US Olympic Training Center

While my parents were visiting we decided to check out the Olympic Training Center. I used the gps on my iPhone to take me to the location which was a mistake. There is an athlete entrance and a public entrance. The public entrance is on Olympic Parkway. I will post a photo of what the entrance looks like. Also, if you take 125 South you will have to pay a toll. There wasn’t much going on at the time we went except for the new rugby women’s team practicing. My dad listened to the guided tour on his phone. I would say check it out if you haven’t been since it is only one of three Olympic training centers in the nation.

If you are out and about in the area check this place out. It is really low key and relaxed. I had a great time looking around and viewing the sights. this place was truly an American iconic place and you should enjoy our rich history. More than likely you will see Olympic athletes working hard.

3.5 stars
Actually, my ratings should be in two different sets: one for the center itself (four stars), one for the staff working within the stores/​guest center (1 star).
It was beastly hot and incredibly uncrowded the day my cousin and I showed up for a quick look-​see and the self-​guided tour. We drove up the long driveway, with the many brightly-​painted and easy-​to-​read signs depicting all the sports represented in Summer Olympics, parked in the empty lot, and made our way to the visitor center. We paused a bit for a couple photo opps, then quickly made our way indoors to escape the heat and get some instruction on how the self-​guided tour would work.
When we stepped inside, there were three women sitting on two couches within the «lobby» area (right outside the store). They were casually talking to each other, browsing their cell phones and pointedly ignoring us, while lounging on the couches so we thought they were tourists just hanging out, and started to poke around a bit. It was at that point that one of the girls spoke up to ask us if we needed help. She worked there! Talk about cush jobs…
Anyway, we told her that we were interested in doing the self-​guided tour, and she vaguely waved her hand in the direction we had just come, and told us to follow the posted signs. And then she went right back to whatever had captured her attention on her cell phone.
Figuring we’d get no other intelligent information from any of the girls in there, we did an about-​face and headed back the way we came, finding the «start point» on our own.
The self-​guided tour is actually pretty well done, if lacking a few things. They have several stopping points lined up along a mile-​long track around the center. You dial a phone number posted on the sign, and an ex-​Olympian walks you through a brief introduction that encompasses the creation of the Center, the purposes of the different buildings, the meanings of the fields, and so on. At each stop, you enter a number and he provides further detailed information, before encouraging you to move on to the next stop.
There were approximately 9 stops along the way, and though it was an easy walk, and lots of really great information was given, it was just way too hot to really enjoy anything. We endured as long as we could, but even hiding under the shade of the few trees dotting the path didn’t help much.
We finished the tour (the last stop took us beyond a small barrier that had been erected, so we weren’t sure if we were breaking a rule or anything, but the tour guide told us we had to go, so go we did…), and turned around to make our way back to the shop (and the glorious A/​C).
The Center was alive with athletes walking, running or being shuttled from one section to another. We’re only a few months out from the 2016 Olympics, after all, so I wasn’t surprised to see the practice fields and buildings being used to prep for the competition.
The store itself was small, and the two girls working it were completely uninterested in even acknowledging us (seems to be a theme, here). We walked in as a large tour group was getting ready to leave, and these two girls were practically falling over each other to help the group, but once they left, and it was just us inside, they went on total shut-​down.
Around the outside perimeter of the visitor center is a small BMX museum. It’s easy to miss if you don’t know that it’s there, so if you’re interested, keep walking towards the security office. It’s the last door on the left, you can’t miss it.
I did enjoy the tour, and the information that the audio guide provided. I’d be interested in going back to do one of the full guided tours, just to see if they provide any more detail, or maybe glimpses into some of the buildings we saw from afar.

I am reviewing the US Olympic Training Center solely for the purpose to promote tourism.
Not many people in San Diego know that we have this Training Center here. There are only 3 in the US (in addition to 17 training site)
With our great weather here in San Diego, of course it’d be an ideal place for athletes to train all year long!
I love bringing in my foreign guests and out of town tourist friends and family here to see something unique from the normal beaches and parks. It may be a far drive from other popular destinations in San Diego but I think its worth the scenic view. They do have the Olympic Torch, BMX museum, as well as a visitors center available for tourists to see.
Free tours and self audio tour from your phone is available. I was also surprised to see there is a schedule available of which various athletes or training camps are going to be at the center.
If you haven’t been here yet, definitely worth a peek. Really good views of the Otay Lakes and mountains.

