20 Best Splash Pads and Water Parks in San Diego

San Diego has a ton of splash pads, spray grounds, and parks with water features perfect for cooling off on a hot day! As a mom to three, I prefer splash pads over pools because it’s easier to supervise the kids. Just make sure to bring non-slip water shoes like Crocs or Natives as it can get slippery! Some of the parks on the list are inside theme parks, some are in community pools, and some are free to enter. The ones that are San Diego County Parks are free to visit.

Here are all the free or low-cost splash pads

1. Del Mar Highlands
2. Civita Park Mission Valley
3. Waterfront Park Downtown San Diego (currently closed, will reopen 2025)
4. Sunset Park San Marcos
5. Poway Community Pool (small fee)
6. San Elijo Hills
7. Adventure Basecamp at The San Diego Zoo
8. San Diego Zoo Safari Park
9. LEGOLAND Water Park
10. SeaWorld San Diego
11. Sesame Place Chula Vista
12. Mountain Hawk Park Chula Vista
13. Hilton Head County Park in Rancho San Diego El Cajon (pirate-themed splash park, $3 admission fee)
14. Santee Lakes
15. Alga Norte Aquatic Center Carlsbad Area ($5 admission)
16. Sweetwater Summit Regional Park, Bonita
17. Las Posas Pool San Marcos (small fee)
18. The Wave Water Park in Vista ($24/ticket)
19. Otay Ranch Town Center
20. Interactive Fountain at the Viejas Casino and Outlet Center in Alpine

Del Mar Highlands Splash Pad

This is my favorite splash pad on the list. It has comfy areas for moms to sit, expansive food options, and mini trampolines. It is well-located near some excellent snacks and clean bathrooms. 

Also of note: the food court on top of the Whole Foods (gorgeous and worth a look even if you’re not eating there!), Batch & Box Cookies, Handel’s Ice Cream, and Vuori (magical San Diego-based cool Mom pants store… once you try their joggers you will NEVER go back). 

If you’re in the area I highly recommend checking out one of the local Del Mar or La Jolla parks by the ocean! Full list and map here: https://sandiegomamas.com/best-parks-in-san-diego/

Civita Park Mission Valley

This is a free splash zone with free parking! The fountain jets / water play area are down by the parking lot and the bathrooms while the playground is up the hill a bit. Make sure you look for all the bunny statues all around the park!

My kids liked rolling down the hill near the splash pad almost as much as the splash pad area itself. The actual park is inside an apartment complex with tons of families. The park itself is part of the community so you are good to play there even if you don’t live there. 

Waterfront Park Downtown San Diego

Finally open again after a LONG closure. The water runs from 11 am to 8 pm every day. One time we went and visited and the water went on at noon. So come prepared as it does break frequently, BUT it’s worth the wait when it’s on.

This park and The Maritime Museum are right next to each other and make a great combo visit. The park has an excellent splash pad with great views of the boats and long rows of water spouts. We found metered street parking pretty easily. Look out for the mosaic statues by Nikki St. De Phalle!

When the splash pad is open, it’s a ton of fun and makes for great photos with the USS Midway and Maritime Museum in the background!

Sunset Park San Marcos

This is one of my favorite parks because the splash pad is amazing! They have an interactive splash fountain. The kids can control the water with buttons that make the water go nice and high. Be warned though, splash pad hours end at 5 pm in the fall and 6 pm in the summer and the water will abruptly shut off! This is also a great spot for a birthday party.

The play structure next door is great because it’s shorter so I wasn’t worried about my little one falling off. We also had a ton of fun on the seesaw. My kids liked climbing on the giant snake statue as well. If you look closely, the snake’s tail makes up the splash pad! There’s also sand volleyball courts, a picnic area, and a nice basketball court. Address 909 Puesta Del Sol San Marcos CA. 

Poway Community Pool (small fee)

This splash pad has a small fee. It costs $6/kid and $8/adult for non-Poway residents. Check their website for hours. The hours on Google are wrong! The hours change daily, but it’s generally open 1-7 pm in the summer and fall. 

You are also welcome to use their nice big recreational lap pool with a high dive! We liked the gentle entry area in the shallow end. They have a full fledged splash pad over in the back corner. 

Our favorite kid-friendly BBQ place in San Diego is nearby! Stop at Kaminski’s BBQ for dinner after playing. Get their BBQ Brisket Grilled Cheese melt! You can thank me later.

