Attendance at several major Balboa Park attractions declined by an estimated 20% in the weeks following the city’s unpopular implementation of paid parking last month. 

While weekend traffic at Balboa Park has remained relatively stable, weekday attendance has significantly dropped. 

Cultural hubs such as the San Diego Museum of Art, San Diego Natural History Museum, Fleet Science Center, San Diego Air & Space Museum, and San Diego Automotive Museum have all reported notable declines in attendance since January, per the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership.

Museum staff claimed that visitors are staying for shorter periods or not attending as many attractions — a change they attributed to added parking costs and uncertainty about enforcement. 

The BPCP, a coalition representing Balboa Park’s institutions, reported that attraction attendance declines could reduce annual revenue by $20 million to $30 million. It also stated concerns that this revenue decrease will result in funding cuts, reduced exhibit programming, and layoffs. 

Parking at Balboa has been free since the park’s opening in 1868. Last September, the San Diego City Council near-unanimously approved paid parking at Balboa Park to address its budget deficit, despite resistance from residents. Implementation of meters began this past January, though the full rollout has been delayed due to issues in determining residency status.  

Attendance at Balboa Park typically declines after the holidays, even before the establishment of paid parking. However, this year’s decline is much more significant than in years past. 

San Diego Automotive Museum CEO Lenny Leszczynski attributed the decline — a 38% drop — to the introduction of paid parking to the Balboa. 

Fare revenue in the 2025 fiscal year fell short of the city’s expectations by $1.5 million — with a similar underperformance expected in 2026. Amid the city’s budget deficit, San Diego has implemented several citywide paid parking increases — not just at Balboa Park — to recoup its financial losses.

On Tuesday, San Diego City Councilmember Joe LaCava, who supported the Balboa paid parking measure, announced that the council plans to suspend fees after 80% of San Diego residents expressed that they want the fees eliminated or reduced in a poll by Survey USA. 

LaCava did not respond to The UCSD Guardian’s request for comment.