This place was pretty cool! A free tour to see elite athletes. sure why not :)
We came on Saturday at 11am for the free tour. Our tour guide was a 100m track athlete, but I missed his name unfortunately. He was great — really informative and funny!
The place is very easy to find. Just drive East on Olympic Parkway and it will be on the right with big signs. Parking is free, plentiful, and easy! There weren’t too many people on our tour. Maybe 10 – 15 people. The tour is outside + walking, so wear proper shoes and bring water, sunglasses, sunblock, etc. Very little shade and it’s East CV, so it can get quite hot. The tour starts inside the Visitor Center area. There is a door with «TOURS» above it. Go in there and wait in the video room for the tour to start. There is a video at first (if it’s working — it was not when we went) and then you go outside. I’d say it’s about a half mile walk, maybe more, throughout the whole tour. It’s a paved walkway, very wide, so strollers are fine! Our tour, without video, lasted around 30 minutes.
They also offer a self guided tour with an audio you can call into from your phone. There are signs posted along the way with numbers.
The place is pretty low key and kind of empty. There are BMX courses, weight room, tennis courts, track, field hockey field, rugby field, and so on. But there’s not much going on, lots of empty spaces, lots of fields that don’t seem to get much use. It was a little sad. I’m not sure that I’d come here to see it if I lived far away or only had a short amount of time. We live in the area, so it was a great stop for us!

I actually came to the training center because there was an Archery class for 2 on Groupon that lead me to the stadium. At first we were totally lost because the stadium is HUGE! We didn’t mind getting to walk around the whole place and seeing a ton of athletic people. As soon as we found the Archery area we were very excited! They had a huge field we could shoot on and also an instructor that was very very helpful.
Thankfully they provide classes on a regular basis for people who would like to learn archery, there’s just a day fee you would need to pay, which is totally reasonable and inexpensive. I can’t wait to go back and get my Katniss Everdeen on.

I never heard about this place until recently discovering it on a list of places to visit in SD for free.
There is a free guided group tour on Saturdays at 11am. First you watch a short 10 min video and then you are taken out to the path outside. I definitely recommend the guided tour as opposed to the iPhone audio walking tour. It’s more informative with an instructor. Usually there is an athlete giving the tour but none were available so we had an intern direct it which she did a great job. The tour is an hour and you’ll be walking outside the whole time for a mile so prepare yourself for the sun! We got to see some Olympians training on the various courts. Tennis, BMX courses (some are exact replicas used in Beijing and London Olympics), track and field. You can see the housing of where Olympians stay, weight room and cafeteria but only the outside of it. At the end of the tour, you get to pick some oranges from their trees to take home. Neat little souvenir haha. There’s also an archery field open to the public on certain days (Road Runner Archery). We saw lots of people out there practicing.
Good to come here once to check it out but coming here you have to go through the 125 toll road ($ 2.50)
It’s free admission but they are funded by donations too located inside the gift shop!

It’s the US Olympic Training Center, just being there makes me want to do greater things. True it’s kind of empty but the aurora of just being there and competing or spectating is something awesome. On a side note, just in case you don’t know walking from the archery field to the Visitors Center is quite a walk. I think i walked 2 miles by accident since I was kind of lost.

So fun to watch the USA Womens Field Hockey team today at the beautiful Olympic Training Center. Great game against NewZealand. Tied 2 – 2.

Beautiful place! I have never seen cleaner restrooms in any large place as this. The place was packed with National BMX participants and spectators. Still kept clean and orderly!

it is amazing that more locals do not even know this place is here.
a favorite place for watching rugby

This is a lovely hidden gem. I had no idea of this place until I saw a listing of a Community Charity run that was being held here. It sounded like a great way to spend Saturday morning. — taking part in a community event and also burning a few calories. The route for the run took us around the complex. We loved the views of the reservoir and each of the facilities like the BMX training area, the running tracks and soccer training areas. It was a huge complex. After the run, we visited the store which sold a whole lot of souvenirs. We saw a number of athletes training as well. We would love to go for one of the guided tours sometime.

This is a gem tucked away in a sea of rolling hills. It’s beautiful and spacious. I was here to watch a rugby tournament and it was quite exciting. Aside from that there isn’t much going on. This place definitely serves a purpose. It is more like a venue for activities, so I wouldn’t go here unless there is some action going on. Although, it would be a great place to go for a run, if you’re into cross country running and feel like driving to the middle of nowhere.
There was also some sort of car show going on when I went here. That was quite entertaining. Nothing like pairing rugby with old school autos!

