Waterfront Park

Visiting our Navy son, his wife and their active 18 month old– we met them at this fantastic park. Right on the water with gorgeous, majestic views of the Naval ships as well as some old style sailing vessels. Cushy, cushy ground around the play equipment. Creative jungle gyms, slides, swings, fountains and a big grassy field to play ball. What more could you want? Oh, security guards. For those that have spent time in town town San Diego, that can be a very reassuring presence.

Perfect large playground. Newish! Small trees provide a little shade. A lot of areas to checkout. Slides are a bit steep and fast, good for older kids. Interesting new style merry-​go-​rounds. Mosaic cat cave/​bench art.

My husband, 18 month old son and I were in town for our friends wedding. We had hours to kill before our flight back home and a toddler who was tired of being strapped in a car seat. We stumbled across this park while driving and it was the perfect spot to let him enjoy himself!
My favorite things about this park are
1) The bathrooms are clean! At a park you expect to find disgusting bathrooms, but not here! They were very clean
2) the water area for kids is such a beautiful spot. We didn’t go inside the water but we watched other kids enjoying themselves and it looked like lot of fun! We will have to come try it on our next visit.
3) the play structures are good for a variety of ages. There are small structures on the ground such as a spinning ball that really kept my son entertained. There was also an awesome mosaic cat you could play inside. I know this is an art exhibit that has been loaned to the park so go check it out before it’s gone
4) the view! The boats and the water were the perfect backdrop.
I definitely recommend this park to anyone with small children!

Lovely park with interesting apparatus’s for kids and adults to play on. There is free parking all around the park. People watching is fun as many folks march into the federal office to get married ! There are adults and children playing in the water at at times in the park.
Great view, food, places to sit and fun for your children!

Waterfront Park is a pretty fun place to take your kids. It has a water area where the kiddos can splash around. The playground is also equipped with swings of all sorts and slides. The public facilities are super handy and pretty clean.
The secret here is to park underground at 5:00pm and onward for free while you play at the park. Otherwise you’ll have to pay for parking near the hotel across the street.

Park is awesome. They have slides and swings and don’t forget the huge area where you can play in the water. They also have a huge grass area where you can lay and have a picnic. It was nice to see while we were passing through.

Really great place to check out in San Diego. Pay for parking, but I think $ 2.50 was worth our experience there. The metered parking around the park/​building is $ 1.25/hour with a 2 hour limit from Monday-​Saturday from 8AM-​6PM.
Maybe more trees for shade would be nice, but there are different shaded areas for many groups of people.
I think it’s a wonderful place to go with or without children because the fountains are great and so is the park. They have a large slide and things for people of all ages to climb, sit, and swing on. There’s also a snack bar as well if you’re willing to pay for the convenience.
It’s also a nice sight/​site because there are lots of families there getting hitched at the courthouse so they’re all really well dressed. In a world where people wear stretchy pants and ripped jeans in public with the excuse of it costing $$$, it’s nice to see people making an effort and looking well groomed once in a while.

This is the future of playgrounds! Well, I guess the present, since it’s right here in San Diego. The playground is a playground that most of us probably didn’t have as a kid. It has the same aspects — slides, monkey bars, tire swings, etc, but in such a cooler way. Supposedly the play structures are for kids 12 and under and anyone else is suppose to just stand and watch them, but that didn’t stop me — though when I almost got stuck going through some hoop like bars, I could see why they put up those signs.
And despite the drought the fountains are pretty cool to watch and just hang around.
Overall, this is a nice place by the waterfront to hang out, chill or watch your kids play.

Waterfront park is a great area for kids and adults. During the day time the park is full of kids playing on the swings, slides, and jumping around in the water. At night there are beer festivals and music festivals for the adults to enjoy.
I have attended several events at this location and they have all been a blast. We even ended up on the swings ourselves around midnight. I love the open park right in the middle of downtown with amazing bay breezes. It adds a little artistic flair and fun versus the empty lot that used to be here. I also come here often to walk my dogs. The park is pretty much open during day light hours but I do see people jogging at night.
It’s one block from the beautiful bay and right down the street from the USS Midway.

Waterfront Park wins! Such a great feature to downtown!
A FREE & clean fountain area right smack on the waterfront in the city! You can’t beat the views! I love this addition to the city! Makes the city feel so family friendly!
It isn’t a full blown splash pad, but my kids had just as much fun (if not more!) here than they do at other local splash pads. The water was perfect temperature (I had my feet in and got splashed a lot, too) and the depth was great in the pool area. The fountains were so fun — my boys loved running back and forth, standing under the stream, laying in the blast, etc., etc.
I loved that there is a huge grass area next to the fountains and concrete steps around the fountains for parents to observe.
The northern fountain area (not with the adjacent playground) tend to be less busy than the southern fountains. But even still, the southern area never felt too crowded when we were there (a summer weekday).

