Getting to UCSD and Where Parents Stay

Flying into SAN

San Diego International Airport (SAN) is about 14 miles from campus. A UC San Diego travel page puts a rideshare at around 20 minutes depending on traffic, with Uber or Lyft fares of roughly $30 to $50.

Transit from the airport

MTS Route 992 runs between the terminals and downtown, where it connects to the UC San Diego Blue Line at Santa Fe Depot or America Plaza, according to the airport. The Blue Line has two campus stops, UC San Diego Central Campus and UC San Diego Health, and the ride from downtown takes about an hour for around $2.50. Route 992 takes contactless cards and phone wallets. The free, electric San Diego Flyer shuttle connects Terminals 1 and 2 with Old Town Transit Center.

Parking on campus

Visitors buy permits through the ParkMobile app or at pay stations. On the La Jolla academic campus (ParkMobile zone 4752), visitor (V) spaces cost $4.50 an hour up to $36 a day. After 5 pm on weekdays and all day on weekends, the rate drops to $2.25 an hour with a $9 maximum. Enforcement runs 7 am to 9 pm on weekdays and 10:30 am to 9 pm on weekends, and parking is free on university holidays. Pay stations take Visa, Mastercard and American Express and do not give change. Disabled parking is complimentary with a valid placard.

Which structure makes sense depends on the college. Sixth College sent 2026 move in families to the Scholars Parking Structure at 9685 Scholars Drive North, and Marshall College's move in directions point families to the Hopkins Parking Structure after unloading. If you are visiting someone at UC San Diego Health in La Jolla, the medical campus has its own self park rates: free under 30 minutes, $7 for up to 3 hours, and no more than $18 a day. Details are on the Visitor Parking page.

Where parents stay

Parent and Family Programs' Visiting San Diego page lists eight Bartell Hotels properties. Bartell offers UC San Diego families 15% off its best available rate at bartellhotels.com/ucsd, the school's page lists (800) 345-9995, and the school says part of the room cost goes to student scholarships. Drive times below are the school's.

• La Jolla: Sheraton La Jolla Hotel on Holiday Court, about 1 minute from campus.
• Mission Bay: The Dana on Mission Bay, about 10 minutes.
• Mission Valley and Hotel Circle: Days Inn by Wyndham San Diego Hotel Circle, about 13 minutes.
• Pacific Beach: Pacific Terrace Hotel on Diamond Street, about 14 minutes.
• Point Loma, Harbor Island and Shelter Island: DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego Bayside and Hilton San Diego Airport/Harbor Island (about 17 minutes), Humphreys Half Moon Inn (about 19) and Best Western Plus Island Palms (about 20).

The school's page still names the Bayside hotel Holiday Inn San Diego Bayside; Bartell now lists it as DoubleTree by Hilton San Diego Bayside, at 4875 N Harbor Dr.

Busy weekends

Family Weekend (Oct 16 to 18, 2026) and commencement (June 12 to 13, 2027) are the two weekends built around family visits, and the spring one overlaps with the 3 pm housing deadline on June 12. The school has not posted room blocks for either yet. Booking a cancellable room early, then checking the Family Weekend page for updates, keeps your options open.