35 Best Parks in San Diego & Updated Playgrounds Map 2026

San Diego has some seriously amazing parks! It’s a great place to get outside and enjoy nature, from Pacific Ocean views to walking paths, to awesome picnic areas, and of course the best most updated play areas. For this post, I will include all the best parks in San Diego County, from Oceanside to Downtown San Diego and inland toward Santee.

Here is a map of all the best parks in San Diego. This map is pulled from recommendations from the 100k moms on my Instagram account (you guys are the best, thank you!). I have marked what I would call “destination parks” in purple. These are play areas that are worth driving for! Most have an explanation for why I like them / parking tips below.

Please let me know if there are any more favorites I should add!

Here is a list of my favorite parks!

1. Bonita Cove Mission Beach
2. San Dieguito County Park Del Mar
3. Tecolote Shores Mission Bay
4. Kate Sessions Park Downtown San Diego
5. San Diego Botanic Garden
6. Mission Trails Regional Park Santee
7. Balboa Park City of San Diego
8. Parks at Liberty Station Point Loma
9. Kellogg Park La Jolla
10. Trash Truck Park La Mesa
11. Centennial Park Downtown San Diego
12. Presidio Park Coronado
13. Children’s Park Downtown San Diego
14. Olympus Park Encinitas
15. Mast Park Santee
16. Powerhouse Park Del Mar
17. Grape Day Park Escondido
18. Waterfront Park Downtown San Diego
19. Hilltop Park Rancho Penasquitos
20. Civita Park Mission Valley
21. Moonlight State Beach Encinitas
22. Siena’s Playgarden Rancho Penasquitos
23. Jack’s Pond Park San Marcos
24. PHR Pump Track Carmel Valley
25. Fletcher Cove Beach Park
26. Sunset Park San Marcos
27. Poinsettia Park Carlsbad
28. Hollandia Park San Marcos
29. Old Poway Park Poway
30. Kit Carson Park Escondido
31. Juan Cabrillo National Monument
32. Spanish Landing Downtown San Diego
33. Lake Poway Park
34. SDSU Mission Valley River Park by Snapdragon Stadium
35. Westfield UTC Fish Playground La Jolla

1. Bonita Cove

This Mission Bay park is magical! It’s next to the Belmont Park amusement park and has play equipment that mimics Belmont Park’s roller coaster and amusement park rides next door. We loved the carousel swings and roller coaster climbing slide. It gets crowded so go early in the morning if you can. Easy large parking lots on either side and water nearby too!

2. San Dieguito County Park

This park is massive and has seven playgrounds. One of the best features is the suspension bridges hike! You can come here to hike or play in the play areas.

There are two different entrances. The one at 1757 Highland Dr leads to the playgrounds (there are four). The other leads to BBQ and hiking areas and areas used for special events. Both entrances require a $3 fee to enter. The playground entrance has a small parking lot just outside the pay machine. Park there to avoid the $3 fee!

For the hiking side of the park, navigate to the entrance off El Camino Real. We parked at Area 6. The best part of the hike is the bridges and ladders up high! They also have a Hawk’s Nest with info about animals and the views. There is a butterfly farm marked on the map. It’s a garden with butterfly-friendly plants. You may or may not see actual butterflies but it’s still worth a look!

3. Tecolote Shores North

This is a brand-new playground on The San Diego Bay. Got a kid that loves to fly kites? This is one of the top 10 kite flying spots in the USA and you’ll find professional kite flyers here every weekend. To find the kite flying spot, navigate to Tecolote Shores playground. It’s just on the other side. We buy our kites at the kite shop in Seaport Village or on Amazon.

Parking can be tough because it’s popular, but it’s worth it. We were also pleasantly surprised by the Leisure Lagoon playground with nearby picnic benches. And of course, my kids had to swim in this water of questionable cleanliness. Straight to the bath when they got home!

4. Kate Sessions Park

This park doesn’t have a play structure but it does have panoramic views of San Diego. You could bring the kids here or come on a date night to enjoy the city’s sights. This spot makes a great spot for locals to visit or one of the best tourist destinations on this list. 

