Belmont Park
Overview
Expert Summary
Detailed Insights
Belmont Park offers a classic, nostalgic seaside amusement park experience directly on Mission Beach, combining traditional rides (including the iconic Giant Dipper), arcade games, and diverse activities like rock climbing and laser tag. It's ideal for a half to full day of family entertainment that doesn't feel overwhelming, complemented by beach access, an alternative playground for toddlers, and good food options.
Key Highlights
- ✓Classic seaside amusement park with old-school boardwalk charm, located directly on Mission Beach.
- ✓Offers a mix of traditional rides, arcade games, rock climbing, and laser tag for varied entertainment.
- ✓Home to the iconic Giant Dipper Roller Coaster, noted as the oldest wooden roller coaster in the world.
- ✓Free parking is available next to the park and across the street with an additional playground.
- ✓Opportunity to enjoy beach walks and sunsets, with an enchanting 'bubble lady' often present on the beach.
- ✓Specific food vendor, Belmonty's Burgers, is highly praised for their "best ever, super crunchy n light salted" French fries.
Standout Features
- ⭐Direct access to Mission Beach for swimming, walks, and sunset viewing.
- ⭐Belmonty's Burgers' French fries are highly recommended as "the best ever."
- ⭐The presence of a 'bubble lady' (Julie) on the beach adds a magical, enchanting element for all ages.
- ⭐Diverse activities beyond just rides, including rock climbing, laser tag, and arcade games.
- ⭐Includes the historic Giant Dipper Roller Coaster, the world's oldest wooden roller coaster.
- ⭐Offers a separate, free playground across the street with parking, specifically catering to kids who enjoy climbing.
Perfect For
Ideal For
💡Pro Tips from Reviews
- →Consider purchasing the $65 day-long pass for unlimited rides if planning to spend a significant amount of time on attractions (note exclusions: golf, jungle gym, escapology).
- →If buying tickets online, allow at least 10 minutes for activation before attempting to use them.
- →For families with toddlers under 5, plan to utilize the adjacent beach and the free playground across the street for much of their entertainment, as park rides may be limited for this age group.
- →Be prepared for potentially compact and difficult parking, even though it is free and located near the park.
- →Seek out 'Julie' the bubble lady on the beach for a unique and memorable experience.
- →Don't miss trying Belmonty's Burgers and their highly-rated French fries.
- →Decide between the $65 day pass or individual ride tickets ($5+) based on your family's preferred level of ride participation.
Things to Consider
- ⚠Parking, while free, is described as "compact and difficult" right next to the park.
- ⚠Online ticket purchases require a 10-minute activation period, so immediate use is not possible.
- ⚠Very young children (toddlers under 5) might find "some of the rides" within the main park inaccessible or unsuitable, requiring reliance on the beach or adjacent playground.
- ⚠Individual ride tickets are available starting at $5 and up, which can add up quickly if not opting for the day pass.
Price & Value
The park offers a day-long pass for $65, granting unlimited rides (excluding golf, jungle gym, and escapology), which reviewers consider "worth taking it." Alternatively, individual ride tickets can be purchased starting at $5 and up. Overall, the experience is described as "without breaking the bank" and "not overpriced," suggesting good value for a classic seaside amusement park. Food is available for purchase within the park.
♿Accessibility & Special Needs
- •No specific accessibility accommodations (e.g., wheelchair access, sensory-friendly hours, staff training for special needs) were mentioned in the reviews.
🍎Food & Drink Policy
- •Food is readily available for purchase at various food stands within the park.
- •Belmonty's Burgers is a specific recommended vendor, praised for their French fries.
- •The reviews do not explicitly state whether outside food is allowed or prohibited, but emphasize the availability of food for purchase.
🚗Parking Info
- •Free parking is available right next to the park, though it is described as "little compact and difficult."
- •Additional free parking is available "past the park" and across the street next to another playground.
👥Crowd Levels
- •One reviewer noted that "the ticket line wasn’t so big," suggesting potentially manageable crowd levels at peak times.
- •The park is generally described as not being "huge" and not feeling "overwhelming," which could imply more comfortable crowd densities compared to larger parks.
🛡️Safety Features
- •No specific safety features (e.g., dedicated staff supervision ratios, wristband tracking, first aid station, locked entry/exit points) were explicitly mentioned in the provided reviews.
⏰When to Avoid
- • If you are expecting a very large, modern theme park with extensive, high-tech rides, as it is described as "not a huge park" with "old-school charm."
- • If you need immediate access to rides right after an online ticket purchase without allowing for the 10-minute activation time.
- • If your primary goal is for toddlers to ride many rides *within* the amusement park, as their options may be limited compared to older children.
Pricing/Package/Events
Pricing & Packages
Season Pass
$125Duration: 365 Days
Unlock a world of endless excitement and unforgettable experiences with Belmont Park's brand NEW Season Pass. Dive into beachside fun with exclusive perks, non-stop thrills, and family-friendly adventures—all at your fingertips!
Includes:
- •Unlimited Rides And Attractions
- •NO Block-Out Days
- •1 Bring-A-Buddy Pass
- •$10 OFF Buddy Passes (up to four guests per visit with season pass member)
- •$10 OFF Passes to Plunge Pool
- •20% OFF Escapology Escape Rooms
- •10% OFF at select in-Park Food locations
- •10% OFF Boardwalk Restaurant Discounts
- •10% OFF Belmont Merchandise Discount
- •$25 game card (when purchased online)
Ride & Play Wristband
Varies (Discounts available)Duration: One day
Get unlimited rides and attractions with a Ride & Play Wristband. Save money and time when you buy online!