Came to this water park this morning after drying laundry. I figured if I come here early, parking would be easy to find and sure enough I found the perfect spot. Get here early on Sunday because it’s free on Sunday’s for metered parking. There’s a $ 10 underground parking but why waste $ 10 when you can park for free. That is one of the reasons why I don’t venture into Downtown, San Diego. Parking sucks!
We walked over to the playground area cause my daughter wanted to go down the steep slide. She landed on her butt once. Ouch! Hubby and I took turns catching her at the bottom so she won’t land on her butt. LOL! After a couple of hours, we decide to walk over where the water park is. We got a spot on the grass to sit while we waited for the water to come on. It came on around 11:30 am. I changed my daughter into her bright pink one piece swim suit. She then ran back and forth along the water. She played for about an hour before we left to grab lunch.
There were also restrooms around the park but I didn’t want to use them. I wasn’t sure how clean they were. Ha ha.
There was also a snack shack nearby but why spend money? Bring your own snacks and drinks. I don’t think the snack shop was open though. I wasn’t sure. It was such a cool morning to walk on the park. My daughter loved this place. We will return again!

Great playground, with a lot to challenge the kids physically.
Not a full fledged splash pad, but the two very long rows of water spouts are more than entertaining enough on a hot day. Hint: Go to the north spouts if those next to the playground are too crowded.
Not a destination in and of itself unless there’s a special event, but it’s plenty of fun nonetheless. And free!!! (unless you visit the snack bar). We walked over to Anthony’s Fishette afterwards, completing our afternoon.

Sometimes the best things in life are free… and money can’t buy you happiness… simple can be better, more often than not… (unless we are discussing aerospace engineering)… and the simple joy of being a child… is priceless…
I think it is hilarious all the scrilla parents shell out for their childrenzzz to «Have Fun»…Big money on annual passes to Disney Land… Sea World, Lego Land and The Zoo… whilst there is free fun in their own back yard… that their tax dollars actually paid for… hence…This new snazzy Waterfront Park…
fully kept. clean bathrooms, security guards… snack bar… fabulous views of the San Diego water front…
This place is a pretty amazing park for free… I mean… the only real flow you have to dish out is for the parking meters… and what is cool. is that all the parking meters take debit/​credit cards. so you won’t be scrambling for change… and the rate is $ 2.50 for two hours… Do bring towels, do bring a blanket… the water is so fun… adults can go in too… The security guards are very friendly as well…
just don’t touch the water spouts or run… or you will get scolded…
The damn drought has turned the grass out front pretty much brown… oh well…

My family had a blast here. I got a sunburn.
I remember watching the news when they planned to turn the parking lot into an expensive play area /​sprinkler pond and how stupid I though that was. Hmm, egg on my face.
First and foremost know that there is a lot of security here. They are very observant, and do a great job when a potential threat enters this park. When we first sat down there was a shirtless man with a baton dancing around the water and acting very bizarre running around and stuff. Security kept a keen eye on the situation, very calm, but in control. It wasn’t long until police showed up and remedied the situation. There also appeared to be undercover security here too.
There are many fun things for kids to do here that are not water based. Slides, spinning toys, and a spider ball. All in all it’s a several hour activity that will wear down your kids.
Water fun basically is a very shallow pool of water with water jets shooting water up into the air.
Just so you know…
Keep an eye on your parking meter time. Meter Maids are very active in this area. It’s 1.25 for an hour (or about 3 minutes for every nickel).
— Use suntan lotion even if it’s overcast.
— Pesky birds. Keep your food locked up tight.

Water park — It’s fun, it’s cool and it’s useful. Went here to eat my lunch and ran into an old friend. Kids frolicking in the water, sun frolicking in the sky and myself… eating rolled tacos. Lol
It’s free. It’s a community thing and it’s just clean fun for the kids. It’s there for the taking. Go use it. If I were a kid I’d be all over this place. I’d be begging my mom, «come on mom. Can we? Can we? Can we? Can we? Please? Please? Please? Please? Mom? Mommy? Where are you mommy? Can we go now?» Yeah, I remember being a kid.
For gods sake, take your kids and make them happy. When they grow up they might write a review about you saying how great you are for taking them. Oh, lucky you — parent of the year.

