It's going to be an “Oz-some” summer, San Diego!
The San Diego County Fair returns to the Del Mar Fairgrounds May 31 through July 4. Expect to skip down the yellow brick road to an eventful fair season that includes the beloved concert series, plenty of tasty treats and of course, rides and lots of fun.
But how can you avoid traffic getting to the fairgrounds? And how much do you have to pay for parking? Don’t worry because we broke it down for you.
Let’s start with public transportation, and options to avoid traffic.
North County:
The North County Transit District (NCTD) serves North San Diego County with its Coaster train, Sprinter train, and Breeze bus system.
If you are taking the Coaster, the San Diego County Fair recommends getting off at the Solana Beach Station, then ride Special Route 408 to the fair’s west gate.
Local
If you’re taking the Sprinter, the San Diego County Fair recommends connecting with the Coaster in Oceanside or connecting to Special Breeze Route 408 from Escondido.
To see more options for NCTD visit the fair’s website.
South County:
The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) serves South San Diego County with the Blue Line, Orange Line, Green Line trolleys, and the MTS bus system.
The San Diego County Fair recommends riding these trolley lines to the Santa Fe Depot where you’ll be able to transfer to the Coaster until you get to the Solana Beach station, then connecting with Special Breeze Route 408 dropping you off at the fair’s west gate.
To see more options for MTS, visit the fair’s website.
Parking and costs:
General parking this year at the fairgrounds costs $17, and preferred parking $27. Cash and credit cards are accepted. On-site parking lots will open at 9 a.m., two hours before the fair gates open, and close one hour after the fair closes. Tram service will run continuously from those fairground lots.
Free off-site parking is offered at Torrey Pines High School and MiraCosta College. These lots will be on a space-available basis and will have a free shuttle running continuously to the main fairground’s gate. Or for closer parking Horsepark will be available for $5 per car.
Please see the San Diego County Fair website for more information as some lots will be closed on certain days.
The San Diego County Fair is the largest annual event in San Diego County. Each year, it draws approximately 1.6 million visitors.
The fair will be open Wednesday through Sunday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. It’s closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, except for the final week of its run – July 2 and July 3 – when it opens from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Tickets cost $20 for adults and $14 for children ages 6 to 12 and seniors 62 and up. Kids under 5 get in free. For ways to score deals and discounts on fair tickets, click here.
