Where do I park for Balboa Park without paying?
Mostly you can't right now — Balboa Park went to paid parking on January 5, 2026. City of San Diego residents can register for free parking in Level 2 and Level 3 lots; everyone else pays. Paid parking is scheduled to end entirely on January 1, 2027.
This changed recently and most guides still have it wrong. Paid parking went live at Balboa Park on January 5, 2026, enforced daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Meters run $2.50 per hour up to $10 a day. Lots are tiered: Level 1 (premium) costs city residents $5 for up to four hours or $8 all day, and nonresidents $10 for four hours or $16 all day. Level 2 and Level 3 lots are free for verified City of San Diego residents; nonresidents pay $10 a day at Level 2, and get the first three hours free at Level 3.
If you live in the City of San Diego, register online with proof of residency — there's a one-time $5 fee and it takes up to two business days to process, so do it before the day you go, not in the lot.
The bigger thing to know: the City Council approved a settlement that ends paid parking altogether. Passes are being phased out through 2026 and parking returns to free throughout the park on January 1, 2027.