be charged for each person.
On-street parking that has meters is going to be $2.50 an hour or $10 a day.
"I wouldn't mind paying something once a year, but not every single time I park,” Clara Dennis, a San Diego resident, said.
For people who don't want to pay every single time they come to the park, the City's plans to offer parking passes.
"We come and visit all the time, you know, being able to go to the museums on Tuesdays when they're open for free for city residents. So, I definitely would invest in that,” Perdue said.
They'll be split between City of San Diego residents and those who aren't.
The annual Balboa parking pass for San Diego residents will be $150 a year and $300 for non-residents, which will also be verified through that online portal.
"Oh wow, OK, I would not come., That's too much money for us, you know, and considering theme parks, you could get an annual pass for that amount of money. So, the city might not be making such a wise decision,” Blanck said.
The City has changed the proposed price structure a few times. This latest change is going to make the City a lot less money than they were expecting.
A City staff report said revenues are projected to be $2.9 million. That's almost $10 million ($9.6 million) less than what was projected in the original 2026 budget.
However, that's just a projection; there's no way to tell how people respond to a parking fee.
Whether people will actually stay away due to the cost, time, and now money will tell.
