It's been about 6 years since I've been here, and they've made some improvements and additions. A few more rides for kids, a 18-hole mini golf course, and a few more established eateries. The Arcade room is still there, but a lot of the machines were old and malfunctioning. Parking is still free (if you can find a spot), so it's worth a stop if you want to be close to the beach in a carnival vibe.

We had a great time at Belmont Park. While there are not an overwhelming amount of attractions to do there are enough things to keep you busy for 2-3 hours. Rides are maintained impeccably and nearly every area was kept clean and tidy. There is a good mix of indoor/outdoor activities of all different types. Tips: Buy the City Pass to save some money which comes with unlimited rides. Get there early. Parking is free and if you get there when they open the lines are extremely short for the first few hours. You can maximize your ride time early on and then enjoy the mini-golf, carnival games, and dining establishments during the afternoon. Also, there are some restaurants located on the street adjacent to the park. We walked and ate lunch over there savings some money but also having a great time with little to no wait. You can also walk the boardwalk outside the park, visit the beach area, and also some of the gift shops right outside the venue. This place is perfect for a good weather day! The only thing that was kind of sad and a little off the whole day was that none of the park employees seemed happy. They were all pretty miserable and seemed to have little regard for smaller children or helping out those that needed a little extra time boarding the rides due to an impairment or disability. Made me wonder if the working conditions are poor and that was the reason for the long faces or if this is just the new reality of how customer facing roles act nowadays. We noticed this across the entire staff from ticketing to gaming so it wasn’t just a “one off” type of vibe.

We visited Belmont Park on a Thursday so they were “upgrading” the park. So because of this not all of the rides were open. There were maybe six things for us to choose from like laser tag, mini golf, bumper cars, etc. The good thing about going on these days is there was not a lot of people. We got a thirty dollar bracelet that let us go on unlimited rides for the day, on busy days they are sixty dollars. It would be better if more of the rides were open on upgrading days though. There was not a whole lot to go through with limited rides, shops, and restaurants. Overall I would recommend going to Belmont Park, but if you go on a weekday, be prepared for not a lot of options.

This review happened in July 2024. My wife and I were in San Diego for a weekend gateway, and we went to Belmont Park for visit. This was not our first time. We came last year in 2023. The park is small, but it has a lot. They have plenty of rides both for small kids and teenagers. You can pay per ride or get a ride pass that covers all the rides. They also have an arcade, and you get play for prizes. My wife and I got on the Giant Dipper Roller-coaster and let me tell you something it was a great experience. Its fast, it has sharp turns, and its rough. We both came out in pain, but it was fun and worth it. You have to do it. The food stands are typical of what you would find at a fair (i.e. pretzels, pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs, nachos, chips). The food was nothing great, but it was ok. They have plenty of tourist shops that sale San Diego branded merchandise, clothing, and beach supplies. They have plenty of bathrooms and they are clean. The park is also right next door a beach so you can visit the parka and then the beach. Parking can be an issue. I recommend coming early and stay for few hours. It will take at least 4 hours to do everything in the park. I recommend if you are in San Diego you stop by and give Belmont Park a chance. It fun and worth a visit.

All I can say is that it will remind you of carnivals from your childhood. It was nice that parking was free so we didn’t have to spend a dime to check it out. We didn’t do any rides because we are in our late 50s but we did have a lot of fun in the game room. After that we went to the beach, Location is everything. Worth the visit but don’t expect too much.