please — do not let the negative reviews deter you from visiting this incredible facility. it is a hidden gem which is not to be missed.
chula vista is an incredibly beautiful area of southern california that is lesser known to the tourist type, such as myself. huge, rolling hills, beautiful greenery, and a reservoir that i can’t seem to remember the name of.
many people were disappointed that they didn’t meet hundreds of olympic stars during their visit — and others didn’t seem to read the website correctly, which indicates what times guided tours take place.
olympians and hopeful olympians spend only small portions of their year at chula vista. if you see some — awesome. if you don’t — it is still pretty incredible to see where they practice.
i would highly recommend the guided tour. instead of walking around on your own (while there is a walking path, it is quite a hike to get from one side of the training center to the other!), you are driven around on large, golf-​cart like contraptions from one side of the facility to the other.
we saw a BMX competition during our tour, which was pretty awesome in itself. also got a demonstration from olympian archers, which was incredible to see, and got to meet a few of the olympians as well.
also got to tour the cafeteria, track and field practice facilities, field hockey, archery field, soccer fields, and the athlete housing facilities.
if you are expecting to rub shoulders with gold medalists — don’t waste your time. if you are interested in the history of the olympics, seeing where some of the olympic training happens, and learning more about the olympic process — this is definitely for you. call in advance and confirm the times for the guided tour so you don’t have to walk and can have actual tour guides take you around the facility.
also — make sure you spare enough time to check out the awesome gift shop. they have memorabilia, posters, apparel, and various other olympic — related items that you can’t find anywhere else.

The training center offers a 11am tour that starts with a short video. Bring your walking shoes and be prepared to walk. To set expectations… it’s a very nice location but don’t expect to be be blown away with the facilities and don’t expect to bump into gold-​medal athletes. It’s a free tour so you get my drift. If you’re at all interested in the team USA and the Olympic games, I recommend this unique visit.

This place is one of many San Diego area super-​cool hidden patriotic and nationalistic treasures that everybody should take the time to come see.
This is the place where our young American athlete’s come to train and compete in their pursuit of attaining «OLYMPIC GOLD!»
Come out and support team USA!
P. S. Check the event calendar for the BMX competition events, that’s when this place is really off the hook.

It’s amazing that San Diego has its own Olympic training center, way out in the rolling hills of Chula Vista, overlooking the Otay Lakes reservoir. It’s an awe-​inspiring facility, especially when you know that this whole place was funded by private corporations, sponsorships and donations. The US government had no input (whatsoever) in the building of this facility, and perhaps all Olympic training facilities in the US. Heck, they don’t even have a say in the country’s Olympic program.
We took a tour of the center one sunny and veeeery windy Saturday morning. The tour was led by Caroline Bruce, member of the US swim team in the 2004 Olympic games in Athens. We were a pretty big group, around 25++ people, which was a bit to our disadvantage. We weren’t allowed to go into the weight training room or the cafeteria and we haven’t had the chance to explore more of the training areas.
The Olympic store was pretty cool and well-​stocked with memorabilia and apparel. This is also where we viewed a 12-​minute video of Olympians past and present on a (relatively small) CRT TV (can someone donate an LCD TV please?!) before we headed out on the tour.
We saw some athletes on the track but unfortunately didn’t recognize any of them… I thought I saw Lolo Jones, but I don’t think it was her. Oh well…
All in all it was a pretty interesting way to spend a lazy Saturday morning.

Visited family in February and decided I wanted to come here since it was something I saw as free and fun. It did NOT disappoint! This place was great! The staff was helpful in telling us how we were supposed to get around (mainly taking a path that lead to all the training sites).
Interesting to watch the Winter 2010 Olympics on TV then come here to watch the Summer 2012 Olympians training. Was only able to watch our Women’s Field Hockey team practicing but it was still worth it.
And such a great walk! Beautiful SoCal sun! Would definitely come back again!
Only wish there were more public areas but understand the Olympians need their «alone» time. ;o)

My dream is to be able to watch the Olympics live! But till then, I’ll just settle for watching the athletes train. And we were hoping to catch one or two of them in this training center. In my dreams! They’re probably out of the public eye & meditating for the coming Olympics in Beijing.
So, without live athletes around, the center just looks like a deserted park. It is clean and well-​taken care of though so it’s a nice place to just stroll and enjoy the sun. The store that sells the Olympic memorabilia needs more merchandise, in my opinion.

Ooh, a well-​kept secret. (Til now.)
It’s the US Olympic Committee’s only warm-​weather year-​round multi-​sport training facility, and it’s right here in our own desert. No, you can’t just go there and smack baseballs on their pretty fields. But it’s not only open to the public (daily, 10 – 5, with a propaganda-​filled gift shop), you can get a guided tour from a real-​live athlete (Tues-​Sat, 1:30) or just follow the self-​guided tour. Basically, it’s a nice place to check out and go for a short walk, though probably not for a run.
It feels like a college campus would feel if the college did nothing but intramural sports and everyone was a world-​class athlete. The facilities are gorgeous, and the setting is SPECTACULAR. Great views of mountains to the east and Otay Reservoir, where athletes canoe and kayak. Nice views of cookie-​cutter sprawl in other directions.
San Diego’s own Meb Keflezighi probably runs on trails around here, and I really, really wish I knew where he ran. Let me run with you, Meb. I can keep up with you for at least 30 seconds.
Minus one star since I can’t just come here and strut my stuff in the weight room. C’mon, fellas. I’m an American too.