5. San Diego Botanic Garden

True to form, San Diego takes a regular botanic garden and makes it awesome for kids. Grab a scavenger hunt when you come in to make sure you don’t miss anything. 

We especially loved the pollinator’s garden. Your children can look for bees and listen for birds. The docents had a handout where the kids could count the pollinators and do “research.”

M-F they have free art projects in the Children’s Garden. We loved painting on the big canvasses and the giant chalkboard. Up past the old parking lot, you will find a second Children’s Garden with a train and sensory bins.

The garden is open Wed-Sun 10-5 and is $18/adult $10/kid, and free for under 3. Check their website for exact hours. Address: 300 Quail Gardens Dr, Encinitas, CA 92024

6. Mission Trails Regional Park

We came here for a photo shoot and it was gorgeous. This is more of a hiking-type place rather than a playground park. The most famous trail is up to Cowles Mountain. If you come in March or April the hills will be green and it will feel like Ireland instead of California!

7. Balboa Park

Did you really think I could make a list without including Balboa Park? Unless you live under a rock you have probably heard of this one. It’s one of San Diego’s major attractions with tons of museums, The San Diego Zoo and lots of free places to play too! This is the best place to go if you’re new to San Diego or you have lived here forever! It’s full of hidden gems, like the Big Fig Tree (outside The National History Museum) or The Spanish Village and Balboa Park train. Don’t miss the botanical building right in the center of Balboa Park. It’s a great place for a picnic!

For more reading on Balboa Park, check out all my posts about it here: 

8. Parks at Liberty Station in Point Loma

There is so much to do in Liberty Station, including a food hall and some of my favorite eateries, but did you know they have a playground too? It’s at 2455 Cushing Road and it’s right on the water. Planes fly overhead all day as well! We also like the little boat structure behind the food hall.

My kids have spent a long time loudly playing Titanic there while passersby silently judge me. They have never seen the movie, I promise! They are obsessed with it for some reason and read about it in one of their ocean books. 

9. Kellogg Park in La Jolla

 If you’re looking for some eating or shopping try Avenida De La Playa a short walk away. Piatti’s (get the lemon garlic pasta), Osteria Romantica, and Shorehouse Kitchen are all delicious options there! Nearby favorite places in La Jolla: Windansea Beach, The La Jolla Seals at The Children’s Pool, and the tidepools!

This is also a great taking off place for water sports. We have gone cave kayaking here and it was so cool! We left the kids home for that one. 

10. La Mesa Park Trash Truck Park

Got a trash truck enthusiast in your family? You need to take them to this spot! The park has bathrooms and easy parking. Not sure if it’s a boy thing or not, but both my boys are obsessed with trash trucks. They lose their mind every trash day!

Address: 3955 King Street, La Mesa.

11. Centennial Park

This park doesn’t have a playground but the view makes up for it. It’s just steps from Coronado Ferry Landing (rides are only $8) to sail on the Bay! You will find a large grassy area and green space backed up by beautiful San Diego blue water. It’s also close to lots of historic sites on Coronado like The Hotel Del Coronado! There is a bike path there that I have yet to check out, but I hear it’s beautiful and flat. 

12.  Presidio Park

This park is up above Old Town San Diego. It offers acres of open space to explore, lush greenery, picnic tables, miles of trails, a community garden, and more. This would be a good place to meet up with friends or have birthday parties. Note: there is no playground here, just lots of open space and beautiful views!

13. Children’s Park in Downtown San Diego

This is a brand-new park that opened in December of 2023. It has my vote for one of the best playgrounds in San Diego. First, they went with a wood structure/metal slide theme which makes my millennial heart happy. I would say this park is for older kids, you’re going to be following around the little ones to make sure they stay safe! Really kids of all ages and their parents who refuse to grow up will have fun here!

One thing to note: there is no shade at this park. Though we have great weather in San Diego, it does get hot downtown. Make sure to bring sun protection for yourself and the kids.

The New Children’s Museum is nearby! You can get passes through The San Diego Public Library reading program over the summer or winter.

Bathrooms are in the red building right by the dog run. One has a changing table. There is security manning the bathroom area during the hours they are unlocked. This area is known for its unhoused population and the city of San Diego is taking steps to ensure the new playground stays safe and nice. Just be aware when parking and walking to and from your car. Make sure to lock it and don’t leave any valuables in plain sight.

