Fairmont Park claims far reaching views of northern Pacifica and the Pacific ocean from its westernmost edge and an expansive playground and grass area further inland. The park is clearly designed for family use, especially considering it's nearly buried inside a single-family home neighborhood and the playground takes up a good half of the open space. That said, the hiking and biking trails veining the park near its vantage of the coastline are perfectly suitable to anyone seeking beautiful scenery and a peaceful walk.
Upon approaching Mission Beach along W. Mission Bay Drive, the first site you'll see is the iconic Giant Dipper Roller Coaster of Belmont Park. Further exploration reveals that the carnival attractions are but one of many reasons to visit Belmont Park. Whether your interests are dining, shopping, partying, or getting a workout, Belmont Park has an impressive array of options, all under the backdrop of the extremely popular Mission Beach in San Diego.
Parking and public transportation at Belmont Park
Several large parking lots are located within a couple blocks of Belmont Park, including one large lot on each side of the park itself. However, this place attracts large amounts of visitors, so it is common for all lots to be full at busy times, such as weekend afternoons. In such cases, street parking is available on the streets surrounding Mission Beach.
Best and worst time to go to Belmont Park
Since San Diego's weather is perfect for the beach throughout the year, the main focuses regarding when to visit Belmont Park are crowds and parking. For finding decent parking, earlier is better, especially on Fridays and weekends. The lots fill up fast on weekends, and by around 11 a.m. can be expected to be completely full on an average weekend.
Admission to Belmont Park
Admission to Belmont Park is free, although you will need money for the various attractions which range from dining on the beach to laser tag. Additionally, there are numerous carnival games, rides, and attractions that will require money.
Must see and do at Belmont Park
- Dine at seven different eateries that offer either a quick bite or beachfront dining.
- Revive your inner child by exploring carnival rides like the Vertical Plunge and Bumper Cars.
- The Belmont Park store has been voted best surf shop in San Diego 8 years in a row.
Other places to visit near Belmont Park
Luigi's at the Beach
A very strong contender for best pizza in Mission Beach, Luigi's at the Beach is just a short walk from the Wavehouse side of Belmont Park. Very casual atmosphere with excellent pizza.
Wavehouse
The Wavehouse is a 30,000 square foot venue with cabanas, an outdoor bar, and an athletic club situated directly on Mission beach.
Ocean Front Walk
Belmont Park can serve as an excellent starting or ending point for a long walk along Mission Beach. The Ocean Front Walk stretches for miles, with numerous dining and hiking options along the way.
Insider tip for visitors to Belmont Park
The Flow Barrel and Flow Rider Wave Machines at the Wavehouse are the only ones in the United States. If you're ready to test your surfing skills on some epic, man-made waves, you can find details and plan a trip at the official website.
Author's bio: After a seven year career in the US Navy, Nicholas Napier completed his MBA and settled in California. He's published over 40 articles as the San Diego Fitness Trends Examiner, and regularly contributes as a freelance writer to various companies.
Jungkeit Park, named after the late Elk Grove dairyman and community activist Fred H. Jungkeit, has a baseball field, playground and shaded picnic area. The playground has swings, climbing equipment and slide, which is surrounded by grassy areas. The park is on Fire Poppy Drive at Fox Trotter Way.
Van Maren park is located amongst a large residential area. The park is quite peaceful and is a great place for children to play. There is a playground and a basketball court at this park. The park itself is of average size and contains a nice trail for locals to take a walk.
