1. Waterfront
Chula Vista Bayfront & Bayside Park
New harbor park, the Gaylord Pacific resort and a bay-front stretch of the Bayshore Bikeway.
Cost: Free
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South Bay
Chula Vista is booming: the new Gaylord Pacific bayfront resort, the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, an amphitheater that hosts the biggest summer tours, and Tacos El Gordo.
Last updated
Chula Vista (South Bay) is best known for Tacos El Gordo, Chula Vista Bayfront & Gaylord Pacific, North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre. Plan on 15–25 min from downtown San Diego. Top picks: Chula Vista Bayfront & Bayside Park, Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre.
Population
~280,000
Median home
~$850K
2BR rent
~$2,700 (2BR)
To downtown
15–25 min
Schools
Chula Vista Elementary + Sweetwater Union HS
| Place | Type | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Chula Vista Bayfront & Bayside Park | Waterfront | Free |
| Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center | Tour | $ |
| North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre | Concerts | $40+ |
| Living Coast Discovery Center | Family | $20 |
| Otay Valley Regional Park | Trails | Free |
| Third Avenue Village | Downtown | Free |
| Aquatica San Diego (Chula Vista) | Water park | $50+ |
1. Waterfront
New harbor park, the Gaylord Pacific resort and a bay-front stretch of the Bayshore Bikeway.
Cost: Free
2. Tour
Olympic training campus with public tours and a track/field complex.
Cost: $
3. Concerts
The county's biggest outdoor concert venue, hosting arena-scale tours all summer.
Cost: $40+
4. Family
Bayfront nature center with raptors, rays and sea turtles on the Sweetwater Marsh refuge.
Cost: $20
5. Trails
Miles of river-valley trail linking to the Otay Lakes.
Cost: Free
6. Downtown
Historic main street with breweries, restaurants and a Sunday market.
Cost: Free
7. Water park
SeaWorld's water park sits in eastern Chula Vista.
Cost: $50+
Tacos El Gordo, the new bayfront and Gaylord Pacific resort, the county's largest amphitheater and the Elite Athlete Training Center.
Yes — for the bayfront and Bayshore Bikeway, a summer amphitheater show, the Living Coast Discovery Center and some of the best tacos in the country.
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Written and fact-checked by the Sandi Spots Editorial team — San Diego residents publishing under Sleep Coast LLC. Every place we recommend has been visited in person or verified against an official source, and no business can pay for inclusion or a higher ranking. Last updated .