For parking use the paid ABM lot at 450 2nd Ave. There’s also metered parking all around, but it fills up quickly. The New Children’s Museum has a parking lot but it’s $16. 

For a fun add-on, park for free at Fashion Valley and take the red trolley! There’s a stop right across the street. Kids ride free, just download the Pronto app and it’s pretty straightforward to buy an adult ticket ($2.50/person). 

14.  Olympus Park

This new park is super cool to visit, but beware the crowds are large and the parking enforcement is relentless. No bathrooms. Apparently they built the park “for the neighborhood” and didn’t expect the huge swarms of visitors. However it is NOT an HOA park and city funded so play away, unpleasant neighbors be darned. 

As we left we saw cops ticketing cars that looked like they were parked legally and barely missed getting one ourselves. As for visiting the park, there is a zip line, an awesome long slide, a skatepark, and of course the cardboard hill! Try going early or in the morning or late in the evening if you can to avoid crowds and cops. There’s a smaller playground for younger kids at the top of the park. There’s also a cute skate park! 

15. Mast Park Santee

​This park knocked our socks off! Even I had to take a turn going down the big slide. We loved the three separate playgrounds, the peaceful setting, and how clean everything was. San Diego’s playgrounds are works of art and this one makes my top ten. Parking is super easy here, there is a lot right by the play structure.

16. Powerhouse Park Del Mar

Powerhouse Park overlooks the ocean in the charming city of Del Mar. There is a huge shaded sand pit with tons of toys. While you’re watching your kids play, try to spot some dolphins from the benches next to the play structure. This park is also next to the Surfliner train track. It’s very exciting when a double decker train blares through! Every kid stops to watch.

They just finished a brand new playground and it was worth the wait! We loved the fish theme and the wonderful swings facing the water. 

Park just off 15th Street near Del Mar Pizza in an underground lot. Turn on 15th street and head for the beach. After you see Del Mar Pizza, there’s a sign that says public parking. Make a right into a little lane and there’s an underground parking lot that’s only a few dollars per hour.

After you’re done at the park, walk up and eat at Del Mar Pizza. They have outdoor dining which was perfect for the toddler crew. The restaurant is just across the street from the parking so it won’t be too hard to get everyone back home.

17. Grape Day Park Escondido

There are two fun playgrounds here, one has a bunch of funky grapes and vines and the other is farm-themed. I loved the food crate ladder and old-fashioned wooden roof of the farm playground! 

The rest of the park has an old-timey feel, with charming Victorian houses to explore. Each house is a different museum explaining Escondido’s history. We also enjoyed playing around at the train station. 

FYI this park does have some unhoused individuals hanging around. Lock your car, go in the daytime, and don’t leave any valuables in your car.

18. Waterfront Park Downtown San Diego

This park and The Maritime Museum are right next to each other and make a great combo visit. The park has a splash pad and great views of the boats if you don’t want to tour the actual museum. We found metered street parking pretty easily. Don’t miss the B-39 Submarine, the HMS Surprise (used for filming Master and Commander!), the San Salvador, and of course The Star of India!

You can climb all around the ships, touch everything, and even use the periscope in the submarine. Open 10-5 every day. Last entry is at 4 pm. I would expect to spend 2 plus hours there, more if you have a kid who is into boats. $10/kid $20/adult. They do participate in Kids Go Free in October. There are options for add-on pirate boat rides too!

19. Hilltop Park Rancho Penasquitos

This gorgeous park in Rancho Penasquitos makes you feel like you’re on top of the world! To get here you wind up through the hills of PQ until you are nearly to the top of Black Mountain. 

There are two separate playgrounds and a large grassy area with exercise equipment. We went here on a super hot day but the breeze made it feel just perfect.

20. Civita Park Mission Valley

This pristine park was super fun to run the kids on! I loved the bright colors and that everything was brand new. There are two playground structures, the bigger one up the hill and the smaller one down the hill. 

There was also a sand pit that was empty when we arrived at 9 am but filled up quickly. The park is not visible from the parking lot. Just walk up the hill, past the garden and bunny statues and you’ll see it!

