Is parking at the San Diego Zoo still free?
No. Since January 5, 2026 the Zoo's main lot costs $16 a day per car, or $8 for City of San Diego residents who register first. Zoo members park free after registering a vehicle. Lower Inspiration Point's first 3 hours are free.
- Zoo lot
- $16/day
- City residents
- $8/day
- Zoo members
- Free
- Inspiration Point
- 3 hrs free
Since Jan 5, 2026
Register in advance
Register one vehicle per adult member
Then $5 residents / $10 others
The short version
- The San Diego Zoo began charging for its main parking lot on January 5, 2026, alongside Balboa Park's new paid parking.
- Cars pay $16 a day ($44 for oversized vehicles); registered City of San Diego residents pay $8 ($22 oversized).
- Zoo Wildlife Alliance members park free but must register vehicles in the Member Parking Portal.
- Paying by text or QR code adds a $0.55 fee; kiosks and ticket-booth cash payment also work. Enforcement runs 6 a.m. to 2 a.m.
- Balboa Park's Lower Inspiration Point lot gives the first three hours free, and the Zoo says a free shuttle runs from it on select days.
For decades, the Zoo's huge lot was one of the few free things about a Zoo day. That ended in January 2026, when paid parking arrived across Balboa Park. Here's what it costs now and how to pay less.
Zoo and nearby Balboa Park parking, 2026
| Lot | Non-residents | City residents |
|---|---|---|
| Zoo main lot | $16/day | $8/day (registered) |
| Zoo lot, oversized vehicle | $44/day | $22/day |
| Balboa Park Level 1 lots | $16/day or $10 up to 4 hrs | $8/day or $5 up to 4 hrs |
| Balboa Park Level 2 lots | $10/day | $5/day |
| Lower Inspiration Point (Level 3) | 3 hrs free, then $10/day | 3 hrs free, then $5/day |
| Zoo members | Free with registered vehicle | Free with registered vehicle |
San Diego Zoo parking page and City of San Diego Balboa Park rates, checked October 6, 2026.
How to pay less
- 01
Register if you live in the City
City of San Diego residents get half price, but only after registering in advance.
- 02
Use your membership
Zoo members park free; register one vehicle per adult member in the Member Parking Portal before you go.
- 03
Try Lower Inspiration Point
The first three hours are free; the Zoo says a free shuttle runs from there on select days, from 11 a.m. until an hour after closing.
- 04
Skip the car
Rideshare and bus drop-offs avoid the fee entirely.
SOURCES
Everything above traces back to one of these. Follow them — if one has changed and we haven't, that's our mistake, not yours.
- PrimaryParking
San Diego Zoo · Checked October 6, 2026
Rates, member parking, enforcement
NBC 7 San Diego · November 25, 2025
Start date
City of San Diego · November 18, 2025
Balboa Park lot rates