Includes:
- •Unlimited rides and attractions
All You Can Drink Wristband (Belmont BeerFest)
$35Duration: Duration of BeerFest event (Sunday, October 26th)
Unlimited pours at Belmont Park’s 2nd Annual BeerFest.
Includes:
- •Unlimited pours of beer
BeerFest Bundle Deal
$80Duration: Duration of BeerFest event (Sunday, October 26th)
A bundled offer for the Belmont BeerFest.
Includes:
- •One All You Can Drink Wristband
- •Two Ride & Play passes
Arcade Card - Play & Stay Friday
$15Duration: 1 hour of arcade fun
Special arcade offer available all day every Friday.
Includes:
- •1 hour of arcade fun
Universal Tickets
Not specifiedDuration: Do not expire
Tickets for rides or attractions, available in packages.
Includes:
- •Tickets for rides or attractions (Arcade and Belmont prize games not included)
- •Packages: 10, 16, 30, and Bonus Pack
Events & Schedule
Special Events(Last 2 months - Next 6 months)
Beachside Fall Festival
Every weekend in September and October
Implied general admission/ride access, no specific event ticket mentioned
A fall celebration packed with fun for all ages. Experience iconic amusement park rides, rockin’ retro displays and enjoy live music with weekly pumpkin jams in the heart of the park!
Belmont Park’s 2nd Annual BeerFest
Sunday, October 26th
Festival entry is FREE. 'All You Can Drink Wristband' for $35, 'Bundle Deal' for $80 (includes 1 beer wristband + 2 Ride & Play passes).
This FREE festival brings live music, hilarious gourd games, and 15+ local brewers pouring by the beach. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Feeding San Diego.
🍎Food Policy
- • Kids Eat Free: From 12pm–close at Draft every Friday.
🛡️Safety Policy
- • Wristbands are non-shareable; sharing may result in voiding.
- • Photos are used to identify wristband holders.
📅Booking Policy
- • Tickets + Reservation are available.
- • Season Passes are not eligible for refunds; all sales are final.
- • Universal Tickets do not expire and can be saved for your next visit.
- • Reloading tickets can only be done onsite at the main ticket office.
- • Combining tickets can only be done onsite at the main ticket office.
- • If you do not receive a confirmation email for tickets, contact Belmont Park Support at 1(858)-367-7488.
🚗Parking Information
- • Four free public lots available for guests.
- • Not for overnight parking.
- • Parking fills quickly during busy seasons (Summer, Spring Break) and on weekends.
What People Say
What's Great
- Fun and entertaining activities (mentioned in 5 reviews)
Areas for Improvement
- Parking can be challenging (mentioned in 7 reviews)
Recent Reviews
Amruta M
a month agoWe had absolute fun at this place. Went without a plan. Got parking which is free. Parking is little compact and difficult but it’s right next to the park and free. The ticket line wasn’t so big. But we could also buy it online and it takes 10 mins to activate online purchase. $65 for day long pass with unlimited rides excluding the golf, jungle gem n escaplogy. But it’s worth taking it. The park is nice comprising of various fun rides as well as rock climbing, laser tag etching for kids to enjoy. Can spend a good half to full day here. Little kids also have 5/6fun rides. Food is also available for purchase.
Kytka
3 months agoBelmont Park reminds me of the places I loved going to as a kid—a classic seaside amusement park with just the right mix of rides, games, and fun food. Sitting right on Mission Beach, it has that old-school boardwalk charm, making it the perfect spot for a few hours of laid-back entertainment. It’s not a huge park, but that’s part of its charm. There are just enough attractions to keep families entertained without feeling overwhelming or overpriced. Whether you’re riding the iconic Giant Dipper Roller Coaster, playing arcade games, or grabbing a bite at one of the food stands, there’s something fun for everyone. It’s the kind of place where you can spend a couple of hours having a blast without breaking the bank. For a little bit of nostalgia, ocean breezes, and classic amusement park vibes, Belmont Park is a must-visit in San Diego!
C Y
a month agoReally nice place to take your kids too. The beach is right there and there's a few shops as well as food places. Across has another playground for the kids with parking, I have 2 toddlers under 5 yrs old and they absolutely loved the beach and no matter how cold the water was they wanted to stay lol. We than took them to the playground across the street because they couldn't ride some of the rides and they just wanted to climb things. We went 2 days in a row which made our vacation worth coming!!
Valerie Barry
a month agoThis was a family friendly amusement park for! Right next to the Plunge. Parking free pass the park. Shopping, beach walk, ice cream, food. Something for everyone! Bubbles were being released on the beach by Julie. Made it even more enchanted for all ages. Buy tickets for the rides individually $5 and up. So much to do at this park! The wooden roller coaster is the oldest in the world. Fun fact.
Suggy García
3 weeks agoNice place to have fun, take a,walk or enjoy beach, sunset. There's a place Belmonty's burgers n their French fries are the best ever, super crunchy n light salted. Another amazing fun surprise was the bubble lady she added magic to afternoon sunset walk