21. Moonlight State Beach Encinitas

​Moonlight State Beach is quickly becoming one of our family favorites for a good beach day. I love how this can function as one of the local parks or you can make a beach day out of it. This is a great family beach, from the new surfboard playground to the snack shack to the hyper-observant huge lifeguards. 

I like parking at the corner of B Street and 3rd to avoid the giant hill coming down from the parking lot. Plus there’s no time limit if you park over there and it’s free. I heard from another mom to not let your kids play in the runoff by the sand entrance due to questionable water quality.

Mom tip: bring a wetsuit so you can be the fun mom in the water with your kids!

22. Siena’s Playgarden Rancho Penasquitos

​This petite cute park in PQ is woodland-themed! We loved the trike track and the little yellow house. Address: 11165 Almazon St. FYI no bathrooms. Trigger warning: sad story. I looked up who Siena is and she was a kid who lived in the neighborhood. She died of unknown causes at 16 months old. 

She used to love coming to this park, so the family raised funds from the community in her name and built this beautiful play structure. What a beautiful tribute from what seems like an amazing community. We loved playing here and honoring Siena’s memory.

23. Jack’s Pond Park San Marcos: 

This scenic park in San Marcos was a super fun place to spend the morning! Park at 1011 La Moree Rd to find the playground with the green slide. The pond is just past the second red barn. It looks like there are camps in the red barns but they were nice and let my boys take turns on the playground. The pond is very peaceful. We were the only people there and enjoyed listening to all the ducks and frogs! There are plenty of walking trails here if you want to take a walk before or after playing.

24. PHR Pump Track Carmel Valley

This place is best on a weekday morning. If you try an afternoon or weekend it’s likely your little one will get mowed down by real skateboarders. The parking is about a quarter mile away which felt like 1000 miles when I was carrying two bikes and two children who refused to ride their bikes the correct direction. The next time we came we brought a wagon.

It’s mostly street parking, but one time when the street parking was full we parked at the school next door. A mom next to me was unloading bikes as well and said she does it all the time and never gets a ticket. Don’t hate me if you do!

25. Fletcher Cove Beach Park

This is a fun little beach that has a small play structure! I love how the playground overlooks the beach. During Christmastime, there is a huge Christmas tree right as you turn in. Park in the lot, there’s no time limit and it’s free. 

They just updated the play structure in 2023 and it’s fantastic! Lots of space for kids to climb. I would say this is a larger kid climbing structure so just be aware of that. Also, look for the mislabeled jellyfish on one of the poles. It SAYS octopus but the picture is of a jellyfish. Unless they fixed it, in which case message me so am not spreading false information. 

26. Sunset Park San Marcos

This is one of my favorite parks because the splash pad is amazing! The kids can control the water with buttons and it goes nice and high. Be warned though, the water shuts off promptly at 5 pm and 6 pm in the summer.

The play structure next door is great because it’s shorter so I wasn’t worried about my little guy falling off. We also had a ton of fun on the seesaw. My kids liked climbing on the giant snake statue as well. On our way out I saw sand volleyball courts and a nice basketball area. Address 909 Puesta Del Sol San Marcos CA. 

27. Poinsettia Park Carlsbad

My kids call this The Blippi Park. I can see why! If you have younger kids, this park is a wonderful option because it’s small and fenced. The tot lot is perfect for little kids! There are two parking lots, park at the back one to be closer to the playground.

There is a Stroller Strides class that meets here at 9 AM most days! It’s a bunch of moms that run their strollers around and it’s a super hard workout especially when you have a double BOB. It was one of the best things I did when I had little babies!

There are bathrooms, tennis courts, basketball courts, soccer fields etc etc. This is a huge park you could easily spend the day at. We went to the Landings at Palomar Airport afterward for lunch! It’s about 6 minutes away. 

28. Hollandia Park San Marcos

This park was recently remodeled with a cute farm theme! You will love the cute little farm animals to climb on. The best part about this park is the climbing wall. It’s just the right height and is way better than taking the kids to a paid rock gym! Easy parking and nearby bathrooms.