San Elijo Hills

This neighborhood near Double Peak Park is a great way to spend the day! The splash pad is very small (think perfect for babies and toddlers). The playground is also small and cute! The downtown is walkable from the park so we like to make a day of it and walk around!

My kids love running around the fountain! For lunch, try Sourdough & Co. We also like Everbowl and Yogurt Utopia. There are lots of walking paths through the hills around here as well. This community is really cute and safe. They also go nuts for Halloween and Christmas so that’s a great time to visit!

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

This relatively new (opened in 2022) splash pad is inside the zoo, specifically in the children’s area called Adventure Basecamp. There are multiple spray grounds and a waterfall, perfect for warm days! This has more of a water park vibe because it’s big and super pretty. There is a playground integrated into the splash pad with a monkey exhibit. 

You will need a zoo ticket or annual pass to access the splash pad. Here is my post all about annual passes and which to buy and when for residents.

Make sure to bring a swimsuit and a towel as the ones for purchase are expensive. In case you forget they do have huge dryers that can dry off kids for the rest of their day at the zoo.

Also in this area, you will find our favorite bug exhibits (nice and low so kids can see!), an axolotl, the Skyfari tram ride, and the Komodo dragons!

The Safari Park Splash Pad

The Safari Park is north of the Balboa Park Zoo in Escondido. They have two different splash zones, one near the big balloon and the other all the way at the end of the park near the duck pond. There are a lot of hot days in Escondido especially in the summer and fall, so this is an excellent place to cool down.

The first splash pad near the hot air balloon has palm trees and is perfect for little swimmers. The second one is more of a bucket-dumping situation. You can use the same annual pass to get into the Safari Park as you use to get into the Balboa Park Zoo as they are owned by the same company. 

LEGOLAND Water Park

I have a whole separate post on LEGOLAND’s Water Park, that’s here: https://sandiegomamas.com/legoland-waterpark/

The LEGOLAND Water Park is amazing, especially if you have young kids. The water slides aren’t too scary for kids and they have a ton of splash pads and open play areas. I also LOVE their wave pool at the back and their lazy river. It’s perfect for kids of all ages, but kids ages 2-12 will love it the best. 

The Water Park is at the back of the main LEGOLAND park near Fun Town. You will need a regular LEGOLAND ticket and a water park ticket to go. They currently only sell tickets as part of a Park Hopper or you can add on for $30 once you’re there.

It’s a great hands-on theme park experience that is worth the entrance fee whether you live locally or are visiting. LEGOLAND California Resort is a great place to ride water slides for young children in San Diego. We have a great time every time we go! Make sure to not miss the LEGO Legends of Chima Water Park at the back!

SeaWorld San Diego

This splash pad isn’t huge, but they do have one! It’s in the brand new Rescue Jr. area near the front of the park. They also have the splash zone at the whale and dolphin show though I wouldn’t count that as a splash pad.

If you’re here in the summer make sure to check out the pirate show at the back of the park! It’s our favorite. I also like the Manta roller coaster.

Sesame Place Waterpark

Sesame Place is a waterpark with some rides and splash pads. Tickets are about $80/day. Passes are ~$130. You can also tack a membership onto an existing SeaWorld membership for less as they are owned by the same company.

You (the adult) are going to want your swimsuit. Flip-flops are fine instead of tennis shoes; it’s not that big. They’ve basically slapped a Sesame Street overlay on a lot of the Aquatica (water park that used to be here) rides meaning there are big waterslides for older kids too! 

Life jacket rentals are free. Some rides require life jackets for kids of certain heights. You can also bring your own floatie but it MUST be marine-approved. They check to make sure at security.

Food is subpar and overpriced ($16 for a mediocre hamburger). Bring snacks in for the kids and go eat somewhere else after. 

The character meet and greets were great! Don’t miss Elmo in the room near the merry-go-round at the entrance. I recommend starting with the dry rides (they are all little kid carnival-type rides) and then changing everyone into swimsuits.

Splash Pads I have yet to personally review. Coming soon!

1. Mountain Hawk Park Chula Vista
2. Hilton Head County Park in Rancho San Diego El Cajon (pirate-themed splash park, $3 admission fee)
3. Santee Lakes
4. Alga Norte Aquatic Center Carlsbad Area ($5 admission)
5. Sweetwater Summit Regional Park, Bonita
6. Las Posas Pool San Marcos (small fee)
7. The Wave Water Park in Vista ($24/ticket)
8. Otay Ranch Town Center
9. Interactive Fountain at the Viejas Casino and Outlet Center in Alpine

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 in overcoming postpartum depression 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.

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