I LOVVVEE taking my daughter here.
Super fun to take your kids here when it is hot! I NEVER GO ON THE WEEKENDS due to parking… I go on the weekdays when there is not a lot of people and my daughter always has a wonderful time.
Laying in the grass with my sunhat and looking Mother Natures beauty. While my daughter runs around in the water and has a blast… When it starts to get really hot, I hop in with her and we always have a good time running back and fourth from the shooting water.
Bring towels, sunblock, COINS, a mat and maybe some food and you will have the perfect day here! After we are doing with playing with the water, me and my daughter walk our little pup around (:

50 million dollars. 50 million dollars, just keep saying it. This has to be the biggest bull-​shit park in the history of the state of California.
San Diego builds a water park for children in downtown San Diego, where 99% of people that live down here aren’t people with children. To make it all the more embarrassing, not even a year later the state and the city of SD starts to tell everyone to tighten their belts, and to start rationing water, way to lead by example. We have been in a drought for years, and you build a public toilet for children to bathe in alongside our homeless population and dogs.
50 million dollars, and the entire length of the county building is one big water wasting feature, for kids. Kids that live somewhere else, I’d rather see them build the same 50 million dollar play-​pool-​fountain near the suburbs or anywhere else. This Space could have been so much more, even if they would have made one side with the water feature, but 3 football field lengths plus of a squirty play land for pink eye and piss to be spread around, YUM.
I’m all for the kids, they are the future. And parents, if you want your children to be a part of the future, keep them out of this water. I’ve seen it all happen in this poo-​poo-​pool, no I wasn’t stuttering.
How about dissect the land into 4 sections, to maximize usage and to help keep our community moving in the right direction. 1 part kiddos, 1 part grown ups, 1 part outdoor fitness/​outdoor gym etc, think Rio or even Venice. And 1 part DOG PARK, where you bring your shitting, snarling, pissing dog… since there int enough space for everyone’s hounds. As you know I’m very against letting dogs piss and shit everywhere, this was the perfect opportunity to alleviate some of that pressure our sidewalks and building are having.
This place charges parking… are you fucking serious? You build a 50 million dollar failure…& still have the audacity to charge parking. I just love to run by this park, see 3 – 4 dogs in the fountain getting shampooed up and a bum taking an afternoon splish-​splash. But wait? Is that DEAD grass? Yes it is… dead ass hideous grass while water is squirting into the air as kiddies run around and pee-​pee. Am I crazy or is this just ass-​backwards?
Can we keep our water for plants & trees? Since they create oxygen we breath, can we keep water to drink since we need that to survive… I know I’m not wrong on this. I don’t care if the water is recycled, it is still a botched failure. I’m nearing the end of why this place is a 1 star park. That stupid techno concert that went down here brought the worst kind of people to the little Italy and Embarcadero area.
This park is sad and gross.

I love seeing the community hanging around, relaxing, socializing and playing with their kids at this new park.
It being new. its still crowded. I had a great time volunteering for NHA’s Headstart program.
So many kids that attended… i enjoyed doing arts & crafts, eating, playing and just enjoying the nice weekend weather with the community.
After volunteering my friend and i played on the teeter totters, rock climbed and went down the slide.
Brought back so many memories from my childhood days.
Definitely coming back with my nieces and nephew.

Be warned! Dress your kids up in the slummiest clothes when you come here. After a few hours at this park, your kids will most likely have the filthiest clothes with holes on the bum part of their shorts. Pack towels and extra clothes and a jug of sunscreen on top of snacks and drinks.
This park is beyond a playground with swings and slides… it’s a jungle gym that, IMO, also poses as a training facility for future Spartans/​Spartanettes. Kids slide on the tough blue turf next to the actual metal slides causing their bottoms to have these blue stains all over. If they slide down enough times, they will most likely burn right through those shorts.
There’s also a water play area where kids can run around & cool down after soaking in the sun, climbing, sliding, and rolling in the playground. There’s a grass area to lay out a blanket and have a picnic while you take in the breathtaking view of at the Marina and pirate ship.
For the big kids who need something to do other than gawk at and ensure their kids don’t injure themselves in the playground, there is a bocce ball area located to the left of the playground.
I like this play area… it just seems like things can get really unsafe with all the kids running around maniacally! The age difference between kids who play here range from toddlers who can barely walk to tweens who jump from one station to another like kangaroos– so you can imagine the concern. I think the city should have made a playground for younger kids versus the more agile/​older kids.
I like that there’s a private security walking around… but I’m not sure if he’s there to enforce safety or ward off «stranger dangers». Also love the tile statues… it reminds me so much of Barcelona! So thumbs up to the designers! I hope folks don’t vandalize this park ever!
Tip: Really make sure the kids do not drink the water in the pool or keep the non-​potty trained clothed with swimmers! The pool poses as a cesspool for bacteria with the water being recycled & all. Yikes!

This is a nice addition to the little italy area as well as a nice transition from a parking lot. I went here during the week and it was busy, but not as busy as people are describing the weekends to be. I live in walking distance so I don’t have to deal with any of the parking issues. There were a lot of kids here! I almost felt wrong for being there since I don’t have any kids.
There is a huge grassy area, water fountains to play in and cool off, and a modern playground. The views of the harbor and little italy are unbeatable. The breeze blows a little water from the fountains at you if you sit in the benches behind them. It felt refreshing on a hot, sunny SD day! Nice place to stop by for a quick visit if you are sans kids. If you are with kids you could easily spend half a day or even a whole day here.