29. Old Poway Park Poway

This park has a cute train that runs on the weekend! The first third and fifth weekend the big steam train runs. The second and fourth the little speeder train runs!

Check their website or IG @cityofpoway for updated hours and information. They close sometimes when they don’t have enough volunteers to run the trains but it’s generally posted in advance. It’s $2.50 a ride OR you can get an annual pass that will cover two adults and four kids for unlimited rides all year. 

There’s a little gift shop with a model train that goes when you press a button. We spent a long time in there. The Poway Farmer’s Market next door is great for lunch or try Hamburger Factory Poway for a fun western feel. Get the Ohmn Burger with fried avocado! Make sure to try their old-fashioned milkshakes. 

​This is also a nice place to find some live music. We have seen plenty of people playing their instruments in the gazebo here.

​30. Kit Carson Park Escondido

I call this place North County’s Central Park. First off, it’s HUGE. Tons of hiking trails, a duck pond, two playgrounds, a baseball field, soccer fields, tennis, disc golf, a skate park, a roller rink AND Queen Califa’s Magical Circle. 

Queen Califa’s is a large free art exhibit that makes for gorgeous photos! The downside is it’s only open Tuesdays and Thursdays 9-12. But it is worth a look if you can get here during that time!

31. Juan Cabrillo National Monument

If you’re just getting to San Diego, this spot is a wonderful place to get your bearings. It’s up high so you can see all of San Diego!

A National Parks Pass will get you free admission, otherwise, it’s $ 20 / car. This is where the first Spanish explorer (Juan Cabrillo!) set foot on the West Coast. Things to do here include: watch military jets take off, hike, visit the lighthouse, and hunt for critters in the tide pools!

32. Spanish Landing Downtown San Diego

This is a great park for when you’re picking up friends or family from the airport. It’s very close by. It’s perfect for when you want a beach playground, but not a crowd. There is a small free parking lot nearby. Address: 4300 N Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92101

33. Lake Poway Park

This is one of those San Diego spots that feels like it’s miles away from the city except it’s really just 10 minutes from the freeway! They just put in a brand new epic playground. 

There are two playgrounds, the smaller one has the cutest short swings for toddlers. There’s also a fun fishing dock to walk out on and hiking trails. FYI it’s $10 to park on the weekends but on weekdays it’s free!

We saw tons of people camping. Bonus for RB/PQ/Esco/Poway moms if you camp here, you could totally sneak home and sleep in your own bed while Dad and kids sleep in the tent. You could make it back for the morning fun with a full night of sleep. Life hack from an indoorsy mom.

34. SDSU Mission Valley River Park by Snapdragon Stadium

This is a new park they put in right next to Snapdragon Stadium in Mission Valley! It uses the trolley track as shade, meaning the trolley goes right over the playground. It is VERY exciting for all the toddlers when the trolley goes over. Don’t worry, it’s electric, so it isn’t noisy or smelly.

If you are visiting for just the park, make sure there is no event going on as it can make parking very tricky. For non-event days, drive past the park and turn right. There is a back-in parking lot right there. Make sure to read the street signs wherever you park as they can be confusing and there are some areas that are paid! One of my friends got a parking ticket here.

35. Westfield UTC Fish Playground La Jolla

My favorite outdoor mall in San Diego! We love the Garibaldi fish play structure. Did you know it’s the state fish of California? The playground is located in front of Macy’s and the closest parking lot is off Genesee. There are a ton of food options here. I like Board & Brew turkey sandwiches and Din Tai Fung (not super kid-friendly, the restaurant is small but the food is so good!).

They also have an ice skating rink and a LEGO store that we like to visit!

Allow me to introduce myself…

My name is Camille! I am a San Diego stay-at-home mom who is never ever at home. I share a lot of fun things to do around San Diego including parks, restaurants, LEGOLAND, the zoo etc.

My goal with my Instagram account and blog is to make any mom feel prepared for any outing with her kids so that she doesn’t have to stay home unless she wants to. Getting out with my kids was key for me for learning how to enjoy motherhood, so I try to pay it forward by sharing what we do to help other moms in a similar situation. Read more about my story here.

Thanks so much for reading!

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